Bogus Journey And The Pop

It was 1999, a year that was destined to change the trajectory of my life. I was a teenager grappling with my parents’ divorce, searching for an escape from the chaos that surrounded me. That escape came in the form of movies and television, which played a massive role in shaping who I am today. One of the relics my dad left behind after the split was a membership card to the local video store across the street from our apartment. A place I could get lost in for hours, it was like a sanctuary for me. DVDs were still a novelty at the time, so the store was a treasure trove of VHS tapes, their colorful covers beckoning me to explore new worlds. Up until that point, my rentals were almost exclusively classic WWF home videos. Wrestlemania. King Of The Ring. SummerSlam. All early 90s. I was enthralled by the larger-than-life characters, the adrenaline-pumping action, and the raw energy of the crowd. One fateful day, I decided to venture into a different section of the store, and there it was – the cover of Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. It immediately caught my eye, and I knew I had to watch it. The movie itself was a classic, a wild and hilarious ride that kept me glued to the screen. Every part of the production made sense to me, and I hung on every word. Then came the climactic scene, when Bill and Ted use the time machine to get their guitar skills up to par for the Battle Of The Bands. The anticipation in the air was palpable as they counted down, “One, two, one, two, three, four…” and began shredding a mind-blowing rendition of KISS’s “God Gave Rock and Roll To You.” The crowd, and I, were absolutely blown away. In that moment, I experienced a “pop,” the wrestling term for when the crowd goes wild. The sheer energy and excitement that erupted from the audience when Bill and Ted rocked the stage were intoxicating. It made me realize that I wanted to be a rockstar. I wanted to feel the rush of a roaring crowd, the adrenaline that comes from commanding the stage. At that time, I didn’t know if I would ever learn to play guitar or become a singer. I didn’t know if I would ever be a pro wrestler. All I knew for certain was that I wanted my pop, and I’d stop at nothing to get it. That yearning for the thrill of performance, the desire to connect with an audience and make them feel something powerful, would become the driving force behind my journey.