Joe Hendry can still remember being 15 years old and sneaking into an Edinburgh pub to perform at its open mic night.Under-age and armed with the musical ambitions that would consume the next decade of his life, the Scot was learning how to command an audience long before tens of thousands of wrestling fans were chanting his name.More than 20 years later, Hendry has travelled an extraordinary path from the pubs and music venues of the Scottish capital to the biggest stage in professional wrestling.After initially believing he was too small to become a wrestler, the 38-year-old eventually took the plunge and last year found himself facing WWE legend Randy Orton at WrestleMania.Now signed to WWE, he has also gone back to his musical roots with the release of his album Beyond Belief, which is already a top album in the charts and trending No1 in the iTunes soundtrack chart.And if the relentlessly self-promotional lyrics are anything to go by, success has certainly not damaged his confidence.’Basically, all the songs are singing about how great I am,’ Hendry told the Daily Mail. ‘So if you’re a Joe Hendry fan, this is the one for you.’ Joe Hendry has enjoyed a remarkable rise in his wrestling – and music – careerOne song in particular has attracted attention: Fire Logan Paul.And Hendry makes no attempt to disguise his message towards his fellow WWE star.’I think every so often, as a wrestler and a musician, you’ve got to take some time to do something right, use your platform for good,’ he said.’And I can’t think of anything better than firing Logan Paul.’Asked whether his WWE colleagues might privately listen to the song, Hendry joked: ‘I have no idea whether any of my colleagues have ever just one day decided to spin Fire Logan Paul, but it wouldn’t surprise me.’It is a typically mischievous answer from a man who has managed to turn music into a central part of his wrestling persona.But long before wrestling took him around the world, Hendry was a fixture on Edinburgh’s live music circuit.’I used to play in Cabaret Voltaire,’ he said. ‘I think I’ve played in Cabaret Voltaire more than any other person. I’ve probably played there 40 to 50 times.’I played in Studio 24 before it shut down. I played in Whistle Binkies.’Every week there was a bar called Acanthus… I used to play there doing live music and open mic night when I was 15.’You’re supposed to be 18 to be in that pub, but I was 15, just learning how to play in front of an audience.’We then sold out the Liquid Rooms. I got 1,000 people into the Picture House before that closed down. So yeah, I’ve got a long history with Edinburgh venues.’Music was in the family.Hendry’s father was a DJ with an obsessive love of music and encouraged his son’s creative ambitions, introducing him to Apple’s GarageBand software at 15.For the next decade, Hendry played music and wrote songs.But another ambition was refusing to disappear.’I knew in my heart pro wrestling was number one and it was never going to go away,’ he said. ‘I had to do it.’The inspiration had originally come from The Rock.Hendry says he did not become a serious wrestling fan until he was around 14, when the future Hollywood superstar captured his imagination.Yet despite his enthusiasm, Hendry initially convinced himself that a wrestling career was not realistic.’I thought in my mind I wasn’t big enough to be a wrestler,’ he admitted.’Then I got on the independent scene and I was the bigger guy in nine out of 10 matches, and I was like, “Oh, I don’t know what I was worried about here”.’That’s the thing I love about wrestling. It doesn’t matter what size you are because everybody can have a role in professional wrestling.’ Hendry took on wrestling legend Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41The turning point arrived at New Year as 2012 became 2013.Hendry was unhappy with the direction his life was taking and decided that instead of celebrating Hogmanay, he would make himself a promise.’This has not been a good year,’ he remembers thinking. ‘This is not going well. I have nothing to my name, nothing to show for all this work.’But as of tomorrow, I am a professional wrestler.’It was not an overnight transformation.Hendry says there were jobs to take and bills to pay. He started a business and endured moments when achieving his wrestling ambition appeared almost impossible.He simply refused to abandon it.’I just kept believing in myself, kept moving forward, and I worked my way up over 13 years to face Randy Orton at WrestleMania in front of 80,000 people,’ he said.’And now here I am, signed to WWE.’So my message is: if anyone’s got a dream, it’s never too late. Go out there and do it.’Music, meanwhile, has proved crucial to Hendry’s wrestling success rather than becoming the abandoned first act of his careerHis self-penned entrance theme I Believe in Joe Hendry went viral, helping transform his name and his trademark ‘believe’ catchphrase into an international wrestling phenomenon.The song also presents Hendry with an unusual problem.Other wrestlers want him to write entrance themes for them.He refuses.’Absolutely. Hell no, it’s not happening,’ he said.’Writing that song, I Believe in Joe Hendry, took me like two and a half weeks full-time.’So to do that for somebody else, I don’t know, man. I’ve got to focus on Joe Hendry here. Come on.’Nor would he exchange his own theme for that of another wrestler.’Hell no. I’ve got the best entrance theme in the game,’ he insisted.’No one has a better entrance theme than mine.’His musical influences are rather less bombastic.Hendry names American rock band Weezer as his favourite group of all time and credits them with inspiring his songwriting.And when Britpop’s great battle was being fought between Oasis and Blur, Hendry belonged firmly in the latter camp.’I was never an Oasis fan until probably a year or two ago,’ he admitted.’I didn’t really appreciate their music. It just wasn’t my thing. I was more of a Blur guy when they were doing the Oasis-Blur thing.’But now, in retrospect, it’s hard to deny they’ve got the thing.’ Hendry names Weezer as his favourite group of all time and credits them with inspiring his songwritingPerhaps inevitably, Hendry now judges Liam and Noel Gallagher partly through the eyes of a professional wrestler.’With music and art, it’s about style and substance, and they have both style and substance,’ he said.’They have amazing songs, they have a look about them, they have an attitude.’And if wrestling’s the same way, if I look at Oasis as a wrestler, they’ve got all the tools to be the top guy. They’ve got a swagger about them.’For all the miles Hendry has travelled since those teenage Edinburgh gigs, however, one ambition is much closer to home.He wants the opportunity to wrestle in front of a Scottish WWE crowd.And Hendry believes the supporters who helped propel his career can make it happen.’It comes down to the fan support,’ he said.’If the fans are loud enough, if they say his name and he appears…’If enough fans demand for Joe Hendry to be at the Hydro, then chances are he’s going to be at the Hydro.’But I can’t guarantee it. I’m hoping the fans are loud enough. They’re saying my name.’And if enough people say my name, I hope that we hear my music that night.’For the teenager who once sneaked into Edinburgh pubs simply to get the chance to perform, hearing that music booming around a packed Scottish arena would be quite a homecoming.