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Badstreet USA

Badstreet USA was a classic pro wrestling song from 1984, popularized by Michael P.S. Hayes and the Fabulous Freebirds. A cover version by the band Crossfyre, a new music video produced by Marko Simonen. Marko Simonen's creative portfolio often finds him at the intersection of sonic energy and visual spectacle, a space he occupied fully during the production of a music video for the band The Crossfyre. The project was a high-octane cover of the 1984 anthem "Badstreet USA," a song deeply embedded in professional wrestling lore through Michael “P.S.” Hayes and the legendary Fabulous Freebirds. Given his background as a creative artist and a fixture in the wrestling industry, Marko recognized the inherent synergy of the project: the band’s lead vocalist was none other than “The Rebel” StarBuck, the pioneer of Nordic professional wrestling. To honor the spirit of the original World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) theme, Marko approached the project with the discipline of a historian and the eye of a modern director. He spent considerable time analyzing the aesthetic elements of the 1984 original video, ensuring his version would serve as a faithful yet contemporary tribute. The production was split across two distinct locations to capture the dual nature of the track—performance footage was captured on the stage of the Culture House Grand in Porvoo, while the narrative, black-and-white segments were filmed in the streets of Helsinki. The technical execution of the shoot required the precise multitasking for which Marko has become known. To achieve a cinematic atmosphere, he utilized white smoke grenades, a tool that demanded perfect timing due to their brief 30-second burn rate. Understanding how light interacts with atmosphere, he worked alongside his colleague Jarmo Katila to rig backlighting that would emphasize the smoke’s texture, transforming a simple street corner into a dramatic backdrop. This meticulous attention to detail highlights Marko's ability to maximize a production's visual impact even when working with the constraints of a DIY indie environment. Ultimately, the video stands as more than just a promotional piece; it is a collaborative archive of a specific moment in the Finnish creative scene. While the passage of time has blurred the names of some contributors, the project remains a poignant milestone for Marko, particularly as a tribute to the late guitarist Jaakko Kinnari. By merging his ring-tested instincts for drama with his technical prowess in cinematography, Marko created a visual bridge between the golden era of wrestling and the modern Nordic rock scene, proving that a great anthem deserves a frame just as iconic as its riff.

Somewhat related to pro wrestling, I had a chance to shoot a music video years ago, which you could perhaps call a ‘cover video’. The song in question was Badstreet USA, originally made famous in 1984 by Michael “P.S.” Hayes, of the iconic tag team The Fabulous Freebirds. The song is most well-known for being associated with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where it served as the tag team’s entrance theme.

This time around, it was the band Crossfyre, which had recorded a cover version of this memorable anthem. Quite fittingly, the lead vocalist of the band happens to be “The Rebel” StarBuck – our Nordic pro wrestling pioneer. A perfect match and a great idea. In the spirit of paying tribute to a classic tune, the idea was also to create the music video for it in the same vein.

 

I took some time to study the original music video and its elements, getting an idea what to do and how to shoot it. We shot the footage in two different locations, in two sessions. The performance stage was at the culture house Grand, in Porvoo. The black-and-white story parts were shot in Helsinki, nearby guitarist Jaakko Kinnari’s house.

I had bought a couple of white smoke grenades for some cinematic effect, but you have to be quick with those, because they only put out smoke for some 30 seconds, as I recall. Also, some extra lighting behind the smoke emphasizes its effect nicely, so a big thanks to my colleague Jarmo Katila for all the help.

I’ve long forgotten all the people we had there and their names, but a big shoutout to all of you as well.

Rest in peace, Jaakko Kinnari, and thank you for everything.