Spring Snows and Boston Covers

Yeah, it's that way.  April 2nd and it snows for several hours today despite the fact that the temperature was around 39 degrees.  Seems it tried this a couple of years ago and two days later it was 72 degrees sunny and clear.  You know, the trigger for the REAL allergy season that's already been going strong since late February.  

The RoxX is back in business.  Tommy and I have been in contact for a couple of weeks and he has already sent me the music for our next cover project.  We're basically starting up all over, no current plans for projects we were about to undertake, just one song at a time.  Well, maybe two.  Our next studio date will be to record vocals for Boston's "A Man I'll Never Be".  I'm guessing he discovered that there are as many guitars on most Boston songs as on Led Zeppelin's "Achilles' Last Stand".  Music sounds incredible.  I'm betting he'll tweak it even more before release.  And #2 at this point appears to be our second Rush cover, "Subdivisions".  You heard it here first!

Extended time (almost 3 weeks) off from wrestling after 6 straight weekends, April will be fairly light, two events during the month and May kicks it up another notch with the two-night 3rd Annual Kernodle Brothers Tag Team Tournament and Don Kernodle's 69th Birthday Bash getting things rolling.  So let's head up to bed, have to get up REALLY early to take Karen to jury duty in Greensboro in the morning.  Ack.  Ya'll play pretty and be sweet!

What We Do

We've been hitting it hard with CWF Mid-Atlantic the past month or so, we've began a "new era" after losing our champion to the WWE and a great new situation arises that puts EVERYBODY in the title hunt.  We had a memorable event in Chapel Hill last weekend with a loud vocal crowd on hand to witness rapper Swift's surprise concert.  We're gearing up for the early May 3rd Annual Kernodle Brothers Tag Team Tournament, so tag team matches between now and then have a bearing on entry into that two-day tournament.  Did I mention it will also be a two-day celebration of Don Kernodle's 69th Birthday?  It will!

Begrudgingly (that means it's not baseball season yet), I'll admit it's "basketball season."  ACC Tournament is underway and looking towards the possibility that both of Friday's semi-final games will be in-state rivalries.  Great for television ratings, I'm sure.  Perhaps I will finally get to see Zion Williamson on the court tonight, I have yet to see him on the floor for longer than 32 seconds, and that was in a replay.  Hoping to be impressed seeing how Carolina is working over pesky Louisville currently.  Still not sure either UNC or Duke will beat UVA this year.  That's what makes it fun to watch...Dammit, I said "fun" in a paragraph about hoops.  Unheard of.

The RoxX experience closed up shop for almost 2 months as Tommy had began showing signs of frustration and burnout.  We were in mid-project with our friends in Britain and everything seemed to explode.  The project was changing, moving away from the finished song we were shooting for and Tommy just shut everything down.  We've not published a new song (we have plenty) since late January, but I'm hoping this weekend Tommy takes care of that situation.

We're not going anywhere.  Not sure where projects that were awaiting recording are right now, but we have discussed doing a cover of a Boston song, and Tommy sent me a Youtube video on the making of their classic "Hitch A Ride" and I believe that may be our next undertaking.  We'll see.  We're going at his speed right now, no rush, it's just us recording for ourselves again.  Love that mindset originally, love it now.  #RoxX

Rasslin' Time Machine

Going on 30 years in the pro wrestling business and still having a blast doing it.  I read so many cool stories online of people meeting and working with their favorite performers and personalities.  I've got some pretty good stories of my own with some familiar names from the past.  Do you know that I was the one asked to take photos for Ivan Koloff's official retirement from pro wrestling.  I'm talking about in the late 90's.  And I'm totally serious.  Not saying why, but I got the shots.

"Chief" Wahoo McDaniel was my first mentor, instructed me on the ins and outs of television interviews and actually let me interview him for my very first one.  His instruction was simple, something like "Put yourself over as a wrestling announcer and then introduce me and ask me to explain the rules of the Indian Strap Match and then just hold the mic for me..."  Did exactly as asked, totally surprised to be told to put myself over.  Shocking.

Favorite interaction was late 90's with ACW at a building near the Greensboro Coliseum with a personal favorite grappler, "Pistol" Pez Whatley.  Pez came out before his match and demanded the house mic, calling me a "long-haired raggedy roody-poo".  I popped as hard as anybody in the building.  True story, he apologized to me afterward for calling me names.  I thanked him for talking to me and told him that he would always be a favorite memory.

Got to spend a lot of quality time over a few years with my very first pro wrestling "hero", Johnny Weaver.  I could barely speak, I just wanted to hear him talk.  He was great about answering questions or explaining details or memories, and seemed to really enjoy going down memory lane.  Worked with Ricky Morton from the Rock & Roll Express dozens of times, Ricky is the master story-teller in the locker room.  Dude is gold, all day long.  Always a glad hand for this man, a lot of memories shared.

The wrestler that terrified me most when I was a young fan was Swede Hansen, the right-hand man of Rip Hawk.  He came to a couple of events with Wahoo and was honestly shocked to be recognized.  Super sweet gentleman, would sit and talk for hours about wrestling.  The most feared guy EVER in pro wrestling was the rookie Ivan Koloff.  Big, muscular, vicious and downright frightening.  Another great guy who made for me the greatest social media icon photo in history!

Dammit Jim! He Updated The Blog!

We're all over the pro wrestling news again with CWF Mid-Atlantic's Heavyweight Champion Trevor Lee reporting to his new job at the WWE this past Monday.  Trevor makes his last appearance with CWF Saturday night as he defends the title against his protege Cain Justice at CWF END OF AN ERA.  We've sold out 3 straight events and are well on our way to #4 with advance tickets flying out of the box office.  We're on Year 20 of CWF Mid-Atlantic and I figure Year 30 of the Insiders website.  Have I been doing this mess THAT LONG?  HA!

The music front has went into hyperdrive for a few weeks with the release of a second collaboration with Rick Medlock and Phil McWalter on Soundcloud two weeks ago.  The tune is a cover of the Sweet's "Action" done in the style of Steve Stevens and the Atomic Playboys.  I kid you not.

ACTION! Featuring Phil McWalters and Rick Medlock

We've spent a LOT of time in front of the board and the mics working on another collaboration with Rick and Phil, a "dark metal" rendition of Eleanor Rigby.  Between Tommy and I both catching the crud, he's been down with it longer than I have and has not even felt like checking his email for days.  I totally get it.  We're shelving Eleanor for the time being and may return to it later with a different set of ears.  We have our cover of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song in the can as well as a totally unexpected authentic cover of the Patsy Cline standard, Crazy.  Yes.  I sing Crazy.  Weirdest part?  That song was a BIG hit in 1961 on both country and pop charts, written by Willie Nelson.

We've Lost Another One To The WWE!

No, that is not a complaint.  It is the highest praise a regional promotion can garner, yet another contract offered to a wrestler trained by CWF Mid-Atlantic.  Trevor came to us well before he had a driver's license and I've had the pleasure of watching him grow into a technical savage inside the squared circle.  It couldn't have happened to a more deserving individual, too.  I'm excited for Trevor and Emily as they begin a "new" life in Orlando FL when he starts to work for real.  

Trevor broke the news of his signing this past Saturday evening at CWF NEW YEAR'S KNOCKOUT 2019 following his successful main event title defense.  He also joked that if no one beat him for the CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title, he'll take it with him to the WWE.  Trevor returns on Saturday Feb. 2nd for CWF STRONGER, with the title on the line in a six-pack challenge!  Wait.  Who else from CWF is making waves in the WWE these days?

I get it.  I've been playing in the rasslin' business for like 30 years now, and I understand so much now that I didn't even five or six years ago.  I'll never get the call up to announce, commentate or even appear on a major national television program, but that doesn't mean I can't use all of my resources to give deserving talent as much exposure as I can, thus, IndyInsiders.Com.  And there you have it.  Why I keep doing the whole "wrestling thing".

More music stuff going on, more recording, more songs, even a new original in the works written completely by Tommy we're about to record.  More collaborations going on and it's getting to where I feel like we can pull off almost anything.  If I can sing Rob Halford, Geddy Lee and Robert Plant and pull it off, I can do anything.  Right?  Longer music update next time, I promise!  #RoxX

It's 2019 All Day Long

Music Update:  Tommy turned Superstition over to guitarist Phil McWalters, who recruited drummer friend Rick Medlock and finished off our take on "Superstition" as a collaboration across the ocean!  Phil and Rick both live in England, and this is my second time working with them, Tommy's done a few more songs with them before I joined the band.  Long story short, Phil released Superstition a couple of days ago and the comments and likes are through the roof!  You can check it out for free on #SoundCloud right here:

Superstition - Phil McWalters, Rick Medlock, Tommy Smith, & Randy Hedrick

And now we're going in studio tomorrow to begin vocals on our cover of the Beatles A Hard Day's Night...But wait, there's more!  And also, our cover of the Sweet's "Action", but perhaps more like the Atomic Playboy's cover, another collaboration with Phil & Rick!)...But wait, there's even MORE!  And time permitting, we'll begin on vocals for the mighty Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song".  My work is cut out for me.

Our buddy Ulysse made it home to France safely and our new best friend from Europe seems happy to be there after his American adventure with CWF Mid-Atlantic.  He again promises he is coming back and will see us all again sometime soon.  Miss that joker already, despite seeing his messenger indicator saying he's available several hours a day.  He's only 6 hours ahead of us, he's not in China!  Yeah, he'll be back like a returning conquering king!  Want to see him get the same reaction at home, too.  Kid's all heart.

We're back to business as usual in CWF Mid-Atlantic, kicking off our 20th consecutive year season with CWF NEW YEARS KNOCKOUT 2019 on Saturday.  Technically, the year began this past Saturday with the year's first RGL event, but hey, it's my blog.  Jacked to see a scheduled guest for this weekend's event is the legendary superhero Shane "Hurricane" Helms at the Sportatorium.  Anything is possible and Helms is a known catalyst for history-making moments!

OK, back to the Clemson-Alabama game.  Peace and chicken grease ya'll.  And also #Neckbone.

2018: The Last Hurrah

CWF BATTLECADE XIX is in the books and history was made with three champions being crowned and a long-time champion retaining his title against an army of All Stars.  The building sold out two days before the event and it was wall-to-wall.  I got to spend some time with my two favorite dolls, Chasity and Christie, probably made an ass out of myself with guest announcer Brian Hughes and found out a long-time friend was making his last appearance that very night.  I totally understand his decision, I back whatever he chooses to do, but it's not like he's suddenly decided he didn't like to wrestle any longer.  He's adulting, and I really hope to see his smiling face again soon.  Gonna be a big hole there where he usually is.  Miss him already.  Glad I thought to get a photo before we left...This bright young man is a rock.  He's steady.  He's capable and willing.  He will excel at ANYTHING he goes for.  And you just thought he was a sneaky All Star!

Tommy and I recorded the Beatles' "She Loves You" on Thursday, I've yet to hear a rough mix, surprisingly.  Seems Tommy has re-recorded a few of his backing vocals and may have re-did yet another guitar part in the never-ending search for freakin' Beatles PERFECTION!  We're thinking "A Hard Day's Night" next and even knocking around "Nowhere Man" and talking about "She Said She Said".  So basically, I did tell him "let's do them ALL!"  Really.  I did.  It's how I roll.  #RoxX  Oh, and enjoy the fashion of the day below on the record sleeve!

And that's the way it was, in 2018.  The year that spent more time on the highway barely crawling than driving the posted speed limit.  The year some clown thought he could smash into my car and drive off without consequence.  The year that I was attacked by two HPU executives and two different city lawyers on the newspaper opinion page.  The year I witnessed Karen stand up to our landlord and flat tell her to her face "this is B---S---!"  The year I have been conditioned to think that it's normal for my nearly 30 pound cat to jump on me to wake me up at least once a night from a deep sleep.  The year your GPS is nowhere near current with highway construction projects.  I could go on.  But I would probably get depressed!

Be safe ya'll.  It's full-blown idiot season on the roads today, remember to drive defensively.  Also, if you drink, please don't drive, the life you save may be MINE!  Have a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

Newsprint, Enunciation & Christmas!

It's been a crazy few weeks, Karen's on severe retail schedule and I'm on a one week break from rasslin'.  Awoke this morning (Sunday) around 6am by Karen who's telling me from downstairs that the High Point Enterprise had published their interview with our French "exchange student" Ulysse Demos.  Great article, more than a full page including photos with an advertisement on page one pointing to the feature page.  And lo and behold, that's ME they interview about our friend Ulysse.  [That's how they justify doing the story, a connection to High Point!]  I have been immersed in NFL football the past couple of days (again) and working on a collaboration project with Tommy and a couple of British musicians.

Guitarist Phil McWalter and drummer Rick Medlock came on board for a collaboration with myself and Tommy covering Stevie Wonder's iconic "Superstition".  I thought I was finished with my vocals in studio but our British friends noticed something I had not, the fact I was dragging out some lines in the song where Wonder is precise and concise in his delivery.  I don't think there's much to actually change, as I recorded most of my lines with the original playing in my headphones.  I sang along with Stevie for hours!  We're back to work on vocals Wednesday or Thursday of this week, more studio time!

Had a young lady who works at a breakfast/lunch counter I frequent tell me "I've seen you sing here in High Point before, I know I have."  I'm kind of taken aback, so I ask, "When have you been in my shower?"  I'm thinking "No way she was at the City Lake for that one Nathan Hunt gig."  She continues by saying she sings, plays guitar and mandolin and if we needed a chick singer, let her know.  Funny, there IS a young woman working in the same place I've told Tommy about, a sweetie who has sang gospel in a family group.  She keeps asking me to bring her something so she can hear what we do.  I probably will after Christmas.  

Wishing you all some PEACE in your lives.  Have a Merry Christmas, be safe and we'll see you at ringside again on the 29th for CWF Battlecade XIX!

Back At It...RoxX & Rasslin'

Went back into studio this past Saturday and recorded vocals for new original "Smoke And Mirrors", received same song's first mix and I'm blown away with it!  Another almost 50's style crooner's tune, sang very softly.  You know, a tear-jerker!  Also got the latest mix of "There's A Place" and it's almost perfection.  Third mix of "Message In A Bottle" makes me think that will be the cover Tommy releases Saturday...Still having a blast being #RoxX although we have discussed considering an actual "band name".  He's also been considering how we could pull a live (with tape) performance and the problems with running sound and the equipment required to execute such a project.  His thoughts include playing different instruments on different songs as well as him singing backup.  I think the possibilities are endless.

Really gonna miss my new friend Ulysse "OPA" Demos when he flies home Sunday to France.  His country is in turmoil and flames while he proved himself to be one of the most sincere and coolest customers I've met in years.  Should he ever get the honor, he would make a wonderful Ambassador to the United States on behalf of France, but I would expect a branch embassy to be erected in Gibsonville NC.  Know whut I mean?  I'm sure Ulysse will be an instant celebrity at home after spending time in the US and training with American wrestlers.  As a group, we've made sure his time in America will be unforgettable and that we'll always be family in our lifetimes.  I just wonder how badly some of those who are much closer to Ulysse than I are going to take his departure?  I saw eyes getting misty weeks ago planning for his last night in town...

Wrestling memories?  I can't and will never forget Kameron Jenkins.  The look in his eyes when he got to talk to his favorite wrestlers, the excitement in his voice when he was remembered by name.  That young man treated me like I was special even when he was incredible pain.  I loved having a few minutes with him at ringside, he always shared what he'd like to see, who he'd like to see wrestle and what he liked about the last event.  He was so very smart and nothing got past him.  But the way he looked at me, like he admired me or what I stood for.  I am still humbled to have been his friend.  I'll see you again young man!

RoxX and Roll

We finished off vocals on the Shocking Blue's "Venus" and it wasn't until we got in headphones that I realize that the original song had a woman and two men who don't speak English as their first language basically singing lead together.  And in studio, I had to learn the WOMAN'S part, which is not what I've heard for years in my mind.  After all's said and done, we made it happen.  I'm really proud of the first mixes of the song and equally as proud of Tommy re-recording his vocals and reworking the ending of the Beatles' cover "There's A Place" which we recorded months ago.  

Tommy brought up the fact that when we release Venus that he wants to dedicate it to my mother, who encouraged both of us to make music as children and later as adults.  This was one of her songs.  My mother was one of the few people who knew that I had set up a place in the spare bedroom to practice singing and playing bass years ago and she was more excited about it at first than even I was.  It's no lie, she's why I do it today, especially the song writing, because I still have the urge to make her proud of me.  And she totally encouraged musical self-expression and had a diverse catalog of music she enjoyed listening to, from 50's classics to (dare I say) Scandinavian Death Metal and I can't thank her enough for keeping me up past my childhood bedtime to see the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Yeah.  We go way back with our love of music.  That has to be it.  She allowed me to blast the neighborhood hours at a time with my guitars and stereos over the years with a smile.

I am having more fun today than ever on the pro wrestling side of life.  Helped my friend Jimmy Harris raise $1853.00 for Relay for Life Sunday before last at BCW CRUSHING CANCER in Burlington.  We tore down the house this Saturday at the Sportatorium at CWF ULTIMATE SURVIVOR XVI.  We kicked arse on Twitch, too, according to the viewer numbers we saw.  There are (count 'em) three more events on my calendar in 2018, all in December.  CWF Road To Battlecade hits on Dec. 1; CWF Rising Generation League returns on Dec. 8 and then the BIG one, CWF BATTLECADE XIX is on Dec. 29!  Year 20 of CWF Mid-Atlantic kicks off in January 2019 with CWF NEW YEAR'S KNOCKOUT!  Tickets now at cwftickets.com for ALL events!

Karen's apparently not retired yet and is still working full-time in the retail environment, so I'm back to full-time driver for the crazy season around Thanksgiving heading into Christmas.  Kind of wondering if I'll have to rent again before the year's over, Enterprise has thrown me a few curve balls in the past month.  Had to rent for two shows two weekends ago and they put me in a 2018 Dodge Challenger.  What a ride.  This past weekend, the plopped my behind into a 2018 Ford F-150 STX Super Club Cab pickup bus.  Er, truck.  I'd get a ticket in a second in the Dodge and the Ford had a surprisingly great ride.  I'd take either again if they are "out of the car size I reserved" I guess.

Rasslin' and RoxX Updates!

Chugging right along on the pro wrestling front, leading into the big year ending anniversary event, CWF BATTLECADE XIX!  I've met a LOT of quality guys and girls over the years through this crazy sport, but I've had the pleasure of meeting my first actual "Frenchman" recently, a young man who traveled to the US to train at the CWF Dojo for several months, Ulysse "OPA" Demos (pronounced "YOU-lease").  I was told "he's going to be your next best friend" when I met him and the first thing he shared was that he played bass and sang in a band at home.  Yup, kindred spirit indeed.  He's became a fan favorite quickly as well as a locker room favorite.  When he leaves NC to return home to France in December, there won't be a dry eye in the house.  We got some more history to make.  I'd love him to return home as some kind of a "star" for making the journey to America and living with Americans and seeing the country and meeting our people.  

Music front continues to chug along with more RoxX originals ready to record, more to write lyrics for and another suggestion that Tommy has made happen.  Our next cover song will be the classic rock staple "Venus" by the Shocking Blue.  Tommy flat NAILED the music.  Nailed it.  Hope I can cover my end of it half as well as he has!  I accept the challenge!  I'm still bouncing off the walls over "Message In A Bottle" and how it turned out that I'm ready for almost anything.

Back to the wrestling thing for a moment.  There have been times I've wanted to quit forever, there have been times I wouldn't miss it for the world.  One of the reasons I stick around is seeing how folks that came through our little world have progressed and moved up through the business.  I've had the sweet opportunity to "mentor" a couple of young ladies in the ring announcing business and currently I am seeing them BOTH appearing on our events together.  I have always thought CL Party was a babe, a pretty face that can remember a large amount of info in a short amount of time before explaining it to the world, but now that I get to spend some quality time with her, I've really became quite smitten with her.  My first love, my protege, "Miss" Chasity has returned and I get the warm fuzzies every time I see her smiling face.  The first night they announced a segment together, I melted.  So proud of these young women and can't wait to see what the future holds for both.  And I also need a photo made with BOTH of these dolls together.  For posterity.  Yeah, posterity!