Edge asks Elias about the development of his “Drifter” character in NXT. Elias informs that he did a character on the indies called “Heavy Metal Jesus”. That character was all about the imagery, because he wasn’t even playing guitar at that time.
When he was signed to NXT he brought that idea to NXT officials, but they told him that he couldn’t do the ‘Jesus’ gimmick, so had to come up with a new idea. He really liked Sons of Anarchy at that time, and wanted to incorporate that look and feel into this new version of his character.
He brought the idea to Dusty Rhodes and he liked it right away. Dusty was a big supporter of his right up until his passing and soon Triple H saw something in the character as well, putting it on television and incorporating it into storylines. Elias points out that NXT fans didn’t see a whole lot of him on NXT programming, but he did his best to entertain fans at NXT live events.
He informs that he’d often go outside prior to live events so he could play guitar and sing for the fans in the lineup. When he’d compete in front of the crowd later on in the night, he’d notice a difference in the reaction they’d give him. He thinks it’s vital for performers to make those connections with members of the audience when possible.
