The Bushwhackers

Blood, Sweat & Cheers

By: John Crowther, Luke Williams, Butch Miller

Narrated by: Ryan Reid

Length: 13 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

In The Bushwhackers: Blood, Sweat & Cheers, professional wrestling's Bushwhacker Luke Williams and Bushwhacker Butch Miller, along with writer John Crowther, lead you around the globe, through over 50 years of fun-filled and sometimes brutal adventures, both in and out of the "squared circle."

Listen to never-before-told stories of escapades they experienced and battles they fought in the world of professional wrestling, both individually and in all of their renowned personas—The New Zealand Kiwis, The Sheepherders, and The Bushwhackers. Immerse yourself in the action-packed and humorous tales of two crazy, young Kiwis from New Zealand, who stomped a path through Asia, Africa, Europe, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and the Americas to the top of sports entertainment—the WWE Hall of Fame.

Included are forewords, afterwords and quotes from such wrestling friends and foes alike, including Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Hulk Hogan, Diamond Dallas Page, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Terry Funk, "Nasty Boy" Brian Knobbs, B. Brian Blair, The Warlord, Ron Fuller, Rip Rogers, Steve Keirn, "Fantastic" Bobby Fulton, Tugboat/Typhoon, George Napolitano and more.

©2022 Luke Williams, Butch Miller and John Crowther (P)2024 Luke Williams, Butch Miller and John Crowther

Five stars!

"The Bushwhackers" is a welcomed trip down memory lane, with absolutely hilarious, and at time, simply unbelievable stories from Luke and Butch's fifty five years on the road. If you are a wrestling fan of the 70s and 80s, this is a must have, as the hall of famers take you on a tour of the different wrestling territories they worked for. After each Bushwhacker describe their childhoods in New Zealand, the high jinks escalates as Luke and Butch became instant friends and squared circle partners.

We have heard many of the antics of Andre The Giant, and the duo share their shenanigans with the big man. Their touring took them from New Zealand, Singapour, and into a cultural change with French Canadians in Montreal. The Bushwhackers relive the glory days of Stampede wrestling, and their encounters with the Hart family and their notorious ribbing. You will learn how they went from being the Kiwis into The Sheepherders, were they were involved in some of the most brutal matches around the wrestling circuit.

I enjoyed their road story involving "Playboy" Buddy Rose, who bladed himself in the car claiming to be in a rush to the hospital, to bamboozle the cops at a traffic stop. The backstage story involving "Exotic" Adrian Street is one for the ages. They also divulge a time they accidentally drove into a KKK rally, Luke and Butch pull no punches, such as the politics and reckless spending they endured in their stint with the Crocketts.

Naturally, the Bushwhackers share many anecdotes with the many great tag team they were fortunate (and at times, not so fortunate) to work with, such as The Road Warriors, the Blade Runners, the Powers of Pain, The Fabulous Ones, The Fantastics, the Brain Busters, The Bolsheviks, The Rougeau Brothers. the Nasty Boys, etc.

They also share their story meeting with Vince McMahon, and his vision to bring them in as babyfaces. As they note in the book, "you don't question Caesar." The Bushwhackers credit McMahon with prolonging their careers, being able to transition away from the blood bathes that became their signature matches. After many years removed from their WWF stint, they recall the message that they would be inducted into the WWE hall of fame.

Also covered in this riveting book, the duo give their perspectives on how the business has changed, and what they encountered on the independent circuit after their WWF days. I want to thank the Bushwhackers for doing this book, and being honest and entertaining at the same time. I'd also like to thank John Crowther for putting all the stories together for the fans. The narrator Ryan Reid does a fantastic job reading this book, you will have to hear it to believe it.

There is a tease of possibly telling more stories in the future, and I am sure hoping for a follow up someday.