A 12-date UK tour is the biggest one you’ve done to date, right?
Chris Jericho [vocals]: “We could have done a 25- or 30-date tour! The demand has been that much. We’ve never been the sort of band that just play London or Birmingham; we want to go to Margate and Middlesbrough and Yeovil. We have slowly but surely built up our audience, from the smallest venues to the mainstage at Download. Now we have a real hardcore following.”/o:p
Do you party a bit more when you’re in your ‘rock star’ mode rather than ‘wrestling’ mode?
“It’s actually the opposite. Our show is very demanding, and I’m the singer! I don’t want to lose my voice and sound like a howling wolf! We want to give people a show like Van Halen in 1977 or Guns N’ Roses in 1986: high energy, blow-your-head- off rock’n’roll.”
So we imagine you’re very strict if you have to wrestle…
“Nah, I can wrestle hungover. It’s tough for me on tour as I’m a social butterfly. I will go out and have a few drinks on the first couple of nights, but then realise I have to do nine more shows and I’ll sit in the back of the bus and keep to myself.”
So for the person that’s never seen Fozzy before, what will they leave the show feeling?
“They’ll walk out like they’ve just been kicked in the head. Like, ‘What the hell just happened?!’ Our shows are like the highest rollercoaster in the theme park: fast, scary, exhilarating, and when you get off you’ll just be dizzy and full of adrenalin.”
What about the people that don’t have a ticket?
“Well, they’re going to be social pariahs. People are going to be laughing behind your back if you don’t see the Fozzy tour and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. You’re setting yourself up to be the butt of every joke, so just make sure you’re there.”/o:p
FOZZY TOUR WITH THE DIRTY YOUTH IN MARCH MAR 4 BELFAST LIMELIGHT MAR 5 CORK CYPRESS AVENUE MAR 6 DUBLIN FIBBER MAGEE’S MAR 7 NOTTINGHAM RESCUE ROOMS MAR 8 WOLVERHAMPTON SLADE ROOMS MAR 9 MANCHESTER RUBY LOUNGE MAR 10 GLASGOW GARAGE MAR 11 LONDON UNDERWORLD MAR 12 BRISTOL MOTION MAR 13 EXETER LEMON GROVE MAR 14 SOUTHAMPTON THE 1865
