Only after The Ringmaster began filming vignettes as the defiant “Stone Cold” Steve Austin did the theme come to Johnston. What did The Ringmaster mean? Was he from the circus? What is it? I have no idea what I wrote, but I bet it wasn’t very good.” “I mean, you talk about a guy without a persona.
“Steve Austin came to WWE as The Ringmaster, which was one of the dullest characters ever,” he said. Johnston recalled early struggles developing theme music for the man who would become one of the biggest stars in ring history. WWE.com is your home for all your favorite WWE Superstar entrance videos. "Stone Cold" Steve AustinĬheck out "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's entrance video. Needless to say, this was a very challenging proposition for him, to where the following themes (to name a few) made his “honorable mention” list:Īnd now, in no particular order, here are Jim Johnston’s 10 favorite entrance themes. Having learned a little about Jim Johnston’s craft, WWE Classics asked the musician to compose a list of his 10 favorite WWE Superstar themes. It’s most difficult to me when an individual doesn’t have a lot of personality.” I just picked up a guitar and played that groove. As an example, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s theme came really fast.
“Sometimes I’ll sit down and something just shows up. I don’t really know where it comes from,” Johnston said. “The whole process of composing is a mystery. Sometimes the formation can be obvious, while other times it’s like figuring out the solution for a Rubik’s Cube. It really has to do with the story.”Īnd after all these years, Johnston still finds composing Superstars’ themes challenging.
These themes are a soundtrack to the movie of this person. “Many times a Superstar will tell me what kind of music they like to listen to, but that has nothing to do with what would be a good theme for them.
“It can really confuse the issue,” he admitted. The one thing that Johnston rarely gets is input from the Superstars themselves. I look at the footage and think, ‘What’s this person really like?’ If I feel something, I try to draw that out in composing their music.” “I think it’s good that I don’t get too much information, because it could easily take me in the wrong direction,” Johnston said. Somewhat surprisingly, a Superstar’s persona is not a vital ingredient for Johnston’s creations. A talent’s size and appearance go a long way to determining what I need to produce.” “After that, it gets kind of sketchy, so I ask for some footage of the talent so at least I can see how they move. A lot of times, I’m told there’s a new Superstar, and their name is ‘blank,’ ” Johnston explained. Sitting comfortably around countless guitars, massive amplifiers and a grand piano, the musician revealed that his compositions always begin with a blank page. We at WWE Classics wanted to find out what goes into creating a Superstar’s music, so we visited Johnston in his expansive Stamford, Conn., studios. Back in 1974, pop music artist Kiki Dee released the hit single “I’ve Got the Music in Me.” The title of that song came to mind while talking to the man who has been credited with composing entrance themes for WWE Superstars for nearly three decades, Jim Johnston.