Eric Bischoff Reveals Surprising Fee For Iconic Star’s Entrance Music

WWE

Every once in a while, a wrestling theme becomes iconic, instantly recognisable from a period of time in wrestling history.

Sometimes, that piece of music is a timeless track in its own right, already famous before a wrestler struts to the ring to its bars.

That was the case with the Jimmy Hendrix track Voodoo Child (Slight Return).

The 1968 track would first be heard in a WCW on the June 16 1997 episode of WCW Nitro.

It would become a staple of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan’s entrance until he returned to “American Made” in August 1999.

Speaking on the Strictly Business podcast, Eric Bischoff explained the importance of the right track for the right story or character, saying:

“I think with Voodoo Child, because it just fit — you know if you were scoring a movie and if the NWO was a movie and you had to score it, you would want that music.

“When you can take the right music that fits the story or fits the character, it only adds to the emotion of the action or anything else you’re seeing in the ring.”

Discussing the cost of the track, Bischoff revealed some surprising details relating to the licensing of a song that is so well known, explaining:

“That was relatively affordable — I mean, I think the whole license cost me $100,000 for worldwide rights

“I could play up to two-to-three minutes of it.

“Couldn’t do that today and I negotiated that deal with Jimi Hendrix’s sister, who was at that point in charge of the estate.

“You couldn’t touch that deal now for that kind of money so you’d probably be better off trying to write your own, and owning it and making it popular.”

Hulk Hogan returned to WWE in Hogan would in 2002

He would use Voodoo Child from April 2002 to May 2003.

Due to music and streaming rights, the track has now been overdubbed on the WWE Network.

Transcript from Wrestling Inc.

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• eric bischoff
• WCW
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