LAW (Live Audio Wrestling) [Weekly Podcast]

The Good

I recall first stumbling across the LAW in 2000 when I was really clamoring for more free online content.  Back in those days, it was Jeff Marek and Dan "The Mouth" Lovransky.  At that time, they were covering three companies in the US and had pretty well open access to everyone.  They also had an amazing archive of interviews and Dave Meltzer making regular appearances.  If you fast forward a few years, the LAW had dramatically changed in a number of ways.  "The Mouth" was now joined by Jason Agnew, the landscape of pro-wrestling was in the gutter and there once impressive archive was no more.  Fast forward another few years, John Pollock was playing a more active on-air roll, they were affiliated with the Fight Network and were expanding the LAW brand significantly.  In 2012, they're on TSN Radio and have a firmly established product complete with regular segments, callers and the like.  I honestly only listened to the LAW sporadically between 2007 and 2010 as I tended to opt for other audio options, but was pleasantly surprised when I picked back up per recommendation.  I think for a single weekly show that gives a nice package of "news, opinion and interviews," the LAW really delivers, furthermore it is very nicely produced and has a level of energy and quality that other podcasts do not.

The Bad

I fell out of listening to the LAW for a reason.  If one is listening to several podcasts during the week, you can only hear reviews of Raw, pay-per-views and such so many times.  The show needs to offer more and for a time, I didn't feel like the LAW did that.  I enjoyed aspects of the show, but felt much of it was tedious and uninteresting.  The quality of calls, because they are such a part of the show, really determines its overall quality and I've never thought these are worth it.  The "Title Bout Trivia" segment is more often than not painful.  The interviews are usually very good, but if they are largely edited down and a full version is available on their website, then I'll opt out.  There are many times when I simply stop after "Wrestling Observer Extra."  I can also understand people not caring for the hosts as can be the case with any show.  I'm not sure when this trend began, but Jason Agnew tends to be curt (sometimes downright mean) with callers to the point that I almost wonder why they have that part.  It gives the show such a negative element.  The shows without him are not much different in quality and avoid that bad taste.  If you don't like your callers - don't have them.  Most of the regulars offer little in the way of fresh perspectives or worthwhile commentary, so it seems like a lose-lose situation.  The LAW offers a lot of substance for those who are not heavy consumers of pro-wrestling podcasts and great style, but this Canadian offering might be an acquired taste for some - brother!

The Rating: ****

Bad News Allen [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
There a some things to consider when evaluating a shoot interview. One, is the person involved still alive (or still in their right mind)? Two, has the person done other shoot interviews before (even if they were brief radio interviews)? Three, are there any details about the time, location or circumstances involving this shoot that would substantially harm its quality? The first two questions are usually easier to answer, but that third question is often not. Bad News Allen, who I'd heard previously on WOL on Eyada, struck me as someone who would probably great every time out. He had an amazing career, he was funny storyteller, he was a no-nonsense bad ass and his judo background was fascinating as well. In any event, RF Video sat down with him and now that he has passed, the interview is a significant historical source. Allen has hilarious anecdotes, he shoots on people who he didn't like, he seems honest and thoughtful in his reflections and few have the kind of insight into New Japan that he had. Bad News was with the company for a long time as it was on its ascent and he talked about having Akira Maeda as a kohei (pupil), watching Fujinami come up, having issues with Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes and a few others. Allen also talked briefly about his stint with UWFi, which is curious. There are other experiences in his career that were interesting - working the unstable Randy Savage, feuding with Bret Hart, being "lied to" by Vince McMahon and his recollections of Dynamite Kid and Jacques Rougeau. This was just a top notch shoot and it was entirely because of the interviewee.

The Bad
Obviously, the New Japan stuff is gold for many fans. RF got into it some, but really did not push the interview in that direction as much as it could've been and probably should've been. Allen had great stories from his time there and interesting opinions on business and personalities, so that area should've been mined thoroughly. Does hearing about his short run in Florida, his inability to get into WCW or his time on the Canadian indies really need much time? Though that chronology is paramount in RF Video shoots, it is really a travesty here and took a little of the shine off one of the great shoot interviews.

The Rating: ****3/4

Lance Storm [RF Video Shoot Interview `99]

The Good

These early RF Video shoots were largely a mixed bag of poorly executed interviews with big names who could talk well and interviews that are "better" executed with ECW stars.  Here, Lance Storm sits in the chair and talk about his first decade in the business.  Lance is a tremendous talker in this atmosphere as he is thoughtful, respectful and is able to really dig deep on topics.  This is why his involvement with Bryan Alvarez and the Figure-Four Daily has been so great.  Although this predates his WCW and WWF runs as well as his post-retirement activities, he has plenty of time to talk about his various experiences in Germany and Japan that probably would go undiscussed if a comparable first interview was done today.  I particularly found his reflections on Germany to be great because few people have talked about it much, but he was able to put over Fit Finley and Danny Collins while talking frankly about Otto Wanz, Dave Taylor and others.  Others might find his comments on Japan to be more interesting as he discussed Jushin Liger, Shinjiro Otani, Atsushi Onita, Genichiro Tenryu, Yuji Yasuroaka and many others.  Lance also talks about breaking in with the Harts, his experiences working for Jim Cornette in Smoky Mountain as well as getting into ECW and moving up the ladder there.  If you've never heard Lance Storm, I'd highly recommend his shoots, co-hosting gigs and so on.

The Bad

The obvious digs on this would be, who is Lance Storm to have the opinions he has here?  This is slippery slope because while he had almost ten years in the business and was well-traveled, he was still relatively young and didn't have experience compared to people like, say, Jim Duggan, who were kind of negative about Lance.  In any event, Storm is a very intelligent and principled person who delivers an interview like few others because of those factors.  Some people might not have been crazy about his work, his personality or find him the most enjoyable to listen to, but I would put him in the upper echelon of shoot interviews.

The Rating: ****1/4

Jacques Rougeau [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
I inexplicably have vivid memories of where I was and what I was doing when I first heard a shoot interview, unless it is something totally mundane like driving in the car or washing dishes. I suppose this all began with WOL back in the day and I can remember where I was, what time of day it was and the anxiety I was feeling as Jacques Rougeau told the story of his confrontation with the Dynamite Kid. It was a famous backstage incident that was elevated by Dynamite's own account in his autobiography and has been brought up in numerous interviews, especially by RF Video. I'm not sure if the WOL version was the first public telling by Jacques, but I would speculate that could be the case. Here, Jacques spends about a 1/4 of the shoot interview detailing the build-up, the events and the fallout. While it was only two weeks in his twenty-five years or so in the business, it was a career-changing and life-altering event. It is an intense segment (not as intense as the WOL version, if I remember correctly), but it is one of those must-hears in RF Video shoots. I actually think they should splice together people's accounts and opinions about that incident and some others (Spivey-Adnois, Haynes-Sharpe, Haku-Jimmy Jack Funk, etc.), although it can be difficult with deceased parties involved. As for the overall shoot, I found it to be very good. Jacques is pretty personable and has some unique perspectives as a third-generation star. Personally, I wished there had been more exploration into the Montreal territory, the war with the Vachons and some of those things, but you can't expect everything from RF Video (he'll ask about an injury that caused Jacques to miss a couple shots in `88, but leaves out things from Montreal that are truly historically significant - ugh). In terms of if Jacques Rougeau got himself over or not, I would say "yes." He did admit to being a prick of sorts in his younger years, but seems pretty humble about who is, who he was and what he really did. He put over people (ranging from Jimmy Hart and Greg Valentine who are generally liked to people like Hulk Hogan and Terry Taylor who are somewhat unpopular) and he had select comments for a long list of people: Bret Hart, Eric Bischoff, Raven, Roddy Piper and others that you probably would not be entirely surprised by. A very good interview that most anyone would like.

The Bad
If you're offended when people take the Lord's name in vain - avoid this one! For whatever reason, Jacques responds to countless questions by bringing up Jesus…it is almost comedic after a while. He also incessantly claps, snickers obnoxiously and gets giddy and excited about numerous questions. Those quirks aside, this is one an example of why I cannot stand Rob Feinstein, although many interviewers make mistakes, he comes across as such a goof because he cannot remember common facts (Hulk Hogan was "Thunder Lips," not "Thunder Bolt" in Rocky III, he cannot remember Johnny Valiant, he forgets that Frenchy Martin was called Frenchy Martin in the WWF, etc.). Although those are really minor things in the broader sense, they really slow down and damper the interview and undermine his credibility. Say what you will about Dave Meltzer's on-air talking ability, he is rarely at a complete loss when it comes to facts. As someone who lives amongst Franco-Americans, it is painful to hear Rob's utter ignorance of French pronunciation of places and names. Do some research! It's not "Jose LeDuc," he's not some Spanish Quebecer…sheesh. This was a really good interview, but I think Jacques Rougeau has the potential to do an amazing interview, although I've not heard that one yet.

The Rating: ****1/2

Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame - The Canadians

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Greg Oliver
Publisher: ECW Press
Released: 10/02

The Good
Greg Oliver is an excellent pro-wrestling journalist and this, the first in the "Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame" series is a nice sampling of the work he has been doing for years on his Slam! Wrestling website. This book is more of an encyclopedia of Canadian and adopted Canadian wrestlers than what future installments would be. Oliver top twenty listing could raise eyebrows, but nothing is grossly omitted, overlooked or downplayed. If you've never browsed his site, this is great original content with interview tidbits, anecdotes and well-researched history. A sound first attempt.

The Bad
"Hall of Fame" books are always full of subjectivity that irks everyone. While I have read some of the flaws of this book, it is generally good. I think its limitations are in its depth. However, Oliver had to choose between a wide variety of people to profile or great depth in those profiles and he chose the former. His top twenty had the depth I enjoyed, but was not on par with the mini-biographies in Dave Meltzer's Tributes books. Although this is okay, his future books make this look amateurish.
The Rating: ***3/4

    

Mad Dog Vachon [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon is one of the mythical characters in pro-wrestling history and he is able to reveal much of how he got there in this interview.  His English is not perfect, he gets confused about a few things and this is, in fact, an RF Video shoot interview, but despite all those drawback this is excellent.  Vachon is a great storyteller whether he's talking about his father, recounting his early days in Texas or his telling of his experiences as a top star in the AWA.  That quality really makes this one of those shoot interviews that you just cannot stop listening to (until it gets really bad at the end).

The Bad
RF Video never fails at angering me in their inability to do their research, follow-up on questions, build rapport with the interviewee or try to hide the interviewee's weaknesses.  When Mad Dog gets tired and struggles to recall the names being dropped, the interview keeps rolling along and makes the last part of this worthless.    What is even worse than that is the lack of exploration into Vachon's Grand Prix promotion and pro-wrestling in Quebec in general.  This started so strong and was overall very good, but some of the same old issues prevented it from being great.

The Rating: ****

Stu Hart: Lord of the Ring


Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Marsha Erb
Publisher: ECW Press
Released: 5/02

The Good
Excellent overview of the life and times of a wrestling icon. Hart's childhood was extremely hard, yet he clawed his way up to becoming quite an exceptional person. There is tragedy after tragedy, which provides a very human side to the man. It is quick read with good stories without really delving into the all too colorful world of pro-wrestling all that much.

The Bad
If you have no interest in this book...don't read it. It's not really insightful to wrestling, but it's not designed to be. This lacks the insider stuff that many people might want and a lot of the dirt and it's close to the DiBiase book, however it has much more content and even his story is more uplifting and fascinating.

The Rating: ***

Pure Dynamite: The Price You Pay for Wrestling Stardom
Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Tom Billington, Alison Coleman
Publisher: Stewart House
Released: 8/01 

The Good
There's not a lot more one can want from an autobiography: funny road stories, pretty good insight, dirt on all the stars and a strong finale. While you might only demand one of those, so few wrestler's autobiographies deliver 3 of the 4 that it's sad. Billington's been in Europe, Canada, Japan and the States and he gives all the details. He lightens things up with funny stories and considering his apparent meanstreak it's necessary to have those parts. Puroresu fans should enjoy this more than just about anyone's books. Most compliment this book for its unbridaled honesty and he doesn't seem to pull punches and that's more a positive in wrestling than a negative...I think.


The Bad
Bitterness can be very off-putting. Billington's hatred of Davey Boy Smith and dislike of a number of people is kind of hard to overlook as he blasts so many people. He tends to give a negative along with a slight positive (like "he was an asshole, but he was good with ribs") and his "rating" system of tough guys is questionable. Many of them seem to be his drinking buddies. If you realize those few things, you should be able to get through this just fine without too many hang-ups. 

The Rating: ****1/4


  

Wrestling (1964 Documentary)


Directors: Michel Brault, Marcel Carreiere, Claude Fournier, Claude Jutra
Distributor: National Film Board of Canada
Released: 1961 (reaired 2004)


Featured Talent
Wild Red Berry, Eduord Carpentier, Al Costello, Dominic Denucci, Ivan Kalimikoff, Tony Lanza, Yvon Robert 


The Good
The simple fact is there is not much quality pro-wrestling footage out there prior to the 1980s, so when some gems like this are avaliable, it is important to enjoy them. This brief documentary shows some great insight into the "Golden Age" of pro-wrestling. That sport that has a lot of tongue-in-cheek comedy, simple characters and more white hot heat than anything you see on TV today. This documentary focuses on pro-wrestling in Canada, specifically Quebec. It shows legendary trainer Tony Lanza working with some of his students. It has a lengthy highlight reel of sorts from the card being featured. Seeing these nondescript wrestlers go through moves on black and white film and the action being set to Bach is fascinating to see. It is at times whimiscal, at times artsy and it even borders on beautiful a few times. The main event is Eduoard Carpentier and Dominic Denucci against Al Costello and Ivan Kalimikoff. These are four men who were top stars in the 60s, but receive little, if any, fanfare today. To see Carpentier is amazing - a thickly muscled, charismatic babyface who flips around and works the crowd to perfection. Denucci, known now mostly as Mick Foley's mentor, shows why he was a top draw in Australia as he sells a pounding that drives the Italians in the crowd wild. Costello and Kalimikoff, two master tag wrestlers, heel it up and they generate that heat you just don't see these days. Also it should be mentioned Wild Red Berry cuts a promo at the end that along with Kalimikoff shows how simple it is. 

The Bad
I have few complaints about this. Thirty minutes was way too short to satisfy me, although I loved seeing this action. They didn't name the undercard matches or wrestlers, so I didn't know who was who is all the black trunks and black boots. While some may say a lot of this looked fake, this is from near fifty years ago! Sure, parts of this don't compare to today's action, but the heat is just amazing to experience. I wouldn't call this a must-see for everyone, but if you are into pro-wrestling history this captures much of what made the television era so great.


The Rating: ****

A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex

Author: Chris Jericho, Peter Thomas Fornatale
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Released: 10/07 


The Good
When it was revealed that Chris Jericho was releasing an autobiography at the age of 36, it seemed strange. Although he had so far had an impressive career, Jericho had never reached that top echelon that everyone thought he would when he jumped to the WWF in 1999. This book attempted to be not a memoir of a storied career, but rather a “dreams come true” story. In that sense, it fulfilled its goal. Jericho had many obstacles to overcome throughout his career and when made his highly touted debut in the WWF, his dream came true and that’s where this book ends. So, if you’re a WWF/WWE fan, you’re going to have to wait. This book talks about his world travels and does so in the most humorous and entertaining manner that a pro-wrestling autobiography has ever done. Jericho did not intend this to be solely for pro-wrestling fans and certainly not WWF/WWE fans, but it certainly helps the enjoyment if you are the former. He breaks it up into several parts: his childhood and years on the Canadian indies, Mexico, Germany, Smoky Mountain, Japan, ECW and WCW. This comprehensive career being captured makes this a great resource. And if you know people like Dr. Luther, Drew McDonald, El Dandy and Bruiser Bedlam, this book has a different level of enjoyment. Personally, this was very enjoyable. I grew up listening to the same music, loving hockey and, of course, marking out for all things pro-wrestling, so Jericho’s references to these in jokes made this a classic for me. This was a fast and addictive read that was well composed, well edited and well organized. This is inarguably a new must-have for pro-wrestling fans.


The Bad
Jericho’s decisions to omit his WWF/WWE run, leave in kind words and photos with Chris Benoit and seek out a non-WWE publisher could all be strikes against this. Ending at August 1999, leaves this open for a follow-up that could be published by the WWE, but the issue of his partnership/rivalry with Chris Benoit is a huge stumbling block to overcome if he decides to write that book. The jokes and references may not harm this, but it certainly caters to a small crowd. Although he has stated this is not just for pro-wrestling fans, it does not seem like a book that non-fans would necessarily enjoy. Perhaps, but this is definitely not as non-fan-friendly as other books. As with any autobiography, Chris Jericho could be knocked for having a big ego or being bitter about some things, but in comparison to some of his peers, he seems like Mr. Positive. Other than those few relatively mild knocks, this book is hard to fault.


The Rating: *****

Edge: A Decade of Decadence
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/08
Featured Talent
Judy Copeland, Edge, Ron Hutchinson






The Good
In a fashion befitting the “Rated R Superstar,” this compilation of matches is set up with Edge playing his usual arrogant self watching his old matches from his easy chair on the big screen.  Video packages are recut as film trailers, which is unique and funny.  The match choices are good with a nice variety of pay-per-view and TV matches.  One can really see Edge's growth as a worker in the early matches and metamorphosis as a heel in the later matches.  If someone is a big fan of Edge, even if you have the matches already, this is worth checking out.


The Bad
These matches with little commentaries in between are okay and clearly an attempt to make some extra change off superstars while their hot.  That said, they tend to seem thrown together and lack much new content worth dropping the money for which they are marked as in stores.  Edge appearing in character is funny and all, but it totally takes away any depth this could have.  There is not really much insight shared and minimal comments from others.  While Edge was a good talent who blossomed into a top-notch heel, is he yet worthy of such an extensive collection?  Maybe and there are probably “Edgeheads” who'd argue that he is.  Personally, the lack of pre-WWF material is objectionable, but understandable.  Perhaps there are not decent quality independent matches of Sexton Hardcastle or even footage of him working at the Funkin' Dojos.  Regardless, it seems odd to have a retrospective DVD set that has only WWF/WWE matches.


The Rating: **1/2

Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Bret Hart
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Released: 11/09

The Good
It has been said that you really have to be a Bret Hart fan to enjoy his matches, his commentary and his legacy. This book in its great detail, accuracy and honesty is one that someone whose not a fan of Bret Hart could enjoy. It seems as though most any pro-wrestling fan could find something to enjoy in this book. There is the story of the Harts, the early years on the road, the up-and-down years in the WWF, the WCW debacle and Bret Hart's post-career struggles. Normally the “growing up” section in a pro-wrestling book is hit-or-miss, but this is unique. The saga of the Hart family from the lean years in which the kids grew up and the wildness of being a wrestling family to the mind-boggling tragedy and harsh splits make for good reading. More casual fans will certainly be satisfied with the time given to the WWF and WCW years, in which Bret Hart's legacy was established (and perhaps severely tainted). It could be argued however that what sets this book apart is the attention given to some rarely detailed places. Bret Hart's accounts of wrestling in Puerto Rico, Britain and Japan are fantastic as he has great tales to tell and actually talks about the people. Fans with a deeper knowledge can appreciate these parts, while casual fans should not be bored with them. It is nice to read a book by someone who could really name-drop, but he chooses to acknowledge some of the forgotten names of the past. There is definitely good voice to this autobiography and since Bret Hart was never really the most charismatic promo, the format of a book work best for him. His shoot interviews and such are interesting, but referring to his notes and expert editing helps create a uniquely excellent product. This is certainly a must-read for any pro-wrestling fan.

The Bad
When Bret Hart first began talking about publishing his autobiography, he spoke of an extensive trilogy. This seemed like a publisher's nightmare and unsurprisingly it did not come to fruition. It is unfortunate because Hart's detailed notes of the past make for an autobiography that is exceptional. This boiled down version (over 500 pages no less) is great, but it makes one think about the possibilities that could've been. As for the problems with the actual book that was released, Bret Hart could perhaps come across as a bitter old-timer with a warped view of the past. Oddly this was his gripe with the Dynamite Kid's book. The Montreal Screwjob, the death of Owen Hart, the fallout with Vince McMahon and the sudden ending of his career all come across as one would expect with Hart's long held perspective being detailed and supported more articulately than in previous interviews. Depending on your perspective, Bret Hart could come across as bitter as he has for years. If you agree with Hart on all these accounts, then that is probably not an issue. What may color your view of Bret Hart are his many infidelities and attempts to justify them. While many autobiographies probably dodge this issue, Bret Hart goes into great detail about his major vice on the road. Like Jerry Lawler, it makes him seem like a braggart at times, but unlike Lawler he does not seem as pathetic about clinging to that past of sexual conquests. He seems brutally honest about that part of his life and shares stories of drugs, booze and steroids that apply not only to him, but his friends, family and co-workers.

The Rating: *****