Storms a-brewin! (FSM 87; Nov 12)

FSM: You're competing in a three-way match against both AJ Styles and Bobby Roode at Turning Point this Sunday. With that sort of talent, you must be thinking about stealing the show?
James Storm: I don't really know about stealing the show. It's called wrestling, so that's what I go out there to do - be a wrestler. Whether people want to say that it stole the show, merited four stars or even five stars, I really don't know about all that crap - I just try to do my job. But you have all TNA originals in there, which is always good.

I understand what you're saying about it being your job, but I'm sure it means more to you than that; rather than stealing the show, then, is it all about telling a good story?
Oh yeah, and I think a lot of people have lost sight of that. To me, wrestling is [about] a good story, first and foremost. There aren't too many good storytelling guys left in this business, because everyone thinks it's more important to do backflips off the top rope (laughs).

You've been wrestling Bobby Roode on-and-off for around a year now. Obviously, he's great to work with, but would you like to move on now, and do something different?
Yeah. It's just one of those things, y'know? We're still telling the story between me and Bobby, but I'm sure very soon I'll move onto someone else. As far as really moving on from Bobby, I don't think I ever will, because he's also established himself as a main-eventer in the company.

TNA is in a really interesting place right now, with great talent up and down the card. How do you feel about where the company is right now?
I think it's in one of the best places it's ever been. Having been here since day one, I've basically seen it all, and right now, it's a great time to be here, because there's a lot of talk going on with different storylines and what-have-you - not just on the top of the card, but for all the folks on the roster.

Having talked to quite a few different members of the TNA roster, who have said that it used to be more difficult to air any ideas they had, have you also found things have improved on that front?
Y'know, I've always had a good relationship with TNA. It's one of those things; if you treat people with respect, and approach them the right way, then it's easier to talk to them, so I've never had any problem with management in that way. It's even easier if the story you're selling to them is a good one; they might not credit you for the idea, but they might just use it! (laughs) I take what they give me, and I always try to make the best out of it.

Should storylines reflect real-life, or should they provide a bit of escapism for the viewer?
With reality TV and all that sort of stuff being so popular, wrestling needs to incorporate some of that a little more. There are some real interesting guys on the roster whose life stories could come across great to the fans and on TV.

One of our writers recently pitched the idea that Mr. Anderson should play up his political beliefs on-screen. I'm told he's interesting to travel with...
Oh, he's always on the road, driving the guys crazy when he sticks his iPad on, wanting to tune into the political stuff. All the other boys are trying to blare different kinds of music, so it becomes a bit of a mess sometimes! (laughs)

The Aces & Eights storyline is in full flow at the moment. I know that at one point, at least, the TNA locker-room was obsessed by the Sons Of Anarchy show. Do you think that's partly why this biker gang story came about?
In a way I think it is, because it's something hot that's on TV right now; when something lands on TV and becomes hot, you can always find some sort of spin-off on another channel. I also think TNA are doing the right thing by not going too fast with it, but instead slowly revealing one member at a time.

At one time in wrestling, it wasn't uncommon to have major storylines lasting up to a year. Do you think wrestling nowadays is missing that approach?
Definitely. You have a pay-per-view every month now, but there were only four per year back when I was growing up. Nowadays, there's so much going on with WWE, UFC and TNA all running these big shows on a monthly basis, so I definitely think that wrestling should return to only running those four big shows every year. That way there's more time to build up storylines, and then see a bigger pay-off from that.

I suppose much of the current way has come about because wrestling is considered more of a TV product than ever before.
I guess it boils down to the fact that Spike TV are the ones who really pay the bills in TNA, so it's important to please them. Hopefully it all comes together in the end, with the pay-per-views, TV shows, and the live events. At the end of the day, they're all important equally.

A few months ago, your character was very much linked to Aces & Eights. If the opportunity came up to switch your character and play heel in that group, would you be interested in doing it?
Like I said, I'll take any storyline they give me, and try to run with it. You aren't always dealt the best hand, but if I had any say in that one, I don't think I'd do it, because I don't like being part of a big group. You kind of get lost in the shuffle, regardless of whether or not you're the top guy in there. At the end of the day, it can become a mess, so I'm pretty happy just being my own person, and doing my own thing.

I've heard wrestlers say it's more fun to play heel, but when you're a really popular babyface, as you are, is that the case?
To me, it doesn't matter if I'm heel or babyface - I'm always out there having fun. I get to go out there, drink beer, and run around in my underwear. That's a dream job! (laughs)

Bobby Roode has been hounded with questions this year as to why he didn't win the TNA World Title at Bound For Glory 2011. It actually ended up being you who won the title from Kurt Angle at the next TV taping, before losing it to Bobby. Was it disappointing to hold the belt so briefly?
It's just another part of the story. I think I probably would have been upset if I'd been asked to drop the title to anyone else but Bobby; I would have dropped it to him the very same day that I won it, because of the respect I have for him.
At the end of the day, everybody wants a long title run, but to me it's a pain in the ass at times, because I hate going through airports with the belt. (laughs) Seriously, though, it does feel good to know that company believes in you, and wants to stand behind you like that.

As we draw nearer to the end of the year, do you have any goals in mind for 2013?
Really just to stay healthy. Last year, around this time, I suffered a concussion and was getting ready to take some time off, so I just want to stay healthy. I love doing all the shows that we have, and am usually on all the live events. Wrestling when you're injured isn't too good, so I want to stay away from that, and hopefully get back into the World title hunt.

Are you looking forward to being in the UK in January? You've always been well-received here.
Oh, I'll be there. I told TNA that they can't go to a great beer-drinking country like the UK and not have a great beer-drinker on the show! (laughs)

Speaking of beer-drinkers, didn't you have the chance to hang out with Steve Austin recently?
Well, in Nashville, he had the chance to hang out with me. (laughs) Steve's another one of those guys who just likes to go out and drink with different people, have a good time, and hear all the stories they have to tell. It's great to travel around the world and do that, because a lot of times after the show, we get stuck back at the hotel, and then the next morning, we're gone.
Any chance to go out and have fun, and cut loose is good, and that's pretty much what Steve and I did.