Black Widow
06-19-2008, 07:04 PM
Miami Herald
Saving Abel's Jared Weeks is on top of the world. His band's self-titled CD debuted in March with the first single ''Addicted'' standing at No. 3 on Billboard's U.S. Mainstream Rock chart.
If professional success isn't enough, the Southern rocker is also dating Lauren Williams, a Canadian blonde bombshell better known as Angelina Love in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
The two met in Austin, Texas. Williams was in the area visiting friends, and she attended an Atreyu concert. Saving Abel appeared during a tour stop at Emo's with Sick Puppies. Williams, a big rock fan, decided to check out the band.
''She sent us a MySpace comment just congratulating us on the single and just telling us how much she liked the song,'' said Weeks, who formed the band in 2004 with guitarist Jason Null.
'I checked her page out and was like, `Holy crap, this chick actually beats women up for a living. I better watch my back.' She's totally cool about her job. There's a difference when she is at her job and who she is, when she's not. I actually love both of them. So I'm rolling with the punches.''
Weeks grew up in the Bible Belt in Corinth, Miss., playing guitar and singing in church. Living 80 miles outside of Memphis, the musician watched the stars of Memphis Wrestling. Weeks attended TNA's Sacrifice pay-per-view in May with fellow bandmates Blake Dixon (drums), Eric Taylor (bassist), Scott Bartlett (guitarist) and Null. Fellow rock star and pro wrestling fan Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins also attended.
''Wrestling was always a part of my childhood growing up,'' Weeks said. ``So to actually get introduced to Sting when we were there for the pay-per-view was great. I've been a fan of Sting since second grade. So it was kind of cool to get to meet those people, talk to them and see what they do behind the scenes.''
The TNA event allowed Weeks to compare the atmosphere of a rock show with the uniqueness of a pro wrestling crowd.
''When you watch TNA on Spike TV, you see all those people in there,'' Weeks said. ``They go crazy over that stuff, dude. Everyone was loud. The energy was really high, so it was just a thrill to be there.''
A few weeks ago, the musician got a sense of the physicality and toughness it takes to be a pro wrestler when his girlfriend suffered a concussion in a match taped for TNA iMPACT! at Universal Studios Soundstage 21 in Orlando.
Despite the injury and a short time to recover, the gutsy performer competed at the TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view on Sunday, June 8.
''I think she has too many notches on the concussion belt. I think she had two this year alone, and I don't think you're supposed to have that many in a lifetime,'' said Weeks, who worked at the Magnolia Regional Health Center in his hometown as a phlebotomist for three years. Phlebotomists draw blood samples from people by venipuncture, skin puncture or arterial collection as needed for medical tests and blood donations.
``She was slow for a few days. She actually just went home and was distraught about it. I guess it takes a while to get your head back right. She had to wear earplugs at all the shows. It just goes to show you have to pay attention, no matter what job you're doing, because you can get kicked in the face and knocked out, even at a rock show.''
His relationship with Williams may not be the only connection he has to the Nashville-based company.
'The July [Victory Road] pay-per-view in Houston, they're going to be running `Addicted' for Angelina Love and Velvet Sky to run for their entrance, or they're going to have the band perform live on pay-per-view,'' Weeks said. ``We haven't got the confirmation on it, but there is definitely talk about it.''
Weeks and Williams are experiencing their greatest success to date in their respective fields.
Williams with Jamie Szantyr, better known as Velvet Sky, are collectively known as the Beautiful People. The two knockouts are featured each week on iMPACT! and consistently draw some of the highest ratings for TNA. Weeks and his band are currently on a headlining tour through July 4.
The group then travels on the road through the summer with Puddle of Mudd. Following the buzz behind ''Addicted,'' Weeks is hoping for similar results with his band's next single, ''New Tattoo'' or the ballad-like ``18 Days.''
''We've got a lot of other songs on our album that is real versatile,'' he said. ``We can bring in the ballads and bring in the Sevendust balls to the wall rock show. I kind of compare it to an Eagles album. You can pretty much put it in without changing a tune.''
• Check out Saving Abel's self-titled CD on iTunes and in stores everywhere. The girl on the cover isn't Williams.
• The Southern rock quintet Saving Abel has achieved a career milestone by taking the No. 1 position on Billboard's Heatseekers listing in its 12th charting week. The group also tops the Nielsen Soundscan new artists' album chart this week. Saving Abel gets its name from the Biblical sibling of Cain and is now based in Memphis.
• For tour dates, check out the band's website.
• TNA presents the Victory Road pay-per-view at 8 p.m. EST Sunday, July 13 from Houston.
Saving Abel's Jared Weeks is on top of the world. His band's self-titled CD debuted in March with the first single ''Addicted'' standing at No. 3 on Billboard's U.S. Mainstream Rock chart.
If professional success isn't enough, the Southern rocker is also dating Lauren Williams, a Canadian blonde bombshell better known as Angelina Love in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
The two met in Austin, Texas. Williams was in the area visiting friends, and she attended an Atreyu concert. Saving Abel appeared during a tour stop at Emo's with Sick Puppies. Williams, a big rock fan, decided to check out the band.
''She sent us a MySpace comment just congratulating us on the single and just telling us how much she liked the song,'' said Weeks, who formed the band in 2004 with guitarist Jason Null.
'I checked her page out and was like, `Holy crap, this chick actually beats women up for a living. I better watch my back.' She's totally cool about her job. There's a difference when she is at her job and who she is, when she's not. I actually love both of them. So I'm rolling with the punches.''
Weeks grew up in the Bible Belt in Corinth, Miss., playing guitar and singing in church. Living 80 miles outside of Memphis, the musician watched the stars of Memphis Wrestling. Weeks attended TNA's Sacrifice pay-per-view in May with fellow bandmates Blake Dixon (drums), Eric Taylor (bassist), Scott Bartlett (guitarist) and Null. Fellow rock star and pro wrestling fan Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins also attended.
''Wrestling was always a part of my childhood growing up,'' Weeks said. ``So to actually get introduced to Sting when we were there for the pay-per-view was great. I've been a fan of Sting since second grade. So it was kind of cool to get to meet those people, talk to them and see what they do behind the scenes.''
The TNA event allowed Weeks to compare the atmosphere of a rock show with the uniqueness of a pro wrestling crowd.
''When you watch TNA on Spike TV, you see all those people in there,'' Weeks said. ``They go crazy over that stuff, dude. Everyone was loud. The energy was really high, so it was just a thrill to be there.''
A few weeks ago, the musician got a sense of the physicality and toughness it takes to be a pro wrestler when his girlfriend suffered a concussion in a match taped for TNA iMPACT! at Universal Studios Soundstage 21 in Orlando.
Despite the injury and a short time to recover, the gutsy performer competed at the TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view on Sunday, June 8.
''I think she has too many notches on the concussion belt. I think she had two this year alone, and I don't think you're supposed to have that many in a lifetime,'' said Weeks, who worked at the Magnolia Regional Health Center in his hometown as a phlebotomist for three years. Phlebotomists draw blood samples from people by venipuncture, skin puncture or arterial collection as needed for medical tests and blood donations.
``She was slow for a few days. She actually just went home and was distraught about it. I guess it takes a while to get your head back right. She had to wear earplugs at all the shows. It just goes to show you have to pay attention, no matter what job you're doing, because you can get kicked in the face and knocked out, even at a rock show.''
His relationship with Williams may not be the only connection he has to the Nashville-based company.
'The July [Victory Road] pay-per-view in Houston, they're going to be running `Addicted' for Angelina Love and Velvet Sky to run for their entrance, or they're going to have the band perform live on pay-per-view,'' Weeks said. ``We haven't got the confirmation on it, but there is definitely talk about it.''
Weeks and Williams are experiencing their greatest success to date in their respective fields.
Williams with Jamie Szantyr, better known as Velvet Sky, are collectively known as the Beautiful People. The two knockouts are featured each week on iMPACT! and consistently draw some of the highest ratings for TNA. Weeks and his band are currently on a headlining tour through July 4.
The group then travels on the road through the summer with Puddle of Mudd. Following the buzz behind ''Addicted,'' Weeks is hoping for similar results with his band's next single, ''New Tattoo'' or the ballad-like ``18 Days.''
''We've got a lot of other songs on our album that is real versatile,'' he said. ``We can bring in the ballads and bring in the Sevendust balls to the wall rock show. I kind of compare it to an Eagles album. You can pretty much put it in without changing a tune.''
• Check out Saving Abel's self-titled CD on iTunes and in stores everywhere. The girl on the cover isn't Williams.
• The Southern rock quintet Saving Abel has achieved a career milestone by taking the No. 1 position on Billboard's Heatseekers listing in its 12th charting week. The group also tops the Nielsen Soundscan new artists' album chart this week. Saving Abel gets its name from the Biblical sibling of Cain and is now based in Memphis.
• For tour dates, check out the band's website.
• TNA presents the Victory Road pay-per-view at 8 p.m. EST Sunday, July 13 from Houston.