WWE Superstar Chris Jericho Talks Rock Music, Wrestling, and God!
Chris Jericho is my favorite WWE superstar of all time, hands down. He came back to the WWE on Monday Night Raw on June 30 after a year of absence. I got so excited when I witnessed the return that I leaped from my couch and nearly crashed through my roof. To me, there is nothing better than watching my boy Jericho put an opponent in the dreaded Walls of Jericho or finish up said opponent with the Code Breaker. From his flashy light-up jacket, to his intro music, to his rock star persona and skills with the microphone, Chris Jericho is one-of-a-kind. And things are looking up for Jericho: with a new album from his band Fozzy entitled Do You Wanna Start A War set to be released, their first official chart-topping single “Lights Go Out” rumbling the air waves, an extensive tour with secular rock and roll powerhouse Theory of a Deadman, and a stop for WWE’s pay-per-view Night of Champions in Nashville, it’s safe to say that Chris Jericho has a full plate.
Everybody needs a hero, a person to take their minds off the woes of life — someone to cheer for in the trials and triumphs of story lines where the hero stays faithful even in the agony of defeat. For me and millions of others, Chris Jericho provides that kind of inspiration; and, at 43-years-old, he’s built like a tank, he’s a hard-working athlete, and he has the vocal and music skills to captivate audiences all over the world.
Thank you for coming back to the WWE! What made you decide to return?
We took some time off from Fozzy. We are off until September as far as touring goes, and it just worked out. It was kind of the right place for both of us, for the WWE and for myself, and it was a good time to come back for a couple of months.
The new album is awesome, could you discuss it with us?
Well, basically, we felt the same as you. I mean, after Sin and Bones did well for us, we knew we were in the spotlight more than ever, and we knew it was time to up the ante if we wanted to get to the same level and success as the Sin and Bones album and do an even better record and [write an] even better collection of songs. Our rule for this record was there are no rules. We wanted to do the best possible record that we could and not worry about what other bands were doing and what the songs sounded like. You know, Rich Ward is playing guitar, Frank Fontsere on drums, and Chris Jericho on vocals: it’s going to sound like Fozzy and that is what we focused on. And there are some songs that are different from anything that we have done before, and there are some songs that are exactly the same, but it is all very diverse and kind of like a whole new world for us. We are all very excited about it, and we think it is going to be a game changer.
Is it true the track “Lights Go Out” is going to be on the new WWE video game?
You know, I am not really to sure. I have heard that. It is funny to me because people think that I know everything, but I am just a singer in a band, and I think it was between the WWE and our record license company, and I believe they are going to use it in the video game in some aspect, so that will be cool. Anytime you can get something like that rolling with a project that big it is just good for us. “Lights Go Out” has been a big hit so far. It is our first legit Top 40 hit single, and to have it in the video game is just another bonus and indication to how good the song is doing. So we look forward to that.
How do you plan on juggling both your career in the WWE and your career in rock music on tour?
I really don’t juggle. It is hard to do them both at the same time. We had a couple of gigs booked this summer — radio festivals and stuff like that. But as far as Fozzy, there are only a few more gigs going on this summer while I am back in the WWE, so there are not too many because I can’t do them both at the same time. I wouldn’t even really want to try it.
I heard recently you are a Christian. Is this true?
Yes. I have been for many years. I am not always completely perfect, but none of us are. But at the end of the day, I know who the Boss is, and I know that it has helped me in my life and career for sure.
