#95 – ECW TV September 1995
This week on the Old School Wrestling Podcast we dig into four weeks of ECW TV from the Fall 0f 1995, a classic time for ECW. We discuss classic angles involving ECW legends like Cactus Jack, Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Steve Austin, the Sandman, and the Public Enemy. We also dig into feedback from last episode discussing the terribleness of Jeff Jarrett. Please support the podcast by visiting flairchop.com where you can buy our tremendous “mail-order wrestling gimmicks” t-shirt, posters, and the box set of our first 50 episodes. You can also get a free OSWP sticker by leaving a comment on the iTunes store.
This episode has been archived. It is available either by ordering the physical “OSWP Season 3 box set” with episodes 76-100 or it can be instantly downloaded in a digital version of the “OSWP Season 3 complete set” with episodes of 76-100. The physical box set will always be our favorite, as it comes with a full color booklet featuring art by our friend Dean Stahl and looks great on your bookshelf next to your coliseum home videos. The instant digital download version also comes with high resolution PDFs of the booklet that you can view on your computer. Both the physical box set and the digital download come with two bonus episodes featuring our reviews of the Clash of the Champions 9 and the Royal Rumble 1988. These episodes have never been available on flairchop.com. But if you only want to hear this one episode, we also offer the option of instantly downloading just the individual episode for a small price.
Hey guys, thanks for another great episode. Although I know quite a bit about ECW I’m still descovering a lot of stuff (like the Tommy Dreamer Cactus Jack fued you guys talked about). With 90% of my wrestling knowledge being NWA/WCW that’s why I love this podcast so much, I get to hear about stuff that I haven’t seen before, and then go check it out on the web. So I’m definitely going to go find some of this stuff, so a big thank you is in order.
By the way, every time I hear someone say the name Jeff Jarrett in my mind I say J-E-double F J-A-double-R-E-double T, that double J, Jeff Jarrett. I just can’t help it.
Love the old ECW promos, especially the Cactus Jack anti-hardcore ones. I had put them up in the OSWP board awhile ago, so go check em out!
In the idea of Dre screaming “The Night The Line Was Crossed” to sell an ECW tape, my favorite one is and always will be Joey Styles screaming “The night Kimona Wanalaya danced atop the ECW arena.” Not sure if it was that or Sunny that was my first “Woman in PWI” moment, but they were great.
In reference to the Joey Styles “shoot” promo on Raw, I remember this vividly. I think Styles had been filling in for JR, who was out for surgery, or had been fired again. Styles was calling Raw, but they brought back JR to call the PPV, bumping Styles from the telecast. Then they were doing a storyline where The Spirit Squad was going to make Styles dress up like a cheerleader or something. Styles refused to do it, and cut the aforementioned promo. But, alas, it was of course a “worked shoot”. WWE brought back ECW within a couple of weeks, and Styles would announce that show with The Tazz.
Love Dre calling Beulah McGillicutty “Beulah McGuelicutty”. A classic Dre-ism. Don’t worry Dre, I’ll be adding it to the board.
And holy smokes, how could I forget Jake The Snake Roberts?! He’s not even old school. He was old school when old school was new school. Or something like that. Glad he was coherent, that must mean he’s doing well.
ECW was full of moments that are formative wrestling memories. The moment where I realized I loved the fed was when “He who shall not be named like Voldemort but his name rhymes with Bis Chrenwah” superbombed Sabu through a table during the run-in of a tag match. That scene was shown over and over on ECW clips and I couldn’t get enough of it. The other is Mick Foley sitting with his son on a kid’s ferris wheel chanting, in a gentle tone, “This is hardcore.” Staying up until 2AM on Saturday nights to watch the show in the 90s (because we didn’t have DVRs and programming the VCR was too much trouble) was the move. (BTW: I lived in Long Island in the late 90s and picked up tix to a Queens ECW show during a Taz in-store appearance at a record shop – he signed my EC Fn’ W shirt – where’d I put that thing? Day of the show I get in a car accident on the way and never made it – never attending an ECW show live is a pretty big “wrasslin’ regret” ™.)
And here are the hysterical Cactus Jack anti-hardcore videos – these are classic. (Mick actually says “This is extreme” on the kiddie ride – I misremembered the quote.) Great stuff. http://www.veoh.com/watch/v15799186WAwBkSa2?h1=JACTUS+CACK
Man, somehow my body must of known that you guys were doing this for #OSWP95, since on Thursday, May 9th (the day before this show was posted), I hit my head at work by my hairline with a metal pin that’s the size of one’s thumb, causing a big gouge into my forehead, busting me wide open, the hard way. It makes sense, right?
Several days later, my forehead still hurts. No stitches, no superglue, no problem! Only time and the Old School Wrestling Podcast can cure the cut! Thanks gentlemen for covering a month’s worth of ECW Television that I’m not familiar with. Much appreciated for a Mother’s Day road trip from St. Cloud to Isle, Minnesota, and back, with Mrs. Darsie! 😀
Jake the Snake. Holy Sh*t. Who got it for you?
I don’t think I can argue against Versus being Pearl Jam’s best album. I don’t think it’s the best album ever, but it could be Pearl Jam’s.
If I remember right, 911 chokeslamming Bill Alfonso was something they built up for a long time. It’s crazy to think the crowd was so happy over something so simple.
Tits McGee is such a good accountant that he got a mention on the movie Anchorman.
The 911 chokeslam was built up tremendously. At first 911 was always chokeslamming some scrawny referee named Pee Wee or something. Then Bill Alfonso came in as a referee from the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission (or something similar) saying that ECW was too hardcore, and always threatening to shut the show down.
He banned the chokeslam, and would run out to the ring and threaten to shut the show down if they were trying to use a table or whatever. He would then become the official for certain matches, and screw over the good guys.
Then on that fateful night, something happened and Bill Alfonso screamed into the mic “Tonight, the chokeslam is legal.” Can’t recall if he say baby or daddy or anything like that. This prompted 911’s music to come on, and he came out and chokeslammed the hell out of Bill Alfonso. I also remember Tod Gordon slapping around Alfonso at one point to. This was all while he was the evil heel Athletic Commission referee. Before he ever grabbed a whistle and ball cap to become the mouthpiece for Sabu.
I wanna talk Pearl Jam all day long. What does the hardcore badass think is a better pound for pound album than versus? Keep it in the 1990’s.
I am not the hardcore badass but I’ll throw my opinion in for what it’s worth. What are you gonna do, kick me in the chest? Try!
I actually like Ten better than Vs. But, Vs has Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town of Lima Ohio Walking Around With A Mannequin Head Saying “What Does Everybody Want?”. And Elderly Woman may be my favorite Pearl Jam song.
Being a big 311 fan myself, I would nominate their self titled Blue Album. But of course, with them being one of my 3 favorite bands of all time, I am quite a bit biased. But it was this album that got me into them, and has two of their biggest hits on it (Down and All Mixed Up). I just look it up and it actually charted lower (#12) than any of their albums released after it. But maybe being #12 in the Mid 90’s is bigger accomplishment than being top 10 in the 2000’s.
I was also a HUGE fan of 311 from 1993-1996. I saw them about 10 times at some small ass venues durring that time. Grassroots > Music, and Music > the Blue Album. I stopped listening after Nick Hexum buried S.A. Martinez into a glorified background singer.
Dre, you got me there. I’m not sure, without doing some research, that I can pick an album released in the 90’s I feel confident saying is better than Pearl Jam’s Versus. When I was thinking of albums better than Versus, albums that came to mind were Sgt. Peppers, Back in Black, Willy and the Poor Boys, Who’s Next, Led Zeppelin IV, and Exile on Main Street. These albums of course, were released before the 90’s.
I am no music critic, and no musician, so I can’t get into why I feel any album is better than another. I only have my opinion to offer.
I’m not going to say Never Mind was better than Versus because then that opens up the debate of who was better, Nirvana or Pearl Jam. We’re talking albums here. For the record, I like Never Mind better, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was a better album than Versus.
You know what? Ozzy’s No More Tears (1991), for me, could give Versus a run for its money. I’m biased toward No More Tears because it’s the first hard rock/metal album I ever owned. It is STACKED though.
You know what’s really fun? Yelling “HELLO” when Pearl Jam does Elderly Woman in concert. Great times.
I also like No More Tears, but I feel like it just woke up a year and a half late from being an 80’s album.
I like debating album vs album much better than band vs band.
Where do you rank Nothing’s Shocking, Blood Sugar Sex Magic, The Cronic, Aquemini, Blind Melon self titled, Check Your Head, Do You Want More, e.1999 eternal, Grassroots, Ill Comunication, Midnight Marauders, Natural Born Killers Soundtrack, The Score, Siamese Dream, Singles Movie Soundtrack, Temple of the Dog, Whatever & Ever Amen, Where You Been?
Those are just a few I enjoy from the 90’s
The Chronic was a great great album. Even the skits that are usually awful on rap albums were great. The $20 sack pyramid is the TITS!
I’ve tried to listen to Blind Melon’s self titled album in present day, and it really doesn’t hold in my opinion. A few really good songs, but to me, for an album to be great, I have to at least like every song, if not love all of them.
So based on that, I would say The Chronic and Grassroots, even though I probably never listened to Grassroots until like 2000. I was actually shocked that 311 put out awesome music before their “hit” album. Usually the opposite for most bands. But what I love about 311, is that every album they have put out since The Blue Album has been a little bit (or in some cases a big bit) different from anything else they’ve put out. And they’ve all been at least really good, if not great.
Dre, if you want more S.A. Martinez, they’re newer stuff has gone back to featuring him a lot more. Don’t Tread On me feels to be about 50/50 between the two. That’s one of their more different albums, but I love it.
I’ve to about 4 or 5 311 shows, and they never disappoint. The whole drum jamboree during Applied Science is always a great moment. I got to see them for free at a casino (my friend is degenerate gambler and got free tickets) one time. That’s always the best when you can go see one of your favorite bands, and it’s like a cheap club show or a free concert.
Also, WRESTLING!
I meant their, not they’re. I was so excited to talk about 311 that I forgot how to use grammar.
And also I’ve been to about 4 or 5 311 shows, not I’ve to about 4 or 5 311 shows.
I need a proof reader or something.
I’m afraid I’ve only heard two of the albums, Dre. I grew tired of and sold my copy of the Blind Melon album, but still listen to Siamese Dream to this day.
I also personlly believe Metallica’s “black/self titled/the one with Enter Sandman on it” album is better than Versus. This coming from a guy who enjoys watching people fake fight.
Here is a moment of shame – there was a period of time where I planned on airbrushing Pearl Jam’s first album cover onto the back of a white denim jacket. OY VEY
Yikes!
Hey Boys!
This week’s episode was definately Tits McGee!! Everything from the Jake Roberts bumper to the deserved trashing of that creep Vince Russo made episode #95 your best episode in a while! Being from Philly and having witnessed the birth and death of ECW made this week’s show especially enjoyable! Boy, do I miss those days! The days of waiting in line outside the ECW Arena on Swanson + Ritner (not Rickter, Dre!) were some fun times! The anticipation of what Paul Heyman was going to give us, the comaraderie between all of us “smarks” waiting to get in, and of course the drinking, made these memories some of my most fondest. I remember anxiously waiting for that first promo to come on at the start of the TV show, and all of the awesome shit that was to follow! Oh the promo’s! The “Cane Dewey” promo is up there with Stardust’s “Hard Time Blues” as the greatest promo’s ever! And then there was Joey Stiles and his knowledge and coming up with the names of moves like “Stevie Kick!”, and “Franken Mikey”, and my all time fave the “T-Bone Taz Plex”. Great shit! Ah, the good old days! Thanks, as always, for taking me back to better days of wrestling, and thanks also for not including the oligatory trashing of Philadelphia sports fans and the way that we act and look and our penchant for violence!!
Speaking of looks, I’m looking pretty sporty in my new OSWP t-shirt! Can’t wait to wear it down to a Phillies game, get drunk, and yell obscenities and throw stuff at the oposing players! Take care, my friends, you guys are the best!!
I remember staying up until 1am on Saturday night when I was in middle school to catch ECW. It was somewhere in the ’96-’97 range. I can’t remember if it was before or after Barely Legal. I began plotting how I could order the Kimona video without my parents knowing. Never did….
Excellent show again, guys. I chairshotted some weeds on in my garden yesterday in honor of this episode.
Also, I loved the music discussion as I am I HUGE mark rocknwrestlin’ talk. Even though I was never a Pearl Jam fan I kinda liked “Rear view Mirror” (I was much more into Mudhoney & Screaming Trees when it came to Seattle rawk).
I think wrestling and especially ECW made me re-appreciate songs I had felt like I heard a zillion times in the early 90’s – i.e. Pantera’s “Walk” and “Enter Sandman” (after all I live in Metallica’s “territory”). I think it’s just the way it’s presented: I pop along at the same time as the crowd while watch it on my TV at home. This episode also made me wish I traded wrestling tapes like I did in the metal scene. Music nerd note: Metallica’s “No Life ‘Til Leather” demo in 1982-83 was mostly popular because people traded it like it was a Hulk Hogan in Japan VHS.
* HUGE mark for rocknwrestling talk. D’oh.
First time, long time. Owner of the first 50 box set.
As a Canadian, the extent of my knowledge on ECW is limited to what I read on the internet during their peak and what I saw during the dreadful TNN days. I was always a fan from the outside. I loved the “shoot” style of ECW and the edgy characters. It’s everything wrestling lacks during the present day.
I’ve watched what I can on Youtube and I loved the “Forever Hardcore” doc that Borash did. I was too young at the time to be a tape trader and I wish there was some way I could catch up on what I missed back then. The watered down ECW stuff that the WWE puts out doesn’t do it justice at all. I’d love to see more ECW stuff from you guys. I love the podcast and haven’t missed an episode. As some one who works as a travelling rep, it’s a great way to pass the time on long road trips.
I’d also love to hear your thoughts on Fantasy Wrestling, which was (possibly still is as I no longer partake) a great outlet for creative writing and a fun way to pass the time in my younger days. I’d also like to hear some mention or thoughts on whether you guys partook in using the TNM wrestling simulator which was popular during the wrestling boom.
Thanks guys and keep up the great work!!