Throughout a brand new look on Knotfest‘s Squared Circle Pit, FOZZY and STUCK MOJO guitarist Wealthy Ward mirrored on FOZZY‘s September 2019 live performance because the opening band for IRON MAIDEN at Banc Of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California. He mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “That was one other a kind of issues. As a 13-year-old child, IRON MAIDEN was my favourite band. And I am opening for IRON MAIDEN — fundamental help. I am standing on the ground that is obtained the entire — you know the way every little thing there may be all branded and so they’ve obtained stage props and every little thing’s behind me. However then I am making an attempt to not get within the second an excessive amount of, as a result of I do not wanna go, ‘Selfie. Look the place I am at.’ I do not wanna be that man as a result of I wanna hold it in test.”
Elaborating on why he makes a aware effort to remain grounded greater than three many years into his profession, Ward mentioned: “Let’s take into consideration the entire loopy folks within the music business that permit that get to them. I’ve had numerous dangerous interactions with well-known musicians over time that I used to be a fan of, and I attempted to satisfy them as a result of I am a fan. At my core, I am nonetheless that 13-year-old child standing in entrance of a mirror taking part in guitar. I am nonetheless a fanboy. And I’ve had some dangerous interactions. And people are all the time as a result of someone forgot that they did not treatment most cancers. They forgot that it is a privileged life that entertainers, folks in our enterprise have. It may all go away, and it has. You have a look at bands like QUIET RIOT who had been the most important band on this planet, and two years later they had been taking part in golf equipment once more. It would not final perpetually. None of these things is assured. And people dangerous experiences with folks have taught me, when someone comes as much as me, as a lot as I could also be embarrassed by the second of somebody’s actually needs to satisfy me and I wanna inform them, ‘It is okay. simply play guitar.’ However I wanna honor that second by listening to them and stopping what I am doing to offer them that second, as a result of for them it is vital, as a result of I made a music or I used to be a part of one thing that they loved. And I do not ever wanna take that away from them. And doubtless, over the 25 or 30 years, 32 years that I have been doing this, I am certain that I’ve had a nasty interplay. However I make it a degree, when folks attempt to speak to me, that I by no means blow it off as insignificant or make it trivial.”
Wealthy additionally recalled one rock-star interplay that left a really constructive impression on him. He mentioned: “I opened for [IRON MAIDEN‘s] Bruce Dickinson solo a few instances with STUCK MOJO. One time is the Milwaukee Metallic Fest in 1997, I believe, and we shared a dressing room with Bruce Dickinson, as a result of it was like a pageant common-area factor, and he had come up on stage and jammed with STUCK MOJO, like, eight months earlier. We performed the Roseland Ballroom [in New York City]. It was us and FEAR FACTORY and BIOHAZARD. It was at CMJ. And Bruce was on the town to advertise his new album ‘Accident Of Delivery’ that was popping out. And we approached him and mentioned, ‘Hey, I do know it is not your music per se, however we do a canopy of [IRON MAIDEN‘s] ‘Wrathchild’, if you would like to return out and sing it with us.’ And he was, like, ‘Nicely, I’ve obtained some issues happening. Possibly. Possibly.’ This was sold-out Roseland Ballroom, 3,500 folks or no matter. We weren’t the headliner, however we had been halfway within the pack, most likely on at, like, eight or 9 o’clock at evening. And we went onstage. We had been all so nervous. ‘Is he gonna present up?’ We stored trying. It is the singer for IRON MAIDEN. It is my hero. Okay? I’ve seen him so many instances from the entrance row. And after the third music, I seemed over, and there he was standing on the aspect of the stage. After which we launched him, and he got here up and he sang ‘Wrathchild’ with us on stage. And it was the best second of my life up till that second. I used to be actually making an attempt to face subsequent to him as shut as I may to him the entire time, as a lot as he would let me. I used to be a stalker, grade-A stalker at that time. However once I noticed him on the Milwaukee Metallic Fest eight months later, and I used to be backstage, he was, like, ‘Hey, Wealthy. How’s it going?’ He knew my title. And that meant a lot to me that I’ll by no means not make these efforts, ‘trigger there are loads of younger bands that grew up that love STUCK MOJO and FOZZY. A few of ’em are in means larger bands, however in our world, it would not matter.”
Again in 2016, Ward advised the “Behind The Barricade” podcast that the primary time he met ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian, “he was a complete dick to me. And the second time I met Scott Ian, he was a complete dick to me. It was tough, ‘trigger I am a giant ANTHRAX and Scott Ian fan, in order that was actually robust,” he mentioned. “As a result of as a fanboy, despite the fact that I used to be making information and I already had success of my very own, I used to be nonetheless a little bit child in his presence, ‘trigger [ANTHRAX‘s classic album] ‘Amongst The Dwelling’ was a giant document for me.”
He continued: “I simply keep in mind: do not be a dick to folks, Wealthy. ‘Trigger you keep in mind the way it felt when he was to you. Now, I do not know what he was going by means of. Possibly he was having a tough day, or possibly he simply hated my face — I do not know — however I am simply gonna attempt not to do this, ‘trigger I keep in mind it simply sucked the best way it made me really feel afterwards. And I walked away going, ‘Rattling, man. That was tough.'”
Ward added: “Do I believe Scott Ian is a dick? I do not even know, and it is none of my enterprise to say. I simply know that, lesson discovered: do not deal with folks shitty after they come as much as you and say, ‘Hey, I really like [STUCK MOJO‘s] ‘Pigwalk’. That was a cool document.’ Be certain that to shake their hand and say, ‘Thanks.’ As a result of if you happen to’re a dick to them, not solely does that present little class and a scarcity of appreciation for an actual fan, however, additionally, it simply exhibits you don’t have any class in any respect and it means you are only a shitty human. And so all of these sort of dangerous conditions, I simply flip them again round on myself as a lesson: do not do this. It seems to be shitty.”
FOZZY singer Chris Jericho just lately revealed that the band’s new single, “Highlight”, which was initially scheduled to reach on August 25, will now be made obtainable “within the subsequent month or so.”
FOZZY‘s newest album, “Boombox”, got here out in Might 2022 and featured the music “I Nonetheless Burn”, which just lately eclipsed two and a half million views on YouTube. It additionally included the Prime 10 singles “Nowhere To Run” and “Sane”.
This previous spring, FOZZY frolicked on the street with UGLY KID JOE as a part of the latter band’s first tour of america in 27 years.
In January 2022, FOZZY parted methods with longtime drummer Frank Fontsere and changed him with Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE).
Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having shaped the group in 1999 with Jericho and Ward.
When FOZZY introduced Fontsere‘s departure, the band mentioned that he was “stepping all the way down to deal with his household and different initiatives.”
FOZZY is Jericho, Ward, Brooks, Billy Gray (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).
