He's one of the coolest professional wrestlers in the world, but what people may not know about Lionheart-Y2J-The-Ayatollah-Of-Rock-And-Rolla Chris Jericho is that he's a real old school rocker and is even in a band called Fozzy Osbourne. With that in mind, ChartAttack sent the people's editor, Aaron Brophy, to have a little chat with Jericho about Judas Priest, Lee Aaron, beating up women, hockey and a few other things.
People's Editor: What's this rumour that you're a real metal fan?
Chris Jericho: Yeah, that's the rumour and it's the truth. I'm a big metal fan, have been for the last 15 years.
PE: I saw a great sign on WWF Smackdown[the television show] yesterday: “Metal Is Jericho.”
CJ: Yeah [laughs] that's actually... I actually have a column for Metal Edgemagazine now, it's called that - Metal Is Jericho.
PE: Some of my staff writers are all metalheads and they all work at the Toronto Sun and they
are firm in their belief that your theme song was done by Kid Rock. That true?
CJ: It sounds like it, but no, it's not true. We just did it in the studio but it definitely has that Kid Rock twinge to it, but it's not done by Kid Rock.
PE: O.K., so I've got some wresting-related questions now. So these matches with Chyna, what's
the deal?
CJ: She's basically kinda an Amazon-type chick 'bout maybe 6 foot tall, 200 pounds and just had a big mouth and thought she could compete with Y2J and it's obvious she couldn't. Tried to embarrass me a few times and now she's definitely paying the old price and she won't be doing any Fonz imitations any time soon if you know what I'm saying. [Jericho broke Chyna's thumb with a hammer a few months back.]
PE: You know what, I hate to admit it, but it's always funny watching someone dropkick a big
huge woman bodybuilder.
CJ: [laughter] Yeah, you don't see that everyday.
PE: So are you enjoying your time in the WWF?
CJ: Yeah, it's great. I've been enjoying everything about it. It's been a lot of fun so far and I'm looking forward to making it even better in the future.
PE: What sort of big plans can we expect in the New Year?
CJ: Complete and utter world domination by Y2J.
PE: Is your band Fozzy Osbourne going to be appearing in WWF?
CJ: Not appearing in WWF, but there will be some more appearances by Fozzy for sure, most definitely. We've got some news upcoming, but I can't say anything yet.
PE: Are we're talking about music deals, that sort of thing?
CJ: That's the inside track right now. We're working on it. Basically what we are is a five-piece, early-'80s style cover band playing old metal songs. Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, stuff along those lines.
PE: As long as it isn't those old '80s bands like Kix or Winger.
CJ: But those aren't metal though, that's pop/rock. I'm talking pre-1985, before it got tainted - power metal stuff.
PE: So we're talking Motorhead speed?
CJ: Yeah sort of. Dio, Maiden, Priest. Old Scorpions, old Krokus, Ozzy. Stuff like that.
PE: Krokus! There's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
CJ: Yeah [laughs]. Haven't heard that in a long time have ya?
PE: Actually, behind my desk I've got two autographed Lee Aaron posters. I've got a Lee Aaron
Sunshine Girl picture from 1982 in the Winnipeg Sun.
CJ: Holy Smokes, that's hilarious! It's funny, the other day I was trying to remember her two comeback hits. “Hands On” and “Whatcha Do To My Body,” remember that?
PE: Yeah, that's from Bodyrock.I'll play that record for interns in the office and they'll be like,
“What the hell is that?”
CJ: Just say, “This used to be popular 10 years ago.”
PE: That was the shit!
CJ: Lee was the shit!
PE: Now she's a jazz singer.
CJ: Oh, is she really?
PE: She does a lounge thing in Vancouver.
CJ: Oh, wow. She's mellowed out too, huh? She's gotta be in her 40s by now.
PE: Do you think she's that old?
CJ: Uh, maybe late-30s. What do you think?
PE: She looks about 35 or something. She probably started really young. Here's a couple
smart-ass questions for ya: You've got Warrant, Ratt, Twisted Sister and Iron Maiden in a battle royale, who'd win?
CJ: Maiden by far. They wouldn't even get any of their members thrown out.
PE: That's because they're all in shape and play soccer.
CJ: Yeah exactly. Plus they're just heavy.
PE: Plus they've got the double guitars.
CJ: Their double axe attack would destroy wimpy Ratt any day.
PE: There's a cat scrap between Sable, Sunny, Debra and the WCW's Torrie, who'd win?
CJ: Probably Sunny because she's a little worse for wear nowadays.
PE: Have you seen her on T.V. lately?
CJ: I haven't, but I've heard. Not too good, huh?
PE: It's a pretty amazing spectacle to behold.
CJ: Yeah, it's amazing how a person can change in such a short period of time.
PE: The interns also gave me some self-help questions to ask you. Here's one: You seem like
the kind of guy who really knows how to treat a lady. What's the best way to romance my
girlfriend?
CJ: Well you definitely have to go out and buy a car with a convertible top, that's important. It has to have a stereo, you've got to have a good stereo. Then you stick in Love You To Piecesby Lizzy Borden, then drive to the nearest McDonalds and buy Shamrock shakes in honour of St. Patrick's Day. You get one shake with two straws and you lovingly sip on the shake while listening to “Give 'Em The Axe.”
PE: That's awful. I used to love those Shamrock shakes when I was 13, though.
CJ: I know, aren't they awesome. Then you realize that they just totally suck when you grow up.
PE: It's just a regular shake with food colouring and peppermint.
CJ: Yeah, brutal.
PE: What are the personal hygiene etiquette rules for professional wrestlers?
CJ: You basically want to wash your gear so you don't totally stink. I mean, some guys wear the same gear over and over again. It gets kinda smelly, but not just in a sweat smelly way, but in an old hockey equipment sweat smelly way. You know, like when you open your hockey bag and it kind of wafts out in a smelly cloud.
PE: Can't you just blacklist a guy like that and go “I don't want to do a match with him?”
CJ: Well, if it's a guy like Kane, who definitely has a stinky-rink costume, what are you going to tell him? The guy's seven-foot tall and 300 pounds. If it's a guy like Rey Mysterio Jr., you punish him mercilessly and actually wash him in the sink while he's doing his costume. O.K., one more final question.
PE: Hmm, who's going to win the Stanley Cup?
CJ: Wow, good question. I still think it's going to be Detroit, Dallas or Colorado. One of those three.
PE: All Western teams?
CJ: Yeah, they're the most dominant right now. Nobody in the East can really challenge them. I mean, who's going to challenge them? You've always got New Jersey, but they never can really cut it. Buffalo, they were a one-shot thing and they're going down.
PE: I get all the Toronto hype, so I'm cheering for them, but in my heart of hearts I'll never think
they can win.
CJ: Don't get me wrong, it'd be awesome if they could. I mean I'd be the first in line to see them win the Cup, but I can't see them beating that mystical trio from the West.
PE: The Flyers are lacking character.
CJ: Yeah, they don't have chemistry. Obviously the Rangers don't have chemistry. Ottawa, they're O.K., but nobody really stands out.