It’s the smash hit theme taking not just the wrestling world by storm, but the music charts too. Earlier this week, Joe Hendry astonishingly found himself at number one in the UK iTunes charts. Andy Spoors spoke exclusively to the man himself to find out what it would mean to have a number one single and why he’s risked the wrath of Taylor Swift fans…
Wrestlesphere: Say his name and he appears, it’s NORTH Wrestling legend, TNA star and possibly…if you believe hard enough…music chart topper! The Prestigious one, Mr Joe Hendry! How are you doing?
Joe Hendry: Hello I’m doing very well thank you and I will say I technically am a chart-topper, because I got to the number one spot on the UK iTunes charts!
WS: And I heard it’s your birthday today?
JH: It is indeed my birthday today!
WS: Well happy birthday, I’m not going to sing to a chart topper such as yourself, because that would be embarrassing for everyone. So instead I’ll stick to my lane and just do some interviewing if that’s okay? Let’s start at the beginning, where did the idea come from to release ‘I Believe in Joe Henry’ as a single?
JH: So, it all started when there was a rumbling on TikTok. I kind of heard that I was starting to go viral but I hadn’t used TikTok in a couple of years. So I went to check it out and I noticed that fans were posting videos about me and they were getting half a million hits and it was mostly about the song.
I thought to myself, well I should probably just release this, so I did that. I filled out the paperwork, jumped on Adobe and spent an hour just doing the artwork that I adapted from the YouTube thumbnail and uploaded it. I didn’t think much of it and then it just really took on a life of its own from there! We started uploading some fun videos where we remixed famous movie scenes in my entrance and then with the song released, it just really took on a life of its own.
WS: The virality of it all has been going on a little while now, I’ve been having a chuckle at some of the videos fans have put together like the CM Punk one at WrestleMania, how do you react when you see that?
JH: It’s been awesome to watch! It’s the fact it has been so organic, it wasn’t expected and it’s just been such a nice surprise. My whole thing is just never stop trying. I’ve always believed that I had something significant to offer this business and I had faith that one day, because I’ve done so many custom entrances and music videos, there’s got to be over 100 now! I just really believed in my heart, it would one day catch fire and people would take notice.
And to be honest, it happened a little earlier than I maybe thought. So I’m just very grateful for people getting involved. It’s been a lot of fun, there’s been a lot of laughs and it’s been such a positive thing to experience from the pro wrestling community.
WS: You mentioned these entrance themes and a couple that stand out in particular have been the Livin’ on a Prayer against Scotty 2 Hotty at NORTH Wrestling and recently used AJ Styles old theme against AJ Francis in TNA. What’s been your favourite you’ve done so far?
JH: That’s a really tough question because I tend to default to the one the fans like the most. Because that’s really what it’s about, it’s entertaining others. How can we really get the audience to laugh at a joke or a particular line? So it’s hard to pick a favourite, but there was one that I did on Joe Coffey that we managed to mix Hero by Enrique Iglesias seamlessly into the Toys ‘R’ Us advert theme song which was a highlight for me.
I saw Drew McIntyre do an interview recently where he talked about being unable to contain his laughter when I did the Drew Dabba Dee video (‘Blue’ by Eiffel 65), so that one’s gonna be up there.
Also ‘Edge’s Bitch’ on Matt Cardona. I felt like that one, people kind of saw me in a different way after that. I feel like sometimes it just works for whatever reason, you’re just in the right moment and it’s the right time when you hit record. For the Matt Cardona one, that’s what happened, so it’s a lot of fun.
WS: A follow-up question for that… in the wrestling industry who would you most want to cut one of these music promos on?
JH: Well there’s a few people! I will say in TNA, the matches that I’m most excited about would be Nic Nemeth, Josh Alexander and Moose, because he’s the champion. So those three would be the next victims.
WS: Do you already start thinking about what sort of things you’d like to include in a song? Where does that process start?
JH: There are some that just come to me and I’m like, “well if ever get to wrestle them…” I’ve had some that have been in the can for five to ten years before they actually happened, because you just never know when a person is going to end up at the same company.
Then other times that’s the spot you have to fill and you have to come up with something and then we’ve had both. So yeah it’s different every time, but there are some that I have video ideas stored up for…
WS: Music seems to have been a big part of your life, when I was doing a bit of research you were in a band called Lost In Audio, why is music so important to you?
JH: To be honest for 10 years I did nothing but sit down and write songs from the age of 15 to 25. That’s really all I did, I just love that and I had a passion for it. Previously I kind of felt like I failed in music, but actually, I feel like I’ve been able to take those skills and put them to work in pro wrestling.
When you talk about things being stored up for a long period of time, I actually wrote the melody to my theme song probably in 2012! It was a joke song that I used to sing because I said “it seems to be artists nowadays get huge by just mentioning places!” So I would just go “London and Paris and Tokyo!” We were just joking instead of trying to do the music we’re doing, we should just name places! And that’s how that piece of music started. Then it was 2019 when I realised that actually that’s quite catchy and it’s been in my head for about 10 years, so maybe I should do something with it…and then I did!
WS: I was interested to see what other pro wrestling themes had charted in the UK and it seems like Downstait for Cody Rhodes was number 49 and even higher than that was Fandango at 44. You have a legitimate shot at maybe charting higher than that in the UK charts! What would that mean to you?
JH: That would be amazing for a few reasons. One, because you know there’s some exceptional company there in the names that you mentioned and with some very over entrances. This one I wrote and performed myself. So it would be very special that something I wrote could be the highest charting professional wrestling song of all time. Which is pretty insane in the best possible way!
WS: What are a couple of your favourite professional wrestling themes?
JH: I really like the Hollywood Rock theme and from TNA I would say it’s Kurt Angle’s TNA theme, it’s highly underrated!
WS: You’re a very brave man for releasing a video that seemed to challenge the Swifties of the world! Talk me through your thought process on that…
JH: Yeah, it was one of those moments where I was about to press share and I thought ooh this could go wrong, this could get an interesting reaction, because I know there’s a lot of Swifties out there! I have friends who are serious Swifties. But I thought you know what, Taylor is super talented. Taylor Swift is, I believe, the number one artist in the world, but I think it would be nice for her to have a week off and take the pressure off a little bit!
Taylor Swift has overtaken me!
RETWEET and let's push my single past #6 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Ylr5wy9zWB
— Joe Hendry (@joehendry) April 30, 2024
So why don’t you let me step in and I’ll take the number one spot for a week and then she can have it right back you know!?
WS: Who do you think would win in an X war between wrestling fans if they united for once and Taylor Swift fans?
JH: Don’t get me wrong, I am very confident in my abilities when it comes to verbal sparring and the written word. But the power of the Swifties cannot be underestimated!
WS: On Friday night we have Under Siege for TNA. In general, pro wrestling seems to be talked about a lot more than it has been for a long time. How exciting is it to work for a company as big as TNA right now?
JH: Oh it’s awesome! We’re in a boom period there is no question. Professional Wrestling is in a boom period and this is a super exciting time to be a part of it. I also think we’re in an era that is perfect for me. I think professional wrestling has evolved and moved into a space where it feels like there’s an amazing balance of athleticism, entertainment and storytelling. I think it is just custom made for what I’m trying to do, so I’m very excited to be part of TNA Wrestling right now.
WS: Another promotion you are synonymous with, is NORTH Wrestling in Newcastle. I’d love to get your thoughts on Elijah being announced to be appearing at Thunderstruck 2 in July.
JH: I have to say a lot of people are going to want to see me interact with Elijah! How could that not be interesting? I don’t make these decisions, but again, fans…if you want to see me and Elijah in the same ring let them know!
I will say Elijah and Joe Hendry will team up in Edinburgh, so you will get to see that in Discovery Wrestling. But you never know…who’s to say? We can always cross paths the night before it at NORTH. If you’re a wrestling fan, let NORTH know that’s what you want to see!
WS: Do you have any plans on how you’ll celebrate if and when you reach number one this week in the charts?
JH: I meant to figure this out, but I think the number one will be announced almost exactly when Under Siege will begin if I’m correct! So that will be an interesting way to celebrate. I will celebrate by continuing to contribute to TNA Wrestling.
🗣️ Do YOU believe in Joe Hendry? 🗣️@ThisIsTNA wrestler #JoeHendry (@joehendry) makes his bid for Number 1 with #IBelieveInJoeHendry 💪🏆
Can he do it? 👀
Check out Joe's competition right here: https://t.co/OdGAoclxlZ pic.twitter.com/4UXxNaZUW0
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) May 2, 2024
How cool would that be, if the moment I find out that I have a charting single is when I’m walking to the ring? That’s going to be pretty cool!
WS: Any final words on Under Siege, what people should expect and why they should tune in?
JH: I think that’s the awesome thing about TNA Wrestling, they give the fans what they want. So the fans should tell TNA Wrestling what they want to see, if that happens to be Joe Hendry let them know and then hopefully they’ll have something for me at Under Siege.
But that’s what I love about TNA, it’s a competition to get on that PPV and I’m hungry to compete, so I’m hoping that we get a chance to perform at Under Siege…
TNA Wrestling presents Under Siege LIVE THIS FRIDAY, May 3 at 8pm ET on TNA+ and YouTube for Ultimate Insiders from Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, NY.
