Ed
Symkus & Vinnie Carolan did a radio show from Massachusetts
called Wrestle Radio USA. The program ran from August 1992
to January 1997. It's a shame that the show came to en end
in the midst of modern wrestling's peak. But their new book,
Wrestle Radio USA: Grapplers Speak, Symkus & Carolan
have published many interviews from their show.
The
timing of the interview sets the tone for them. The industry
was in a decline & the WWF wouldn't allow most of its
talent on the show, until it relented during the Monday
night ratings wars. But the Wrestle radio book is a good
chunk of nostalgia for those who followed wrestling prior
to the Austin era. It gives a look at superstars who were
just beginning to get notoriety at the time. Triple H gives
an interview from 1994 when he was wrestling as Terra Rizing
in WCW. In it he talks about training with Killer Kowalski
& some of HHH's cockiness is already showing. There
are also interviews with Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero
where they speak candidly about their respective starts
in the business, their reasons for joining WCW & how
much they loved New Japan Pro Wrestling.
There's
also juicy bits, mostly dealt out by legendary wrestlers.
In an insightful interview with Bruno Sammartino, he calls
Hulk Hogan "a steroid freak" & "a clown,
not a wrestler". Despite recent controversy stemming
from his own book, in a 1994 interview, Ric Flair heaps
tremendous praise on Bret Hart. There are also interviews
with wrestlers who current fans have never had the chance
to see in the ring. Killer Kowalski & Lou Thesz speak
about times when wrestling matches were much more similar
to shoot fighting. The Fabulous Moolah also gives her thoughts
on being the most public pioneer of women's wrestling.
Then
there are some of the more underrated wrestlers who, for
some reason, never got their big break on a national level.
2 Cold Scorpio shoots on the bad blood between he &
Buff Bagwell for comments Buff made in an earlier interview.
Kevin Sullivan gives some hints regarding his desires to
be on a booking committee. But as far as getting a view
into the dark world of wrestling booking, look no further
than the interview with the late & grossly under exposed
Eddie Gilbert. He chimes in on the backstabbing nature of
the WCW bookers & the joy he had doing creative work
with
Continental Wrestling.
Wrestle
Radio USA is a book that lets the curtain fall for a brief
but colorful glimpse at some of the people who make up the
wrestling world. It's only downside is there aren't enough
ECW wrestlers for my personal taste. But you do get good
interview with Booker T, Captain Lou Albano, Missy Hyatt
& Jim Ross. Wrestle Radio is a small peek through the
eyhole in the door, but it's a good 1.
R
Rick's Rants Archive
Email Rick
|
