Hugo Camacho Interview

In 2006 I was on tour with a band in Europe and when we hit Spain that is where I met Hugo and since then we have remand great friends. He has retired from playing in bands to become the premier publisher of Bizzaro Fiction in Spain with his company Orciny Press.

I am honored to call Hugo my friend. So please sit back and enjoy our interview with Hugo Camacho. Things will get weird but you might just learn something!

First Question: Can you please tell us a little about Bizarro Fiction?

It's a specific way of understanding genre fiction. We usually say that it's literature’s equivalent to the cult section at the video store, but the definition falls a bit short. It's the literature of the weird and the strange but usually with a fun twist. Imagine Lovecraft, Kafka and Ionesco put in a blender and spread with some anime. Whereas in regular Sci-Fi and Fantasy the writer tries to cause a 'sense of wonder' in the reader, the writer of Bizarro fiction arouses a 'sense of WTF?' in the readers, because they keep on wondering what the fuck are they reading page after page. The element of ongoing surprise is quite crucial.

Second Question: Tell us about your publishing company Orciny Press?

Orciny Press is an independent publishing house cited in Barcelona. It started as a small press, but since it's getting regular nationwide distribution now, it has just gone one step further. We publish Bizarro Fiction and some other edgy genre fiction which is not specifically Bizarro but that we think it's weird and special. And this year we'll start publishing non-fiction, too, with the Spanish translation of Angela Nagle's Kill All Normies.

Third Question: Since you are releasing Bizarro Fiction in Spain has it been hard to get a foot hold?

Definitely yes. Nobody had done it before so I had to carve my own niche here, but I think there was a need for this kind of literature and I managed to drag some new fans to the genre. One thing about Bizarro is that once you get to know about its existence, you can't live without it any more. There were a lot of people that were fans of Bizarro and they didn't know yet that they loved it. And there still are.

Fourth Question: Why did you deiced to become a publisher instead of an author?

I found about Carlton Mellick III's and Laura Lee Bahr's work and automatically fell in love and thought that somebody had to translate them. I was unemployed at the time and decided to give it a try and do it myself... and here I am, more than 3 years later. I still consider myself an author, too, and some of my work finds its way into publication, but it's hard to find time to write your own stuff and decide it's OK to let it go out in the world when you're working with other writers.

Fifth Question: What has been the hardest part of getting the company started?

Doing it with practically no money and paying taxes. You have to pay around $300/month in Spain when you are self-employed, and that's quite a burden when you usually don't earn it at the beginning when selling books. And being completely unknown in an already established industry.

Sixth Question: Has the Bizarro Fiction Scene been receptive to the company?

Absolutely. There's a wonderful community of weirdos around Bizarro that's very supportive to one another. I think that's the best part. When I attended BizarroCon last year their arms were fully open for that guy from Barcelona who's spreading the weird somewhere where it was unknown before. And now I have a good relationship with other publishers, too, which is also quite amazing.

Seventh Question: Do you find that people are reading more books on their tablets than physical books?

I don't really think so. There was this sense in the industry that paper was going to die and everybody would turn to their tablets, but that didn't eventually happen. I think that digital readers and paper readers are two different types of consumers that behave differently. Sometimes these two types of readers are found in the same person (those who just love reading and don't care how), but that doesn't happen with all of them. So I think that ebooks are just one more way to read.

Eighth Question: The music industry sees a lot of online piracy does the publishing world see the same?

I don't really know what's happening with the American industry, because I haven't studied about it, but in Spain definitely yes. If you put out an ebook, sooner or later there's going to be an illegal copy around. That's why I stopped selling digital books until I figure out what to do, because I put a lot of effort and time in a book for others to not appreciating that.

Ninth Question: What advice do you have for someone who wants to start their own publishing company?

Don't do it. But if you want to do it anyway, be sure that you're really passionate about it because it's as hard and weary as it is rewarding. Maybe you don't get this reward at first, but if you're patient, it will come. I would tell them that they need patience, focus and passion.

Tenth Question:   Do you plan on writing your own book that you would publish?

Absolutely. There's a microfiction book I wrote with my friend author Sergi G. Oset that will probably see the light in the US in 2018. And I'm always working on things, so I guess someday I'll finish one of them (that's the advice I give to writers and don't take it to myself) and hand it to other editor.

Eleventh Question: Any chance of Orciny Press partnering with an American Publisher to release books in English?

I'd be open to that. And to publish books in Spanish in the US. There have to be Spanish readers over there who want to read some weird books..

Twelfth Question: Where do you see Orciny Press in the next year?

It's hard to say, but if everything works as planned, I can see it fully established and running like a regular small indie publishing house with this non-fiction collection fully rolling and publishing some more fun and engaging books.

Promote yourself list your websites and social media sites people can find you at:

Orciny Press Official Website

Orciny Press on Facebook

Orciny Press on Instagram

Orciny Press on Twitter

Hugo Camacho Official Website

Hugo Camacho on Twitter

And if you're interested in Bizarro Fiction or want to know what the hell is this all about, you should check Bizarro Central

Clint Margera Interview

Thanks to the amazing power of the internet over the last few years it has become more and more easier to find and watch amazing wrestling from all over the world. Being a life long wrestling fan I will watch wrestling from anywhere. Over the last two or three years I have really gotten into British Wrestling. While I love the technical wrestling that comes from England I still love good old fashion Hardcore/Death Match Wrestling. Clint Margera has become one of my favorite wrestlers. He is able to wrestle with the best of them but he specializes in Death Match Wrestling. He is one of the pioneers of British Death Match Wrestling. Last year he competed in Combat Zone Wrestling's Tournament of Death in one of my favorite matches of the event. And he teamed with Jimmy Havoc against Drew Parker and Rickey Shane Page at Fight Club Pro's Project Mayhem VI in a Death House Match. Which was my favorite match of the year. If you haven't seen Project Mayhem VI do yourself a favor and see it.

But now lets get to the interview with Clint Margera.

First Question: Where did you love of wrestling start?

1992 Watching Wrestlemania 8 on VHS. Bret Hart vs Roddy Piper for the Intercontinental Championship.

Second Question: What drew you to Death Match wrestling?

When I started "backyarding" I was late 14, early 15. I had just got into ECW because there was a channel in the UK called Bravo that showed ECW TV. I saw all these guys going through tables and being hit with chairs and I wanted in. Then I saw the original King of the Death Match, "The Kawasaki Dream" from 1995 on an imported VHS and that was it. 100% sold. I just love everything about Death match wrestling. It's just wild and crazy and fun. Scars are cool.

Third Question: Why do you think that Death Match wrestling still hasn’t taken a hold in British Wrestling? You do not see any promotions like GCW, IWA Mid-South, CZW running lots of Death Matches in England.

I feel like it's becoming more welcomed now. Before there was hardly anyone in the UK that did it. Obviously, we have Jimmy Havoc who has been doing the hardcore/death match style for a long time and he was flying that flag over here, almost on his own for a while. There might not be promotions like the one's you mentioned but, there is a good handful of fucking crazy lads who will happily get a bit messy if the situation calls for it.



Fourth Question: Last year you competed in CZW’s Tournament of Death against Conor Claxton, in one of my favorite matches of the tournament. how did you feel about that match after it was over?

Thank you. I really appreciate that. TOD was one of the best days of my life. I had wanted to be in that tournament for years! I was hyped to get put with Claxton. He's a good dude. I was really happy with how the match went. It wasn't MEGA crazy but I felt we had a solid Death match with a couple of big moments that will be remembered. Hopefully for a long time.


Fifth Question: When you saw the Barb Wire Trampoline what was the first thought that went through your mind?

"Thank you Obaz for doing a fucking top job" And I was excited.


Sixth Question: Have you spoken to CZW about being part of the next TOD this year?

No communication as of writing this but who knows.


Seventh Question: Have you reached out to GCW or IWA Mid-South about being part of their tournaments?

No, I haven't actually. It's tough trying to work out holiday from my real life job around coming to the States to wrestle when there are other things I have to think about. That being said, there are a couple of other Death match tournament's I wouldn't mind being involved in.


Eighth Question: Last year at Fight Club Pros Project Mayhem you teamed with Jimmy Havoc to face Drew Parker and Rickey Shane Page in a Death House Match. Which was one of my favorite Death Matches of the year. But you gave Drew Parker a Death Valley Driver from the top of that plat form. What was going through your mind at that moment?

DEATH HOUSE WAS AWESOME! Teaming with one of my best mates against two more. That whole day building up to the match was unreal. The set up, the reveal, then the match itself....I'd say hands down it was the coolest moment I've ever had. Fight Club: PRO is my home promotion and they let us go wild and I can't say "Thank you" enough.

When Drew and I got up there it was just "We're going". As long as both of us can get up after and we aren't hurt then we have won. 

Ninth Question: At Anarchy Pro Wrestling’s Bloody Valentine you faced Spike Trivet in a No Rope Barb Wire Match. Where you happy with how the match came out and could we see more No Rope Barb Wire Matches with you in them in the future?

That was a crazy couple of hours as that was not meant to be the match. But, things happen and get changed but we rolled with it. That was the first time I had worked with Spike so it was hell of stipulation to introduce us to each other. I'm pleased with what we did and I've got some new permanent memories from it.

I would definitely like to do one more, at least.




Tenth Question: If you had to book your own King of the Death Match Tournament who would you have in it?

Good one! Let's see,

Cactus Jack
Onita
MASADA
Danny Havoc
Jun Kasai
Masato Tanaka
Nick Gage
Jimmy Havoc
Rickey Shane Page
Matt Tremont

with a 3 way dance for the final



Final Question: Where do you want to be a year from now?

Happy and having fun matches with crazy stipulations and being able to get to the bar afterwards. Who knows what is round the corner.

Promote yourself: where can people find you social media and any upcoming shows you would like to promote

Clint Margera on Twitter
Clint Margera on Instagram
and I'm also on Facebook. I'm quite active on all of them so expect to read posts about how much I hate my real life job, see pictures of me doing silly things and promoting upcoming shows etc.

Check out Clint Margera facing off against Masada. Thanks to Fight Club Pro for posting this match!

Casanova Valentine Interview

Before we get into the interview with the Casanova Valentine I first want to talk about him. I am a huge pro wrestling fan and I found him online through a Youtube video for his Death Match 4 event against Conor Claxton and after that I was hooked. He is now one of my favorite wrestlers and what I love most about what he is doing is that it is completely outside of the box. Every wrestling fan has seen falls count anywhere or even the very rare empty arena match. But to have a No Ring Match at all is just awesome. It puts the people right in the middle of the action and from the videos gives it that old school fight club feel. Now like in life people have started to imitate the No Ring Match but make no mistake Casanova Valentine is the Creator and King of the No Ring Death Match.

Now lets get down business and here is our interview with "The Hipster Heartthrob" Casanova Valentine.

Question One: Before we get into wrestling please tell us more about your life has an artist and how that translated into your work as MC Death Bear?

I’ve been creating art under the Alias “MC Death Bear” since I was 19... originally the name was going to me my rap name lol, I wanted to make music with my friends but that never got off the ground... I ended up adopting it over for my street art/stencils/sticker tags. I just started using it for everything.

Question Two: Where did you train, who did it and where does the persona of Casanova Valentine come from?

I was trained at NYWC in Deer Park Long Island... my trainers were Alex Reynolds, Tony Nese, Francis Kip Stevens and Stockade. I live in Brooklyn, I thought a big scumbag hipster character would be perfect... no one was doing anything like that and it was easy for my to portray because Casanova is just a dialed up version of myself. My brother came up with the name Casanova Valentine... we were trying to think of a good 70’s wrestler kinda name. The kind of “Hipster” My character was based off of now doesn’t really exist in Brooklyn much longer lol... it used to be all blog haus music, 4lokos, plaid shirts/skinny jeans and fucking girls but that has transitioned into social justice warriors and advocates now lol... but I still carry on the 2011 hipster persona. More upside down crosses... less arguing about gender pronouns. It’s a nice time capsule character I suppose

Question Three: In past interviews you have stated that you promote your shows as Art Shows to avoid unwanted attention from authorities. Where did the idea for these Art/Wrestling show come from?

Well to be fair, these are in fact performance art shows... it happens to help me avoid being under the scrutiny of any athletic commission’s bullshit but I don’t just call them art shows to be a loop hole... I do in fact consider pro wrestling to be the oldest form of folk/America/story telling/performance art and will stand by that forever. Pro wrestling is not an athletic contest... that fact that it’s under commission Jurisdiction is complete and utter bullshit.... can they shut down plays that have a sword fight scene? It’s silly to me. Anyway the first no ring death match show was just apart of one of my art shows at Tender Trap... i was doing stencils of dead wrestlers, I had a visual piece playing of in ring injuries.. and was trying to show the darker side of pro wrestling. At this point I had already stopped wrestling on the indies for about over a year and a half and I decided to just do a quick wrestling match in the gallery space as apart of the show.... I’m not even sure when I came up with the idea it just happened and now we are here 

Question Four: You have a love of Hardcore/Death Match Wrestling when did that start and who are some of people that you have looked up too?

I was trading FMW/ECW barbwire Match VHS tapes when I was 10 years old. ECW changed who I was and what I knew of pro wrestling. I look up to Bruiser Brody, Abdullah the Butcher, Black Jack Mulligan, The destroyer, Ox Baker.... and more modern workers like Sabu and Hayabusa 

Question Five: Where did the idea of having these No Ring Death Matches come from? And are you surprised at how fast they have taken off?

Being a pro wrestler is exhausting... you always have heat, someone is always mad about something you did... it’s honesty draining. I just wanted to be creative and Indy wrestling was just really not the outlet I thought it would be to make interesting characters and storylines like I thought. After I was out of the indies for long enough I thought “fuck it, who cares who gets mad about these shows... I’m not even a pro wrestlers anymore I don’t care if I get black listed” so I just did the one show. It honest was suppose to be just a one off show... but everyone was so into it and people kept asking when I would do it again.... so i just kept booking them and they just kept growing. I knew it would took take off though.... because Indy wrestlers major flaw is they always run in the middle of nowhere, I run my shows in the middle of Brooklyn night life... where the people already are. Unless you’re really big into the subculture of pro wrestling you’ll never go out into the middle of nowhere just to see an Indy show... more people have access to my shows in Brooklyn.

Question Six: At Death Match 7 besides facing Death Match Legend Matt Tremont you had Zack Sabre Jr vs Chuck Taylor in a No Ring Match as well.  How are you able to attract Non-Hardcore/Death Match wrestlers to be involved in these matches that are way out of their normal wrestling lives?

Pure luck... Zack lives 3 blocks away from the Tender Trap and we have mutual friends. He heard about the shows and just asked me to do one... so I said yes

Question Seven: Tender Trap is your home bar for your shows when you are in Brooklyn. Do you feel that at some point you might have to move to a different bar to handle the increase crowd?

I’ll always run at tender trap because I absolutely love everyone who works there and the owners... it’s a special place and I’m glad I can express myself through my art while making them money at the same time... support your friends. But what I am doing is adding more venues... March 29th I’ll be wrestling Shlak at Lucky 13 Saloon in Park Slope Bk and hopefully I have a major gallery in queens with lots of space to start doing future shows in

Question Eight: How do you feel about other people that are starting to promote No Ring Matches?

I hate it, but pro wrestling was founded by con artists, scumbags, and carnies... its kind of the nature of the beast. I had to bleed, take heat, take  the risk, and prove by over a year of doing these that it could be big.... so now that I did all the ground work other people want to come cash in on my idea.... i get it, it was never going to be mine to keep.... i welcome the challenge 

Question Nine: Do you feel that at some point you would like to promote a typical wrestling show or some other wild wrestling show

June 23rd, more into TBA

Question Ten: After your match with Matt Tremont he invited you to compete at Hardcore Kingdom II. How was it competing in your first Death Match Tournament?

It was fine, I felt like my performance could have been better though so getting back to training full time is a top priority to me... with so much attention I’m getting looks from bigger promotions and need to be the best me for them. Funny how I did these to do my own thing and get away from Indy wrestling but now it’s given my career new life 

Question Eleven: Any chance of maybe you setting up a No Ring Death Match Tournament

Doubtful, i keep my shows down to 2 matches so there are less people to pay and we can actually make money... that’s a lot of workers to pay not counting the bands.... if only I could draw a large amount of people to make it make sense. I feel like a bar setting that a tournament might be too much... 

Last Question: Where do you see Casanova Valentine a year from now?

Japan 

Promote yourself: Where can people find you online and when can they see you next

Casanova Valentine on Twitter

Casanova Valentine on Facebook

Casanova Valentine on Instagram

Casanova Valentine on Youtube- ALL NO RING DEATH MATCHES HERE FOR FREE!

MC Death Bear on Instagram

MC Death Bear on Facebook

March 29th Death Match 8.5 vs Shlak at Lucky 13 Saloon Park Slope BK

April 25th Death Match 9 Tender Trap Brooklyn

April 21st No Limits Wrestling Hamilton Ontario Canada 

April 28th Brass Knuckle Wrestling Syracuse NY

Just for added bonus here is the most recent No Ring Death Match!

Corey Gray Interview

This has already been posted on our Facebook Page but I wanted to move it to the Blog page. I want to give you a little history about my friendship with Corey. When we were doing our internet radio show I had Corey on my show the most. He was always willing to come in and talk about music, life anything else. I have interviewed him while he was the frontman for EERiE Ln, ECTO-1 and The Horrifics. I'm lucky to Corey a friend and he is always fun to interview. So enjoy this interview with Corey.

Interviewed: Corey Gray

Lead Vocalist and Lyricist

Interview Conducted by: John Chaos

for Last Known Entertainment

Promoting new HORRiFiCS EP- SPiRiTbox...

Transmissions from the ELECTRiC Phantoms

First question: For a short period, EERiE Ln. was brought back and then quietly put to rest. What happened with EERiE Ln.?

C.G: EERiE Ln. has a life all of it's own. It comes and goes, creates and destroys as it pleases. Currently it lies dormant. That last run was more because we all missed each other. More of a limited time reunion. Which could very well happen again as along as the 4 of us still wander Earthrealm. You never know. Even I don't know.

Second Question: Why is now the right time to bring the HORRiFiCS back from the dead?

C.G: I don't look at things in those terms. It's never not the right time to express yourself. The expression clawing to get out this time happens to take the form of the HORRiFiCS.

Third Question: How would you compare this version of the band to the ones in the past?

C.G: The line up now, and has been for a while, is Randall Reynolds on guitars, Elliot Glover on bass, and Victor Hugo Munoz on drums. Randall is a fellow founding member of the HORRiFiCS. Been there since the beginning. Vic and Elliot played together for years in a band called the iNiTiATiVE that we used to gig with back in the day. So this is the first time that all 4 members of the band have known each other for years and have history before playing together. It's definitely a more relaxed situation. We all know each other well. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses musically and as people. We know how to push each other to new heights. We share the same vision. It really shows in the new songs.

Fourth Question: How has the scene changed since you have brought the band back? Do you find that people are more receptive to the band now then they were in the past?

CG: Life is change. Art is the result of the soul laid bare. As long as we express ourselves sincerely, we will always have a place and a voice. I believe that whole heartedly.

Fifth Question: With a new album and band can we expect a new sound from the band?

C.G: Yes. Not a complete departure, but most definitely different. The growth both musically and as human beings is apparent. I think it will please and surprise fans and friends old and new.

Sixth Question: Are there plans for a full-scale tour for the new EP or mostly in and around Texas?

C.G: Too early for tour talk as of yet. "SPiRiTbox" will release on vinyl this Spring. We will start gigging again right after that.

Seventh Question: You stated that there will be colored vinyl, can you give an idea of what you are thinking that will look like?

C.G: I did indeed. And there will be. Keeping all of that under wraps currently. Save some surprises for later. All of the necessary details are still being worked out.

Eighth Question: After the release of the EP are you already looking at a full-length release? If so are you looking at sometime towards the end of 2018 or early 2019 for a full-length album?

C.G: Yes. We look forward to writing, recording, and releasing a full length featuring 13 totally new songs. Too early to estimate a release date on that. We haven't started the writing process for it yet.

Ninth Question: This release is coming out on 1031 Records, which is your label. Are there plans for more releases from other bands or will the HORRiFiCS be the only band on the label?

C.G: I don't have time to run a full fledged label. I have a few others irons in the fire in other areas of my life that require tending as well for me to remain happy and productive. So, no. I don't want to sign and promote any other bands. I would personally have to be in the band for it to be on 1031Records any time in the foreseeable future.

Tenth Question: You've said that you are working on a new project in the future, Warduke. Can you tell us more about it?

C.G: Not much to say yet. Mostly in the talk stages until we release this HORRiFiCS EP. Thrash metal born of battle and blackened in Hell. Like Motörhead mixed with Venom. Relentless darkness. Unbridled chaos.

Eleventh Question: Will Warduke be a band that will play live or just be a studio band?

C.G: Warduke will likely do both. Too early to tell. Definitely release an EP in the near future. Likely before the HORRiFiCS next full length release.

Twelfth Question: Could we see shows where both Warduke and the Horrifics share the stage together?

C.G: No. Definitely not. Totally different animals.

Thirteenth Question: Going back to the HORRiFiCS, what do you want people to take away from the new album and sound of the band?

C.G: I want them to have fun. To be entertained. Anything else is completely up for the listener to decide. I would never attempt to interpret art for someone else.

Last Question: Any parting words for people reading? And give us all the ways fans can stay in touch with what the Horrifics are doing?

C.G: Be yourself. Have faith in yourself. Express yourself. The HORRiFiCS can be contacted by Ouija Board, seance, and of course... SPiRiTbox.

Want to know more about The Horrifics

The Horrifics on Facebook

Listen to The Horrifics:

The Horrifics on Reverbnation

the HORRiFiCS - Feast of SHADOWS Music Video

Welcome to our new home

Welcome to the official Last Known Entertainment Blog page. Here you will be able to see updates, interviews and anything else we feel like posting to our site. We have lots of fun and exciting things coming up and are glad that you are here for this wild ride.