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SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS TO MIKE FOR THE PWINSIDER Q&A BY CLICKING HERE.
What's the #1 thing you would suggest attending Wrestlemania weekend that isn't run by WWE?
If you want autographs, I would suggest Wrestlecon. If it's live shows, I'd suggest picking at least one independent show you wouldn't normally be able to attend locally. There's a LOT of international companies running. I wish I could attend it all, just to see what talent is out there.
Any update on the WWE Hall of Fame? Any truth to the rumors its in the MSG Sphere on Thursday Mania week?
Nothing yet. We are told they are figuring it out. With Paul Levesque going in, I could see them doing it as its own stand-alone event. Dead & Company are playing The Sphere that Thursday, so that rumor is not rooted in reality.
Is Rich Swann still with TNA?
To the best of my knowledge, yes. I hope they have him back in the mix sooner than later. His work of late has been great.
I bought a ticket to The Wyatt Sicks photo op at Royal Rumble but Bo Dallas wasn't with the group. Any idea?
I was told he was never scheduled to be there and isn't currently on the road for the company.
Will Vladimir the Superfan be at Wrestlemania?
The flight and hotel is booked. Unless there's an act of God, he will be there.
With all the plane and flight issues, I had a question - you fly all over the place for shows. What happens if you can't fly home?
I've driven across the country before numerous times, including doing all of Route 66, so I guess I'd rent a car and drive home. If I got stuck in Vegas, I'd stop to see some Bison at Yellowstone on the way and go visit every friend I have in different States on the way. It would take time, but it wouldn't bother me in the least, especially if it gave me an excuse to go visit some of the things I've never had a chance to see or to go visit Mike Bucci in Kentucky. I'd prefer to fly redeye right after Wrestlemania Night Two and land back in NYC but a week or so driving home wouldn't be awful, just annoying because it would take away from working on the site. But, if it means I'm going to Casa Bonita, well, fine with me!
Where do you stand on the Star Wars Special Editions?
I don't have an issue with them, but the definitive version of Star Wars are the ones I saw as a kid in the movies.
Non-Wrestling, but what was the first record you ever bought? Best concert you ever attended? Was it the Kiss farewell shows? First concert? Band most people overlook live? Does Bon Jovi ever come back? Anyone you wanted to see but never did? Did you ever go see Springsteen with Dave?
Raising Hell by Run DMC and the cassette is somewhere in my storage space to this day.
I have seen a lot of amazing shows, but nothing for me will ever top the final Fishbone performance in CBGB a few weeks before the club closed. I still get goosebumps thinking about that night, which had a perfect lineup of The Rodney Speed Experience, Dub Trio and Outernational underneath. One of the all time best nights ever for me and I am sure my pal Vic, who went with me, is reading this, so hey Victor!.
I'm pretty sure Faith No More's reunion shows in Brooklyn, NY would sit at #2, followed by The Rake's Progress in NYC at Irving Plaza many, many years ago. I attended and enjoyed the Kiss farewell shows at Madison Square Garden, because I was there with friends, many of whom adore Kiss, but no, that's not even on my top ten personally. I appreciate them, but saw lots of other great shows over the years. The best show I saw in the last year was Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid in NYC in August 2024 at Citifield. Second and very close would be Jesse Malin returning the stage after his spinal stroke. That would certainly be the most emotional.
There are a lot of bands and singers who get overlooked but for me, Joan Jett live comes to the forefront of my brain. I've seen her like 12 times over the years and she always has a great show. I think Smashing Pumpkins get overlooked a lot today - their set at Citifield in NYC over the summer was insanely great. I also think that if you like pop music from the 80s, you really owe it to yourself to see Richard Marx in concert, he puts on a great show.
I have SO much affection for Bon Jovi live, but I don't know that we ever see them back at the same level performing with Jon's vocal issues. It's really a shame he has those issues because I can't think of a worse fate for someone who loves to perform. Huey Lewis has the same issues - his hearing loss led to him not being able to perform live anymore, and it's awful, because like Jon, he was always so fun in concert. Jon's issues pretty much rob us of seeing what every Bon Jovi fan wants - Richie Sambora back, since they have never sounded the same without Richie. If the last time they really played together and 'sounded' like Bon Jovi was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with Sambora and the late Alec John Such playing with the band one last time, well I'm OK with that.
I think Henry Lee Summer is the only one left on my list that I never saw play live, and unless Bad English reunites, which I doubt ever happens, that's pretty much it. Summer pretty much only plays locally in Indiana where he resides now, so I'd have to make a trip to see him.
I went to see Bruce Springsteen with Dave once at Giants Stadium before they tore it down. I can say without question I have never seen him happier - and the show was fn' great.
My first ever shows were Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour then Bon Jovi and Skid Row, both at the Nassau Coliseum in 1987. Def Leppard was at their absolute height and were incredible. No one was touching Bon Jovi at that point. I distinctly remember that even then, they were pulling out random covers as they played Drift Away that night.
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