Epitaph
04-14-2004, 04:41 PM
From 1wrestling,com
AN INTERVIEW WITH HOMICIDE
BY: EVAN GINZBURG
EG: This is Evan Ginzburg for WBAI-FM's Light Show and we're here with hardcore hero, Homicide. Why don't you tell us a little about your background? How you broke into the business. Who trained you?
HO: Basically I was trained in Brooklyn on the south side. A bodega, like a mini-market. They had a ring in there Broken down. Worse than the church- another one I was training at in Bed Sty, Brooklyn. But it was terrible. I got nobody to train me, so what I did was I just got in the ring. Studied my Japanese tapes. And basically that's how I learned- by TV.
EG: I've seen you wrestle many times. I've seen you wrestle hardcore. I've seen you do straight wrestling as well. Tell us about some of your influences.
HO: I like hardcore, and I like wrestling. Old school wrestling, technical wrestling, I like all of them. Hardcore wrestling, I just do it, because you hear the people pop and everything. You hear the crowd cheer. They want blood- like Jersey All Pro. It's real good doing hardcore. I worked with New Jack 3 times. Axl Rotten, Ian Rotten. I got a lot of respect for New Jack. He goes out there doing his thing. Even if he gets hurt from a balcony jump, he still gets up. I got a lot of respect for the man. A lot of people were calling me a wanabe. I "want to be New Jack" or I'm "trying to be like him." I never tried to be like him because I'm really from the streets. I do not like wearing tights. I want to dress the way I want to dress.
EG: Tell us a little bit about working with New Jack, What's it feel like the next morning?
HO: The next morning, I popped a pill. Pain killers. Advil, you know. But when I get in there, he's my enemy. It's like I'm a gang member and he's another gang member. There's a lot of excitement when I step into the ring and he brings that hardcore. He is the original gangsta you can say. He's a good worker.
EG: This is a little awkward, but there is a very thin line between work and shoot. When New Jack is hitting you over the head with stuff what does it feel like?
HO: In this wrestling, you cannot be a baby. We wrestle with crutches. He hit me with a Nintendo. He stapled my head like 3 times. Stabbed me with forks, and all 3 times I fought him I came out of that ring bleeding. I'm going in there and if he stiffs me, he stiffs me. I'm not going to complain. I don't complain. I got the respect that I want. You get hurt with a weapon. If you go in doing the hardcore, you're going to be hit with maybe a crutch, maybe a cane, anything. You can't be a baby. Basically a lot of people and a lot of promoters wanted to book me as a hardcore wrestler. Go over there and do a street fight. I bring the hardcore and the people like it, because I put my body on the line. When I do wrestling, you know, I still get the pop, because I like that Japanese wrestling style. Me and Low Ki have had tremendous matches. We were doing all Japanese style, not American. All solid and stiff. I want these people to know that I'm a wrestler, and I can be one of the best technical wrestlers like Benoit and Malenko. I'd like to be thought of as one of the best, whether it's hardcore or wrestling. Now I'm doing more wrestling.
EG: What do you say to all of the old school fans, many of whom are critical of hardcore wrestling?
HO: I'm not going to lie, but I prefer the old school better, because that was wrestling back then. Everybody from the old school made wrestling. They know who built it up. I do like the new school now, but I prefer the old school style.
EG: Homicide, working the indies I know you've met all kinds of promoters, good and bad. Why don't you give us some idea about some of your experiences over 10 years?
H0: Well, we've had a lot of good promoters. I've done shows all over. A lot of promoters give me the chance to wrestle on their shows, treat me nice, give me a good payday, the respect that I need. But some promoters are a bunch of jackasses. And I'd like to put my foot in their faces. Some of these promoters want to be the "champion." To me, you're a mark fan. They know who I'm talking about.
EG: Speaking of that, what are your goals for the immediate future? What are your goals over the next few years?
H0: I prefer Japan and then I can talk about WWF.
EG: We've interviewed a lot of guys you've worked with J Lover, Lowlife Louie Ramos, and we've talked about hardcore. What do you say to old school fans who say, "You guys are destroying your bodies and scarring yourselves for not a lot of money at this point." What is the motivation? Where is the payoff?
H0: I had this man who put me under his wing, Manny Fernandez. And he's old school. He told me everything about old school like Texas Death Matches, Pinfalls Count Anywhere- those were hardcore matches back then. Now to be honest, I've had surgery. I had to scope my knee. My two ankles are bad. Yeah, I'm stupid to do whatever, like barb wire, but Manny Fernandez is right that hardcore today is ridiculous. People are getting burned with fire. Using a weed whacker. It is kind of ridiculous. That's why I try to tell Lowlife Louie who I trained in this business that he doesn't have to prove that he's a super keyed up hardcore. Just go out there and make a name for yourself because I don't want to see him dead. If we have a barbed wire match, I don't want to see a barbed wire get tangled in his neck and cut a jugular vein. Hardcore is getting ridiculous. I can't believe that I've been a hardcore wrestler and saying that, but it's true. Manny Fernandez says that back in the days hardcore was Bruno and The Sheik.
EG: I saw Manny Fernandez back with the NWA in the mid and late eighties and the guy was a great worker. Still is I hear.
HO: It's too bad when people don't remember him, because he showed me a lot of things. Old school. The right way to do things in the ring. The young guys gotta check Manny out because he's a good worker.
EG: He was a football player out of Texas also. He's a real athlete. I remember him as a tag team champion. I remember him in Florida. I used to see him every month down in Philly with the NWA. The guy was great. You've been working ten years, why don't you tell us about your greatest memories. Your greatest experiences.
HO: Wrestling Terry Funk was a highlight. The years have been great to me.
EG: Tell us about some of your injuries.
HO: I hurt my tailbone. It just got healed after two years. My knee. My two ankles are sprained. I got a lot of cuts in my heads. I had 17 stitches in my arm from doing a cage match against New Jack. Man, this wrestling business- people say it's fake, man, but it's real. It's real…
EG: Here's a question for you. Terry Funk had his arm set on fire a few years ago. How much would somebody have to be paid to get their arm set on fire?!
HO: (laughs) I don't know man, he's a loose cannon. I've seen a lot of shows where he just flips out. I spy on him. Everything he does in the ring, I do it too. Like somebody messes a spot, he just throws chairs at people. It's crazy the things he does, but I have great respect for him. He's my idol. And the age he is, he's still going at it.
EG: He's the kind of guy you should just sit down with and talk for hours. He's like a living encyclopedia.
HO: I got so much respect for him I don't have the words…
EG: And like yourself, Terry is somebody who can wrestle and brawl. He can do anything.
HO: He's a former NWA World Champion because he wanted to be the best. He's an old schooler, but he can do hardcore. He can do everything.
EG: He's also a great person. I've met him and spoken to him. He's one of the guys who likes to pass it down to the younger guys and give his wisdom and experience. You can learn from a guy like this.
HO: In fact, Manny Fernandez was influenced by Terry Funk. Terry hooked him up in Florida. That's the same thing that Manny did for me. He can be a great teacher like Terry Funk.
EG: You've mentioned that you like old tapes. Tell us about some of the guys who have influenced you.
HO: Abdullah the Butcher, Freebirds. Funks, Brody, Japanese wrestling, Chono is one of my favorites, Muta, there's a lot. I like the international guys.
EG: It seems like you're very open to learning from people. I've see in the past a lot of young wrestlers feel like they know it all. They don't like to take advice or constructive criticism. You seem more open to watching the tapes, taking advice from the old-timers. That's a positive trait.
HO: If you want to make it in this business, if you got connections, and an old-timer is telling you what to do and how to make it in the business, you've got to listen. I listened to Manny Fernandez 100%. He hooked me up in Norfolk, Virginia and Tennessee.
EG: We're sitting here with a room full of wrestlers of all different sizes and shapes. From very large to relatively "normal" sized. You're working in an era where the size doesn't seem to matter as much. Not all the wrestlers are monstrous. They're not all 250. Which gives you a greater opportunity that you might not have had 15 or 20 years ago.
HO: Back then you had King Kong Bundy, Andre the Giant, Big John Studd, and I'm 5'8 220 pounds. But right now you see a lot of lighter weights and less heavyweights. Size doesn't matter to me. I can put on a great match with a large guy, average sized guy, small guy, even a midget! (laughs)
EG: That's because, as we said before, you know how to work. Not just hit people over the head with stuff. I've been going to wrestling since, God, 1974, and I've seen everyone live and on tape, and if I say you're my favorite working the independents, I mean that sincerely. Any final comments for the listeners or the sheet readers?
HO: Just support Wrestling- Then & Now, support the independents. When you spend six bucks or ten bucks you can be seeing your future Rock or whomever.
EG: Exactly. The stars of tomorrow. Up close and personal. Get autographs. Take pictures. A whole different experience from going to Madison Square Garden. All right, we've been listening to hardcore hero Homicide, right here on Light Show…
HO: All right, Brooklyn!
Homicide look's like a total class act on this interview. Very interesting read. What's every one's thought's on this?
AN INTERVIEW WITH HOMICIDE
BY: EVAN GINZBURG
EG: This is Evan Ginzburg for WBAI-FM's Light Show and we're here with hardcore hero, Homicide. Why don't you tell us a little about your background? How you broke into the business. Who trained you?
HO: Basically I was trained in Brooklyn on the south side. A bodega, like a mini-market. They had a ring in there Broken down. Worse than the church- another one I was training at in Bed Sty, Brooklyn. But it was terrible. I got nobody to train me, so what I did was I just got in the ring. Studied my Japanese tapes. And basically that's how I learned- by TV.
EG: I've seen you wrestle many times. I've seen you wrestle hardcore. I've seen you do straight wrestling as well. Tell us about some of your influences.
HO: I like hardcore, and I like wrestling. Old school wrestling, technical wrestling, I like all of them. Hardcore wrestling, I just do it, because you hear the people pop and everything. You hear the crowd cheer. They want blood- like Jersey All Pro. It's real good doing hardcore. I worked with New Jack 3 times. Axl Rotten, Ian Rotten. I got a lot of respect for New Jack. He goes out there doing his thing. Even if he gets hurt from a balcony jump, he still gets up. I got a lot of respect for the man. A lot of people were calling me a wanabe. I "want to be New Jack" or I'm "trying to be like him." I never tried to be like him because I'm really from the streets. I do not like wearing tights. I want to dress the way I want to dress.
EG: Tell us a little bit about working with New Jack, What's it feel like the next morning?
HO: The next morning, I popped a pill. Pain killers. Advil, you know. But when I get in there, he's my enemy. It's like I'm a gang member and he's another gang member. There's a lot of excitement when I step into the ring and he brings that hardcore. He is the original gangsta you can say. He's a good worker.
EG: This is a little awkward, but there is a very thin line between work and shoot. When New Jack is hitting you over the head with stuff what does it feel like?
HO: In this wrestling, you cannot be a baby. We wrestle with crutches. He hit me with a Nintendo. He stapled my head like 3 times. Stabbed me with forks, and all 3 times I fought him I came out of that ring bleeding. I'm going in there and if he stiffs me, he stiffs me. I'm not going to complain. I don't complain. I got the respect that I want. You get hurt with a weapon. If you go in doing the hardcore, you're going to be hit with maybe a crutch, maybe a cane, anything. You can't be a baby. Basically a lot of people and a lot of promoters wanted to book me as a hardcore wrestler. Go over there and do a street fight. I bring the hardcore and the people like it, because I put my body on the line. When I do wrestling, you know, I still get the pop, because I like that Japanese wrestling style. Me and Low Ki have had tremendous matches. We were doing all Japanese style, not American. All solid and stiff. I want these people to know that I'm a wrestler, and I can be one of the best technical wrestlers like Benoit and Malenko. I'd like to be thought of as one of the best, whether it's hardcore or wrestling. Now I'm doing more wrestling.
EG: What do you say to all of the old school fans, many of whom are critical of hardcore wrestling?
HO: I'm not going to lie, but I prefer the old school better, because that was wrestling back then. Everybody from the old school made wrestling. They know who built it up. I do like the new school now, but I prefer the old school style.
EG: Homicide, working the indies I know you've met all kinds of promoters, good and bad. Why don't you give us some idea about some of your experiences over 10 years?
H0: Well, we've had a lot of good promoters. I've done shows all over. A lot of promoters give me the chance to wrestle on their shows, treat me nice, give me a good payday, the respect that I need. But some promoters are a bunch of jackasses. And I'd like to put my foot in their faces. Some of these promoters want to be the "champion." To me, you're a mark fan. They know who I'm talking about.
EG: Speaking of that, what are your goals for the immediate future? What are your goals over the next few years?
H0: I prefer Japan and then I can talk about WWF.
EG: We've interviewed a lot of guys you've worked with J Lover, Lowlife Louie Ramos, and we've talked about hardcore. What do you say to old school fans who say, "You guys are destroying your bodies and scarring yourselves for not a lot of money at this point." What is the motivation? Where is the payoff?
H0: I had this man who put me under his wing, Manny Fernandez. And he's old school. He told me everything about old school like Texas Death Matches, Pinfalls Count Anywhere- those were hardcore matches back then. Now to be honest, I've had surgery. I had to scope my knee. My two ankles are bad. Yeah, I'm stupid to do whatever, like barb wire, but Manny Fernandez is right that hardcore today is ridiculous. People are getting burned with fire. Using a weed whacker. It is kind of ridiculous. That's why I try to tell Lowlife Louie who I trained in this business that he doesn't have to prove that he's a super keyed up hardcore. Just go out there and make a name for yourself because I don't want to see him dead. If we have a barbed wire match, I don't want to see a barbed wire get tangled in his neck and cut a jugular vein. Hardcore is getting ridiculous. I can't believe that I've been a hardcore wrestler and saying that, but it's true. Manny Fernandez says that back in the days hardcore was Bruno and The Sheik.
EG: I saw Manny Fernandez back with the NWA in the mid and late eighties and the guy was a great worker. Still is I hear.
HO: It's too bad when people don't remember him, because he showed me a lot of things. Old school. The right way to do things in the ring. The young guys gotta check Manny out because he's a good worker.
EG: He was a football player out of Texas also. He's a real athlete. I remember him as a tag team champion. I remember him in Florida. I used to see him every month down in Philly with the NWA. The guy was great. You've been working ten years, why don't you tell us about your greatest memories. Your greatest experiences.
HO: Wrestling Terry Funk was a highlight. The years have been great to me.
EG: Tell us about some of your injuries.
HO: I hurt my tailbone. It just got healed after two years. My knee. My two ankles are sprained. I got a lot of cuts in my heads. I had 17 stitches in my arm from doing a cage match against New Jack. Man, this wrestling business- people say it's fake, man, but it's real. It's real…
EG: Here's a question for you. Terry Funk had his arm set on fire a few years ago. How much would somebody have to be paid to get their arm set on fire?!
HO: (laughs) I don't know man, he's a loose cannon. I've seen a lot of shows where he just flips out. I spy on him. Everything he does in the ring, I do it too. Like somebody messes a spot, he just throws chairs at people. It's crazy the things he does, but I have great respect for him. He's my idol. And the age he is, he's still going at it.
EG: He's the kind of guy you should just sit down with and talk for hours. He's like a living encyclopedia.
HO: I got so much respect for him I don't have the words…
EG: And like yourself, Terry is somebody who can wrestle and brawl. He can do anything.
HO: He's a former NWA World Champion because he wanted to be the best. He's an old schooler, but he can do hardcore. He can do everything.
EG: He's also a great person. I've met him and spoken to him. He's one of the guys who likes to pass it down to the younger guys and give his wisdom and experience. You can learn from a guy like this.
HO: In fact, Manny Fernandez was influenced by Terry Funk. Terry hooked him up in Florida. That's the same thing that Manny did for me. He can be a great teacher like Terry Funk.
EG: You've mentioned that you like old tapes. Tell us about some of the guys who have influenced you.
HO: Abdullah the Butcher, Freebirds. Funks, Brody, Japanese wrestling, Chono is one of my favorites, Muta, there's a lot. I like the international guys.
EG: It seems like you're very open to learning from people. I've see in the past a lot of young wrestlers feel like they know it all. They don't like to take advice or constructive criticism. You seem more open to watching the tapes, taking advice from the old-timers. That's a positive trait.
HO: If you want to make it in this business, if you got connections, and an old-timer is telling you what to do and how to make it in the business, you've got to listen. I listened to Manny Fernandez 100%. He hooked me up in Norfolk, Virginia and Tennessee.
EG: We're sitting here with a room full of wrestlers of all different sizes and shapes. From very large to relatively "normal" sized. You're working in an era where the size doesn't seem to matter as much. Not all the wrestlers are monstrous. They're not all 250. Which gives you a greater opportunity that you might not have had 15 or 20 years ago.
HO: Back then you had King Kong Bundy, Andre the Giant, Big John Studd, and I'm 5'8 220 pounds. But right now you see a lot of lighter weights and less heavyweights. Size doesn't matter to me. I can put on a great match with a large guy, average sized guy, small guy, even a midget! (laughs)
EG: That's because, as we said before, you know how to work. Not just hit people over the head with stuff. I've been going to wrestling since, God, 1974, and I've seen everyone live and on tape, and if I say you're my favorite working the independents, I mean that sincerely. Any final comments for the listeners or the sheet readers?
HO: Just support Wrestling- Then & Now, support the independents. When you spend six bucks or ten bucks you can be seeing your future Rock or whomever.
EG: Exactly. The stars of tomorrow. Up close and personal. Get autographs. Take pictures. A whole different experience from going to Madison Square Garden. All right, we've been listening to hardcore hero Homicide, right here on Light Show…
HO: All right, Brooklyn!
Homicide look's like a total class act on this interview. Very interesting read. What's every one's thought's on this?