Chris Jericho: Fozzy is Not a Vanity Project?

From being a six-time wrestling champion in WWE to the frontman of metal band Fozzy, Chris Jericho admits his two passions were part of the plan.

There was hardly a transition, said Jericho. My two dreams were to be a wrestler and a Rockstar.

Jericho, 41, has been a high-profile wrestler since 1996 and has done a solid job of maintaining his status as a mass-media star. A long-time fan favorite and wrestling superstar, Jericho has also been featured on Dancing With the Stars, is a New York Times Best Seller, and has been a song writer and musical band member since the age of 12.

Fozzy has been making music since 1999, and consists of Rich Ward (lead guitar/vocals), Frank Fontsere (drums), Billy Grey (guitar), and recent member Paul Di Leo (bass guitar). The band was finally signed to the major metal label, Century Media, in January.

The Atlanta-based band, which gets its name from when it was originally a cover band called Fozzy Osbourne, has enjoyed recent success. Fozzy's newest album, Sin and Bones, was released in mid-August and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Charts.

Jericho decided to leave WWE to tour with Fozzy, who are part of the Uproar Tour through early October.

The New York-state native describes Sin and Bones as very heavy music.

It's as if Metallica and Journey had a bastard child, said Jericho.

Fozzy claim to have drawn influence from Metallica's eponymously-titled fifth studio album, also known as The Black Album, in the sense that there is a lot of diversity, but track one through 10 fits together like a jig saw.

These elements helped Sin and Bones reach the highest charting of all their six records.

The featured single, Sandpaper, on Sin and Bones, has guest vocals by M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, who also makes an appearance in the creepy music video. Jericho was an audience member of the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Tour just two years ago, and now his band is a popular addition to the lineup.

Jericho stresses that he is both a musician and a wrestler, and not simply dabbling in one of them.

This isn't some celebrity vanity project, said Jericho. I have never used WWE to promote my band.

When Fozzy isn't touring or working on an album, Jericho maintains his WWE career. He considers himself blessed to be living both dreams, and refuses to let one of his passions lag.

Go full force -- there are ups and downs but you have to believe in yourself.