Showing posts with label fabulous freebirds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fabulous freebirds. Show all posts
Friday, 17 August 2012
Michael Hayes new song pays tribute to Terry Gordy
WWE star pays tribute to his former tag team partner in song!
By Phil Allely
In a recent article on WWE.com former Fabulous Freebird Michael 'P.S' Hayes talks about his new song 'Freebird Road' and how it was conceived as a tribute to his best friend (the late) Terry 'Bam Bam' Gordy.
One of the original Freebirds line-up Gordy was rightly acknowledged as one of the toughest men in the wrestling business. The team had some of the finest feuds in history against combos such as the Von Erich's, Road Warriors and many others. Gordy also went on to headline in Japan alongside fellow hard-hitter 'Doctor Death' Steve Williams. Gordy's last main role before his sad passing in 2001, was as The Executioner for the WWE in a feud with Undertaker.
In their prime The Fabulous Freebirds (Gordy,Hayes, Buddy Roberts) were the hottest team in the industry, they also innovated the concept of entrance music for grappler's. Their song of choice was appropriately 'Freebird' by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“I was listening to ‘Brickyard Road’ by [Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist] Johnny Van Zant, which is a tribute song to his brother Ronnie, who died in a plane crash. Listening to the song, I started to notice the parallels between what the song was saying about Ronnie and how I felt about Terry,” Hayes elaborated.
Hayes retired from the ring, taking up a major role with the WWE creative department and has moved up the ladder greatly since then, he now commands a high level of power on the Smackdown brand. He did of course manage The Hardy Boyz during their initial WWE run (as the colourful DoKHendrix) and has appeared on screen at times and been instrumental in some of the best and worst of the WWE product (depending on your views). His recent appearances have seen his dress sense lampooned by performers at the annual Hall Of Fame ceremony. A natural in-ring performer in his prime Hayes has always had music in his blood and loves step inside the studio.
“The purpose of doing this wasn’t just to record another song, it was to teach people about this guy who was just born to wrestle,” Hayes explained. “I think Jimmy Garvin (one of the more recent incarnations of the Freebirds) said it best, ‘God put Terry Gordy on Earth to wrestle,’ and when you look at his career, it’s hard to argue with that. But more importantly, I wanted people to know the man outside of the ring.”
Receiving a positive reaction the song seems destined to highlight the career and life of Gordy to a whole new audience, and embrace his legacy in the ring.
“It’s one thing to know the competitor and the man, but it’s another thing to know someone’s dad or husband, that puts a whole different spin on things and what the song really means,” Hayes told WWE.com.
“I really hope that people are able to see what a fun-loving guy Terry was,” Hayes said. “As much as he was a tough guy inside the ring, he was the opposite at home. Terry was a really good guy and I wanted to introduce him to a whole new generation of wrestling fans.”
“This is one of those things that makes me content with my life,” Hayes said. “If I never do another thing with my life, I know I’ll be happy that I was able to honor my friend this way.”
You can see The Freebirds in action on numerous WWE released DVD's and online.
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Where are they now? Jimmy Garvin
Where are they now? Jimmy Garvin
By Phil Allely
With former Fabulous Freebird and current Smackdown head honcho Michael ‘PS’ Hayes Returning to action as an on screen Manager/character on WWE TV, I thought I’d take a look at what happened to his Freebird tag team partner Gorgeous Jimmy ‘Jam’ Garvin.
Real name James Williams, the now 58 year old veteran’s career started in the highly productive Mid-South and Florida areas during the late 1970s, he then moved onto the Von Erich family owned WCCW where The Fabulous Freebirds( Hayes, Buddy Roberts and Terry Gordy) were hot property. Garvin rapidly becoming a star in his own right and an unofficial member of that group along the way. Matches with David Von Erich, Gentleman Chris Adams and others all helping elevate Jimmy’s popularity. He then moved on to the AWA, NWA, GWF and rounded off his in-ring performances in style with WCW, making his mark on the industry along the way.
Given two storyline brothers Ron and Terry (who he briefly managed and teamed with), Garvin also often had a female valet/manager accompany him to the ring. This was more than often his real life wife Patti (known as Precious) or his cousin Valerie (Sunshine). The party loving character he portrayed in the ring was not too far away from the real life man, livening things up both inside and outside of the squared circle. Garvin was one of the first wrestlers to enhance his ring entrances with music, lights and a lovely lady on his arm (something he and Hayes would continue in WCW). With such success in World Class Championship Wrestling the future was bright for the up and comer, even he is shocked by how well things worked out for him.
"I'm so fortunate and grateful to have experienced 23 years in the business. It was incredible fun and that was the bottom line. I had a pretty good career. I just had fun everywhere I went.” Garvin stated in a recent interview when asked if he regretted hanging up his tights and boots.
Match/storyline highlights from Garvin’s career include main event feuds with some of the industry’s finest, Wahoo McDaniel, The Midnight Express, David Von Erich, The Road Warriors, Ric Flair and Magnum TA amongst others across various promotions all butted heads with him. Garvin’s work ethic and dedication to the sport all helped make such encounters sell-out arenas across the U.S.
In 1989’s WCW the make-up sporting flamboyant rock star (Garvin/Hayes) version of The Fabulous Freebirds made its mark on the company. With their over the top ring entrance, non-muscular physiques and heelish tactics the pair were the tag team version of the ‘Dirtiest Player in the Game’ Ric Flair, and featured heavily in pay-per-view and TV events. The pairing even got to provide colour commentary alongside the voice of WCW at the time Lance Russell.
WCW seemingly being one of Garvin’s favourite work places. "We really enjoyed that (commentating) and a lot of the jokes and stuff we said on the air was stuff Michael and I wrote and came up with. We are still close friends and talk when we can."
WCW at that time was a hotbed of top talent and the Freebirds were at the forefront. This period saw many great matches on PPV and TV, the Birds providing many of them as they battled such combos as Brian Pillman and Tom Zenk, The ‘Wild Eyed’ Southern Boys, The Steiners, Doom and various combinations of the Four Horsemen, even netting themselves tag team and six-man tag team gold. In this period of the wrestling boom the pair even added managers to the fold, (the recently deceased Oliver Humperdink) as Big Daddy Dink and Diamond Dallas Page filling that role, a third member Bad Street (a masked Brad Armstrong) made six man matches possible and saw the old ‘Freebird rule’ rejuvenated. That rule of course has been resurrected on many occasions now, it providing a wrestler or team of wresters to have someone else who can defend their title for them. The Freebirds version meant that any combination of the current team could enter the ring as champions and fight for their gold.
“We had some brutal matches there (WCW), especially against The Steiners. They really beat us about the ring and we did the same back. Michael and I gave our all during that time and we enjoyed every minute of it.”
As WCW’s ego filled ranks began to well and booking agents changed Garvin decided it was time to hang up his boots. He now works full time as an airline transport pilot for American Airlines. He and Patti are still happily married and have two daughters, his great passion now is golf.
Whilst Michael Hayes went on to become an on-air manager of The Hardyz and head writer of Smackdown, Garvin never saw the sense in going to Vince McMahon’s organisation.
“You know I have probably only ever said ten words to Vince. I don’t like him and he doesn’t like me. He asked me for a tryout (this was about 1992). Now I’d been in the business so long there was no way I needed to have (or be expected to do) a try out. I’m a rebel always have been, wrestling was my life then, but I still wasn’t prepared to let them change my name or character to suit them. I just knew he and I would never get on. I’m not an ass-kisser, we may have to sometimes, but it’s not for me. I mean Michael was repackaged as Dok Hendrix, what was that?, Dusty in polka dots?, ‘Rugged Ronnie Garvin?. No way, I visited WWE once or so, saw some friends, left and never heard from them again about wrestling there.”
Jimmy does still acknowledge his past and when appropriate attend fan conventions, and has made special appearance at indy shows, but his in-ring career is long over and he’s more than happy with his lot in life.
“When I was about twenty-six I said to myself, ‘When I turn forty I'm going to retire. I'm going to fly airplanes and play a little golf, now I am doing just that”.
Does he ever regret walking away from the ring?
"Am I ever glad I did. When I quit in '92 I remember cutting my hair off and my beard and going to Wal-Mart and Lowe's. It was the first time in maybe fifteen or twenty years I could walk around without someone saying something or throwing something at me. It was a joy to walk through stores, like a new lease of life for me."
"Wrestling today has these writers that write stuff like it's a movie. In the old days, we did stuff off-the-cuff. We had some of our own ideas and some stuff just happened when we got out there. It's entertaining but it doesn't take any background like it used to. I do still watch it today and say to myself what has it come to? Wrestling’s a lost art these days. Michael and I still talk, but I’m happy where I am.”
Jimmy Garvin may not be a name that springs to mind for many of us when we think of wrestling legends. He rarely if ever appears on DVD compilations. His name is never mentioned on TV and his legacy is barely recognisable is some ways, but without guys like him many of today’s stars wouldn’t be able to ply their trade. Garvin’s contribution to wrestling has been immense and almost covert. Not many grapplers can boast a 20 year plus career of main event wrestling, countless titles, a happy family life and a new career to boot. He is indeed one of the lucky ones.
By Phil Allely
With former Fabulous Freebird and current Smackdown head honcho Michael ‘PS’ Hayes Returning to action as an on screen Manager/character on WWE TV, I thought I’d take a look at what happened to his Freebird tag team partner Gorgeous Jimmy ‘Jam’ Garvin.
Real name James Williams, the now 58 year old veteran’s career started in the highly productive Mid-South and Florida areas during the late 1970s, he then moved onto the Von Erich family owned WCCW where The Fabulous Freebirds( Hayes, Buddy Roberts and Terry Gordy) were hot property. Garvin rapidly becoming a star in his own right and an unofficial member of that group along the way. Matches with David Von Erich, Gentleman Chris Adams and others all helping elevate Jimmy’s popularity. He then moved on to the AWA, NWA, GWF and rounded off his in-ring performances in style with WCW, making his mark on the industry along the way.
Given two storyline brothers Ron and Terry (who he briefly managed and teamed with), Garvin also often had a female valet/manager accompany him to the ring. This was more than often his real life wife Patti (known as Precious) or his cousin Valerie (Sunshine). The party loving character he portrayed in the ring was not too far away from the real life man, livening things up both inside and outside of the squared circle. Garvin was one of the first wrestlers to enhance his ring entrances with music, lights and a lovely lady on his arm (something he and Hayes would continue in WCW). With such success in World Class Championship Wrestling the future was bright for the up and comer, even he is shocked by how well things worked out for him.
"I'm so fortunate and grateful to have experienced 23 years in the business. It was incredible fun and that was the bottom line. I had a pretty good career. I just had fun everywhere I went.” Garvin stated in a recent interview when asked if he regretted hanging up his tights and boots.
Match/storyline highlights from Garvin’s career include main event feuds with some of the industry’s finest, Wahoo McDaniel, The Midnight Express, David Von Erich, The Road Warriors, Ric Flair and Magnum TA amongst others across various promotions all butted heads with him. Garvin’s work ethic and dedication to the sport all helped make such encounters sell-out arenas across the U.S.
In 1989’s WCW the make-up sporting flamboyant rock star (Garvin/Hayes) version of The Fabulous Freebirds made its mark on the company. With their over the top ring entrance, non-muscular physiques and heelish tactics the pair were the tag team version of the ‘Dirtiest Player in the Game’ Ric Flair, and featured heavily in pay-per-view and TV events. The pairing even got to provide colour commentary alongside the voice of WCW at the time Lance Russell.
WCW seemingly being one of Garvin’s favourite work places. "We really enjoyed that (commentating) and a lot of the jokes and stuff we said on the air was stuff Michael and I wrote and came up with. We are still close friends and talk when we can."
WCW at that time was a hotbed of top talent and the Freebirds were at the forefront. This period saw many great matches on PPV and TV, the Birds providing many of them as they battled such combos as Brian Pillman and Tom Zenk, The ‘Wild Eyed’ Southern Boys, The Steiners, Doom and various combinations of the Four Horsemen, even netting themselves tag team and six-man tag team gold. In this period of the wrestling boom the pair even added managers to the fold, (the recently deceased Oliver Humperdink) as Big Daddy Dink and Diamond Dallas Page filling that role, a third member Bad Street (a masked Brad Armstrong) made six man matches possible and saw the old ‘Freebird rule’ rejuvenated. That rule of course has been resurrected on many occasions now, it providing a wrestler or team of wresters to have someone else who can defend their title for them. The Freebirds version meant that any combination of the current team could enter the ring as champions and fight for their gold.
“We had some brutal matches there (WCW), especially against The Steiners. They really beat us about the ring and we did the same back. Michael and I gave our all during that time and we enjoyed every minute of it.”
As WCW’s ego filled ranks began to well and booking agents changed Garvin decided it was time to hang up his boots. He now works full time as an airline transport pilot for American Airlines. He and Patti are still happily married and have two daughters, his great passion now is golf.
Whilst Michael Hayes went on to become an on-air manager of The Hardyz and head writer of Smackdown, Garvin never saw the sense in going to Vince McMahon’s organisation.
“You know I have probably only ever said ten words to Vince. I don’t like him and he doesn’t like me. He asked me for a tryout (this was about 1992). Now I’d been in the business so long there was no way I needed to have (or be expected to do) a try out. I’m a rebel always have been, wrestling was my life then, but I still wasn’t prepared to let them change my name or character to suit them. I just knew he and I would never get on. I’m not an ass-kisser, we may have to sometimes, but it’s not for me. I mean Michael was repackaged as Dok Hendrix, what was that?, Dusty in polka dots?, ‘Rugged Ronnie Garvin?. No way, I visited WWE once or so, saw some friends, left and never heard from them again about wrestling there.”
Jimmy does still acknowledge his past and when appropriate attend fan conventions, and has made special appearance at indy shows, but his in-ring career is long over and he’s more than happy with his lot in life.
“When I was about twenty-six I said to myself, ‘When I turn forty I'm going to retire. I'm going to fly airplanes and play a little golf, now I am doing just that”.
Does he ever regret walking away from the ring?
"Am I ever glad I did. When I quit in '92 I remember cutting my hair off and my beard and going to Wal-Mart and Lowe's. It was the first time in maybe fifteen or twenty years I could walk around without someone saying something or throwing something at me. It was a joy to walk through stores, like a new lease of life for me."
"Wrestling today has these writers that write stuff like it's a movie. In the old days, we did stuff off-the-cuff. We had some of our own ideas and some stuff just happened when we got out there. It's entertaining but it doesn't take any background like it used to. I do still watch it today and say to myself what has it come to? Wrestling’s a lost art these days. Michael and I still talk, but I’m happy where I am.”
Jimmy Garvin may not be a name that springs to mind for many of us when we think of wrestling legends. He rarely if ever appears on DVD compilations. His name is never mentioned on TV and his legacy is barely recognisable is some ways, but without guys like him many of today’s stars wouldn’t be able to ply their trade. Garvin’s contribution to wrestling has been immense and almost covert. Not many grapplers can boast a 20 year plus career of main event wrestling, countless titles, a happy family life and a new career to boot. He is indeed one of the lucky ones.
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling
The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling
By Phil Allely
Ever wonder where the idea for music driven entrances, over the top performances, glamorous valets and mega-shows came from in the world of wrestling? If you have this release is one for you. WCCW was a hotbed of in-ring action during its 1970s-1980s heyday, run by legendary grappler Fritz Von Erich it dominated local cable channels and grew into a very big concern for Fritz and his family. This DVD box et uses the WWE owned back catalogue of TV and pay-per-view recordings to their best and shows just how the company rose and unfortunately how it fell as well. Though the ride itself to the top and back down again is a heart wrenching one full of tragedy, yet somehow at the same time immensely watchable and involving.
At the centre of this set is a nice almost two hour documentary, (which does of course take a WWE slant on some things) which covers the Von Erich family in depth and highlights their in-ring triumphs and the personal demons each seemingly had accompanying them throughout their lives.
Brothers Mike, Kevin and Kerry were the main stars of the show in WCCW. They faced some of the wrestling worlds most well known and respected wrestlers during their prime and had some of the industries hottest and best attended matches of all time doing so. Across this set you get to see and hear comments from such luminaries as Ric Flair, The Fabulous Freebirds, Gary Hart and others of the era, plus a few talking heads from today’s sport. All of which are linked well with the documentary footage and other parts of the production.
For wrestling historians sets like this are pure gold, for fans of good honest wrestling they are stunning efforts too. The content has been well thought out and it’s not just the Von Erich’s who get profiled, whilst the sections on the late family members (many of which are deceased due to drug dependency, injury issues or other personal problems), we also get nice mini profiles of guys like ‘Gentelman’ Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez, Missing Link, Kamala and hardmen like Terry ‘Bam Bam’ Gordy. All of which pave the way for the second disc, featuring a dozen of the best matches from WCCW’s classic period. Matches include: Von Erich’s vs The Freebirds, Chris Adams and Sunshine tacking the paring of Jimmy Garvin and Precious, plus the wonderfully fulfilling NWA Heavyweight Championship cage bout between Ric Flair and Kerry Von Erich.
The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling certainly puts the emphasis firmly on the Von Erich boys and their determined father, the company they built out of Texas and how it spawned the way wrestling is presented now at all levels. The old footage is well delivered, the deceased wrestlers are lovingly remembered and last surviving Von Erich, Kevin has some interesting and moving nuggets of information on his family and the company they helped build.
The two disc dvd is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.
By Phil Allely
Ever wonder where the idea for music driven entrances, over the top performances, glamorous valets and mega-shows came from in the world of wrestling? If you have this release is one for you. WCCW was a hotbed of in-ring action during its 1970s-1980s heyday, run by legendary grappler Fritz Von Erich it dominated local cable channels and grew into a very big concern for Fritz and his family. This DVD box et uses the WWE owned back catalogue of TV and pay-per-view recordings to their best and shows just how the company rose and unfortunately how it fell as well. Though the ride itself to the top and back down again is a heart wrenching one full of tragedy, yet somehow at the same time immensely watchable and involving.
At the centre of this set is a nice almost two hour documentary, (which does of course take a WWE slant on some things) which covers the Von Erich family in depth and highlights their in-ring triumphs and the personal demons each seemingly had accompanying them throughout their lives.
Brothers Mike, Kevin and Kerry were the main stars of the show in WCCW. They faced some of the wrestling worlds most well known and respected wrestlers during their prime and had some of the industries hottest and best attended matches of all time doing so. Across this set you get to see and hear comments from such luminaries as Ric Flair, The Fabulous Freebirds, Gary Hart and others of the era, plus a few talking heads from today’s sport. All of which are linked well with the documentary footage and other parts of the production.
For wrestling historians sets like this are pure gold, for fans of good honest wrestling they are stunning efforts too. The content has been well thought out and it’s not just the Von Erich’s who get profiled, whilst the sections on the late family members (many of which are deceased due to drug dependency, injury issues or other personal problems), we also get nice mini profiles of guys like ‘Gentelman’ Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez, Missing Link, Kamala and hardmen like Terry ‘Bam Bam’ Gordy. All of which pave the way for the second disc, featuring a dozen of the best matches from WCCW’s classic period. Matches include: Von Erich’s vs The Freebirds, Chris Adams and Sunshine tacking the paring of Jimmy Garvin and Precious, plus the wonderfully fulfilling NWA Heavyweight Championship cage bout between Ric Flair and Kerry Von Erich.
The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling certainly puts the emphasis firmly on the Von Erich boys and their determined father, the company they built out of Texas and how it spawned the way wrestling is presented now at all levels. The old footage is well delivered, the deceased wrestlers are lovingly remembered and last surviving Von Erich, Kevin has some interesting and moving nuggets of information on his family and the company they helped build.
The two disc dvd is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.
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