FRASIER TRANTER
Frasier Tranter is a big bloke. In fact he’s gigantic in size, height, weight and power. Fortunately, as I’m in the iron grip of his huge handshake, I realise I’m standing slightly down a slope from him and he is in fact only 6ft 10in, and not the 9ft that it seems.
I’d waited four months to interview Frasier. Each time I phoned him to ask when he was in London, it was always the same answer:
‘My wife is pregnant. I don’t want to leave her.’
Most 35-year-old blokes with film star looks are concentrating on getting pissed and pulling the lycra-clad blonde dancing round her handbag in Stringfellows. But not Frasier; he’s an amiable and down-to-earth bloke who likes nothing more than spending time with his family in Wolverhampton and training – that is, when he’s not taking calls on the telephone, something he did a lot throughout our interview. Frasier bristled with pride and smiled one of those new father smiles.
‘My wife gave birth to a baby boy. I’ve got a son. I’m a dad.’
Mention tough guys and his face changes dramatically.
‘I don’t like gangsters,’ he sneers.
Whoops! I was unsure if he knew that I was a Kray. If he didn’t like gangsters then he was talking to the wrong person. Tentatively, I asked him if he knew who I’d been married to.
‘Oh, yeah, the Krays. They’re different …’
I’m not sure how or why Frasier thought that Reg and Ron were different to any other. They were gangsters and murderers, which epitomises everything that he despises. Nevertheless, Frasier is a tough guy – a straight, tough guy.
Throughout our interview, he made his views on criminals crystal clear and insisted that he was not a hard bastard. We had a long discussion on what makes a hard bastard. We both agreed that bullies are not tough guys, they are just bullies. Some men are naturally tough, with an inner strength and sense of pride and dignity, like himself. He can’t and won’t for some reason let anyone push him around or take a liberty with him, but that doesn’t make him a bully. Still, Frasier protested saying he wasn’t a hard bastard.
At the photo-shoot later, Don the photographer asked Frasier to behave like he was in a strongman competition, to gesture angrily and shout. Frasier shouted for the camera and gritted his teeth, ‘Come on! Come on!’
Everyone who was training in the gym stopped what they were doing and watched the big fella. Don continued to egg him on; Frasier responded. His eyes bulged. Purple veins in his neck swelled, pumping blood to his brain.
He grimaced. His face contorted with the effort. His eyes glistened with sweat. Two skinny lads watched from the back of the gym. One nudged the other, ‘I wouldn’t like to upset him. He’s one Hard Bastard.’
BACKGROUND
I’m from Wolverhampton. I don’t want to talk about my childhood. All I will say is that my parents were divorced and when I left school I had several menial jobs before starting work on the doors.
LIFE OF CRIME
I’m squeaky clean.
WEAPONRY
Being a strongman, I have to be strong all over. I can’t have any weak points. My strength is in my back and shoulders.
TOUGHEST MOMENT
The biggest challenge of my life was in The World’s Strongest Man competition in Morocco in 1998. I was a late entry and only had four weeks to prepare. Some guy from Denmark dropped out and I was put in at short notice. From the moment I stepped off the plane in Morocco, I felt intimidated by the other contestants. Their sheer size and strength was awesome. I didn’t do very well, but at least I tried. Hopefully, I’ll win The World’s Strongest Man 2000.
IS THERE ANYONE YOU ADMIRE?
Martine McCutcheon – Tiffany from EastEnders. She’s gorgeous. I’d give up everything for her.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN HANGING?
No, in case of mistakes. I believe people suffer more in prison. Take Myra Hindley as an example; I believe she has suffered more by being incarcerated for more than three decades.
IS PRISON A DETERRENT?
I don’t know, I’ve never been. If people are a danger to society then they have to be segregated from it.
WHAT WOULD HAVE DETERRED YOU FROM A LIFE OF CRIME?
Prison. Any man that says prison is a ‘doddle’ is a fool.
WHAT MAKES A TOUGH GUY?
A man that can walk away from a fight rather than get involved.
FRASIER’S FINAL THOUGHT
I’ve been pushed to the limit several times and have lashed out. I don’t particularly enjoy violence but I’m not going to stand there and be a punch bag for anyone. Some people look at me and think that because I’m big, I’m a target. Everybody has a tolerance level. Sometimes it’s a long fuse and sometimes it’s not. Every man has a limit and when you’re pushed to that limit no matter how big or small you are, you will lash out. An angry man is a dangerous man!