It's tough to say what separates me from everyone else. I guess it's one of the things that the audience feels as soon as the spotlight hits me. All I can say is that I'm being as true to myself the best way I can.
Elias
The whole journey of being a wrestler is also a journey of finding yourself and who you are. If it feels natural to you, it's natural to me because I'm just being myself every time I'm out there.
I can see myself having a great WrestleMania match with John Cena, with Chris Jericho.
When I say I'm the biggest musical act on the face of the planet, I really mean that. I'm in front of tens of thousands of people, millions around the world, performing every week. Is there anybody else that's doing that? I don't think so.
If it was up to me, I would be given ample time to do a full on performance. I would play all of the instruments that I can play, really show off to the world, then maybe have an Intercontinental title match and follow that up, maybe go out against somebody like The Undertaker or John Cena, anybody that can really top off a great performance.
I am performing on a nightly basis for WWE. I'm doing it in front of tens of thousands of people at the live events then millions on 'Monday Night Raw.'
For the record, Jeff Jarret cannot play guitar. Honky Tonk Man cannot play guitar. Elias? Guitar, piano, harmonica, drums, you name it. I can do anything.
I'm starting to think they know that WWE stands for Walk With Elias more than any other abbreviation.
The first guitar I ever picked up was an acoustic black Fender, so it makes perfect sense that Elias plays Fender guitars. As far as details, it's simple; Elias and Fender have a great relationship.
Everything I do is true to the person I am. To me, there's not too much distinction between Elias and my former name.
I think, without a doubt, I'd outshine The Rock because he can't do quite what I do, but he is good at the guitar, and he's got some chops to him, so I don't think you need to think about it too much.
I'm a big-time Johnny Cash fan.
An Elias performance is worth the price of admission.
One thing you don't get to see too often on regular WWE television is the men and women interacting. The women have their storylines, and the men have theirs, and there's not too much overlap.
I love music. I love creating, so I just get inspired with whatever mood I'm in. Whatever the story dictates, that's where my mind goes.
The Drifter was this guy where I'd put a guitar on my shoulder and walk from town to town, find my way however I can, whether it's hitchhiking, on a bus, walking, whatever I've gotta do.
Music - it speaks to everyone. Music speaks to everyone on so many different levels.
When I was 15, I got super into Eric Clapton. My father took notice of this and got me a guitar for Christmas.
A lot of what I do on WWE TV is what I was doing on the NXT Live events. That wasn't really seen by anybody. But now I get to do it on live television.
I think Ronda Rousey is fantastic. She's a fantastic addition to the entire crew of WWE. I think she has kind of blown away people's expectations.
It was when I got to NXT with Dusty Rhodes, being the creative force he was, and told us to bring our most creative side every single week. One of those weeks, I brought the guitar and started telling stories while I played, and it just evolved from there.
As I'm out there in the ring, I hear everything that the crowd is giving me. I give it back sometimes, too. As far as I'm concerned, I want people to walk with me.
I've got issues with The Undertaker, I'd love to take The Undertaker out.
I love the blues. I love rock. I love classic rock. I love country. All types of music I can appreciate.
I haven't expressed this too much in public, but I have a friendship to a degree with Bruce Springsteen.
There was a time that I was The Drifter in NXT, and I did not want to break my guitar because that was the only guitar I had.
I guess, throughout my entire time in NXT, I didn't really have any false expectations of what it would be like to reach the main roster. I knew you'd have to work harder. I knew you'd have to bring it every single time.
I was never in any band, technically.
I've always known I was going to be a big star, so I need a big stage and a big platform.
At Wrestlemania, I'd love to wrestle John Cena; I've got a lot of issues with that guy.
I always wanted to be a wrestler.
