Fun fact: Jeff Hardy rocks.
No, really. He literally rocks. In addition to forging a comeback run in WWE alongside brother Matt, The Charismatic Enigma is the frontman of an alternative rock band called Peroxwhy?gen, who just released their latest record, “Precession of the Equinoxes,” through his personal website. In an exclusive interview with WWE.com, Jeff discussed how he formed the band, the meaning of the name (and how to pronounce it: Per-Ox-Why-Gen), and that time he almost played the Vans Warped Tour.
WWE.COM: Could you talk to us about how the band got started and how you came up with the name?
JEFF HARDY: Actually, back in ’99, 2000, 2001 is when I met my guitar player, Junior Merrill, in Cincinnati. He just gave me some acoustic tracks, and I was writing poetry at the time — a few raps, but not like rock ‘n’ roll, like alternative music — and I fell in love with his style. I started to write to what he threw down on a six-string guitar and we clicked, man. We started getting together and rehearsing a bit; between now and then, we’ve [produced] a lot of songs. It’s been so much fun: the process of recording, writing and performing. I can’t wait to do more.
WWE.COM: You just put out a new record, too, correct?
JEFF HARDY: On [July 17], we released our third band album, but overall, I’ve released 48, 49 songs now that I can go out and perform. It’s something that I’ve done for a long time, but now I’m just starting to get out in front of people and do it. I’m very excited for what the future holds.
WWE.COM: Did you audition any members to join the band or did you know who you wanted from the outset?
JEFF: No, it’s just been me, my guitar player, Junior Merrill, and Dale Oliver, my producer in Music City, Nashville, Tenn. He’s great. I’ve learned so much from him. He’s like my “musical father,” so to speak.
Oh, yeah, and the name! “Peroxwhy?gen.” It’s very confusing, and people wonder what it means. I was on the toilet one day and I looked at a peroxide bottle, and I thought, “Peroxide, it cleans wounds and heals you. And oxygen, we need that.” I just took that letter “y” and made it a word “why.”
I remember I met [Smashing Pumpkins singer] Billy Corgan and said, “Hey, man, I think I got a pretty cool name. Really kind of abstract and it don’t make much sense.” He said that’s good, though, to put something out there that’s very artistic. So, that’s where it came from, and it just kinda stuck.
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