Nestled within the heart of London, this iconic broadcasting sanctuary becomes a haven for those who seek an escape from the mundane and a gateway to sonic liberation. A symphony of sound engineers, producers, and disc jockeys interweave their talents behind the scenes, the architects of aural brilliance. The control room stands as a command center, its walls adorned with vintage rock memorabilia, an homage to the legends that paved the way for the music that defines Radio X.
As you enter the inner sanctum, your eyes are instantly drawn to the charismatic figure commanding the room. Chris Moyles, an embodiment of both radio royalty and boundless enthusiasm, exudes an irresistible charm that captivates all who encounter him. His presence, akin to a sonic sorcerer, electrifies the atmosphere, setting the stage for an extraordinary auditory journey.
As the red "On Air" light flickers to life, signaling the start of another radio extravaganza, only this time it’s a digital guest joining this morning
Connected via a weblink, Stu-E, a renowned wrestler from the esteemed Hardcore Wrestling Alliance, prepares to share his recent news and unveil some of the soundtrack to his life or motivations. As the screen flickers to life, Stu-E appears, not too long after Havoc, exuding an aura of pure contentedness. His chiseled frame and battle-hardened visage tell tales of his match with Jeremy Branson, a testament to his unwavering dedication to the sport. Yet, beneath the tough exterior, a glimmer of excitement shines in his eyes, ready to embark on a new kind of fight—engaging in lively banter with Chris Moyles.
With a microphone poised before him, Stu-E smiles politely as Chris greets him, “Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is none other than the wrestling legend and Havoc favorite, Stu-E Price! Great to have you here on the show. How's it going, mate?” His smile broadens, he just had a match that some would say has firmly turned the clock back, a match which might go down as one of his highest rated in a damn long time. “Chris, I’m a bit sore, but I honestly feel fantastic!”
Moyles smirks and nods his head, he’s not a huge wrestling fan, but he took the liberty of watching Havoc to prepare for the interview. "I caught the match, and I have to say, that was intense!”
Price smirks, "Well, Chris, I gotta say it was a tough match. Jeremy really brought his A-game, and I had to dig deep to keep up with him. Physically, I'm feeling a bit sore and banged up, but that's just part of the job. Overall, I'm really happy with how things turned out; can’t really complain with another victory!”
Chris nods his head, “So going into a match like that, what sort of music do you listen to, that really gets you in the mood for a fight?” Price pauses and thinks, music is something he’s always thought was interchangeable depending on what mood you’re in. “To be honest, Chris it changes all the time. Depending on what sort of day I’ve had, it’s changed a lot through the years but one song that I stumbled in to recently is by a band called the Ricochets, called Bad Behavior.”
As the song finishes playing, Price further elaborates, “It reminds me of when I was younger, when I took no prisoners, and I would go to obscene lengths just to mess with people. But at the same time, it’s nice to remind yourself that although you’ve matured and grown up these days, you still have that in your locker when you need to, because this business can mess with you at any given moment.”
Chris is invested fully in the conversation now it is evolving into music, “Oh, definitely, you need to have that reminder within yourself when it’s time to change gears. Laney, your daughter, was cheering you on during the match. How does it feel to have her support ringside? Is having her there, something that stops you digging up that old attitude?”
Stu-E tilts his head back and forth, contemplating, “Having Laney there with me is incredible, Chris. She's my biggest fan, and her enthusiasm and support mean the world to me. She gives me that extra motivation to push through any challenges in the ring. She's a remarkable kid, and I'm lucky to have her by my side. But she understands the business too, she knows that at some point Daddy will have to sort some trouble out, much like I did working in pubs, but when I feel it might be a situation when it is warranted, Laney will not be anywhere near.”
“That was quite an interesting encounter between Laney and Rain, Jesse, and Kratos. How did you feel about Laney confronting them and leaving them somewhat bewildered?” This question catches Price off guard a touch, who raises an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have said it was like that, Chris, when I got in the business and you were in the locker room you shook everybody's hand, greeted them, and made sure you made sure you knew who everybody was. As far as I’m concerned, they struck up a conversation with her, she made it clear she knew exactly who they were and said nice to meet you before coming back to me. She mentioned it when she got back so, I don’t feel like there’s any cause for concern.”
Chris smiles, not being clued up on the business may have had him interpreting the situation differently than it actually was, but both Laney and Stu-E were unconcerned with what happened.
“Since we’re talking about Laney, I’ll pick out a song for her before I forget, and she doesn’t talk to me for 20 minutes!” Both Price and Moyles laugh at this, knowing what having kids can be like sometimes.
Chris enjoys the pick for Laney, as Price chips in, “She’s still a bit obsessed with Stranger Things, she’ll complain if I didn’t get this song on for her!”
“I bet she’s excited for the last season? I know us in the studio absolutely can’t wait for it to land.” Stu-E smiles, “No, me neither to be honest.”
Stu-E reaches off camera and reaches for something, before pulling a glass of water in to view and taking a large drink. “To take the chatter away from HWA, temporarily, I’ll drop in something of a guilty pleasure now with Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson!”
The studio seems to have changed; Chris is sitting back in his chair just enjoying the vibe of the track.
“What a track, Stu-E, one of those songs that can just put you in a good mood. Almost like Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff ‘Summertime’ when your sat in a British beer garden in the dead of Summer, its red hot and everybody has got their chilled drinks.” Stu-E chuckles, “Yeah, anything but cider!”, to which Chris doesn’t really know what to make of, but Stu-E knows a certain someone will get the joke.
The conversation flowed deeply, Stu-E's love for music emerged as a vital source of inspiration and motivation throughout his arduous journey. Eager to share this intimate connection, he unveiled his personal selection of songs—a sonic tapestry that echoes his trials, triumphs, and unyielding determination. But also highlighted his good humour throughout his life and career.
Songs such as Deep Purple ‘Perfect Stranger’ summed up all the people he had come across in his career, friends, and foes alike who vanished when he left the business completely and cut himself off from the scene. The Wizzard track ‘Wish It Could Be Christmas Everday’ was one track that was ingrained in his brain from the time when he was very, very young before getting in the wrestling business. He’d managed to hook up with an absolute stunner of a girl who looked like a young Jennifer Lopez.
Unfortunately, he had taken her back to a friend's house who wasn’t best pleased with the situation so played the Christmas song on repeat on full blast as a bit of a joke. That was a particular story which brought the studio to belly laughter as Price mentioned how easy foreplay was when you can just zone out and go with the rhythm of the music, no matter if it was a Christmas song.
In between the songs, Chris had shown plenty of interest in Price’s wrestling career but always managed to steer the flow of the conversation back to music. A song that fit perfectly was the Shinedown track ‘Second Chance’ because for Stu-E saying goodbye to the wrestling business was the second chance he needed.
“I’m not daft, Chris, I know time isn’t on my side but since I’ve come back I feel like I’m in my prime, it’s a shame I’m probably closest to the Main Event and winning the main title than I have ever been.” These words faded brilliantly into the Alanis Morisette song ‘Ironic’.
With each pick, Stu-E paints a vivid picture, illustrating how the melodies and lyrics intertwine with his life. From songs that ignite the fire within, or offer solace in moments of reflection, or simply just a smile; his musical choices bear witness to the emotional rollercoaster he has embraced.
In the virtual soundscape of the Radio X studio, Stu-E's voice merges seamlessly with the eclectic playlist, his passion for each track evident in his animated gestures and infectious enthusiasm. The songs become an extension of his fighting spirit, intertwining with his narratives, amplifying their resonance, and offering a glimpse into the heart and soul of a warrior.
But as adrenaline might be what kept Stu-E going in his tougher matches, it was gossip that kept journalists and Dj’s in their respective businesses. And though he might have tried to avoid the scrutiny of his home, the HWA, it was something he just couldn’t escape for the entirety of the interview.
As he was about to drop his eighth track of the interview, unfortunately Chris took him off his stride completely because he couldn’t answer or talk about this off the cuff or on the fly, some topics and questions are particularly loaded and the wrong word can have lasting repercussions that can do a lot of damage, both now in the present and in the future.
"Stu-E, we’ve heard of the shocking altercation involving Wisdom Parker and Brandi Rhodes. As an employee, what are your thoughts on this incident? How does it impact the reputation of the promotion.” Blam! How in the hell does he answer this one? There’s an awkward silence that, although it may have been brief, resonated more than it should have.
"It's definitely a regrettable situation for them both, and their respective husbands. As an employee and representative of the promotion, I must emphasize that we do not condone stuff like this outside the wrestling ring. It’s not what the promotion’s reputation stands for, and I hope once all the facts are out it helps remove some of the dirt that is no doubt going to be thrown our way. Other than that, I’m not able to say much more on the matter”
"Absolutely, Stu-E. But the video footage of the incident has been circulating widely, and it's raised concerns from some people, especially with everything going on at Havoc the last few weeks. Given the serious nature of the charges brought against Wisdom Parker, what actions is the promotion considering in response to this incident?”
Stu-E is not amused that Moyles isn’t dropping it after he said clearly that was all he could say about it, “Since when did you turn in to Jeremy Kyle?!” Thankfully it was enough to break the wait for a definitive answer, as they laughed. It also showed that Chris wasn’t fully clued up, as he seemed to not know Wisdom is much more than just another employee.
“Scratch my next song, I’m changing it to this, and dedicating it to you, trying to ask me those questions!”
Again the studio breaks down to laughter at the pointed song title, old Moyles was indeed being trouble for a moment in time. As the song came to an end, Price jumped in before Chris could say anything.
“So that’s 2 songs left to go, Chris and I’ve lost my train of thought, so let me go in to one more then we can have a brief chat, and I’ll leave you with a belter of a track that simply just sums up everything, how does that sound?”
Chris just looks, intrigued at what song is about to play.
Never in a million years was Chris expecting to hear this song come out, it was one he had not heard in a long time and was curious as to why that song would be chosen by Price.
“Hands up Stu-E I haven’t heard that song in a long time, you’ve picked out a real eclectic mix and I hope the listeners have been digging it, what was your thinking on this one?”
Price chuckles slightly, “That song goes out to all the so-called rookies in the Hardcore Wrestling Alliance who are having a tough time with some of us so called veterans recently. You can tell I’m a Dad when I say this but it’s true. Do not forget that each one of us was in your boots at one time in our career, we were told we were too much, too young, and too fast. No matter how you feel, and what you are going to do to make headway, we have already done it. So just be smarter like we were to get ahead, I sincerely wish you all the best, because when Laney’s kids are told about the wrestling business, it will be you guys who will be the flag bearers, you and your own proteges. Just enjoy the ride.”
As Chris listens intently to the advice by Price, Stu-E reckons he’s got him away from the awkward questioning, and he knows in the back of his head he only has one more song to play and he can get himself off to bed.
“So, we’ve reached the last song of our interview, before we get to that. Seriously, what is in the future for Stu-E Price and in fact, Laney?”
Price sighs, “For me, nobody knows. I am just going with the flow, and I seem to be doing the right things because the office calls me not to fine me or tell me off, but to offer me things. Interviews like this and the Rogan podcast, newspaper articles are being written with my words, there’s even some endorsements coming in from people who, at the minute aren’t being swayed by events on Havoc. I feel like a Champion to be honest, and for the first time in my career, I don’t need a few pounds of metal on a belt to feel like one.
As for Laney, we’ll see. She’s still a real kid, she has her schooling, her Mother still lives over there in England, so too do her sisters so she’ll be heading back over in between shows and in school holiday times. To be honest, part of the reason Laney was with me was because her Mother had a bad gall bladder removal operation but that’s slowly on the mend. In the meantime, as long as she’s having fun and I’m not involved in anything overly violent or dangerous, she’ll be with me.”
Through the digital link, Stu-E's presence had become tangible, his words and chosen songs weaving an immersive experience. As the conversation draws to a close, the studio is imbued with a palpable energy, a lingering sense of admiration for Stu-E's indomitable spirit and his fusion of fighting prowess and musical ardor.
“Well, Stu-E, we wish you the very best in the future for you both, thank you for connecting and we’ll leave the listeners with your final track.”
And so, as the virtual connection fades, Stu-E's presence lingers, leaving an indelible mark on the airwaves. His stories and songs continue to reverberate through the studio, a testament to the unyielding power of music and the captivating tales of those who dare to face life's greatest challenges head-on.
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