PART 7: Why Do These Two Markets Match Up So Well?
It is clear throughout the last few pages that wrestling and metal seem to go hand in hand. In fact, there could easily be more examples to be found, but that would go into much more detail and have a much longer piece. So to wrap this up, I was able to speak with some people in both worlds about this connection of these forms of entertainment, and exactly why they work so well together. The previously mentioned Jay Gambit had stated to me that wrestling and metal go and in hand due to the “big personalities, stories, drama, and the final product.” Certainly we can all say we have been to metal show and been taken by the performance or stage performance of a band or a member of a band. That is what wrestlers are trying to do. Put on a performance to make the audience happy and leave an impression. Deathmatch wrestler Insane Lane, whose tag-team with fellow wrestler “Freakshow” utilizes the clearly metal influenced name of Six Feet Under, has said in regards to death match wrestling that it is “definitely counterculture. Like heavy metal, it caters to a select group of fans.” He states that each group caters to their fans, and if others do not like it, it is fine as they will keep doing what the will do to please those who pay attention.
Further, Stavros Giannopoulos of The Atlas Moth (as well as various side projects) also added in “I think the whole social outcast things go hand in hand.” While discussing that wrestling has had some “cooler” eras, such as the Attitude Era he also a added “it’s never been for the cool kids. Its been for the dudes on the outside looking for a source of empowerment, and I think metal is the same way”. When asking about wrestling influencing his stage performance he had stated that a lot of his banter was certainly taken from the world of wrestling and while in Texas, he was able to get the crowd to go along with what we will call the “Stone Cold ‘Beer -what?’ promo”, and cited it as “the best show ever”
Insane Lane
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnTFp9OhbEI]
Not only have these guys been able to explain the connection from a perception standpoint, each of them has been able to take influence from the other medium for their performances. Insane Lane stated that listening to metal before his matches “gets you hyped up and ready to kick ass” and that a wrestler needs to command the fans’ attention just as a frontman on stage at a metal show. Jay Gambit had stated “We’re all entertainers, and some of us like to beat the hell out of ourselves.
Shirley Doe
Finally, I was able to speak to someone in a unique position. Sam Panico, from up-and-coming sludge/doom band Can’t, also has been involved in the pro wrestling scene since the 1990’s under the name Shirley Doe. He has wrestled for various promotions over the years, and while his character is metal inspired, he has also had plenty of metal in his life. He had been in bands in the past, but it was not until doing some Karaoke and being advised to sounding similar to Motörhead’s Lemmy, that he decided to do more in the musical industry. He has stated he feels the connection of wrestling and metal can come down to “adolescent power fantasy: Being a super hero, fighting monsters, throwing the middle finger to authority, having long hair, being loud and obnoxious”. He has also used Pantera as well as Nachtmystium in the past as his entrance themes, for the same reasons as being hyped up and making yourself ready to go in the ring.
PART 8: Conclusion
While the connection of metal and pro wrestling may not be as readily apparent to some, for those who are aware of both forms of performance, the similarities are undeniable. Dating back to the 80’s, Metal has had a place in the world of pro wrestling and vice versa. while wrestlers seem more likely to promote metal than the other way around, there is no denying that plenty of metal musicians are fans of wrestling. Stavros stated “there are a bunch of us” and Sam Panico advised “I’ve met people in metal that disclosed they love wrestling”.
Stavros of The Atlas Moth
Perhaps the musicians are less likely to admit to loving wrestling as much due to the stigma that wrestling still has and how it is perceived by the masses, but it is clear there is something that these two artists find in the other’s works that they can connect with for life. Perhaps opening up about this will allow the two to become more tied together, but never-the-less, metal and wrestling go hand in hand. From the crazy characters, to the intensity of the performances and the overall final result of giving the fans that love them their money’s worth, heavy metal and pro wrestling are intrinsically linked, and that bond does not seem to be going away any time soon.
**** I would personally like to thank Jay Gambit, Insane Lane, Stavros Gianoppoulos, and Sam “Shirley Doe” Panico for making the time to answer a few of my questions for use in this article and allowing me to use their words.****
