Slamming Tunes

With their neon underpants, mysterious masks and acrobatic moves Mexico’s Lucha Libre heroes mix sport with theatre – larger than life battles between good and evil played out in lycra. And every good wrestler needs a theme tune to match their dramatic antics. As the Roundhouse gears up to host another bout of Lucha Libre in June, Paul Bradshaw tracks down fabulous photographer, Katinka Herbert to find out more about the slamming tunes of Lucha Libre.

Katinka Herbert confesses to being obsessed with Mexico's Kings (and Queens) of The Ring and spent 8 years hanging out with these living legends, accessing the heart and soul of their art and and framing them in her own fashion. Her book Slam: Lucha Libre Superheroes of the Ring is an unprecedented trip into the world of these masked superheroes. She tells us about some of the music that accompanies their lives, whether it's a tune that heralds their arrival in the ring or what's pumping from the automobile hi-fi of a fixer.

Solar                                                                      Ultraman

How important is music to the wrestling scene?
KH: Music first became a part of wrestling in the United States during the 1950s with Gorgeous George. After that it wasn't used very much until the 1980s when Cindi Lauper sang at the first World Wrestling Federation Wrestlemania. It took a little while for it to catch on down in Mexico but once it did there was no stopping it.

Music is the second most important thing in a Lucha Libre wrestling match behind actual ring ability. The right music could make or break a wrestler. It is there to tell you who you will be seeing and to whip you into a frenzy before the bell sounds. More often than not music will be chosen that best suits their personalities.

For example El Hijo Del Santo is known for being a modern day superhero/secret agent. He will often be seen entering to versions of the Mission Impossible theme. Lifetime bad guy Scorpio Jr is known as "El Principe de los Feos" (Prince of the Ugly People) but that is a name he doesn't much care for as he sees himself being "Guapo" (handsome). So in an effort to upset his not so adoring fans he likes to enter the ring to anything from The Backstreet Boys to Britney Spears.

There are occasions where to an outsider a wrestler's choice of music could seem a little off. Take Dr. Wagner Jr. for instance. He is the Mexican equivalent of the WWE's anti-hero Stone Cold Steve Austin, a take-no-prisoners bad ass. His song of choice? Bad Medicine by Bon Jovi. OK, he is a "Doctor" and the song has medicine in its title but it is essentially a rock love song. During my shoot with him I asked him about his song choice and he mentioned that if he had understood the lyrics when he first chose it he might have ended up using something else. But now it he has used it for so long that the entire country relates that song to him more than they do to Bon Jovi.

Blue Demon                                                            Dark Angel

Can you tell me more about this song by Los Tigres Del Norte... it’s kind of downbeat for a ring entrance song.
KH: This song is most noticeably used by Blue Panther. Panther is known throughout Mexico for being very skilled at all aspects of lucha libre, but where he excels the most is in technical mat wrestling. He is head and shoulders above all others in the country and is rarely beaten in matches that stay on the mat. Because of this he has been nicknamed "El Maestro" or in English "The Teacher." The song Jefe de Jefes (Boss of Bosses) is a about respect and being the best at what you do. It is actually a timeless classic in some parts of Mexico where young and old sing along with ease.

Los Tigres – Jefe De Jefe

Do you know of any song composed specifically about a wrestler that has been a big hit?
KH: To the best of my knowledge there haven’t been any songs written about a specific luchador. The song La Cumbia de Los Luchadores was a hit and continues to get played in dance halls around Mexico.

Do you have any memories of a particular ring entrance tune or a spectacular entrance...?
KH: El Brazo de Plata aka Super Porky is known throughout Mexico as a funny guy. Try to imagine a 300lb 5ft man coming to the ring dancing like a stripper without a pole. Also, Tinieblas always does his entrance to the Star Wars theme tune.

Check out the Lucha Libre playlist

Slam: Lucha Libre Superheroes of the Ring by Katinka Herbert is published by To Hell With Books

www.katinkaphotography.com

Lucha Future is at the Roundhouse, London NW1 24-26 June 2011.
The live show will feature 15 Lucha Libre wrestlers including Blue Demon Jr, Cassandro and Magno.

www.luchafuture.com

Paul Bradshaw/Straight No Chaser
Photographs by Katinka Herbert

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