Former WWE music composer recently spoke with Sports Illustrated about his career and he talked about being released and the politics involved in the company. Below are some of the highlights.

Working for WWE & company politics:

“There were some politics and people I wasn’t wild about it, but I suppose that is to be expected in any corporate environment. I was pretty disillusioned where the company was going musically. Although I believe they are talented guys, I thought the themes were becoming commoditized and formulaic. Too many wrestlers had themes that didn’t tell a story about the character, it just felt like music that coincidentally played when a wrestler walked out, as opposed to something that tells the story of the character. In the big picture, I’ve written as many angry songs about guys coming to beat you up as I had in me. I think I’ve covered that genre. The end and the change was shocking at the time, but I hope it works out for them. I’ve been writing a ton of music since and I’m actively putting together the next chapter in my life.”

Not being a WWE fan:

“Just because John Williams did the scores for E.T. and Star Wars does not automatically make him a giant fan of aliens or space travel. I would categorize myself as a non-wrestling fan. I see the appeal and there are times when I could get really excited about it, but I wrote music for what I was hired to write. I threw myself into what I was writing.”

Having people enjoy his work:

“It is incredibly humbling. People have sent letters and emails that were so emotional that they made me tear up. I am grateful for every kind word.”