One of ECW’s attractions was the music that brought wrestlers to the ring, but Paul Heyman used the famous song in an unconventional way.
In the 1990s, ECW I have made a name for myself in quite a few ways. Even before Shane Douglas famously thrashed his NWA championship and his E in ECW was officially rebranded from Eastern to Extreme, the company built momentum out of a budding hardcore sensibility. I was getting From there, the freedom given to Paul Heyman’s creative direction and talent set many unconventional and misused talents for the best run of their careers.
In fact, talents like The Sandman and Public Enemy, who have never been of interest to WWE or WCW, had a great opportunity as ECW emphasized their strengths and hid their limitations well. One of the forgotten elements of ECW’s evocative atmosphere was the use of popular music for the theme music of many of the major acts. That point raises the question of how a resource-poor crap wrestling company could afford this luxury.
ECW used some major music for their entrance theme
It might seem obvious that Sandman used Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for ring music. But that intuitive mindset was that Metallica were one of the hottest bands in the world at the time, and he didn’t want to use one of their most famous songs even once ( not to mention routinely), it overlooks the need for a large investment.
“Enter Sandman” wasn’t the only instance of ECW attaching recognizable music to wrestlers. They also performed “Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains for Tommy Dreamer, “Natural Born Killers” by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube for The Gangstas, Raven’s Had “Come Out and Play” by The Offspring, and “Big Balls”. AC/DC’s application to Balls Mahoney is his one of several connections between iconic rock bands and professional wrestling. These, among other examples, not only provided a better entry point than instrumental music in general, but also allowed ECW to inspire loyal fans and new fans to familiarize themselves with the product with familiar elements. It helped me appeal to
Paul Heyman offers multiple explanations for how ECW could have used its music
During a panel discussion produced by WWE, The Authentic Untold Story of ECW, Paul Heyman explained the use of unlicensed music. He said music played legally through a PA system in an arena would need to be licensed, but music played through microphones could be considered environmental noise for which ECW wouldn’t have to pay. claimed.
In a visit to the Squared Circle Pit podcast (h/t NoDQ.com), Heyman provided a slightly different insight into the matter. During that conversation, he explained that ECW had access to the song through a music company that has a sponsorship deal with Young Wrestling Promotions. Additionally, they signed individual contracts with bands, including The Three Six Mafia, though no money was exchanged, but they worked together to expose the bands to an audience of wrestling fans. There have been times when we have leaned toward simply adopting music that we didn’t actually claim, based on our wishes.
ECW’s music symbolized the company’s identity
The way ECW got its famous music and used it to act is a big statement to ECW’s own identity as a wrestling promotion. Even as the company established its influence with national audiences, including broadcasting nationally on TNN and quietly embracing support from WWE, Paul Heyman continued to portray his ECW picture of traitor and underdog. I was good at drawing as a promotion.
So Heyman brokered outlandish deals and exploited technical loopholes to break all the rules of the ECW ethos. Additionally, their willingness and ability to walk the razor’s edge on all of these kinds of details is arguably better than other promotions that had comparable resources on paper at a time when the business was very competitive. was also part of the success.
ECW is one of the brands that wrestling fans tend to have the most positive nostalgia for the way they think outside the box and the forward-thinking quality of their products. Music was a key and under-appreciated component of an exciting fan presentation, showcasing their talents in an exciting way that set them apart from their competitors. The way it was accessed was all about the company and its leader, Paul Heyman.