For famed professional wrestler and rocker Chris Jericho, music and good times go together like the perfect team.
Raised on healthy doses of Journey, AC/DC and Metallica, Jericho admired the way they filled stadiums with their hook-laden songs.
Because of this, in 1999 he formed the Georgia-based hard rock band Fozzy, which currently includes guitarist/backing vocalist Rich Ward, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Billy Gray, bassist PJ Farley, and drummer Grant Brooks. Jericho describes the band as the child of Metallica and Journey who were raised by AC/DC.
“Those are the bands that we’ve always kind of bonded with and I think that’s how it comes out in our music,” Jericho says.
These influences paid off. Fozzy’s last eight singles reached the top 20 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart.
Additionally, the tracks “Judas”, which also became Jericho’s entrance theme in his All Elite Wrestling matches, “Sane” and “I Still Burn” became rock radio staples. That makes Fozzy an obvious choice for rock radio festivals like 98KUPD’s annual UFest on Saturday, May 6 at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheater.
“We never realized how big rock radio still was in the United States until we started getting airplay on rock radio in the last five years,” says Jericho. “It really took the band to a whole different level and I think that’s what we’re known for at this point with Fozzy.”
Although the band are surrounded by fellow rockers I Prevail, The Black Moods, Gray Daze – who will play their first gig in 25 years to celebrate the life and legacy of their original vocalist Chester Bennington – and main title Godsmack, Jericho feels Fozzy will bring a distinct liveliness to the festival.
“It’s all about the party mood,” he says. “I think that’s what Fozzy brings to the table and what we’ve worked really hard on over the years is making sure people have a good time when they come to our show. C is the No. 1 most important thing.”
Because of this, Jericho curates the band’s setlist to keep the energy from slipping away until the moment he leaves the stage.
“Our whole set and our whole show revolves around that party attitude and that’s why we play the songs that the fans can sing along to, the ones that make them feel a certain way and react a certain way,” explains Jericho.
It’s become an easy task for Jericho as his band now has the champagne problem of cramming as many hits as possible into a festival setlist, which is usually shorter than a regular show. He says he feels his success keeps the party going.
“Every song has a certain reaction and a certain part where there’s fan involvement, whether it’s some sort of gimmick that involves a single or a fog gun. Every song has something that makes it more exciting to see live,” Jericho says.
However, no song sticks out better than its entrance theme.
“I started using ‘Judas’ in Japan when I was headlining Tokyo Dome because we were hoping to tour Japan and our thought was, ‘Maybe a promoter will hear this song.’ “, Jericho said with a laugh. “But it worked so well for my character and then obviously when people started singing it in arenas, it had taken on a life of its own.
“Now we hear it everywhere, from football games, soccer games and hockey games to pop culture and TV shows.”
98KUPD’s UFest featuring Godsmack, I Prevail, Nothing More, Fozzy, The Warning and The Black Moods
WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Saturday May 6
OR: Talking Stick Amphitheater Resort, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix
COST: Tickets start at $35
INFORMATION: livenation.com, 98kupd.com
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