Talk Is Jericho

Riki Rachtman co-founded the infamous Cathouse in Hollywood with his friend Taime Downe from the band Faster Pussycat. Guns N Roses was the house band, Alice Cooper asked to play there on Halloween, Motley Crue were club fixtures, and a drunk David Bowie nearly got beat up one night by Axl Rose. The Cathouse was THE place to be in Hollywood in the late 80s and early 90s, and people lined up around the block hoping to get in! Riki shares some of those legendary stories about the club, how and why he started it, and how that success turned into a hosting gig for MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball. Riki also tells tales about visiting a water park with Alice In Chains, Nirvana’s uncomfortably weird appearance on the Ball, and why Riki had to publicly apologize to Stone Temple Pilots! Plus, Riki just brought The Ball back, and you can see its 4-episode limited run starting this Saturday night (April 17th) at 9pm Eastern on the FREE Gimme Metal app!

Steve Austin and Chris Jericho kicked the Forbidden Door open on the Broken Skull Sessions, and continue the conversation here with a detailed look at Stone Cold’s career! They breakdown a bunch of his memorable matches including some with Ricky Steamboat, Ravishing Rick Rude, Barry Windham, and Chris Benoit. Steve speaks extensively about his former tag team partner Brian Pillman and their run as the Hollywood Blonds, and his feud with Mr. McMahon and what Vince was really like in the ring. He also recalls Wrestlemania 13 and the double turn with Bret Hart, and his three Wrestlemania main event matches with The Rock. 

Authors Tom Beaujour & Rich Bienstock captured the rise and fall of one of the most storied eras in rock & roll history in their new book, “Nothin’ But A Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ‘80s Hard Rock Explosion.” They document the exploding hard metal scene on the Sunset Strip in the 80s, stuff of legend, epitomized by the image, reputation, and music of the notorious bad boys of metal, Motley Crue. They explore flyer’ing culture, pay-to-play, competition and camaraderie, the birth of grunge, and the abrupt end to a style of music that was all but cancelled by the early 90s. Tom & Rich share stories from their interviews with Ozzy Osbourne, Poison, Warrant, Dokken, Trixter, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Skid Row, Winger, Faster Pussycat, producer Howard Benson, famous music manager Cliff Burnstein, and scores of roadies, label execs, sound engineers, and security guards. You’ll hear about the practical joke that Dokken played on producer Tom Werman, Slash’s failed audition for Poison, Sebastian Bach’s first night with Skid Row, and the wild plane ride to Russia for the Make A Difference Foundation benefit concert.

The Butcher (aka Andy Williams) & The Blade (aka Pepper Parks) both hail from Buffalo, New York, and met through Andy’s bandmates in Every Time I Die. The two talk about the origins of their tag team, how they found themselves in AEW, and what it was like to have job security through the pandemic (thanks to Tony Khan)! Blade recounts his time at Impact wrestling as Braxton Sutter, his 20-years on the indie scene, backyard wrestling, and what it meant to sign with AEW. Andy explains what prompted him to start wrestling late in life, how a bad match with Jon Moxley on AEW Dark led to a complete lifestyle change for him, the advice he got from Tully Blanchard, and why he considers The Butcher & The Blade to be the workhorse tag team of AEW. They also tell the story of their gimmick, including the meaning of the monocle and mask, and who came up with the idea to make their AEW debut from under the ring. Plus, Andy shares an update on the new Every Time I Die album, and the band’s tour plans for the coming year. 

Christian Cage is All Elite! And what a surprise it proved to be, not just for fans, but for Christian himself. The newest AEW superstar talks about his AEW debut at the Revolution PPV, and what both Jon Moxley and Tony Khan said to convince him to sign. He details his journey back to the ring including the extensive medical tests and the strict fitness and nutrition regimen he started long before AEW was even an idea. He shares the story of his surprise appearance at this year’s Royal Rumble, his moment in the ring with former tag partner, Edge, and why that didn’t lead to a longer term deal with WWE. He also talks about his first true match back after being away from wrestling for 7 years, and why Frankie Kazarian was the perfect opponent. He explains why “Out Work Everyone” is more than just a clever catchphrase, and what he hopes to accomplish in the final chapter of his in-ring career. Plus, Christian and Jericho remember some of their many collaborations and matches at WWE, including Wrestlemania 20.

What does it feel like to get bit by a reticulated python or stung by a giant Asian centipede? Adam Thorn and Rob Alleva of History Channel’s “Kings Of Pain” know exactly how that feels, along with stings from a bark scorpion, a warrior wasp, a tarantula hawk, and harvester ants! They’ve also been bitten by a lion fish, and a piranha, and survived the secretion of a rove beetle. And they’re sharing all the creepy, gross details of why they traveled the world from Bolivia to Bali to Mexico just to torture themselves! They detail the comprehensive pain index that scored each of the dangerous interactions, the late reactions and hospital trips that were involved on a couple of occasions, how they prepared themselves for each encounter, why going last wasn’t always best, and the stuff that didn’t make the episodes… like being chased by hippos on the Nile! They also answer the oh-so-important questions – will there be a second season, and if so, what crazy creatures are they hoping to survive?!

The Classic Album Clash returns and this time the debate centers on The Police! Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, music industry vet Paul Gargano, and Rybo from The Winnipeggers join to discuss “Outlandos d’Amour,” the debut album from The Police, versus the band’s last studio album together, “Synchronicity.” They examine cover art, songwriting, production, and set lists, and of course do the expected track-by-track breakdown, ultimately voting on which album is best. There’s plenty of trivia and stories along the way, including anecdotes about the fist-fights and acrimonious sessions that plagued The Police, backstage details from the 2007-2008 reunion tour, why there were 36 different covers for the “Synchronicity” album, and the MTV videos played ad nauseum in the 80s. There’s also discussion about The Beatles influence on The Police, The Police’s influence on Rush, Sting’s pretentious song lyrics, and the very underrated guitar playing of one Andy Summers.

Dean Malenko returns to talk about his decision to leave WWE after spending 19 years behind-the-scenes as a producer/agent, and explain why coming to AEW was such an easy decision to make. He speaks to the younger talent he thinks will be big superstars in the coming years, and who he’s really enjoyed working with so far at AEW (Darby Allin & Ricky Starks). He’s talking about Rey Mysterio because it was basically Dean who put Rey on the map in the United States, and AEW’s Rey Fenix whom he calls “a modern day Mysterio.” Dean’s also telling stories about Vince McMahon, Eddie Guerrero, and his time in Japan working with the British Bulldogs, Stan Hansen, and Bruiser Brody. But the primary reason for Dean Malenko’s return visit is to discuss something else happening in his life, something he’s actually been dealing with for the last 6-plus years, and that’s Parkinsons disease! Dean recalls his diagnosis, explains what Parkinson’s is and what it’s been like to live with the disorder, and why he’s decided to talk about it publicly now. 

Serial killer Rob Chaulk was a classmate of Chris Jericho’s and used to play gin rummy with Chris and some other guys after school! One day Rob didn’t show up for the card game, and when the reason for their absence was revealed a couple days later, it was unbelievable! Rob and another classmate, Darren Morrissette, had broken into a home and killed a man… and didn’t serve a day in jail for their crime! Winnipeg journalist Dave Baxter, who covered the story, shares the crazy details that led to no jail time for the two then 15-year-old boys, what happened to Rob in the years following that made him a serial killer, and how another infamous Canadian murderer, Vince Lee, is tied to Rob Chaulk. 

It’s “No More BS” with the latest AEW superstar signee, Paul Wight! Paul reveals what prompted him to leave WWE after 23 years, how his last conversation went with Vince McMahon, and why it was so easy to sign with AEW! Paul talks about his string of matches with Braun Strowman, the failed WWE storyline he pitched with Justin Bieber and John Cena, WWE’s reaction to Paul’s proposed Big Show Burger idea, and why his Netflix comedy, “The Big Show Show,” didn’t get a season 2 pickup. Paul also reveals the AEW wrestlers he most excited to work with, what he thinks about the AEW locker room, and his initial reaction to Tony Khan’s request that he do commentary!