Billy Corgan vividly remembers the rush he got when he first listened to the Beatles as a preteen in his Chicago basement. It’s a feeling that eventually propelled him to rock superstardom as lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins.
But Corgan said he also recalls getting a similar rush watching Dick the Bruiser, Harley Race and his other favorite pro-wrestling stars in that same basement. It’s that emotional reaction that led to an unlikely turn as a wrestling producer and promoter in 2011.
Today, as owner of the National Wrestling Alliance, Corgan leads a promotion with a high national profile and a decadeslong history. The tradition continues this weekend with NWA 74, presented live on Saturday and Sunday nights from St. Louis and available on FITE.tv internet pay-per-view.
