Post by Sir Chris Cairns on Aug 25, 2012 18:49:56 GMT -6
WrestleWire's Chad Fokinther has published an interview conducted this week with GZW2K1 Globalstar "The God of Pain" Bane. The apparent shoot interview may ruffle some feathers within the Globalverse as Bane - a premier babyface - takes legitimate shots at his long-time employers. The interview, in-full:
Away from the whacky persona which has dominated the latter part of his career, Ashley "Bane" Caprice comes across as a relatively quiet and calculating personality, settling into grumpy old age as he answers questions with a mixture of tired cynicism and wry humour, eyes shiftily looking around the bar as he hunches uncomfortably in his chair, complaining today of a particularly bad back (indeed, it took him nearly thirty seconds of grunting and grimacing before he was able to sit down in a satisfactory position).
"Well, they gave me the Bane name and gimmick because Joey [Vegas - then head of Creation Wrestling's creative team] loved Batman," Bane recalls, mumbling in a gruff voice several notches below that of his larger-than-life stage persona. He slurs his words on occasion, assuring me that this is due to painkillers prescribed by his Doctor. "I had the big arms - and they still are the biggest arms in mainstream wrestling - and they stuck me in a stupid white and black mask. That was 1989. It was in 1999 where they gave me my first overhaul and I dropped the mask, replacing it with white face paints. I hated my face being obscured. I always felt like I could be very good with facial expressions. I like being dramatic, as fans may know."
Bane's uncertainty regarding dates and events seems to mirror that of current colleague Captain All-Star. "Well, it could've been 2005 or 2006... possibly even 2007 before I dropped the face paints and the audience could finally see my animated expressions. Obviously, this was four or so years after I made my GZW2K1 debut and it should've been a big deal." He pauses suddenly, shuffling uncomofrtably in his chair, cursing his lower back, which has been the bane of his career for the past decade. "But by 2006, I was losing so many matches that nobody really gave a damn. And then I got saddled with the bed gimmick. It was my idea originally to do the bed thing, but I didn't think I'd still be doing it today. I'm tired of it," he says, before giving a wry chuckle at his unintended pun.
"The only time I got to drop the bed gimmick was Summer 2009, during my run with Eva, who is a dear friend, by the way - hence why I let her set me on fire. During that period of time I was allowed to just be myself. That was fun, but it didn't last; people seem to really like the bed shtick, so I got lumbered with it again. The positive aspect is kids seem to like the sleeping thing and I enjoy entertaining the kids."
I asked Bane what his thoughts were about having been with GZW2K1 for over ten years and having held only one title during his lengthy tenure: the HKWF World Heavyweight Championship, for just six days back in 2004. He shrugs and I can tell he's been asked the question countless times before. "That's just the way it is," he says. "I've never won squat and yet I've always been considered a main event player who creates interest in the product. What does that tell you? Maybe I never needed the accolades. Some of my colleagues seem to lobby constantly for title reigns and other nonsense like Lord of the Coliseum wins. None of that stuff would mean anything to the fans if there weren't for people like me taking the fall, right? I prefer extracting emotion from the audience as opposed to winning trinkets. Feel sorry for me. Let me be remembered as the guy who could never win the big ones. I'm happy with that."
Will Bane be winning the GZW2K1 World Heavyweight Championship in his upcoming main event match at Honorbound? "No," he states with a chuckle, revealing information which - if true - will surely be classed as a major and very controversial spoiler by his peers. He goes on to further fuel the fire which may well aggravate his bosses, stating, "I haven't even appeared on television to hype it. GroundZero has this deal where they're always pushing talent to hype the shit out of everything so they can fill their 24/7 television network, even if it means the talent end up repeating themselves, because most of them don't know what the fuck to say. I don't even know why I'm getting the title shot." A dramatic shrug. "Apparently my Big Boot finishing move is about as impactful as being slapped in the face by an infant, right? Reaper got straight back up after taking it and so did T-Rex. It makes zero sense to me and I like to think I'm smart at the booking side of things. This whole situation has been handled badly. Did they justify my getting a title shot somewhere along the line? Possibly. I don't really keep up with the television product."
I asked Bane if management had ever offered him a run with the GZW2K1 World Heavyweight Championship. "Yes. Countless times. At least twice per year for the last five years. I don't want it." He gives me a mischievous smile. "But If I change my mind, they'll put that belt on me quicker than you can blink."
"I'll admit, I'm less than happy with the company right now. I eased up on my creative control clause and decided to let management do whatever the hell they wanted with me. So, they stuck me in some rookie tournament for the Trouble Trax kids and then had a bunch of people no sell my finisher. They've fucked it up, so I can't really be bothered appearing on their TV network, driving around in a bed and screaming at the top of my lungs. Why would I? I always used to choose my matches. I chose my feuds. I chose who I wanted to put over. I was never greedy or selfish. After the whole debacle with the HKWF World Heavyweight Championship in 2004, I learned very quickly that I was not going to be messed around. After Gunman screwed me over with his pissy backstage politics, I vowed never to be taken for a ride again. I won't stand for that. I'm happy to put guys over - made a lot of money out of it - but don't fucking undermine me. Don't make me look stupid, by having the Reaper kid get back up after my finisher, pretending nothing fucking happened."
At the first mention of his legendary, legitimate feud with the retired "Lone Gunman" Icon Lord John Taylor, I decided to probe Bane for his thoughts regarding rumours of Taylor's attendance at the upcoming Honorbound show. The answer was simple: "If he so much as looks at me, I'll fucking knock him out."
Is the hatred between John Taylor and Ashley Caprice legitimate?
"Yes."
We then switched subjects many times, Bane telling me of his hatred for Globalstars swearing on television. "I don't like when they swear," he says. "GroundZero has a lot of fans who are little kids. They don't need to be hearing Leon call people 'Cunts.' All that Snoop Donk Donkey stuff makes me sick. Hell, stuff like that makes me proud to be the idiot running around in his pyjamas."
On the upcoming debut of his seventeen year-old son onto the main roster: "Quarrie's too young. My boy is a future World Heavyweight Champion, but no one is going to believe that a kid of seventeen is able to hang with T-Rex or Leon. I don't get it. It's management's fault." Bane does finish on a positive note, thankfully: "However, I support my son. I'm immensely proud. I love him and he is going to be a massive success in GZW2K1."
It was a bittersweet conversation. It was a shock to hear Bane talking with such a quiet tone and more shocking still to hear him so candidly spill the beans on his unhappiness with GZW2K1 and the company's current creative plans. As he awkwardly rises, getting ready to attend the grand opening of his newest 'Damn Good Sleep' superstore across the street, I chanced one last question. When is Bane going to retire? Two years south of fifty, Bane just smiled as he straightened up his spine.
"They won't get rid of me 'til I'm dead."
BANE UNHAPPY WITH GZW2K1 - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Away from the whacky persona which has dominated the latter part of his career, Ashley "Bane" Caprice comes across as a relatively quiet and calculating personality, settling into grumpy old age as he answers questions with a mixture of tired cynicism and wry humour, eyes shiftily looking around the bar as he hunches uncomfortably in his chair, complaining today of a particularly bad back (indeed, it took him nearly thirty seconds of grunting and grimacing before he was able to sit down in a satisfactory position).
"Well, they gave me the Bane name and gimmick because Joey [Vegas - then head of Creation Wrestling's creative team] loved Batman," Bane recalls, mumbling in a gruff voice several notches below that of his larger-than-life stage persona. He slurs his words on occasion, assuring me that this is due to painkillers prescribed by his Doctor. "I had the big arms - and they still are the biggest arms in mainstream wrestling - and they stuck me in a stupid white and black mask. That was 1989. It was in 1999 where they gave me my first overhaul and I dropped the mask, replacing it with white face paints. I hated my face being obscured. I always felt like I could be very good with facial expressions. I like being dramatic, as fans may know."
Bane's uncertainty regarding dates and events seems to mirror that of current colleague Captain All-Star. "Well, it could've been 2005 or 2006... possibly even 2007 before I dropped the face paints and the audience could finally see my animated expressions. Obviously, this was four or so years after I made my GZW2K1 debut and it should've been a big deal." He pauses suddenly, shuffling uncomofrtably in his chair, cursing his lower back, which has been the bane of his career for the past decade. "But by 2006, I was losing so many matches that nobody really gave a damn. And then I got saddled with the bed gimmick. It was my idea originally to do the bed thing, but I didn't think I'd still be doing it today. I'm tired of it," he says, before giving a wry chuckle at his unintended pun.
"The only time I got to drop the bed gimmick was Summer 2009, during my run with Eva, who is a dear friend, by the way - hence why I let her set me on fire. During that period of time I was allowed to just be myself. That was fun, but it didn't last; people seem to really like the bed shtick, so I got lumbered with it again. The positive aspect is kids seem to like the sleeping thing and I enjoy entertaining the kids."
I asked Bane what his thoughts were about having been with GZW2K1 for over ten years and having held only one title during his lengthy tenure: the HKWF World Heavyweight Championship, for just six days back in 2004. He shrugs and I can tell he's been asked the question countless times before. "That's just the way it is," he says. "I've never won squat and yet I've always been considered a main event player who creates interest in the product. What does that tell you? Maybe I never needed the accolades. Some of my colleagues seem to lobby constantly for title reigns and other nonsense like Lord of the Coliseum wins. None of that stuff would mean anything to the fans if there weren't for people like me taking the fall, right? I prefer extracting emotion from the audience as opposed to winning trinkets. Feel sorry for me. Let me be remembered as the guy who could never win the big ones. I'm happy with that."
Will Bane be winning the GZW2K1 World Heavyweight Championship in his upcoming main event match at Honorbound? "No," he states with a chuckle, revealing information which - if true - will surely be classed as a major and very controversial spoiler by his peers. He goes on to further fuel the fire which may well aggravate his bosses, stating, "I haven't even appeared on television to hype it. GroundZero has this deal where they're always pushing talent to hype the shit out of everything so they can fill their 24/7 television network, even if it means the talent end up repeating themselves, because most of them don't know what the fuck to say. I don't even know why I'm getting the title shot." A dramatic shrug. "Apparently my Big Boot finishing move is about as impactful as being slapped in the face by an infant, right? Reaper got straight back up after taking it and so did T-Rex. It makes zero sense to me and I like to think I'm smart at the booking side of things. This whole situation has been handled badly. Did they justify my getting a title shot somewhere along the line? Possibly. I don't really keep up with the television product."
I asked Bane if management had ever offered him a run with the GZW2K1 World Heavyweight Championship. "Yes. Countless times. At least twice per year for the last five years. I don't want it." He gives me a mischievous smile. "But If I change my mind, they'll put that belt on me quicker than you can blink."
"I'll admit, I'm less than happy with the company right now. I eased up on my creative control clause and decided to let management do whatever the hell they wanted with me. So, they stuck me in some rookie tournament for the Trouble Trax kids and then had a bunch of people no sell my finisher. They've fucked it up, so I can't really be bothered appearing on their TV network, driving around in a bed and screaming at the top of my lungs. Why would I? I always used to choose my matches. I chose my feuds. I chose who I wanted to put over. I was never greedy or selfish. After the whole debacle with the HKWF World Heavyweight Championship in 2004, I learned very quickly that I was not going to be messed around. After Gunman screwed me over with his pissy backstage politics, I vowed never to be taken for a ride again. I won't stand for that. I'm happy to put guys over - made a lot of money out of it - but don't fucking undermine me. Don't make me look stupid, by having the Reaper kid get back up after my finisher, pretending nothing fucking happened."
At the first mention of his legendary, legitimate feud with the retired "Lone Gunman" Icon Lord John Taylor, I decided to probe Bane for his thoughts regarding rumours of Taylor's attendance at the upcoming Honorbound show. The answer was simple: "If he so much as looks at me, I'll fucking knock him out."
Is the hatred between John Taylor and Ashley Caprice legitimate?
"Yes."
We then switched subjects many times, Bane telling me of his hatred for Globalstars swearing on television. "I don't like when they swear," he says. "GroundZero has a lot of fans who are little kids. They don't need to be hearing Leon call people 'Cunts.' All that Snoop Donk Donkey stuff makes me sick. Hell, stuff like that makes me proud to be the idiot running around in his pyjamas."
On the upcoming debut of his seventeen year-old son onto the main roster: "Quarrie's too young. My boy is a future World Heavyweight Champion, but no one is going to believe that a kid of seventeen is able to hang with T-Rex or Leon. I don't get it. It's management's fault." Bane does finish on a positive note, thankfully: "However, I support my son. I'm immensely proud. I love him and he is going to be a massive success in GZW2K1."
It was a bittersweet conversation. It was a shock to hear Bane talking with such a quiet tone and more shocking still to hear him so candidly spill the beans on his unhappiness with GZW2K1 and the company's current creative plans. As he awkwardly rises, getting ready to attend the grand opening of his newest 'Damn Good Sleep' superstore across the street, I chanced one last question. When is Bane going to retire? Two years south of fifty, Bane just smiled as he straightened up his spine.
"They won't get rid of me 'til I'm dead."
