Fozzy

Fozzy is a hard rock and heavy metal group from Atlanta, United States, active from 1999. It is fronted by professional wrestler Chris Jericho and includes musicians associated with Stuck Mojo, alongside later guest appearances from members of other metal bands.

Formation and early years

The band begins as Fozzy Osbourne, a cover group put together by Rich Ward with different musicians joining from week to week. In 1999, Jericho meets Ward in San Antonio after a wrestling show and sits in with the band. He does not initially plan to join permanently, but after a severe ankle injury keeps him out of wrestling for four months in 2000, he returns as front man under the persona “Moongoose McQueen”. The group tours that year and shortens its name to Fozzy. It also uses a satirical story in which the songs it covers are presented as its own material that other bands have stolen.

Albums and material

Fozzy’s first two albums, Fozzy and Happenstance, are made up mostly of cover versions. The third album, All That Remains, consists entirely of original songs, although some of the material has already been recorded by Ward’s earlier side project Sick Speed. The group’s later albums are Chasing the Grail, Sin and Bones, Do You Wanna Start a War, Judas and Boombox.

WWE and other appearances

In 2002, Fozzy performs on an edition of WWE Sunday Night Heat filmed at WWE New York, and plays “To Kill a Stranger” on WWE Raw is War, followed by an angle involving Ric Flair attacking Jericho. The video for “To Kill a Stranger” airs on WWE Confidential. “Enemy” becomes the official theme song for WWE’s No Way Out pay-per-view in February 2005, and its video appears on the bonus disc of GuitarOne’s February 2005 edition. The song also features on TNA iMPACT! shortly before TNA Bound for Glory 2006.

Line-up

Jericho drops the “Moongoose McQueen” persona in 2004 and performs under his wrestling stage name, Christopher Irvine being his real name. The group’s membership includes Chris Jericho, Rich Ward, Billy Grey, P. J. Farley and Grant Brooks, while earlier named members also include Sean Delson, Eric Sanders and Paul Di Leo.