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REVIEW: Al Snow's biography...Self Help

Posted: May 9th 2019 By: Alan Wojcik

For many people who watch professional wrestling, AL SNOW first came into their world on ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) or WWF (now called WWE) TV carrying a mannequin HEAD which had written on it HELP ME in backward letters in the Attitude Era of the late 1990's.

However, his career actually began several years before that, beginning in the mid-1980's as a performer and training camp owner/teacher. So why did it take him so long to get to an international stage? How did Head come to be his sidekick? Was he really the masked performer Shinobi and
Avatar??

All that and more in his new memoir SELF HELP: LIFE LESSONS FROM THE BIZARRE WRESTLING CAREER OF AL SNOW (ECW PRESS, $19.95 US, 304pp.)

With help from co-author Ross Owen Williams (he helped Bob Holly with his book) and a foreword from WWE HOF'er "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the story of how Allen Savern became Al Snow is weaved in an entertaining and educational way. Throughout the book Al stops and offers a "Life Lesson" that will definitely stick with you. Al is a throwback because he grew up and began working in the old wrestling world, where the US was carved up into territories with set boundaries. We get some good stories on his upbringing and the decision to become a wrestler, how he was paired with legendary Fabulous Kangaroo performer Al Costello (read up on your history kids), how he was a bar room fighter and trainer for UFC/MMA legend Dan Severn plus his arrival in the WWF of the 1990's.

The book covers all of Al's ECW/WWF experience including teaming with Steve Blackman, trips with Mick Foley, the creation of the Tough Enough MTV contest series and its talent succes stories like Kenny King and John Morrison, how he helped create superstars in the Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental program, how he exited WWE and joined TNA (now called Impact Wrestling) as on-air and behind the scene talent and what he currently does today. Along the way he holds nothing back on performers he had issues with like Austin Aries, James Storm, Dixie Carter, Andy Barton (he was part of TNA management) among others. Buy this book and enjoy the tales of Al Snow.

The book is on sale as of May 7th in stores and online retailers like Amazon. Thanks must go to Susannah Ames of ECW Press. For more information on Al, check out his twitter feed @TheRealAlSnow. Follow Alan Wojcik through @MyNameIsWojcik and www.facebook.com/KayfabeWrestlingRadio