Writer’s Note: I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to write this article, as life moves fast and I didn't know if it was ever coming together or if I was too late to do so. But after finally catching up on Collision, the tribute show for Andy, I had to write this to help myself mourn such an important person and chapter of my life. So this is better late than never.
I wake up and take on water, sink to the peak of despair. What I need is a cigarette, no more prayers - Map Change
The news of Andy Williams’ passing sent shockwaves through the wrestling world and the metal and hardcore (metalcore, for those in the know) world. Andy Williams has been a huge part of my life since the late 2000s, when I graduated high school and started college. I was lucky enough to see Williams play live with his band Every Time I Die a handful of times at Warped Tour, where they were a staple, and a couple of times at the Granada Theater in Lawrence, Kansas. I had an out-of-body experience.
If you aren't familiar with Every Time I Die, they were an essential band for any kid in the scene in the late 2000s and early 2010s. They were a powerful combination of groovy guitar riffs, witty, message-driven lyrics, and songs that could make you want to mosh and chug a beer with your bros at the same time. That's exactly who I was in college, so it was easy to see why ETID was such a big part of my life. Their sound was unlike any other band of the era, and even a decade later, no one has replicated it.
When World Collide
I was a lapsed wrestling fan for a good decade, and like so many, I came back when AEW was formed. So you can gauge how excited I was when my jaw dropped at the news that Andy was a pro wrestler. The Butcher felt like a throwback to the menacing wrestlers of the 1980s and 90s, and everyone knew the babyface would struggle to defeat such a mountain. You can't tell AEW's story without mentioning The Butcher. His work with his tag partner, The Blade, and their valet, The Bunny, was essential during the pandemic era at Daily’s Place.
That's why I will miss Andy. I did not realize until I heard the news of his passing how much his work was woven into my personal life. My experience with Andy was always in concert. Whether it was an ETID headlining tour, like the one in Lawrence or at Warped Tour, he always stood out. He looked terrifying. But every time he spoke to us or in any interview, he sounded so gentle, and that is exactly what he was: a gentle giant. Not a single bad word has been said about him over these past couple of weeks of mourning, and that is something I strive to be. When it's my time, I want to be remembered like Andy. Everyone should.
My Favorite From Andy Williams
I keep watching that Excalibur video and can't stop crying. I watch that Eddie Kingston tribute and I can't stop sobbing. To mourn Andy Williams with them, I want to remember some of my favorite things he ever did. So this list is my tribute to Andy, highlighting my favorite things he did in wrestling and in the recording booth.
Every Time I Die- Ex Lives (2012)
Although the first album I ever heard from ETID was 2006’s The Big Dirty, Ex Lives (2012) was when I truly fell in love with this band. While the previous two albums (Gutter Phenomenon and Hot damn!) had a much looser, party vibe, I think Ex Lives was the first time the band really expanded their sound into something heavier and more “serious.” Andy’s guitar playing really took another level on this album, and his sound and ability to play different genres of music really were exemplified here. This is the album that had the entire metal/hardcore community in love with this band, and where their status as the best band in the scene finally became consensus.
Some standout guitar playing from Andy on this album: Typical Miracle, Underwater Bimbos from Outerspace, Indian Giver.
Bunkhouse Match: The Natural Nightmares (Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall) VS The Butcher and The Blade (2020)
A pandemic-era banger match for The Butcher and The Blade, cementing their legacy as the era's heel tag team. First it was the Young Bucks, then Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall, who took on the era's heel tag team. Not everyone gets these sorts of plunder matches, and not everything gets to face the son who made the match famous. Tony Khan trusted The Butcher and the Blade to put on a good match and put over Rhodes in a match that mattered to him and his family. Even though they lost, The Butcher was incredibly happy with the match. Here is a tweet from Dustin Rhodes remembering his experience after the match:
In hindsight, we should have known how important The Butcher and The Blade were. They never fully got their flowers during their time in AEW, and certainly not after their contracts were not renewed. It's unfortunate it took Williams' death for us to acknowledge that, but there was no doubt — they were incredibly important. After hearing that Andy had been unresponsive, this was the first match that came to mind, and it will always hold a close place in my heart because it shows why they mattered.
Every Time I Die- Gutter Phenomenon (2005)
This album is the peak of ETID's party side for me. Listen to the opening song and tell me you don't want to chug a beer and start headbanging. It mentally puts me back in a place where life was a little simpler. It was also the first album of theirs I couldn't stop listening to from front to back. I knew every word and air-guittared every lick; I knew. Even though they are from Buffalo, New York, the Southern Rock twang they mix with the heavy Metalcore tempo and lyrics makes this an all-time album—one of my personal favorite albums and one of the best in ETID’s Discography. This really made ETID a staple in many people's listening rotation and separated Every Time I Die from every other Metalcore act.
Some Songs to listen to: Apocalypse Now and Then, Bored Stiff, Tusk and Temper
AEW World Title: Jon Moxley VS The Butcher (2020)
The match took place during the height of the pandemic, as AEW shot for a year straight from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. When the match was announced at the start of the show, I was so excited. I knew the Butcher wasn't going to win the title, but I still thought, wide-eyed, “What if he does?!” One of my favorite musicians climbed to the top of the mountain and earned a world title shot during one of the most important title reigns in the company’s history. I felt like a little kid at Christmas, so I couldn't imagine how Andy felt.
That is why I love professional wrestling, and I thank Andy Williams for giving me that moment. This match exemplifies Andy Williams's importance in AEW, especially during the pandemic. He was the big bad during that era. Sure, this match highlighted some of the Butcher’s limitations, as it looked like he got gassed. However, look at his body and work rate after the match. Look at his match versus Danny Garcia, his next big solo match in AEW; tell me he didnt improve. You knew he loved this and wanted to be the best he could be, and that growth is part of why this match matters here.
Thank you, Andy, for one of my favorite moments in this company.
Every Time I Die- From Parts Unknown (2014)
Replicating Ex Lives' musical and commercial success was always going to be hard. Still, From Parts Unknown is a great follow-up, largely because it showcases William's versatility as a guitarist. Its real strength is the dichotomy of songs: Decaying with the Boys returns to party anthems with a southern rock influence and tangy, juicy rhythm playing. At the same time, Moor is a piano-led somber song about revenge with a more straightforward guitar sound that is just as powerful. Even in the more straightforward songs, Williams' hooky riffs stand out, and regardless of the album's tone, Andy always made sure we remembered he is one of the best guitarists—just an absolutely fantastic album.
Falls Count Anywhere: The Young Bucks defeat The Butcher And The Blade (2020)
This is another example of how important The Blade and The Butcher were during the Daily’s Place days of AEW. This match was plastered all over social media as people remembered The Butcher’s time in AEW, and it might ultimately be the most memorable match he had in All Elite Wrestling. This match was such a fun way to give the Butcher and the Blade a different angle. As terrifying as it was to see both of them butchering meats before the match, it was also extremely funny. I loved seeing that side of the Butcher and the Blade. The Blade being super-kicked onto the escalator, then slowly, unconsciously taken up to the next floor, is a moment that will always stick with me.
Every Time I Die- Map Changes (Low Teens, 2016)
“What I need is a cigarette, no more prayers”
Hearing this song in Andy/The Butcher’s video tribute on Collision hit me deeply and personally. I think this was the most appropriate song they could have used from Every Time I Die’s discography. This is the most somber, melancholy ETID has ever sounded, and Keith Buckley’s vocals and lyrics make you reflect on past or current difficult times — in this case, grieving and mourning. The hook between the chorus and verses is so catchy, and it proved ETID's versatility as a ballad band. The guitar playing between Andy and guitar mate Jordan Buckley was immaculate. Haunting yet catchy.
The song, as well as the music video, is also a critical yet honest love letter to their blue-collar, hard-working hometown of Buffalo, New York, which has become a very important city in AEW history.
“Hell is not a myth; we spend each winter there no one can prepare.”
This is ETID’s most popular song on Spotify, and I think it's for a reason; Map Change will be tied to a certain time and place with ETID and AEW for the rest of eternity. This was also, ominously, the last song they ever played live together as a band in 2021.
Daniel Garcia vs The Butcher, The Battle of Buffalo (2024)
Even though Andy had a few matches after this one, this would go down as his AEW curtain call. Butcher served as the big-bad hurdle during Garcia’s massive push in 2024, and this match came before Garcia’s International Title shot and, at the time, a potential AEW World Championship shot. I’m sure Garcia would have loved to face no one else in this Homecoming match but the man he has called his “older brother.” It was a quick match, but one that will live in AEW fans' memories as they remember The Butcher's time in AEW.
The Butcher doing Garcia’s dance in the middle of the match was so out of character, but it fit the match and the environment perfectly. As fun as that moment was, the lasting image was the two hometown wrestlers embracing in the middle of the ring, celebrating that they had made it. I loved rewatching this match, and that first show in Buffalo, New York, after Williams's passing will be unforgettable. That city loves Andy, and this match is a prime example.
Thank you for everything, Andy.
“Though it may haunt us and break our hearts. Death cannot tear us apart”- Fear and Trembling, Every Time I Die