Eric Bischoff Reveals Surprisingly Low Licensing Fee For 'Voodoo Child'
As a black stretch limousine drove into Chicago's United Center, fans tuning into the June 16, 1997, episode of "WCW Nitro" heard the guitar riffs of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" on the program for the first time. When the limousine doors opened, NWO members "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Syxx, Eric Bischoff, and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan were celebrating with Chicago Bulls superstar Dennis Rodman. Several nights prior, Rodman helped the Bulls win their fifth NBA Championship in seven years. Now, Rodman was getting a heroes welcome as he accompanied the NWO to the ring with "Voodoo Child" blaring over the arena speakers.
"I think with Voodoo Child, because it just fit — you know if you were scoring a movie and if the NWO was a movie and you had to score it, you would want that music," said Bischoff on the "Strictly Business" podcast. "When you can take the right music that fits the story or fits the character, it only adds to the emotion of the action or anything else you're seeing in the ring." For the next two years, "Voodoo Child" became synonymous with Hogan as he used it for his entrance theme until returning to his red-and-yellow persona and "American Made" theme in August 1999.
"That was relatively affordable — I mean, I think the whole license cost me $100,000 for worldwide rights," said Bischoff. "I could play up to two-to-three minutes of it. Couldn't do that today and I negotiated that deal with Jimi Hendrix's sister, who was at that point in charge of the estate. You couldn't touch that deal now for that kind of money so you'd probably be better off trying to write your own, and owning it and making it popular." "Voodoo Child" would eventually accompany Hogan back to WWE, where he used the theme from April 2002 through May 2003. Today, the song is sadly overdubbed on WWE Network due to music and streaming rights.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Strictly Business" podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.