Paid Members BomberPat Posted June 23, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted June 23, 2017 With the caveat that I'm a huge Roddy Piper mark, I absolutely loved it. It's not quite what you'd expect - none of the content that Piper wrote actually made it into the finished book, they just wrote their own story, using his notes as a starting point - but it's a fascinating study of the contrast between kayfabe and reality. They question a lot of the long-standing Roddy Piper stories - the story of him getting beaten up by Larry Hennig in under a minute in his first match, they point out can't have been his first match, and that he might have been wrestling for years at that point, and suggest that the age he insisted he started wrestling probably wasn't true, either. But it's not just picking holes in old wrestler's bullshit, they do a good job of really analysing why Piper was the person he was, and how much his own self-mythologizing was a bit of a security blanket for him, as it meant he could invent his own persona instead of having to face up to some of the more unpleasant bits of his past. A lot of it is about the question we have of a lot of old wrestlers - where does Roderick Toombs stop and Roddy Piper begin? They explain that, towards the end of his life, he'd dropped "Rowdy" from his name, and was actually planning to start going back by his real name, but he realised that he'd been Roddy Piper so long that he didn't know who Roddy Toombs was any more. Â So, yeah, I thought it was bloody brilliant, eye-opening in places, and not just lacking in the sort of self-aggrandising storytelling of most wrestler autobiographies, but actually actively challenging that norm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 I know all their stores have different stock, but just called into my local Poundland and they have stacks of Chris Jericho's 'Undisputed' book in hardback. Worth checking your local store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SBD Posted August 19, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted August 19, 2017 Are there any Original Sheik books at all Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam O'Rourke Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) So, the reason the podcast has been inconsistent over the last two months is because I was finishing off my first book, and with it being a particular anniversary today, it's the appropriate time to announce it I feel... At the end of October, Crazy Like A Fox - The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later will be available on Amazon and other online retailers. The book offers (if I may say so) the most in-depth analysis of Brian's personal and professional life ever compiled, with unheard details of his football and wrestling careers complimented by exclusive interviews with close friends and colleagues, including the Pillman family, Dave Meltzer, Kim Wood, Bruce Hart, Raven, Jim Cornette, Mark Madden, Les Thatcher and many more. The official preview reads: An alpha male with a beta body, looking to thrive in worlds where beta males with alpha bodies are the primary requirement.  He was a complex paradox, a walking contradiction. He lived more in 35 years than most do in a lifetime, the product of an arduous infanthood. His overachievement is awe-inspiring. Tales of his conflicts and conquests became the stuff of legend. His borderline genius and tragic demise made him an icon shrouded in mystique.  He was Brian Pillman, and two decades later the most comprehensive look at one of professional wrestling's most fascinating stories has been compiled. Discover unheard details of his upbringing, the incredible story behind chasing an NFL roster spot and his introduction to pro wrestling in the crazy Stampede circuit. Revel at his trials and tribulations in WCW and the WWF, walking the fine line between the cusp of superstardom and political turmoil. Reflect in the most detailed, inside breakdown of his Loose Cannon gambit ever produced, the scam that turned him into the talk of the business, before fatally drowning in personal tragedy and addiction.  With exclusive interviews with some of Brian's closest friends and family, Crazy Like A Fox is a must-read for Pillman fans, and a breathtaking look at the bizarre world of wrestling to boot… - So, yeah. It's been a labour of love for almost two years and it's almost ready for consumption. Edited October 5, 2017 by Liam O'Rourke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Dem Wanz Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Looking forward to reading it pal, congrats on managing to get the whole thing done and with all those interviews too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted October 5, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted October 5, 2017 1 hour ago, Liam O'Rourke said: So, the reason the podcast has been inconsistent over the last two months is because I was finishing off my first book, and with it being a particular anniversary today, it's the appropriate time to announce it I feel... At the end of October, Crazy Like A Fox - The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later will be available on Amazon and other online retailers. The book offers (if I may say so) the most in-depth analysis of Brian's personal and professional life ever compiled, with unheard details of his football and wrestling careers complimented by exclusive interviews with close friends and colleagues, including the Pillman family, Dave Meltzer, Kim Wood, Bruce Hart, Raven, Jim Cornette, Mark Madden, Les Thatcher and many more. Congratulations mate. Will definitely be a buyer. Will it be available on paper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam O'Rourke Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) @tiger_rickYessir! Its a paperback. Original post updated so you can see the cover art... Edited October 5, 2017 by Liam O'Rourke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members mim731 Posted October 5, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted October 5, 2017 That sounds great @Liam O'Rourke, congrats on finishing the book. Let us know where we can grab a copy, would definitely like to have a read of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby dazzler Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 That's a tremendous cover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted October 5, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted October 5, 2017 I love the cover Liam. It's really eye catching. I'll certainly buy a paperback copy when it comes out. Well done on completing it mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted October 5, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted October 5, 2017 Fantastic cover art - sounds brilliant too, and can only imagine the amount of work that must have gone into it. I've often contemplated trying to write a biography, but wouldn't have a clue where to begin. I'll definitely be ordering it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted October 5, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted October 5, 2017 2 hours ago, Liam O'Rourke said: @tiger_rickYessir! Its a paperback. Original post updated so you can see the cover art... That's a gorgeous cover. Can't wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Really Big Shoe Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Its intriguing how Brian Pillman is like the ultimate cult hero of pro wrestling. That he never main evented WrestleMania or was a established main eventer doesn't seem to matter because his legend has grown over the years where he's still seen as someone who could and should have been a top guy. Because in the cartoon world of wrestling he was even more larger than life and lived the gimmick 24/7. He was essentially method acting as the Loose Cannon and to find out about the real Brian Pillman will be fascinating. There was a selection of interviews he did put out as a CD on YouTube. If they are still on there IIRC he's in full gimmick but in one he let's his guard down a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Kaz Hayashi Posted October 8, 2017 Paid Members Share Posted October 8, 2017 I hold him in the same regard I do for Rick Rude. A bit of an enigma and cool as fuck in their own right. Nice one @Liam O'Rourke highly tempted to buy a physical copy. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam O'Rourke Posted October 8, 2017 Share Posted October 8, 2017 Please do! And thank you to everybody for the words of encouragement, it means a great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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