Crazee Column
The Crazee one talks to all the EPW fans
EPW In The PapersYes - EPW has seen the
light of newspaper coverage. Click here to
read my summary!
April 2005
It's time again for the Queen of EPW to share some spring thoughts with every EPW fan.
Firstly, thanks for reading this. Thanks for watching! Have you thought about why backyarders
do this, busting their bodies over the grass and mats every week? There would be no point at
all if you guys weren't watching at home. So please keep supporting us through the summer
as we aim to start show production at a higher level than before.
Show an episode to your friends and see if they like what we put on. We're looking to increase
the fan base to enable us to make EPW into a culture performance for as many people as possible.
If you're trying out yourself this season, always remember. Warm up - warm down. Practice,
practice, practice. I can't stress this enough guys. So many times I see a n00b come down to the
arena and want to do spinning wall kicks or start some crazy ladder matches to make an impact.
Truth is though, that spot matches look boring to watch and most fans would rather see a good
wrestling match than a hardcore bash-em-up sesh, or see some guy who can't even lock up properly.
Get your basics down, and get them down well. I increasingly try to communicate this to the EPW
new guys, because we're all still learning out there. You can never stop getting better, and basics
should be part of every single training session if you ask me. I want to see a lot of locking up,
grappling, getting comfortable with each other in the ring. I tire of guys meeting eachother who
clearly don't know how to sell each other's signature move sets, and botch spot after spot because
they can't flow together without a spot-to-spot plan. Matches are mostly ad libbed, even in Indy
and I think backyarding needs to reflect this higher quality of wrestling.
And to any Indy fans out there reading this, who despise what we're doing? Listen. In Keynsham,
if you want to wrestle you got two choices. You either wrestle with EPW, or you don't wrestle
at all. If you want anything else, you have to travel to places like Trowbridge (for Indy) or
Chew Magna / Radstock (for backyard).
This is why we do backyard. EPW is not like many BY feds in that we don't break light tubes
across each other, and by just watching it you can clearly see we have the heart of an Indy
fed rather than a back yard one. That is not to sound big, nor do I mean that we're on a par
with Indy feds - we're not. But we have the same heart as Indy feds - we want to put on a
great show, a clean show and a good wrestling sesh. I have watched so many backyard clips,
videos and matches on the net now as well as on video tape and DVD, that you detect a
distinctly different soul to them than Indy feds. Having tried pro training and been involved
with BYW for around 5 years now, I can honestly say that the heart of EPW is a mini,
undiscovered and unappreciated Indy fed who happen to not have an indoor place to stage shows,
or a ring. Maybe that rubs you the wrong way, but that's why I am the biggest mouth in EPW.
I tell it as I see it, and you got to admit - a lot of superior BYW stars are switching to
Indy after they give it a try.
EPW is a baby. But it's a sexy baby, my man!
-=CrazeeKim=-
EPW president
June 2004Greetings once again, the
crazee one has been hard at work of late and getting very tired in the evenings,
so my apologies if you haven't seen as much of me as usual.
Anyway - some good news! Ken's discovered a possible wrestling school who are
having an open day very soon. Various guys who train with and work EPW matches
as well as me are going to give it a shot and see what happens, since we are all
very keen on pro training and indy wrestling, as we have always felt that EPW
wasn't like other backyard feds, in the sense that it really isn't about
hardcore and back yarding implements - though we do use them sometimes. We do
what we do to be creative, and because there are no other options around here.
EPW is all we've got - and we're proud of what we've achieved, a baby indy fed
perhaps, in the yard because we don't have a gym or the gear to do otherwise.
EPW is also growing. There are young guys training with us now who are 16/17,
and really keen to learn and go further. Of course with youth comes vibrance,
the odd batch of ego, and some issues as well, but I am confident we can grow
and so long as authority is always available to be firm but fair, the younger
guys can continue to grow and prosper.
Some of the older stars are taking rest brakes right now from active wrestling,
and others are in talks at the moment concerning their future role(s) with the
lil' fed. It's in some ways a scary time, but change is part of this business
and this lifestyle. You're never going to have everyone fit or everyone happy,
and there will always be some egos, frictions and not everyone is going to be
best buddies.
There has also been some new interest in EPW from outside parties wanting to see
more, learn more, and possibly start training with us sometime. We continue to
keep an active eye on the up and comings of Keynsham and the surrounding areas.
So if that's you - email us and don't be afraid. But don't expect the result you
want straight away, as officially right now we aren't looking for new talent,
but there's always Monday night training to see what new hopes *could* be out
there. And I use the world 'could' very strongly - in EPW no body wrestles, even
practices until they are considered a FRIEND of 'The Posse' (the original core
of EPW). We only wrestle with friends, it's about trust on that mat out there
and if you can't trust the person you're working with, then you're in for a
bumpy ride.
So, exciting times! New items in the EPW shop. Keep reading, and please keep
watching. Show 13 will be ready as soon as possible, and then ConQuesT will rock
the joint!
Station!
-=CrazeeKim=-
April 2004Push the panic button - the Corporate Crazee one has a column, and you can
expect it to be regular and explosive!
To start things off, let me remind everyone out there that EPW is a team event.
It's not just run by one man, it's run by all of us, although Ken is in charge.
I am his deputy and stand in for CK himself when he can't be at ringside or
various events.
Like today for example; I decided last week to pen a scribble electronically
(email) to the local new rag (Keynsham & Saltford Observer, weekly). This
morning I got a phonecall - would we like to be interviewed and pictured for the
paper? Of course we would - exposure is good for the federation and also good to
get the news out there that Keynsham is backyard, it is Parkour, it is
skateboarding, and it is not all charity shops, half price turkeys at Iceland
and a jolly nice pint of bitter down the Crown with Bob and Bill. Keynsham's not
dead; no! It is alive! And we're here to prove it. Without breaking any legs ...
So today we had a visit from their reporter. EPW's Gurl and myself were both
present, and we should be getting some photos taken tomorrow or later today.
With any luck, we'll make this week's Wednesday print deadline, and the Friday
paper edition will feature Keynsham's only wrestling related product, EPW!
In other news, as the sun gets hotter, I'd like to remind all those of you
thinking of busting out a few moves of two things. One, drink plenty of liquids
and if you're in the direct sunlight, use some form of lotion, even if it's only
factor 4. Sunburn sucks to bump on, especially around the shoulders and the
neck. Secondly, practice and be CAREFUL. We always warm up (and down). We
stretch and practice a lot of what we do before we do it, even chain moves and
smaller bumps. We also don't bite off more than we can chew; if you're a
technical or martial arts style wrestler like I am, don't be trying to do
moonsaults off ladders or brawl with someone whose 20 stone and wielding a
baseball bat!
At the end of the day, BYW is a risky business. But so is walking out onto a
rugby pitch. If you do it, make sure you cover your butt - if you lead a fed out
there, and have under 18s wrestling for you, get them to sign some sort of
waiver. In fact anyone you don't know like your own family, get them to sign
something. Why?
Simply because **if** it all goes to poo, and the worst does happen and someone
seriously injures themselves, you don't want any of this suing nonsense going
on. BYW is unpaid and done for fun, just like a bunch of lads going out camping
in the woods used to be in generations gone past, now. If a camping accident
happened to Dick, George's Dad wouldn't get sued, would he? Of course not! But
nowadays, even your best mate might turn nasty in a clinch, especially when
parents get involved.
So think smart and be safe - but cover your own butts for the sake of all those
involved.
-=CrazeeKim=-