Werstling

why is he famous?

Chris Jericho made a name for himself thanks to a successful wrestling career in the WCW and the WWE, and even established himself as a rock star with his band Fozzy. With trademark finishing moves like the Walls of Jericho, the Swinging Choke Drop, and the Break Down, Jericho is shouting (or laughing) last as the First Ever Undisputed Champion.

quick bio

Chris Jericho was born in Manhasset, New York on November 9, 1970, but was raised in Winnipeg, Canada. The son of former New York Ranger Ted Irvine, Jericho was always an athlete, getting involved in both hockey and water polo in high school. After graduating college with a degree in communications, Jericho made the move to Calgary to train at a wrestling camp with the Hart brothers, in Stu Hart's "Dungeon." After three months of training, he entered the professional world in October of 1990, wrestling on independent shows.

Jericho entered the WCW in 1996, while the WWE followed three years later. He has since won endless titles, including "Undisputed Champion," which represents the combined WWE and WCW titles. In addition to being one of the biggest names in wrestling, Jericho is also known as Mongoose McQueen, lead singer for the rock group Fozzy (who he's rocked out with since 1999). With the release of Fozzy's third album in January, you'll be seeing a lot more of Chris Jericho and his band in 2005.

We had a chance to sit down with Chris to discuss the world of wrestling, rock 'n' roll, and a little something called dreams...

If you'd like the latest news on Chris Jericho and his band, Fozzy, check out his official site, chrisjericho.com.

Chris Jericho, Credit: Legal Notice

Interview

Q: What's up, Chris? Tell us a bit about your band.

When I was a kid I wanted to be either a rock star or a wrestler. I probably started when I was 14 years old and I never stopped playing in bands. It was something that I always dabbled in. We started this band in 1999. It started out as more of a hobby, and five years later, three records later, with videos on MTV and MuchMusic, it has been a very cool side project for me.

Q: So you wanted to be a musician more than a wrestler -- is that a fair assessment?

I wouldn't say that, like I said, it was one or the other. I was a huge fan of music and a huge fan of wrestling. The path I chose was wrestling because that's what I was into at the time. I had decided at 15 that I wanted to be a wrestler. The route into wrestling was a little more viable for me, than trying to make it in a rock band in Winnipeg. There wasn't much of a scene there. It was something that I always wanted to be involved in, so when the opportunity arose I took it and built this rock band the same way I built the Chris Jericho name. After accomplishing everything you could ever want to accomplish in wrestling, which I have, it is very cool for me to be working on something else.

Q: Did you ever want to be a hockey player?

I always played hockey, I was always a hockey fan, but I was never bitten by the hockey bug... I never looked into playing it professionally.

¿ Quick fact ?
With wrestling nicknames that include Y2J, Lionheart, The Man of 1,004 Holds, Sexy Beast, and Vitamin C, Chris Jericho also worked as a bouncer and model in Canada, and even started his musical career with fellow wrestler Lenny "Dr. Luther" Olson in a Calgary speed metal band.
Chris Jericho, Credit: Legal Notice

Q: Which nation produces the best wrestlers: the U.S. or Canada?

I would have to say that Canada definitely produces the best wrestlers, I don't know why. I think Canada is a big wrestling country, and there are a lot of guys who are interested in wrestling in Canada. In the WWE there are probably seven or eight Canadians out of a roster of 50 or 60, that's about 20%.

Q: Any factors as to why?

There's probably something in the beer! Canada is a great wrestling country and a lot of guys watch wrestling when they are kids. It's like how certain areas in the States produce wrestlers, like Florida and Minneapolis. It is just one of those geographic things.

Chris on his training with the Hart brothers, Owen Hart's death, Vince McMahon, and more... Next Page >>