Hessler raising funds to help ailing wrestler ‘The Dynamite Kid’ Tom Billington

Hessler raising funds to help ailing wrestler ‘The Dynamite Kid’ Tom Billington

Chicago based rockers Hessler are helping to raise funds to assist ailing wrestler ‘The Dynamite Kid’ Tom Billington who recently suffered a series of medical setbacks rendering unable to get back home.

Hessler‘s founder, guitarist and lead vocalist Igz Kincaid posted a video on Facebook earlier today [see video below] where he states [as transcribed by Sleaze Roxx]:

“Hey guys, Igz here from the Chicago heavy metal band Hessler. I wanted to bring this thing to your attention to see if we can get help from a couple of people. Couple of years ago, we did the documentary for Dynamite Kid‘s A Matter Of Pride, which is a two-disc set put out by Highspots, which is pretty popular and renowned in the wrestling community as an independent documentary with wrestling matches. So, whether you’re a fan of professional wrestling or not, especially if you were around in the ’80s, Dynamite Kid Tom Billington absolutely revolutionized wrestling, especially for — how do I put this — how smaller bodied wrestlers were perceived with matches and their in-ring work. And a lot of guys that you watch in WWE today, TNA, ECW Japan have copied, been influenced by his wrestling skills.

Just to make this shorter than longer, last year, The Dynamite Kid had a series of strokes that basically put him in a worse condition than he’s been in since 1995-1996. He’s been in a wheelchair after his wrestling career ended through the present. After the stroke, it basically put him in nursing care, in a care home. I just found out recently if you take a look on Mick Foley‘s Facebook [see below for Foley‘s Facebook message], you’ll see that they are trying to raise money for Dynamite Kid to help him come back home, and you know, just be back at his house. So I had an idea and I reached out to Highspots and they were very nice. They sent us 25 or 30 more copies of the documentary and what we’re going to do is if you go to Hessler — hessler.bigcartel.com — we’re going to have the documentary available for purchase at $20 and all the money that we make for the copies, we are going to donate to The Dynamite Kid.

They did a GoFundMe page to try to raise expenses for all the medical costs and if you’re in Chicago for our comeback concert with Dirkschneider at Concord Music Hall, we’ll have physical copies. So if we sell you know 25 at $20 a piece, every penny we make, we’re going to donate to Dynamite‘s family and hopefully help him out with medical expenses and costs so A Matter of Pride. Great man in the history of wrestling. Whether you like professional wrestling or not, it’s a really interesting documentary. Like I said, we did the full soundtrack for it and I recorded a couple of guitar tracks for specific parts. It was really special and a really cool milestone, not just in the band’s career but mine also ’cause Bret ‘The Hit Man” Hart does an interview in there as well. So, [it’s] available online. We’re going to post it tonight and then physical copies this Friday. Pick one up and then all the money will be donated. Heavy metal community, wrestling community, whatever, let’s pass on the world. Let’s help out an amazing  performer. Thank you very much.”

Video from Hessler‘s Igz Kincaid posted on Facebook on January 8, 2017:

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For those not familiar with The Dynamite Kid, Wikipedia gives a detailed history which includes (with slight edits):

“Thomas “Tom” Billington (born 5 December 1958), best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired English professional wrestler. He competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid-to-late-1980s. With his cousin Davey Boy Smith, he is also known for being half of the tag team the British Bulldogs. He also had notable feuds with Tiger Mask in Japan and Bret Hart in Canada.

Billington is considered by many, including Bret Hart and Dave Meltzer, to be one of wrestling’s most influential in-ring performers, having innovated the level of athleticism involved in the art and merging styles from Britain, Mexico, Canada and Japan…

Health problems

In 1997, after having a great deal of complications he was experiencing with walking due to the large number of back and leg injuries he suffered during his career, Billington lost the use of his left leg. He now has a paralysed left leg and uses a wheelchair; he is cared for by his second wife, Dot. Billington has been told he would never be able to walk again. Harley Race, the inventor of the diving headbutt, has stated that he regrets ever inventing the move, because it appears to cause spinal problems as well as concussions, and may have contributed to Billington‘s disability. In addition to his paralysis, Billington also has suffered from heart problems. In November 2013, Billington reportedly suffered a stroke. In 2015, he was named in a lawsuit filed by WWE after they received a letter from him indicating that he intended to sue them for concussion-based injuries sustained during his tenure with them. He is represented by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who is involved in several other lawsuits involving former WWE wrestlers.”

The following message was posted on wrestling legend Mick Foley‘s Facebook page on January 4th:

“BUY A SHIRT, HELP A LEGEND

I just spoke to the daughter of Tommy Billington, The Dynamite Kid, and she’s going to be using all proceeds from this t-shirt sale to help her father out. Yes, these shirts CAN BE SHIPPED OUTSIDE THE US! Dynamite Kid is on my Mt Rushmore of wrestling; one of the greatest I have ever seen. But his high-impact, high-risk style took it’s toll, and Tommy has confined to a wheelchair for many years, living in constant pain and in poor housing conditions. His daughter Bronwyne is going to use all proceeds to help her father out the best she can. In addition to helping her father out, a purchase will be showing the world you remember and support a true legend in our business. I am going to make a purchase today..and hope you will too! Feel free to share your favorite Dynamite Kid match or memory. Order NOW at

http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/wrestler-t…/dynamitekid.html”

Hessler have recently released a new EP entitled Skeleton Crew. Sleaze Roxx stated the following in its review of the EP: “One more time” — that has been the constant refrain in my subconscious mind since popping Hessler‘s new album Skeleton Crew in my CD player yesterday. As in “One more time — I want to hear this album again.” At first, it was more curiosity on how have Hessler fared and/or rebounded after having endured what would have likely spelled the end of most bands. But soon enough, I was simply pushing “play” time and time again because I wanted to hear Hessler‘s new heavier reincarnation and transformation. The six songs on Hessler‘s Skeleton Crew only clock in at just over 20 minutes so I figure that I have heard the EP over 20 times in one day.”

Hessler‘s “Killing Machine” song:

HESSLER – Killing Machine

iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/killing-machine/id1169163058?i=1169163153Physical Copy @ hessler.bigcartel.com LYRICS:Do I go left, do I go rightG…

Dynamite Kid Documentary Kickstarter Promo:

Dynamite Kid Documentary – Kickstarter Promo

Click here to helphttp://www.kickstarter.com/projects/460538362/dynamite-kid-documentary

Dynamite Kid Documentary Kickstarter Preview:

KickStarter Preview

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