PENSACOLA EXPRESS
- anchorprint
- Dec 12, 2023
- 4 min read
The sunny northern coast of Florida is home to many things to many people. But to wrestling fans, it’s rich in history. This is what fell in my lap one afternoon as I was on tour with my band Gern Blanston.
The year was 1996 and it was May. It was very hot and having plenty of time on our hands, we head to the beach right away. Our show that night is at the Handle Bar, which we were soon to find out is home to the 25 cent beer.
This afternoon was a great relief from the last 4 weeks on the road. Touring inside a hot van, and wearing the same clothes you just played in and sweated in. Washing in rest area sinks, and eating crap food... This was paradise.
White sand beaches and Pina Colada’s, waves lapping up gently on this pristine shoreline, fun was had by the whole crew and drinks flowed. Of course drinking in the sun leads to a very sleepy afternoon, which had me heading back to the van to lay down for a spell. I took our main man from Cavity Search Records, Chris Copper, with me to the van. As we approached the parking lot area, there were those showers for people to rinse off the sand.
We spot this guy in a Speed-O and full on mullet hair cut. He was with a younger woman and is rinsing himself off in the shower next to us. We finish our bit and he’s still working the sand out of his britches but turns and asks if he can use one our towels to dry his mirrored shades. I oblige as we start to make small talk.
I can talk to anyone and just get it going. Chris and I mention we are on tour and are a band playing that night in Pensacola at the Handle Bar. He laughs and says “...it should be a blast.”
I ask what he does for work and he mentions he works in Atlanta. I press him a little further and he says he works at Turner Broadcasting for WCW.
My mouth hits the ground and I spit out “You’re BRAD ARMSTRONG!!!”
He looked at the girl next to him like “SEE, They know who I am!”
At this point Christopher is standing with HIS mouth open and just taking it all in.
Brad proceeds to tell us how we HAVE to go to the bar and get the Brad Armstrong special banana daiquiri. He was under the influence of a couple himself you could tell.
Let me make it very clear here, this is in no way a slam on Brad or wrestling/wrestlers in general. It’s just something that happened to a true fan one sunny afternoon in Pensacola FL.
Brad was very gracious and totally opened up once I noticed who he was and we had a small rapport going. I really couldn’t believe it. I mentioned how I grew up watching him and his father on Georgia Championship Wrestling. I loved his work. Brad was known as a REAL wrestler.
He was a real technician in the ring. A true joy to watch.
So, he’s is taking this all in and kinda digging it. That’s when I saw my opening…
I started to give him more of our story about being on the road the past 4 weeks and we had a few more to go, but we had run out of weed back in NY. I politely asked if he was in the know, and let him know how much I appreciated even his considering helping us, to which he say “Of course... I got some!”
He reaches into his fanny pack he was wearing and starts rifling through it.
“Wait a minute, those are my pain pills… Hold on… HERE!!!”
He then holds up 3 joints and just smiles. And I mean he held them UP. Like a West Side gang sign or something. He’s so proud to help us and we are just blown away at our good fortune. Trying to extend an invitation to the show that night, he refuted with:
“I’m a beaten man!! Soon as we leave here, I’m out! 1-2-3!!!”
Cool my man, no problem. We say our goodbyes and make our way to the van to smoke out and Chris is just speechless the whole way back.
“WTF Deaner.!?!? What just happened?”.he asks....
I’m pretty over the moon about meeting Brad and what just happened. I mean in NYC we met Debbie Harry right outside of Electric Ladyland Studios.
This story was a good one to tell the band, and if Chris wasn’t there, no would probably would have believed me.
To me, these wrestlers are very similar to musicians in that they work hard and play hard. Travel long distances for little pay. The love of the sport keeps them going. The need to do it compels them. Same with any artist.
To this, I say, Respect.
Brad Armstrong passed in 2012 at 50 years oid.
Rest easy Brad. You have a legacy and family that will live on and honor you. When we meet up again, I owe ya… Thanx my man.
Christopher Cooper passed in 2018 at 52 years old.
Christopher, I miss you so much and your sense of merriment and take it as it comes nature. You were a perfect tag team partner on that tour. That’s why I love you so much my brother. Ten Bell Salute to you both....
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