BIG VIN PENHERO - HE'S GANGSTA!
**Interview from Issue 6 of Westside Pro Wrestling Newsletter - February 2010**
Team Allstar coach and hip-hop star, Big Vin Penhero talks with the Original Team Allstar benchwarmers, Tez, Camilla, Dave and KB.
TEZ 4: Growing up, who were the wrestler’s the made an influence on you?
BIG VIN: Number one would have to be Hulk Hogan. The man is a legend, I can honestly say that he was the single inspiration of getting into the business.
I also like(d) Andre the Giant, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Randy Savage. As you can tell I'm really into any wrestling from the eighties.
TEZ 4: You made your EPW debut in early 2007 as Brad West’s bodyguard. Had you been training for long when Brad asked you to help him in his feud with Jack Burbank?
BIG VIN: Look, my training has been an on going process. I've played competitive sports my whole life which included Rugby League, Australian Rules Football
and Basketball.
Then one day my cousin told me about a local wrestling fed that had started, I went down check out a show and that was it I was hooked. I trained at the EPW Dynamite Factory and then suffered a major injury (playing basketball) that put me out of action and stopped me playing any competitive sport for a number of
years.
Then after a lot of soul searching, rehab and a chance meeting with Brad West, Big Vin was unleashed on EPW.
TEZ 4 & KB 69: “I’m Gangsta” and “Call Tha Cops” seemed to catch on with the fans. Are there any plans for an EP or full length CD to drop? Where do you ultimately want to take your rap career?
BIG VIN: After the massive success of the two singles, I have collaborated with two other talented individuals and have been in the studio laying down tracks for a full length CD, which will be released early 2010. Unfortunately that all I can say about this at this time.
KB 69: Who were/are your musical influences?
BIG VIN: Biggest Influences are Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. I'm a huge fan of anything from Death Row Records also getting an honourable mention is Ice Cube, Tupac, NWA, Run DMC and Notorious BIG.
TEZ 4: Are you hoping to wrestle more in the future or are you mainly happy to stay in the Manager/Coach role, with the occasional in-ring appearance?
BIG VIN: As much as I love stepping into the ring and dishing out the Bull Doggy Dogg, I'm happy with my Manager/Coach role but in saying that , I will step in to ring when ever Team Allstar needs me but I think I'm best utilised on the outside of the ring, scouting the opposition and designing plays to help the team get the win.
SYMBA 32: Who or what are Team Allstar looking for in their number 1 Draft pick for 2010?
BIG VIN: I Think it's quite obvious in what we, I mean I would look for in a number 1 Draft pick, Just take a Look at Sebastian Sander and "The Don" Michael Morleone. They both possess power, strength , speed, aggressiveness, the drive to be number 1 and the willingness to do what ever it takes to win and I mean
whatever it takes.
CAM 27 & KB 69: In Brad West's absence, do you feel a responsibility as the senior ranking member of the team to step up and take the reigns as the head coach of Team All*Star?
BIG VIN: Of course I do, I don't just feel responsibility I also feel very honoured, Brad West is one of the greatest wrestling minds and most distinguished wrestler's EPW has ever seen. I appreciate Brad taking me under his wing and teaching me the ins and outs of the wrestling business.
Now it's my turn to repay him by putting into practice all the lessons I learnt by observing the great Man. Brad West is Brad West and Vin Penhero is Vin Penhero so there may be a slight differing in our coaching styles but the goal is the same, to make Team Allstar the dominant force in EPW.
TEZ 4: The EPW crowd finally has started giving Team Allstar some love at Kristmas Kaos. It sure has taken them long enough to catch on to the hottest stable in EPW.
BIG VIN: Yo, yo hold on there, I'm not sure if it's love the crowd is giving us, I think it could me be more the case of “The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend”. The darkest clouds you could imagine are forming over EPW as we speak, I think the EPW fans have realised this.
The Blackest Hour have shown that they are more than a bunch of black finger nail painting, mascara wearing goths. I take my hat off to them, they Punked Team Allstar, I did my homework for that match but they pulled all the strings and made us fight their fight.
I tell you right now, The Blackest Hour are in Team Allstar gun sights, we could have been mutually beneficial to each other but no, they had to pull a stunt like that (what they did at KK2). We might be out numbered, the odds might be against us but will not back down and we still have a few dirty tricks left on the White Board.
TEZ 4: What does Big Vin Penhero want to achieve in the future?
BIG VIN: Bling bling baby and I'm not talking about a 24 carrot neck chain like I wear around my neck. I want this to be the golden year for Team Allstar, I want to help put gold around the waists of Sebastian Sander and "The Don" Micheal Morleone and we're aiming high, I want Team Allstar to possess the EPW Championship and the Tag Team championship simultaneously.
TEZ 4: Thanks for chillin with Westside Pro Wrestling, Vin
BIG VIN: The pleasure was all yours.
Team Allstar coach and hip-hop star, Big Vin Penhero talks with the Original Team Allstar benchwarmers, Tez, Camilla, Dave and KB.
TEZ 4: Growing up, who were the wrestler’s the made an influence on you?
BIG VIN: Number one would have to be Hulk Hogan. The man is a legend, I can honestly say that he was the single inspiration of getting into the business.
I also like(d) Andre the Giant, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Randy Savage. As you can tell I'm really into any wrestling from the eighties.
TEZ 4: You made your EPW debut in early 2007 as Brad West’s bodyguard. Had you been training for long when Brad asked you to help him in his feud with Jack Burbank?
BIG VIN: Look, my training has been an on going process. I've played competitive sports my whole life which included Rugby League, Australian Rules Football
and Basketball.
Then one day my cousin told me about a local wrestling fed that had started, I went down check out a show and that was it I was hooked. I trained at the EPW Dynamite Factory and then suffered a major injury (playing basketball) that put me out of action and stopped me playing any competitive sport for a number of
years.
Then after a lot of soul searching, rehab and a chance meeting with Brad West, Big Vin was unleashed on EPW.
TEZ 4 & KB 69: “I’m Gangsta” and “Call Tha Cops” seemed to catch on with the fans. Are there any plans for an EP or full length CD to drop? Where do you ultimately want to take your rap career?
BIG VIN: After the massive success of the two singles, I have collaborated with two other talented individuals and have been in the studio laying down tracks for a full length CD, which will be released early 2010. Unfortunately that all I can say about this at this time.
KB 69: Who were/are your musical influences?
BIG VIN: Biggest Influences are Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. I'm a huge fan of anything from Death Row Records also getting an honourable mention is Ice Cube, Tupac, NWA, Run DMC and Notorious BIG.
TEZ 4: Are you hoping to wrestle more in the future or are you mainly happy to stay in the Manager/Coach role, with the occasional in-ring appearance?
BIG VIN: As much as I love stepping into the ring and dishing out the Bull Doggy Dogg, I'm happy with my Manager/Coach role but in saying that , I will step in to ring when ever Team Allstar needs me but I think I'm best utilised on the outside of the ring, scouting the opposition and designing plays to help the team get the win.
SYMBA 32: Who or what are Team Allstar looking for in their number 1 Draft pick for 2010?
BIG VIN: I Think it's quite obvious in what we, I mean I would look for in a number 1 Draft pick, Just take a Look at Sebastian Sander and "The Don" Michael Morleone. They both possess power, strength , speed, aggressiveness, the drive to be number 1 and the willingness to do what ever it takes to win and I mean
whatever it takes.
CAM 27 & KB 69: In Brad West's absence, do you feel a responsibility as the senior ranking member of the team to step up and take the reigns as the head coach of Team All*Star?
BIG VIN: Of course I do, I don't just feel responsibility I also feel very honoured, Brad West is one of the greatest wrestling minds and most distinguished wrestler's EPW has ever seen. I appreciate Brad taking me under his wing and teaching me the ins and outs of the wrestling business.
Now it's my turn to repay him by putting into practice all the lessons I learnt by observing the great Man. Brad West is Brad West and Vin Penhero is Vin Penhero so there may be a slight differing in our coaching styles but the goal is the same, to make Team Allstar the dominant force in EPW.
TEZ 4: The EPW crowd finally has started giving Team Allstar some love at Kristmas Kaos. It sure has taken them long enough to catch on to the hottest stable in EPW.
BIG VIN: Yo, yo hold on there, I'm not sure if it's love the crowd is giving us, I think it could me be more the case of “The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend”. The darkest clouds you could imagine are forming over EPW as we speak, I think the EPW fans have realised this.
The Blackest Hour have shown that they are more than a bunch of black finger nail painting, mascara wearing goths. I take my hat off to them, they Punked Team Allstar, I did my homework for that match but they pulled all the strings and made us fight their fight.
I tell you right now, The Blackest Hour are in Team Allstar gun sights, we could have been mutually beneficial to each other but no, they had to pull a stunt like that (what they did at KK2). We might be out numbered, the odds might be against us but will not back down and we still have a few dirty tricks left on the White Board.
TEZ 4: What does Big Vin Penhero want to achieve in the future?
BIG VIN: Bling bling baby and I'm not talking about a 24 carrot neck chain like I wear around my neck. I want this to be the golden year for Team Allstar, I want to help put gold around the waists of Sebastian Sander and "The Don" Micheal Morleone and we're aiming high, I want Team Allstar to possess the EPW Championship and the Tag Team championship simultaneously.
TEZ 4: Thanks for chillin with Westside Pro Wrestling, Vin
BIG VIN: The pleasure was all yours.