Childhood Idols

[John Matrix]

Clearly my love affair with Arnold Schwarzenegger will not have escaped your attention, but I was thinking recently about who, the big man aside, were my idols growing up.

 

There's some pretty consistent themes throughout, but it occurred to me that I haven't ever really moved on, that those guys still inspire me and I don't really have any new idols. There's no one today I can think of who inspires me like they did in my youth and early teens and I don't know whether that's a good thing or not. I know that love of things from the past is often dismissed as nostalgic, but genuinely, for me, there is very little I enjoy these days and yet despite having seen those films or heard those songs endless times, I watch or listen again with untarnished enjoyment and enthusiasm.

 

Back when I was a kid, it was all about these guys for me.

 

Jackie Chan

 

 

I remember having a conversation with my Nan. She didn't approve of me enjoying all these violent movies and I told her all wise and 11, that it wasn't the fighting that interested me, more the athleticism of it all. I was fucking obsessed with Jackie Chan during my early teens, paying through the nose for all sorts of versions of the same film because this one was a Chinese VCD that I could watch on my computer, and then only ever watching the VHS anyway. I own three copies of Heart of Dragon

[Maverick]

Big Pete, i'd always been a keeper on the school football team etc and big Schmikes was just the best around back then, used to watch the little things he did and try and model myself on him when I played, sadly I was terrible.

 

Not even a United fan but this guy was just so damn cool, still have a United kit I got years ago when I was about 5 with his name on my back, wore my collar up like a prat on any football kit I had as I tried to imitate him, once someone suggested I was imitating Dwight Yorke and I don't think iv'e ever been so offended before or since.

 

Obvious one this for any Newcastle fan, absolutely loved big Al to bits, he was far too good for us most of the time and he's the only footballer who's picture iv'e ever had on my wall.

 

Stallone but more specifically Rocky Balboa. Got the box-set one Christmas when I was about 11 and just wore the thing out, have always been a sucker for an underdog story and I Just loved them all even V. Must have seen them all over 50 times easily.

 

Yep this crusty old twat. Got his book when I was about 10 or 11 and it was just mind blowing for a kid considering I didn't know much about wrestling outside the WWF and it taught me about territories, the indys and Japan. He had a great writing style that made him seem so likeable and make things like the unbelievably shitty KOTDM seem amazing. Was gutted when HHH retired him a few months later and delighted when he return as commissioner.

 

Now that i'm abit older I tend to admire people more than have icons or idolize people. I just generally have actors, sportsmen etc that I like and enjoy their work like the man in my sig rather than put anyone on a pedstal. Good idea for a thread this Matrix.

[PowerButchi]

My brother painted himself black and was sent home from school to get scrubbed at the age of 5, such was his love for Mr T.

 

Other than Phil Collins (don't ask) all of my heroes as a child were sportsmen. There are the obvious ones for a Welsh child growing up like Ian Rush, Dean Saunders, Mark Hughes, Jonathan Davies, Ieuan Evans and Scott Gibbs, but I also revered Graeme Hick, David Platt, John Stockton, Wayne Gretsky, Eric Desjardins, Roberto Mancini, Vierchowod, Jeremy Goss and Emmitt Smith.

 

I've gone into my mancrush on Hick a million times so won't again, but Goss...

 

Goss was the fucking man. He played for Wales and had a great habit of scoring great goals. I was 8 or 9 at the time, so the perfect age to really bum the man. Playing heads and volleys I'd always try and replicate his crane kick 30 yard screamers with varied (no) success. I still love his goals and say no-one would be more spectacular. Emmitt Smith was a no brainer as well. Growing up, I loved the Dallas Cowboys. Still do. While I was also a massive fan of Aikman and Irvin, neither compared to Smith. The way he'd leave defences trailing in his wake is what made me the massive fan of Gridiron I am. Him and Barry Sanders were absolute gods coming out of the backfield for me, and Smith was an integral part of that amazing Cowboys team of the early-mid 90s.

 

Looking at my list, it's safe to say I watched far more sport as a child then I do now. At the age of 8 or so I knew who Martin Bicknell was for instance, and probably coould name the entire 93-94 Sampdoria starting XI. It's probably not so much now. I definitely couldn't name as many basketball or ice hockey players.

[Your Fight Site]

The only one that springs to mind is Sting. Been a fan of his since around 8 or 9. Followed him in WCW

[deathrey]

As a child, I was mainly obsessed by cartoon characters and comic book superheros, this has followed me well into adulthood, I would give it all up in a heart beat to become one of the X-Men (yes, I know they aren't real, but its real to me damn it).

 

There are only two idols that are real people that have followed me in to adult life, one is Eric Cantona, I was about 9/10 years old when I became aware of him and he had me charmed and infatuated in minutes. I couldn't care less about football as an adult but I still love Eric.

 

The other one is more of a teenage obsession which is now a fully fledged adult obsession, and that is with Mike Patton. Those who are also high on the Patton drug already know what I'm talking about so there is no need to explain, for those who aren't, I'm not even sure where to begin to try and explain this one. I have spent a small fortune on his output, followed him around the country and even been abroad especially to see him play, one day I may grow out of it, but I highly doubt it.

[John Matrix]

Emmitt Smith was a no brainer as well.

 

In my first year of playing, i chose the to wear number 22. I was always compared with Barry Sanders because i was undersized, but nimble as fuck. Oh how times have changed.

[PowerButchi]

Were you a Smith or Sanders man?

 

Also, have you seen the new ESPN doc "Elway to Marino" about the 1983 draft yet? It's amazing.

[Scott Malbranque]

The man I have idolised since I was 12 years old is Mike Patton. I could examine that mans shit and find genius in the peanuts and sweetcorn present.

I have tracked down and own every available album, demo, outtake, collaboration, movie, game...everything he's worked on - which is borderline psychotic when you think about it - and have travelled to near and far to see him perform in his various troupes (including one's where he's literally just screamed into a sampler for 1+ hours with Christian Fennesz, which was magnificently excrutiating).

I revere people like Duncan Ferguson, Forrest Griffin, Dylan Moran, Ryan Gosling, Gary Oldman, the Tyler Durder character, Bill Paxton, Bruce Campbell, Herbie Hancock and a few others, but not like my Mike.

[John Matrix]

Were you a Smith or Sanders man?

 

Also, have you seen the new ESPN doc "Elway to Marino" about the 1983 draft yet? It's amazing.

 

Answered in my edit, should have been more thorough originally, and no, i havent, but i absolutely fucking must. That sounds fantastic.

[deathrey]

The man I have idolised since I was 12 years old is Mike Patton. I could examine that mans shit and find genius in the peanuts and sweetcorn present.

I have tracked down and own every available album, demo, outtake, collaboration, movie, game...everything he's worked on - which is borderline psychotic when you think about it - and have travelled to near and far to see him perform in his various troupes (including one's where he's literally just screamed into a sampler for 1+ hours with Christian Fennesz, which was magnificently excrutiating).

I revere people like Duncan Ferguson, Forrest Griffin, Dylan Moran, Ryan Gosling, Gary Oldman, the Tyler Durder character, Bill Paxton, Bruce Campbell, Herbie Hancock and a few others, but not like my Mike.

 

Im right there with you, I've even watched Firecracker multiple times, even though its awful.

[Scott Malbranque]

Im right there with you, I've even watched Firecracker multiple times, even though its awful.

 

I remember being so excited for it, especially after Ebert gave it 3.5 stars out of 4, but it really is brutal.

It's akin to his John Zorn collaborations. I'm aware it's dreadful, but I'll force myself to like it.

Like I did when I was dating an absolute stunner who was the image of Mila Kunis (when That 70's Show was starting) and her breath was genuinely, constantly like that smell when a ferry pulls into Liverpool or Holyhead harbour. Just like sewage and rotten eggs, but I persevered as it she was a joy to look at and made me laugh a lot.

 

You heard the Laborintus II collaboration? Most people hated it, even the most ardent of Patton fans, but I really do love that album.

[Forrest]

Is he still as prolific as he used to be? I remember a few years back reading about a new project on an almost bi-weekly basis alongside Tomahawk/Fantomas/denying he would ever reunite FNM or Mr. Bungle.

[Chest Rockwell]

My obsessions were Schwarzenegger and Metallica. The former has not let me down (for the most part), but obviously Metallica are a bunch of cocks (except for Kirk).

 

Beyond those, like deathrey, most of the rest of my heroes were fictional - cartoons, comics, tv show and film characters. I wanted to develop super powers and marry Alex Mack or something. Shit, I would have been happy to be her mate who was her sidekick.

 

 

Oh yeah! Here's a good one I can't be alone on..

 

 

Kevin Mcallister, obviously, not Macauly Culkin. I was about the same age as him when the first film came out, and frequently day-dreamed of finding myself in a Home Alone scenario and being badass enough to pull off what he did.

 

I also found my big extended family irritating and over-bearing when they would all congregate.

 

This is it, don't get scared now .

[Scott Malbranque]

He's not as prolific as he was in the mid-2000's but still manages to pump out about 3 albums a year, be it on collabs, solo or with one of his projects.

His new Tomahawk and solo Place Beyond the Planes albums are fantastic.

My only gripe with the Place Beyond the Pines score, is the Snow Angel track. Absolutely haunting, beautiful opening and if had just kept that melody going and just, for once, built it to it's deserved crescendo instead of getting his usual bout of musical ADHD and going down a giallo theme route by the end of the song, that song would have had the potential to be used in many forms of media for years to come.

Again, it's Patton, and that's why I love the man, but just once...just once, reign it in where appropriate.

[John Matrix]

My obsessions were Schwarzenegger and Metallica. The former has not let me down (for the most part)

 

Such is my admiration for Arnold, that i followed in his footsteps by becoming an adulterer. Lifting weights was too hard.