Chris Jericho recently did an interview with Journey of a Frontman to promote Fozzy’s new record. During the interview he talked about what it takes to be a good frontman, who some of his favorite frontmen are and more. You can read some highlights below.
Journey Of A Frontman: With a live show, what’s the secret to being a good frontman?
Chris Jericho: Just a connection with the crowd. People want to have a good time when they come to a show and you have to do everything you can to let them know that it’s okay to have a good time. Some crowds are easier, some crowds are harder, but you have to go the extra mile to get those people to open up and realize that they’re there to have fun. So it’s all about the connection, man. It’s the same whether it’s a FOZZY show or a WWE show, you have to have that connection with the crowd. And when you get that, they’re gonna be more into what you’re doing.
Journey Of A Frontman: Who are some of your favorite modern-day frontmen?
Chris Jericho: I think M. Shadows [AVENGED SEVENFOLD] is a great frontman, he does a great job. Corey Taylor’s [SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR] a very good frontman, he’s not afraid to go the extra mile to get people excited and into what’s going on onstage. The basic tricks of a frontman all boil down to David Lee Roth [VAN HALEN], Paul Stanley [KISS], Mick Jagger [THE ROLLING STONES] and Freddie Mercury [QUEEN]. It’s the same concept. Like I said, not being afraid to be yourself and to go out there and just have a good time, man. And when you have a good time, it rubs off on the crowd. So then they feel the same way. As a frontman, you set the tone for the rest of the show. You set the tone for the vibe of the audience. If you’re kinda a laid-back type of guy fronting a band, that’s probably the type of reaction you’re gonna get. But there’s some people, that’s what they want. Not for us. We want people to go nuts. We want people to chant, “Hey! Hey! Hey 1! 2! 3!”, and just throw their hands in the air. That’s what we want. We’ve gotta put on a show.
