WWE’s Edge Talks Comeback, Rob Zombie, Wrestler With Worst Taste in Audio

Adam “Edge” Copeland’s journey as a WWE wrestler — by means of his early retirement and latest return to the ring — is a tale of willpower and triumph that could be the basis for, say, a kickass Iron Maiden track. In 2011, it arrived as a shock to lovers when he announced that he was hanging up his boots beneath the instruction of professional medical gurus thanks to a analysis of cervical spinal stenosis. Though he remained existing in the WWE in unique capacities, together with earning a Corridor of Fame ring in 2012, Edge was inactive from wrestling, shelling out most of the ten years showing up in demonstrates like Haven and Vikings.

Then one thing magical happened at the commencing of 2020, one particular of harrowing year’s couple vibrant places. In January through WWE’s annual PPV party The Royal Rumble, Edge designed a shock return at #21, capturing to the ring in an emotionally charged function that electrified the crowd in Houston, Texas. Soundtracked by his standby theme of Change Bridge’s “Metalingus,” it was a heavy minute, and one that spoke to the psychological heights wrestling can achieve.

Edge has been about metallic music and tradition from the bounce. Early in his profession he was a section of “The Brood,” a faction with later tag-team companion Christian and Gangrel that portrayed a clan of vampires, bringing a chalice of blood to the ring. Later on, Edge would occur to the ring to Rob Zombie’s “By no means Gonna Quit,” a tune that came close to summing up his rise in acceptance at the time. It would then be adopted up by “Metalingus,” which boasts the band’s heaviest riff to day and has remained one particular of the most iconic intros for any wrestler.

This Sunday, Edge will be in the principal occasion at Wrestlemania 37 in a triple risk match for the WWE Common Championship from recent winner Roman Reigns and challenger Daniel Bryan. The match serves as a testament to the function Edge has place in in excess of the final decade. “I prepare on generating this final chapter a whole lot of entertaining,” he says. “I assume people today are going to delight in it.”

We spoke to Edge about bringing major metal into his wrestling persona, who has the worst flavor in new music in WWE and more. You can view Wrestlemania 37 this weekend on Peacock.

I Really feel LIKE FROM THE Incredibly Starting, Metallic Informed A Good deal OF WHAT EDGE IS AS A CHARACTER, Particularly WITH THE BROOD. CAN YOU Converse TO HOW YOU Noticed Major Metallic INTERSECTING WITH WHAT YOU Wanted TO Current AS A WRESTLER?
EDGE Oh, definitely. Large steel and rock new music was the bedrock for Edge — it truly is where it all arrived from. Almost everything about creating that character in the commencing, metal was this kind of a large aspect of what I wished to convey. There was a tiny bit of a Sort O Detrimental vibe, some Nine Inch Nails in there. And then there was also Blade in there, and the Misplaced Boys. Then you can find the visuals: the circle of fireplace, and which is a thing that you could see at a metal display. It became aspect of our presentation. I’m also wearing a PVC trench coat, we all received lengthy hair and we are spitting blood so you will find elements of KISS, Marilyn Manson and Bowie.

Then when I search at what the genesis is of Edge and Christian, nicely, that’s kind of based off Bill & Ted. Which is so closely influenced by the tunes, by the soundtracks. You consider of the Bogus Journey soundtrack, it really is absurd. Faith No Extra, Megadeth, Kiss. It is amazing! And definitely, weighty metal grew to become a template for a ton of the selections the place to go. When I broke off from Edge and Christian, Rob Zombie was my entrance music and that was vital to me. Since that sets the tone, and it also sets the tone for me as a performer simply because I want some thing that is going to soar me up. I experienced some fantastic information from [wrestler] Michael Hayes, which was “the more you give the viewers, the extra you happen to be heading to get back.” So from that day ahead, I arrived traveling as a result of that curtain and I ran facet to side, but the new music is what is going to support me do that. From Rob Zombie then to Change Bridge, and I notice now the serendipity of receiving that tune and individuals lyrics, and that riff and Myles [Kennedy, Alter Bridge singer] peeling the paint off the partitions, which is when I understood this is now my new music for the rest of my occupation, due to the fact it just suits.

And I know it matches when I have supporters appear up and ask, “Did you sing that?” [Laughs] Significantly, when individuals start off to relate to you through the songs like that, you know it can be the proper place to be.

I Assume AS A Kid YOU Usually Assume THE WRESTLER SINGS THE Theme.
It truly is all Michael [Hayes]’s fault! [Laughs]

STRAIGHT UP, THAT ROB ZOMBIE Music WAS Type OF MY INTRODUCTION TO Steel. I Keep in mind Viewing SMACKDOWN AS A Child, Hearing THAT Theme AND THEN Acquiring MY Father TO Choose ME TO Invest in THE FORCEABLE ENTRY SOUNDTRACK. WRESTLING JUST Variety OF HAS THAT Outcome.
That is pretty amazing to hear, since I needed to actually really feel it, to chunk into it to get across what I wanted to get throughout. My preliminary tunes, I didn’t seriously dig. The Brood new music I loved. When it arrived time for Rob Zombie, I obtained an advanced copy of The Sinister Urge, and I could select among four tracks. And it was like, “Hardly ever Gonna Cease,” which is the mantra. Gotta retain likely, gotta preserve getting up. Small did I know that would be a recurring topic all over my profession. But then several years later, Change Bridge, they strike each individual aspect of my occupation.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE THE 1st TIME YOU Met ROB ZOMBIE?
[Laughs] It was Ozzy and Rob Zombie on the Merry Mayhem Tour in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It might’ve been the opening evening of the tour — it was coordinated with WWE. Went out there and I was presently making use of the tunes and that’s the place we initial fulfilled. So we’re backstage owning a tea alongside one another. [Laughs] Which sounds incredibly un-metal, but I’m obtaining a tea with Rob Zombie. And his spouse Sheri, and I know Zakk Wylde, and he’s there so we’re catching up. Then Rob claimed, “Hey gentleman, appear up onstage, appear up in your gear.” Any other time I would have felt so bizarre and awkward about that, simply because when it really is outside the house of the realm of wrestling it really is like, “Wait, I am going to dress in tights and absolutely everyone else just isn’t heading to be putting on tights? That is uncomfortable.” And then I looked at his phase, and I imagined, “I’m heading to be one particular of the most ordinary factors up there.” So certain, I’ll set on my gear! That was the initially night time I fulfilled him. Considering that then we have experienced sandwiches in a deli in L.A. It is come to be a wonderful friendship. He is a really clever and pleasant dude.

I KNOW You happen to be A Large Enthusiast OF FOO FIGHTERS. HOW DID YOU GET Joined UP WITH THEM AND Manage TO GET “Wander” FOR YOUR Hall OF FAME Tune?
I have constantly been a substantial enthusiast. From the minute the initially album came out, I believed, “Holy, that is Dave Grohl?” Each and every album that came out, all I could feel was, my god, how did these tunes not see the light-weight of day ahead of now? How do you produce “My Hero” and not have that readily available to the globe before then? Above the yrs I think it just became incredibly well regarded that I’m a incredibly big enthusiast of the Foo Fighters. More than a couple several years, went to a number of exhibits, satisfied the guys, grew to become buddies and it variety of just gravitated from there. Related sensibilities, equivalent feeling of humor, equivalent age teams, influences, all of these points. Rapidly forward to my Corridor of Fame, WWE asked what song I desired for my Corridor of Fame package. I reported, “‘Walk’ by Foo Fighters.” They said, “Alright, they say no to us all the time,” but certain sufficient I go out for my Hall of Fame and there is “Walk.” Fast forward a bunch of years later, we’re accomplishing a documentary on my comeback and I’m viewing and the ending montage and it truly is “Stroll.” Yet again, one more track whose lyrics variety of encapsulate this matter occurring.

It is really Insane HOW Music DOES THAT. THE RETURN TO THE RUMBLE Last Yr, THE Whole Surprise OF IT ALL AND THE WAY THAT Change BRIDGE RIFF JUST KICKS IN, YOU Could not Talk to FOR Nearly anything Extra FITTING.
Yeah. The lyrics and anything, it additional additional pounds. I think what I acquired with this incarnation of Edge is there’s not a good deal of filter on it. A large amount of what you’re seeing is Adam. That evening in particular, you will find no way you could deal with people types of feelings or attempt and bottle them — you just gotta let them out and enable the audience in to permit them know how distinctive this is as a performer. And how much it usually means to you. Whenever that riff hits, I shoot to a different area completely. And I’ve uncovered, if you can do that, the viewers is going to experience it and give it ideal back again to you. No matter if it truly is cheers or boos it does not subject. So, all over again, back to the initially position: Songs is exactly where this all leaps from.

WHAT ARE YOU JAMMING Lately?
There is certainly the specifications. It can be usually going to be Foo Fighters, and it is normally likely to be some Metallica, some Maiden, some Megadeth, some Equipment Head, some Amon Amarth. Sabbath, some Faith No More, the Cult, I mean I can continue to keep likely. [Laughs] Pantera — which is often heading to be on my workout combine. But then you will find some periods wherever I need to have to chill, and that’s possibly going to be a Pearl Jam moment or Avett Brothers. But when I want to get fired up, which is when I transform to hefty guitars and heaps of drums. That’s my go-to pocket. It’s the 1st detail I do — gotta get the music likely, gotta get in the zone.

You’ve ENCOUNTERED A Large amount OF Men and women IN WRESTLING. WHO HAS THE WORST Taste IN Tunes OUT OF ANY WRESTLER?
That would be my aged companion Christian. He … you name a boy band, he appreciates the lyrics. But he enjoys Stone Temple Pilots and Lenny Kravitz. But he can recite each Peabo Bryson track. He can sing you “Islands in the Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. He has an eclectic, not good taste in songs, if I’m remaining brutally straightforward. When you can sing a New Youngsters on the Block album to me, then we in all probability have differing views on tunes style. [Laughs]