CHRIS JERICHO: “We had to work twice as hard to gain people’s respect with FOZZY”

Chris Jericho knew from his youth what he wanted from life: to become a professional wrestler and play in a rock’n’roll band. Most of his high school friends thought he lacked the necessary skills for both, but Chris believed in himself. With the wise words of Master Yoda echoed through his head (“Do it or don’t do it. There is no trying.”), he let it happen. As a result, Chris has spent his life not just trying, but doing. He has managed to make his dreams come true and has learned dozens of invaluable lessons along the way.

In conversation with Neal Brennan from the “Blocks” Podcast about his decision to start FOZZY 25 years ago, Chris said (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I’ve been playing in rock’n’roll bands since I was 14. This isn’t something where I woke up one day and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to join a band.’ And another obstacle in the music world was convincing people that this wasn’t just a vanity project. And I experienced it in wrestling too (people said), ‘Oh, you’re too small.’ I experienced it with FOZZY: “You can’t sing. You’re a wrestler.” You wonder why? What does that have to do with anything? … (IRON MAIDEN‘S) Bruce Dickinson is a pilot. And that’s like saying, “Well, you can’t be a pilot because you’re a singer,” or, “You can’t be a singer because you’re a pilot.” That doesn’t make any damn sense. Either you can do it or you can’t. So we had to work twice as hard to gain people’s respect with FOZZYbut now we’ve just had our sixth top 10 hit… and a gold record and world tours and all that other stuff. So you just have to stick with it. And if you know it’s going to work, don’t listen to people telling you you can’t do something, because everyone – not everyone, (but) the majority of people who don’t understand something will just say you can’t do it. And don’t believe them.”

Jericho continued: “I have written a lot of books, but the fourth book I wrote was called “No is a four-letter word”. And what I meant by that was that people throw around “no” as a safety measure. It’s like a dirty word, like a curse word. “Hey, can I do (that)?” “No.” “Why?” “Well, it’ll never work.” “What do you mean, it’ll never work. Let’s find a way to make it work. Don’t just say no for no reason.” And I think that’s another good model for my life: Don’t tell me why something won’t work. Let’s find a way to make it work, because there’s always a way. Always.”

FOZZY‘s latest standalone single, “Headlights”was published last October via Madison Records/The orchard. The track was directed by FOZZYlong-time producer Johnny Andrews (THREE DAYS GRACE, ALL THAT REMAINS, HEALING STORM) and sound refined by mixing console Jacob Hanson (VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, ARCH ENEMY).

FOZZYthe latest album, “Boombox”was released in May 2022 and included “I’m still burning”which has over three million views on Youtube. It also included the top 10 singles “No possibility to escape” And “Reasonable”.

As previously reported, FOZZY will embark on a 25th anniversary tour this fall. The tour begins on October 3rd at Madlife Studios in Woodstock, Georgia and continues until October 21st in Cleveland, Ohio. Support on the tour comes from The nighttime affair And CLOSURE.

In spring 2023 FOZZY spent time on the street with UGLY CHILD JOE as part of the latter band’s first tour of the United States in 27 years.

In January 2022 FOZZY parted ways with long-time drummer Frank Fontsere and replaced it with Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE).

font was a founding member of FOZZYThe group was founded in 1999 with Jericho And station.

When FOZZY announced fontAfter his departure, the band said he was stepping down to “focus on his family and other projects.”

FOZZY Is Jerichoguitarist Rich Ward, Brooks, Billy Gray (guitar) and PJ Farley (Bass).