Archive for January 15th, 2008
Putting the Roll back in Rock n’ Roll!
by Treadmarkz
Like any other kid, I went through many stages concerning the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” One of those stages was “Rock Star”. Of course. Who doesn’t? It would fulfill two of the more basic needs of an adolescent boy: Get girls, Get attention. I have never seen a major nationally-known rock band with a member in a wheelchair. Honorable Mention: Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd developed mental disabilities in the 60s but both were drug-induced. Roger Daltrey had a stutter, but only for one song, “My Generation”. And Rick Allen from Def Leppard lost and arm and continued to drum, and they were one of the most successful bands in the 80’s.
Upon researching this subject, I came across something that I, having spina bifida, found fascinating. John Mellencamp and Hank Williams, Sr. were both born with mild forms of spina bifida. I wish it were more widely known that two talented people such as these had Spina Bifida. Don’t get me wrong, there are immensely talented people with Spina Bifida all over the world. But let’s face it, people look up to well-known celebrity types. However, in the end, we all just represent ourselves. It wouldn’t give me any credential that I didn’t already possess if one of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day or Korn were in a wheelchair. I’d just like to see a band like that. I know plenty of guys in wheelchairs who play guitars, so it is bound to happen.
Wheelchair Wrestling Federation
by Treadmarkz
I am a big fan of World Wrestling Entertainment, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. I like to describe it as “The Colosseum meets Vaudeville, with a little bit of David Copperfield illusion thrown in.” I know it is fake, but I love to watch and wonder how they do it without killing each other. I have certain wrestlers that I root for, maybe because I see something in myself in the character that they play. But I would love to see a guy in a wheelchair get in the ring. A guy with a massive upper body, which got that way through years of just getting around, not through performance enhancing substances. And I would like to see one of the “Superstars” try to take him out of his chair, or take him on in an arm-wrestling match. I’ve seen some guys in chairs that could make that a pretty good match! There should be more than one wrestler in a wheelchair so they can take each other on. First one out of his chair is declared the loser of the bout. Hell, I think there should be an entire Wheelchair Wrestling Federation!
Their was a wrestler in the WWE with a disability around 2003-04. His name was Zach Gowen and he was a single amputee resulting from cancer in his left leg as a child. He competed on one leg, but he found very creative ways of using his particular method of locomotion to his advantage in the ring. Gowen continues to wrestle in other circuits today.
Other than Gowen, the closest thing to a disabled wrestler I can think of are those guys from the documentary “Murderball” (See the link under “Blogroll”, bottom right). Murderball is wheelchair rugby for quadriplegics, but it is really intense what the players put their bodies through. And it shows that people in wheelchairs can be just as passionate about pushing their bodies to their physical limits as anyone else.
