Arthur

.. I am afflicted with the debilitating disease Swinus. The only debilitating part is my looks. I am as strong as an ox, but the Swinus gives me features similar to a pig. I am not a pig-boy or a guy-in-a-mask as many call me. What looks like a mask is my actual face. Ladies, take pity on me and show me some love. I am blessed to be friends with and a member of the band Fozzy. I play a variety of non-traditional instruments such as the frying-pan-of-death and the rake-of-fortune. You have to have a highly developed musical ear to pick up the microtones of my playing, but I assure you my playing is essential to the Fozzy sound. From the official Fozzy website:WHY IS THAT GUY WEARING A PIG MASK ?Who is he? Why is he here? Why is he wearing a pig mask?Those questions have always been asked by our fans regarding our esteemed mascot, Arthur. Arthur was born when we had our first rehearsal before our very first gig, when I saw the pig mask that was used in the Mojo video for Pig Walk on the floor. I decided like every good metal band, Fozzy needed a mascot and voila...Arthur was born. I said that he was a close friend of ours who was stricken at an early age by the horrible disease know as Swinus...a crushing sickness that turns the facial features of the afflicted into that of a swine. He's been played by a number of guys, but the character really didn't come out of it's shell until he was taken over by Richard Marcum. Marcum was a guy who did the merch for Mojo back in the day and a huge black metal fan. He was also the perfect guy to play Arthur, as he embodied the character. When he put the mask on, it was like Superman putting on his cape...he became that persona! He reached his peak at the Bang Your Head Festival in Germany when he went in the crowd and handed out 20,000 buttons bearing his face before our set. By the time we hit the stage, he was the most popular member of the band!! I'll never forget the sight of a guy in a pig mask introducing himself to Kerry King of Slayer, as "Arthur from Fozzy"!Even though he doesn't have as prominent of a role as he once did, as long as there's a Fozzy, Arthur will be involved in some shape or form....oink oink oink!!!