CHRIS JERICHO Doesn't Mind OZZY OSBOURNE Vocal Comparisons: He's 'One Of The Greatest Rock And Roll Singers Of All Time'

In a new interview with PopCulture, FOZZY's Chris Jericho was asked about the similarities between his singing voice and that of legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've always had that in me. It's not trying to sound like Ozzy; that's my vocal range — that really high-end… So there's always been elements of it. As a matter of fact, on [2012's] 'Sin And Bones' record, I said, 'Let's just fucking record a [BLACK] SABBATH song. Let me try and sound like Ozzy.' And we did 'Fairies Wear Boots'. And if you listen to it, it's, like, 'Okay, now that's Ozzy.' So we've always had some of those elements.

"But you're right — there's a couple of songs… I mean, 'Nowhere To Run', even when we play it, we play it live every night [sings song's chorus] — that one, singing it, I feel like, 'Oh, this is the Ozzy part,'" Chris added. "And I think one of the reasons for that is when [guitarist] Rich Ward writes the melody line, or Johnny Andrews, our producer, who co-writes all the songs with us, they know what my wheelhouse is, and they know that there's that high-end, I guess you'd say 'Ozzy-esque' style to it. Some people sound like Steve Perry; some people sound like Bruce Dickinson; some people sound like [Paul] McCartney — I sound like Ozzy. So that's kind of my wheelhouse. And [we're] not trying to write songs that sound like Ozzy, but there are definite parts that have that vibe to it, and even I can feel it and I know it. Which is cool — it's fun to know that if you're gonna be compared to somebody… Listen, people forget — Ozzy's one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time, so I'll take that comparison any day of the week, man."

Earlier this week, FOZZY announced a fall leg of its headlining "Save The World" tour supporting its new studio album, "Boombox". The 20-date trek, featuring special guests NO RESOLVE and GFM, will kick off September 8 in Columbus, Ohio and travel throughout the U.S. and Canada, stopping in such cities as Louisville, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Richmond, Baltimore, Montreal, Toronto, and Philadelphia, before wrapping October 10 in Virginia Beach.

Just released May 6 via Century Media/Sony, "Boombox", the band's eighth full-length studio album and follow-up to FOZZY's massive 2017 album "Judas", entered the Neilsen Current Hard Music Albums chart at No. 5 and the Current Rock Albums and Current Digital Albums charts at No. 19 and has already amassed nearly 14 million total streams. "Boombox" features FOZZY's anthemic single "I Still Burn", their newest Top 20 hit at Mainstream Rock radio. The official music video for "I Still Burn" also recently eclipsed 1 million views. The 12-track collection, produced by Johnny Andrews, also features the Top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane".

In November 2020, FOZZY appeared in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

This past January, FOZZY parted ways with longtime drummer Frank Fontsere and replaced him with Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE).

Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with Jericho and Ward.

When FOZZY announced Fontsere's departure, the band said that he was "stepping down to focus on his family and other projects."

FOZZY is Chris Jericho (vocals),Rich Ward (guitars, vocals),Grant Brooks (drums),Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).