The WrestleCrap Tribute Post

Every now and then you’ll see a reference to the phenomenon in my work. It’s one of the reasons why I remain a fan of wrestling, even when the product becomes so drearily bad you want to stab yourself in the eyes with flaming hot daggers.

In actuality, the website celebrates the product that becomes so drearily bad you want to stab yourself in the eyes with flaming hot daggers.

Launched on April Fool’s Day 2000, that was the mission of the site. Founded by a Baer of a man, RD Reynolds set out to do what no else had been able to do successfully. He had his fair share of stumbles and struggles along the way, but over the last 13 years, the URL has been a safe haven for marks and wrestlers alike to kick back and chuckle at the failures of professional wrestling.

The inductions are the meat of the site. They range from a simplistic moment in time, to whole eras which can’t be taken back (aka: they ruined the company).

Every year the ‘Crappers take time out to decide The Gooker. Not unlike the Academy Awards for motion pictures and the Grammies for music, Gooker is a symbol of anti-excellence in the field of sports-entertainment for the year. Winners have ranged from Diva Searches, to The Invasion, or just flat out Eddiesploitation. Yes, that is a word! While the nominees all get inducted in due time, just the sheer vitriol flung at the winner reminds us that not only can we endure some real crap, but at least it can be “cherished” in time.

While the heart of the inductions is the staying power of this website, many other sub-plots to the URL contribute varying forms of entertainment as well!

“It Came from YouTube” is the part of the site where you want to roll your eyes. Yes, million/billion dollar corporations had the gall for men to fight over turkeys and for Adam West to wrestle in a track suit!

Whatever you buy, it can’t be as bad as the Katie Vick outfit from “Someone Bought This”. WWE-branded ties are pretty close I imagine.

Ever wanted to see quality armchair quarterbacking? Go read some “ReWriting The Book”!

Celebrate the jobbers who make the stars look good in “Jobber of the Week!”  Yes, Mr. X should be on every wrestling card losing their match in SECONDS!

Even newer segments, like “The Meme Event” and “The Headlies” make sense on a page like this. Brilliant sarcasm win the day every time, and it’s no exception here.

Before you read onto the next portion of this article….

…do me a favor.

Please click on the link, rightchere, to go to Wrestlecrap.com. The site as it stands has a always-wealthy supply of original content as mentioned/written by RD and a band of merry scribes (such as Blade Braxton, Justin Henry, Paul Kraft, and others). In addition, there are many discs you MUST purchase. Shoots, career retrospectives, archives, and roasts, OH MY!

PLUS THEY HAVE BOOKS! WrestleCrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling was RD’s first book in 2003, and the title explains itself. Hilariously enlightening read, even if it does need a slight refreshening (tsk tsk). Next up is RD’s co-collaboration with Bryan Alvarez on the definitive tome on The Death of WCW. It reads easy but very sadly too because you’d never expect a promotion like WCW, with the backing it had, to go belly up. Lastly, for now that is, is the book RD and Blade wrote entitled The WrestleCrap Book of Lists! Ever wanted to know the crimes Undertaker would be arrested for while knowing what the most generic hometowns of wrestlers are? That book is the solution for all your needs!

Now that you’re done exploring the wonders of the written works, its time to explore the inexplicably wonderful auditory assault perpetrated by a infamous podcast known as WrestleCrap Radio.

Debuting to the world on August 12th, 2005, RD Reynolds began the inaugural show by profusely apologizing to his legion of twelve listeners.

Not because the show didn’t go off without a hitch, but because he wasn’t sure about how his co-hort Blade Braxton would function. The guy had to be called six times to wake up! When Blade did wake up, they proceeded to go on with a show that would later become synonymous with ‘jumping the shark’. Because when I think of pro wrestling, I think of Bea Arthur and the “impending death” of Don Knotts.

While some episodes had a “Smokey and the Bandit/Stroker Ace” effect, they all had one thing in common: FUN. And oodles of it!

Whether it was discussions of alien ham, Big Lots rotten gummy bears, crazy people on Black Friday (some of my favorite all-time moments were from those episodes), Stubby the Hobo Dummy, IDIOTS IN CARS, Cinco de Mayo, Mike Check & the Poughkeepsie Market, Angry Jim Ross feeling incompetent sexually, or just reflections on “the tranny” (code speak for former Diva Ashley), these two jaw-jackers made entertaining radio podcasting look easy to execute. It makes any good day better, and bad days easier to go through. It was great knowing that you’re never more than a click or two away from some serious gut-busting laughing. Plus you get some Obscure Wrestling News, some story times from various cohorts, and Blade even wraps up the week in wrestling with fifteen syllables known as a haiku (that DOES NOT COME WITH CROWN AS ILLUSTRATED!). Somehow, I feel like I didn’t even scratch the surface on what the show has to offer…

If you haven’t thought about purchasing those archive discs yet, which feature just about every episode of WrestleCrap Radio, then watch these nuggets of gold first:

Good ol’ King Pedophile!

This should take off as a full-fledged internet meme!

Then go to what I call WCR-reincarnate, The RD & Blade Show! Feels like WCR without the segments, but still has the spirit of the original premise that made them “famous”. Because of the hectic schedules of both men, the episode count isn’t exactly meteoric, so a long day or two could easily catch you up!

That being said, there is only one way I can definitively end this post:

“What, (enter famous celebrity here) died? I didn’t even know (he/she/it) was sick!?!?!” (cue Krankor laugh)

Technorati Tags: wrestlecrap,rd reynolds,blade braxton,wrestlecrap radio,books,dvd,youtube,shoot interview,roast,laugh track,tribute,angry jim ross,stubby the hobo dummy,cinco de mayo,black friday,gooker,gong,mike tyson,wcw,wwe,awa,rd & blade show,katievick,idiots in cars,roddy piper,alien ham,sir alec heineken

 

 

WrestleMania Profile: Brock Lesnar

There are men on the WWE roster who have made great impressions over a short time. On the flip side, there are men on the WWE roster who have made little to no impression during their long tenures.

Count Brock Lesnar as one to the former.

Brock is an amazingly gifted athlete. His NCAA championships would serve him very well into the transition to WWE.

In his first six months on the main roster, Brock went from a monster heel killing The Hardy Boyz, to becoming WWE Champion. It was one of the first signs that a change in the guard was coming. With Vince’s company coming off the name change and the end of the Attitude Era. Brock was the face of Ruthless Aggression. Add in a manager, Paul Heyman, and magic was born.

Heyman would turn on Lesnar at Survivor Series 2002 with Big Show, thus solidifying Brock as a good guy.

All this would lead to not only a Royal Rumble victory, but also a shot at the WWE Championship come WrestleMania XIX.

His opponent you ask? A gold-medal Olympic champion by the name of Kurt Angle.

These two men standing face-to-face meant one thing: expect lots of lots of good old fashioned WRESTLING. Sure there was a good chunk of brawling and other shenanigans, but the heart of this contest was laid down in swapping holds.

While this was indeed a very good match it was an unexpected error by Lesnar that changed the game.

With Angle lying prone on the mat, Lesnar threw caution to the wind. He scaled the top rope with a mission at hand. Lesnar flew, but crashed badly. ON HIS FUCKING HEAD!

Lesnar had botched a Shooting Star Press. If it weren't for Angle moving out of the way, we wouldn't be talking about 'The Pain' right now.

Lesnar suffered a concussion off the move. It somehow didn't deter him from delivering a F-5 to cover Kurt. After escaping disaster, a sportsmanlike embrace capped this contest. (On an unrelated note: the hug helped turn Angle face after Kurt returned from neck surgery a couple of months later.)

Lesnar would recover quickly and resume defending the title.

By the time January of 2004 rolled around, Lesnar has completely flipped.

He had turned heel with the guidance of Vince McMahon. Brock had lost then  regained the WWE Championship by defeating Kurt Angle in an amazing Iron Man contest. There was a trail of blood, sweat, and tears (thanks to Zach Gowen's mother) to Lesnar's madness.

The Royal Rumble of 2004 saw Bill Goldberg, who had lost his World Heavyweight Championship the month before, vow to win the big match and go on to 'Mania. Brock Lesnar interrupted the interview saying that since he is the WWE Champion, all the attention should be on him. After Goldberg briefly scared Lesnar, it was evident that the big Georgian was not wavered in his quest.

Then Brock showed up.

Near the very end of the event, Lesnar rushed the ring to give Goldberg a THUNDEROUS F-5. This set up for Goldberg's elimination and Lesnar satisfied in his revenge.

What comes around comes around.

The next month at No Way Out, Goldberg returned the favor.

He Speared Lesnar into oblivion, which allowed Lesnar's opponent Eddie Guerrero to hit the Frog Splash. Eddie was the new WWE Champion while Lesnar was once again on the outside looking in.

After some reservation from Vince McMahon, Lesnar and Goldberg was set for WrestleMania XX. With Stone Cold Steve Austin as the ref.

It was a huge buildup with the possibility of two universes colliding in one epic showdown. How did it do?

Infamously bad!

WRESTLECRAP!

Brock and Bill were both leaving the WWE after this PPV to pursue their other endeavors. The opening portion, a LONG one, was almost constant jaw-jacking. No action save a shove. Hell, a HOGAN chant broke out for something completely irrelevant ringside.

Goldberg would win with the Jackhammer to a chorus of boos. Both men were heavily booed, so nothing changed on that front. Austin would have the last laugh as he Stunnered both men out of the company covered in beer to boot.

As for Lesnar, his short WrestleMania resume is more memorable than most superstars'. For all the good and bad reasons, Lesnar will be a legend at 'Mania, even if his stats sheet is just lines long.

_________________________________________________

CONTESTS

WrestleMania XIX: Brock Lesnar def. Kurt Angle via pinfall to capture the WWE Championship. Lesnar botched a Shooting Star Press near the very end and nearly killed himself. Lesnar got to his feet and F-5'ed Angle out of sheer instinct. After the contest, both men shared an embrace. (21:08) ****1/4

WrestleMania XX: Goldberg def. Brock Lesnar via pinfall after Lesnar suffered both a spear and Jackhammer. Steve Austin, the referee, pinned Lesnar's shoulders down. Post-match, both combatants in the match received Stunners, the only cheers this match got. (13:47) *

Length of In-Ring Action: 34:55 (34 minutes, 55 seconds, or approximately 17:27 a match)

_________________________________________________

Technorati Tags: wwe,wwf,wrestlemania,brock lesnar,hardy boyz,paul heyman,big show,survivor series,royal rumble,kurt angle,zack gowen,blood,sweat,tears,summerslam,goldberg,eddie guerrero,no way out,steve austin,hulk hogan,professional wrestling,sports entertainment,ncaa,olympic,gold medal

Dude’s Love: Mick Foley in the WWE Hall of Fame

The New York Post was the first to report the story.

WWE confirmed it.

Mick Foley is the first announced member of the 2013 class in WWE’s Hall of Fame. He will join multiple other personalities who have contributed to the organization one way or another in a commencement ceremony at the hallowed Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April the 6th. It is the night before WrestleMania XXIX at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The spot for Foley to be inducted is ironic because not only will he be inducted as a member of the Hall of Fame there, but it’s also the same arena he went to where he had a life-changing experience.

Like any wrestling fan in his youth, Foley wanted to see a huge show bad. Any means necessary. That meant hitchhiking his way to the Garden.

He is perched…fifteen feet high!

The main event of that show, which took place in 1983 when Mick was just 17, pit Don Muraco against Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka inside of a steel cage. Muraco won the match, but it was Snuka’s post-match leap of faith off the cage which inspired Foley to take up a career in wrestling.

Trained by Dominic Denucci, Foley had a penchant for taking dangerous-looking bumps. This specific physical trait set the stage for not only Foley’s in-ring style, but also some of the most outrageous stunts in professional wrestling history.

While he did work the rounds as a jobber at first, Foley would first strike national attention as Cactus Jack Manson, later shortened to Cactus Jack.  In the early 1990’s, Jack brought an unorthodox style completely unbefitting of an organization whose roots were down in technical/methodical teachings. Simply put, Foley was ahead of his time.

His matches with Vader were infamous. Not only were they hard-hitting, but they also led to an infamous Foley fable. While overseas in Germany, Cactus accidentally lost half an ear during a routine hangman stunt in the ropes. For a man whose rap sheet of injuries is as long as War and Peace, this physical discrepancy was probably his most disfiguring one. Later in the WWE, these two would also be a short-lived tag team. Who knew?

During his time in WCW, Jack was introduced to ECW as part of a talent exchange. Shortly thereafter, the Philadelphia-based promotion run by mastermind (and former WCW co-hort) Paul Heyman would be Foley’s full time job.

Between ECW and numerous stints of hardcore Japan, Foley’s reputation as a death-defying risk-taker were cemented ten-fold. It didn’t matter if it was a VCR or barbed wire, Jack’s uncanny ability for violence left him a figure both beloved and belittled by fans.

WWE came a calling in early 1996. While it was a sad goodbye for Cactus to leave ECW, there would be no looking back from here.

Foley would transform into Mason the Mutilator Mankind. This deranged alter-ego had a dark past while his in-ring persona played off the indication he loved pain. On a side-note, Foley would later appear as a third alter-ego Dude Love. That gimmick wasn’t as well received, but still get recognized as one of the triumvirate of Foley’s faces.

That table bump still makes me cringe!

Undertaker, from what this blogger understands, requested to be the opponent for Foley’s first WWE program. Mankind’s first WWE appearance sure enough was jumping the Undertaker after a match on RAW the night after WrestleMania XII. These two would feud on and off for the next three years, setting the stage for some of the most dangerously unbelievable matches perhaps ever in the history of sports-entertainment. At the same time, the style in which these two worked complimented them. Those battle tactics would translate greatly into their other opponents.

Foley would be a big catalyst during WWE’s Attitude Era. He brought a hardcore edge, one refined from his days in Japan and ECW. As a matter of fact, it was not uncommon to hear ECW chants during various no holds barred encounters. The leap of faith off the Hell in the Cell from King of the Ring in 1998 is widely considered a crowning achievement in WWE. Although this blogger notes getting a Pedigree face-first into thumbtacks is quite badass too.

December 28th, 1998 was the day WWE taped the RAW in which Mankind won the WWE Championship from The Rock. Airing on January the 4th in 1999, this was the show that went up against the “Fingerpoke of asses in the seats'” edition of WCW Nitro. Foley’s title win captured the hearts of millions, while WCW’s title swap broke the hearts of millions. This was the true turning point of the ‘War’, one which WCW could never recover from.

After winning the coveted title two more times in 1999, Foley would ‘retire’ from full time competition in early 2000 after a loss inside Hell in the Cell against Triple H.

While Foley would co-main event WrestleMania of 2000, his next major role in the WWE was that of  the lovable goof Commissioner. His rule was always final as the gavel on the desk illustrated. “MICK JUST GAVE YOU SODA” was as important to his character as getting chucked off a cage.

In later years, Foley would turn up to work the occasional program. Whether it was to make a star out of Randy Orton, or to make Edge the most hardcore son of a bitch as opponent or ally, Foley’s presence in either program highly elevated his opponents’ stature.

Foley also endured a tour of TNA. He did indeed win their big gold strap once, but the run was mostly forgettable.

“WILL YOU BE A LEGEND OR A STATISTIC?”

Foley re-signed with the WWE in 2011. His appearances are sporadic, but he makes them count. Whether it was a comedy spot in the Royal Rumble, or to have a verbal joust with champ CM Punk, Foley’s enigma never wore off with audiences and fans alike.

For a man whose contributions in the WWE could be measured in multiple ways, it is a great honor for Mick Foley to be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame. MSG is not only where will history will be forever implanted, but it’s also where it all began for a hitchhiker wanting to see a leap of faith.

_________________________________________________

Foley has a number of great products written or filmed on him. If you are new to the man and need to pick some stuff up, here are some links to do so:

Mick Foley’s Author Page @ Amazon – This features all the books he has ever written, ranging from autobiographies to novels.

Beyond the Mat – Barry W. Blaustein’s labor of love revolving around the real world of “fake” wrestling. Mick’s role is painful as he tries to juggle his death-defying antics with family. The original 2000 DVD, which is linked here, features an exclusive commentary track with Foley and Terry Funk.

Hard Knocks and Cheap Pops – WWE’s first full-hearted DVD presentation on Mick Foley. Sure there is Three Faces of Foley (and Madman Unleashed which was A&E’s Biography on him) that was released earlier, but it is nothing but fluff. Released in 2001, it’s a split format of documentary/matches. The documentary is over an hour long, and covers material from later 1999 to the end of 2000. Be aware that the Kennel from Hell match from Unforgiven 1999 is on here with exclusive commentary from Foley and Kevin (not Kelly) Kelly.

Greatest Hits and Misses, A Life in Wrestling – WWE’s second foray into presenting Foley’s career. This is all matches, albeit with some awesome bonus features added in. The version linked is the 2007 “Hardcore Edition”, which is an expanded third disc option. If you’re new to the wrestling biz, get that one as it contains more recent matches in there as well.

Wrestling Legend - If you need a ‘best of’ compilation of Foley’s TNA work, it is all there. I’ll admit I missed most of it, but some of those matches look pretty darn good.

For All Mankind – Not to be confused with a History Channel documentary by the same name, this is the new WWE project chronicling Foley’s life and career. As of this writing, the DVD and Blu-ray are scheduled to be released April the 16th. The format is expected to be documentary/matches. The documentary is planned around Foley’s life, while the matches may have a lot of repeats. At least the repeats won’t be censored this time, as some of them on recent sets are blur-fests.

_________________________________________________

It wouldn’t be a Foley article without this:

Technorati Tags: wwe,hall of fame,mick foley,new york post,wwe.com,long island,madison square garden,new york city,cactus jack,manson,wcw,ecw,japan,hardcore,death match,philadelphia,mason the mutilator,mankind,undertaker,hell in the cell,monday night war,kevin nash,fingerpoke,triple h,pedigree,royal rumble,no way out,wrestlemania,commissioner,blood,sweat,tears,socko,have a nice day,dvd,blu-ray,book,author,autobiography,novel,picture,video,youtube

A Twisted Christmas Album Review

Once upon a time, a great podcast was sweeping across the nation. It delivered hopes and dreams to twelve eager listeners. Their minds would be expanded each and every week by their exploits.

Hosted by RD Reynolds and Blade Braxton, that podcast was WrestleCrap Radio!

(While the show is sadly defunct, the main website WrestleCrap.com is very much alive and well. It’s awesome and a must-read for any wrestling fan. Now on to the regularly scheduled album…)

So you're reading by this point and wondering what the heck this has to do with a music review.

I'll tell you!

On the December 15^th, 2006 edition of WCR, which I downloaded immediately after it was available, there was a holiday-themed opening. Instead of the usual spiel, there was a hard metal edge that sounded a lot like Deck the Halls.

And it sounded a lot like it was performed by Twisted Sister!

This sample of music would change the very foundation of Christmas music enjoyment forever.

Today, you'll get to read about how this LP would turn the good ol' favorites and transform them into raging demons of hellfire and brimstone. This my friends is A TWISTED CHRISTMAS!

1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Oh come on here! Dee Snyder is trying to sing this legit? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The opening of this track is Dee, a trumpeter, and a guitarist strumming in the background. Dee’s vocal chords are horrifically out of tune, the aforementioned trumpeter is botching every other note, and it's more painful than a root canal. One of the band members barges in and demands to know,“WHAT IS THIS CRAP?” After a forceful persuasion, Dee finally gives in. “We never play anything nice and easy... We play things TWISTED!” A full array of guitars and various percussion instruments proceed to give this song a beating heart. Most renditions of this song are slow, but this one is balls to the wall intense. A brooding foreshadow of what’s to come! The sound doesn't resemble the olden days, does it folks?

2. Oh Come All Ye Faithful: If you are listening to this album for the first time and realize something is familiar, you're 100% correct. This holiday classic was re-arranged to the tune of the 1980s hit “We're Not Gonna Take It”. Holy crap did it turn out well! Like the prior song, the original is a slow-paced easy-listening crowd-pleaser. This song is a crowd-pleaser indeed but one that would lead your grandparents utterly horrified. In the chorus, it's usually a hand-picked few whose voices are supposed to echo soft notes of enchantment. TS's version is more like a head-banging rage whose style never aged.

3. White Christmas: If you want to know how popular the original of this song was, consider this: Bing (not the search engine) Crosby's un-imitable croon sold millions of copies. Unlike today where files don't disintegrate, old record masters did. That original master became so warped from the duplications that Bing had to completely re-sing the tune to make another master. Dee Snyder may not be Bing Crosby, but if you bought this album thinking he might be, you're insane! The song feels like a big sleigh ride really, as the guitars mush to an incredible tempo rate. Dee's intensity on a soft as snow track is a stark contrast to what has been known before.

4. I'll Be Home for Christmas: Unlike a Sesame Street sketch, there are two things that make this song stand out. One, this is probably the only track on the whole album that sounds sentimental. Two, this is the only track with a guest singer in Lita Ford. No, not the Lita from WWE, but she sounds quite nice nonetheless. There is one qualm about her appearance on the track: someone on the editing side thought it was a good idea to do some reverb in her voice. THAT WAS TERRIBLE ASSHOLE! Back to the sentimentality for a moment. This is the slowest playing track on the album, but this was probably intentional. Having this somewhat sappy tune in the middle of things brings wide range to the album as a whole. It's like a good cup of coffee: not too strong, not that weak, and with a good amount of seasoning. Even if some of the beans were burnt.

5. Silver Bells: Back to the camaraderie of the first few tracks! For a song that's usually slow on its feet, this is running at full speed while knocking over midgets and small children. The chorus has that 'rage' quality going on again. If you're someone who hates Christmas music for its pompous stereotypes, this is certainly a song to change your mind. It's five minutes long, which not only makes it the second longest track on the album, but also shows off a lot of jamming. I mean, there is nothing but flat-out instrumentals for probably combined half the track!

6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus: Yes, they had to go there. Instead of the soft tease of giggling the usual versions provide, this is like someone telling you flat-out to your face this inevitably happened. With the amount of poon most metal performers have in their time, it must be disconcerting to come back in the older years to reminisce about such a scene. For all the wrong reasons, this song feels right at home on this LP.

7. Let it Snow: Like a lot of other tracks on this album, the original is a slow-goer that allows the listener to slow down enjoy the atmosphere. Instead, Dee Snyder and company invite you to endure a blizzard of guitars with the wind speed generated off the drums equivalent to a hurricane. That echo of rage is back again in the chorus, and that's always a treat. There is no easy relaxed feeling to this track, its all balls to the walls yet again!

8. Deck the Halls: As sampled from earlier, this was the song that led me to the proverbial dance. It charges in aggressively, and never lets go. The track remains cheerful yet boisterous. The flaming Yule is a literal imagery for the sound of this whole album. 'Halls' may slow down in the middle just a tad, but it picks you right back up to thrash some more. One of those rare seasonal songs that can be played normally in the heat of the summer!

9. The Christmas Song: You know, the one that starts with those nuts named chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Yeah, THAT ONE! Sister's rendition of this has potentially unintentional demonic elements all over it. For one, the guitars make all the “characters” come alive (I.e: Jack Frost, the children with eyes glowing). Dee's sinister growl gives this track even further extrapolation from the original. This version has style and substance to keep the listener entertained while going at a somewhat traditional slow tempo.

10. Heavy Metal Christmas: It's exactly what you think it was going to be. This is the warped bastard son of the traditional 12 Days of Christmas drone. Here's the list:

    12 Silver crosses
    11 Black mascaras
    10 Pairs of platforms
    9 Tattered t-shirts
    8 Pentagrams
    7 Leather jackets
    6 Cans of hairspray
    5 Skull earrings
    4 Quarts of Jack
    3 Studded belts
    2 Pairs of spandex pants
    And a tattoo of Ozzy!

Everything about this song sounds absurdly out of proportion. No little drummer boys or partridge's on the pear tree! It's gruff, rough, and yet composed. All of the items listed can definitely fit in the metal alter-ego of the famous original. The final countdown of the list features the guys counting down with the intermittent guitar riff. Oh so grand, but with this in mind, this ends the album!

As noted from the top, this compilation completely changed my perception on the traditional Christmas album.

Most LP's of this nature feature a famous crooner slowly going through the songs at hand. The tempo is designed for those listening to slow down, take it all in. There's nothing wrong with it, and there are many awesome covers from many different artists on these song choices.

If there are complaints, they are few. All told, this album is a shade over forty minutes. While every minute is quality, one could help but wonder if another song or two were added. Imagine a metal version of 'Silent Night' or even 'Frosty the Snowman'?

The other real problem is Lita Ford's reverberation in 'Home for Xmas'. Completely un-called for, and took the whole track down a peg. As a whole, it wouldn't affect replay value much as long as the fast-forward button is ready.

That being said, TS really brought their 'A' game to a literal simple subject. It's obvious that the songs aren't just Christmas tunes, but are also a part forever more of Sister's repetitoire. Some of the songs are needlessly loud, hectic as all hell, and absolutely unnecessary in their execution. To this blogger and many other people, it shouldn't have been done any other way.

Twisted Sister originally was going to retire on this note, but their interpretation of this joyous holiday was so epic that they are still doing the occasional show here and there. Boy am I glad I invested time to listen to this cover to cover, because with this, Twisted Sister should NEVER retire! Heck, who wants to see ANOTHER METAL CHRISTMAS?

Technorati Tags: bad booking,music,twisted sister,wrestlecrap,a twisted christmas,album review,have yourself a merry little christmas,oh come all ye faithful,white christmas,ill be home for christmas,silver bells,i saw mommy kissing santa claus,let it snow,deck the halls,the christmas song,a heavy metal christmas,lita ford,lita,rd reynolds,blade braxton

Also, another reminder to support these great sites if you like what you see here:

The Johnson Transcript

MARKS