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Mick's Blog: Countdown to Countdown: 35 days

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 By: mikeiles

Yes, hard to believe, but it's only 35 days until the big debut of Countdown. Plenty of time for plugs and quotes and outtakes and such, but today I just want to go over a few things that have been on my mind over the last week. This has been a very exciting time for me; I can't remember a year where I have had so many different interesting things going on simultaneously. I even teased a big surprise on my Twitter account, which I will not be revealing here - as much as I would like to.

MICK FOLEY'S TYPAD ACCOUNT

For example, I tweeted a couple times about Lindsay Lohan, wishing her luck as she goes through a difficult time. I write a little bit in the new book about Lindsay; in my opinion, she has been through way too much, in the most public way possible. Remember - she's just 24, and she's made many of the same mistakes everyone has, just in a much more public forum. I do remember meeting her a couple of times right after "The Parent Trap", and she was the sweetest kid. She gladly took photos and talked with my kids backstage at the Aaron Carter show, and sat next to me for several hours at the Marty Lyons Foundation holiday party. I saw her kindness and patience as she took the time to make each and every kid feel special. She was the only guest there who wasn't a sports person - a pro-athlete of some sort, or a washed up pro-wrestler. She was there simply because she wanted to be there, and she was the hit of the party. She felt very much like the little sister I'd never had as she'd get all shy and blush when asking me for advice on boys, and things of that nature. I still see that sweet, shy kid when I see the grown-up Lindsay in trouble - and know it might make me seem naive, I really think the magic power of a good Mick Foley hug, and some words or encouragement coulod go a long way. I know good people when I meet them, even if they go on to be huge stars and have problems. Lindsay Lohan is a good person...and I wish her all the luck in the world.

A few people have suggested that what Lindsay really needs is a good kick in the butt. Maybe so, but not from me. I'm a believer in the power of peace, love and understanding...what's so funny about that? In many ways, Lindsay has led a life that few could dream of, let alone touch. But she's young and she's human. Every human makes mistakes, especially young ones, and no one is beyond redemption; personally, professionally and spiritually. I know it's human nature to pile on when a public personality is down. Not me. If I could, I would peel all the haters, moralizers and bad news rubberneckers off that pile one by one,, pick her up, and help her in any way possible.

A few days ago, I sent out a tweet about a cool band from Sweden that I heard while hosting VictorVTV for Victory Records in Chicago. Sister Sin rocks considerably harder than the usual Foley selections, but I was blown away by their new album "True Sounds of the Underground". It usually takes me awhile to make my way through a whole CD these days, but I keep coming back to so may of the kick-ass tunes on this album. In particular, I think "Outrage" would make for a great tie-in tune for a TNA PPV, and though it's hard to predict success in the constantly changing world of music, where one act after another looks just like the other - in pop, country and rock, if these guys (and one sexy young lady-check Liv out on the VictorVTV show) get a little exposure, they might just catch on with the masses.

Who can really explain what it is about certain music that drives and inspires different people? Though I'm not usually a music and headphones guy, there have been distinct times when I have found great comfort and/or inspiration before particularly important matches through some unlikely artists. I explore thins quite a bit in the new book, in the chapter "Meeting Tori Amos", where I wonder just what it might be about a particularly beautiful tori song that inspires me to do things in the ring that are not particularly beautiful. It was the first chapter I wrote for the book, and is absolutely the chapter that means the most to me. Check out the "Afterword" in the book to see what a profound change writing that chapter made in my life. Don't like Tori Amos? Don't worry - there is a surprising ammount of blood and guts in the chapter as well. Besides, regardless of musical preferences, I think it's a chapter that pays tribute to the ability of artists and their art to touch the lives of those around them; to inspire others to be just a little bit braver. stronger, tougher, more important than they ever felt they could be.