Tom Rockwell is a software engineer who lives in New Jersey with his wife and three kids. To fans of the Dr. Demento Show and those of nerdcore, he is known as Devo Spice formerly of the group called Sudden Death. He describes his act as if Weird Al Yankovic was red headed with a beard and does rap.
I first met him at the first sci-fi convention I attended in February, 2002. He was there with Dr Demento and the great Luke Ski. I found his act ok but was most impressed by his duet with Luke Ski of the song Peter Parker which ended up being the #1 song on the Dr. Demento show for 2002.
I saw him later that year performing at a Weird Al convention to the backs of most of the heads in the audience as they were in line to get an autograph and picture with Weird Al and his wife whom he married the previous year and in Indiana in September 2003 and was not impressed.
I became of fan of his music after an amazing performance at a con in April 2004 and have enjoyed his work since. He also had the number one song of the year on the Dr. Demento show in 2005 and in 2007 where he had the number 1,2 and 4 songs of the year while participating in #5 while Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" finished #6.
Three years ago, he saw a Tweet by @UncleLouie who is the representative of @TheFatboys, a hip hop group famous in the 80s and 90s whom Devo Spice (and the great Luke Ski) credit with helping inspire them to create music. Uncle Louie offered the musical services of the 2 remaining members of the group for money. Devo Spice inquired about the cost and found the $500 fee within reason and reserved 16 lines for use in a future song and paid in advance for it. He ended up releasing a video explaining what happened. In it, he made these 5 points:
1. In 2010 I paid Uncle Louie $500 to get Prince Markie Dee of The Fat Boys on a song.
2. Despite repeated promises Mark never sent me the verse.
3. Louie refused to refund me the money.
4. In July of 2012 I sued and won.
5. Instead of paying me Louie threatened me and called me a racist.
What I saw in the video was how painful this situation has been to Devo Spice. This was done by a group that inspired him and in spite of his Dr Demento success, he was ignored and shunned by them.
I could see someone adding to the suit demanding extra money for the time spent, loss of sales by not having the song on the CD, libel, or even interest. Devo Spice decided to not seek that. When Googling "Devo Spice Fat Boys", the first 8 entries are 6 articles about this situation most including screenshots of the agreement, emails and the racist tweet, the video linked above, and the Fat Boys song Devo Spice and Luke Ski parodied as a tribute to their music.
When this info became public a few days ago, people were asked to tweet to @UncleLouie and @Thefatboys asking them to refund the money.. If you have the time, please do so.
Note: A week after posting this, Uncle Louis sent him an apology along with the $522 from the judgement.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Still out
Today, Hardcore Gaming Inc. addressed the rumor that the Misfit Demons was listed in the Frankfort Invitational draft:
HGI: We will confirm that the Misfit Demons are listed as drafting 9th in the Frankfort Invitational draft. However, that is a mistake. Apparently the ownership of the league along with other owners in other leagues did not believe our statement made last December that 2011 was the last year of the Misfit Demons franchise after 15 years of mostly successful operation.
(Steve) Bartman Memorial Stadium was leveled and coach Richard (Dick) Hertz was vaporized in what after an investigation was determined to be an accidental nuclear explosion. Even if there was even any consideration of fielding a team this season, we would have to start from scratch with a new stadium and coach.
HGI will only spend the 2012 season only working with other teams as a paid adviser. Details on the availability will be available soon.
Any questions?
Reporter: Is it going to be difficult to miss the season?
HGI: No. In spite of the Demons having their best performance in their 15 year existence, 2011 was a very difficult season for the ownership. Of the 16 Sundays last year, there were only 6 that did not involve leaving the home base sometime during the afternoon or even not being there at all which made following things difficult . Also the expansion of Thursday evening football has also made winning in fantasy football require even more time involvement.
R: Isn't there money to be made?
HGI: Yes, the Demons were profitable the last three years which involved three division titles and one league title. However when considering the time involvement, the money made per hour was the same as those who make Nike shoes in Asia.
R: Couldn't HGI just participate for fun and not make the time involvement? I know of one league where I won a title by doing nothing.
HGI: Congrats on your title. There is no way HGI would even consider not producing its best effort. In 2006, feeling guilty after winning division titles the previous two years, we purposely decided to tank the season. Half way through, that decision became regrettable. After collusion the following year prevented the team from making the playoffs though it was by far the highest scoring team in the league, HGI decided to take out its anger towards the league by dominating it.
Being violently ill during the 2008 draft put the team in a 0-5 hole. Since then the team has won 39 out of 51 regular season weeks even though over the past 5 seasons the Demons opponents have scored 278 more points (almost 4 per game) against the Demons than against other teams in the league.
R; Are you sure that the other teams in the league want the Demons to participate so they can experience the challenge of going against your yearly superior squads?
HGI: Doubtful. We believe the other teams have better scores vs the Demons because they know HGI will get on the case of those who do not put the effort into their squad. We are aware that if all the teams were as talented as the Demons, victory would be far more difficult but at least winning would be meaningful and not what it has been. The anger towards the league that drove the franchise over the past four seasons stopped making winning enjoyable early last season.
R; Couldn't the Demons find another league or create one?
HGI: At this time, we know of no leagues that would be worth our time or energy. The private ones we know are filled with teams and formats that are not to HGI's liking. Create or joining a public one with teams we do not know is dangerous since it could be filled with teams that could quit or collude especially if there was significant money involved.
Thank you for your time. No further questions.
HGI: We will confirm that the Misfit Demons are listed as drafting 9th in the Frankfort Invitational draft. However, that is a mistake. Apparently the ownership of the league along with other owners in other leagues did not believe our statement made last December that 2011 was the last year of the Misfit Demons franchise after 15 years of mostly successful operation.
(Steve) Bartman Memorial Stadium was leveled and coach Richard (Dick) Hertz was vaporized in what after an investigation was determined to be an accidental nuclear explosion. Even if there was even any consideration of fielding a team this season, we would have to start from scratch with a new stadium and coach.
HGI will only spend the 2012 season only working with other teams as a paid adviser. Details on the availability will be available soon.
Any questions?
Reporter: Is it going to be difficult to miss the season?
HGI: No. In spite of the Demons having their best performance in their 15 year existence, 2011 was a very difficult season for the ownership. Of the 16 Sundays last year, there were only 6 that did not involve leaving the home base sometime during the afternoon or even not being there at all which made following things difficult . Also the expansion of Thursday evening football has also made winning in fantasy football require even more time involvement.
R: Isn't there money to be made?
HGI: Yes, the Demons were profitable the last three years which involved three division titles and one league title. However when considering the time involvement, the money made per hour was the same as those who make Nike shoes in Asia.
R: Couldn't HGI just participate for fun and not make the time involvement? I know of one league where I won a title by doing nothing.
HGI: Congrats on your title. There is no way HGI would even consider not producing its best effort. In 2006, feeling guilty after winning division titles the previous two years, we purposely decided to tank the season. Half way through, that decision became regrettable. After collusion the following year prevented the team from making the playoffs though it was by far the highest scoring team in the league, HGI decided to take out its anger towards the league by dominating it.
Being violently ill during the 2008 draft put the team in a 0-5 hole. Since then the team has won 39 out of 51 regular season weeks even though over the past 5 seasons the Demons opponents have scored 278 more points (almost 4 per game) against the Demons than against other teams in the league.
R; Are you sure that the other teams in the league want the Demons to participate so they can experience the challenge of going against your yearly superior squads?
HGI: Doubtful. We believe the other teams have better scores vs the Demons because they know HGI will get on the case of those who do not put the effort into their squad. We are aware that if all the teams were as talented as the Demons, victory would be far more difficult but at least winning would be meaningful and not what it has been. The anger towards the league that drove the franchise over the past four seasons stopped making winning enjoyable early last season.
R; Couldn't the Demons find another league or create one?
HGI: At this time, we know of no leagues that would be worth our time or energy. The private ones we know are filled with teams and formats that are not to HGI's liking. Create or joining a public one with teams we do not know is dangerous since it could be filled with teams that could quit or collude especially if there was significant money involved.
Thank you for your time. No further questions.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
naked to clock
Noticing a coworker was regularly arriving 15 minutes or more before their start time, I commented that 15 minutes before I want to punch in work, I am naked. Upon repeating that I have gotten the strange looks I occasionally get when I try to say something clever or insightful.
Of course having a 2.7 mile commute allows that to happen and over the years have developed a morning routine. Ideally, this is how it goes:
30 minutes (before I want to punch in): Out of bed, head to bathroom, turn on water in shower and use toilet.
28 minutes: Enter shower
20 minutes: Exit shower, flush toilet, brush teeth, shave.
15 minutes: Head downstairs, get dressed (clothes are ready from night before)
11 minutes: Pack food to take, get phone.
9 minutes: Exit house, get in car.
2 minutes: Park car at work.
Of course things don't always work like last Friday when I fell asleep on the couch, woke a couple hours later, went to bed shortly after 1AM, crawled into bed without noticing that I knocked the plug to my alarm clock loose causing it to reset so when I woke, I thought it was just after 4AM when it was 6.
Of course having a 2.7 mile commute allows that to happen and over the years have developed a morning routine. Ideally, this is how it goes:
30 minutes (before I want to punch in): Out of bed, head to bathroom, turn on water in shower and use toilet.
28 minutes: Enter shower
20 minutes: Exit shower, flush toilet, brush teeth, shave.
15 minutes: Head downstairs, get dressed (clothes are ready from night before)
11 minutes: Pack food to take, get phone.
9 minutes: Exit house, get in car.
2 minutes: Park car at work.
Of course things don't always work like last Friday when I fell asleep on the couch, woke a couple hours later, went to bed shortly after 1AM, crawled into bed without noticing that I knocked the plug to my alarm clock loose causing it to reset so when I woke, I thought it was just after 4AM when it was 6.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Family Circus driving #10
Due to my financial situation, I am unable to go to Hunstville, AL for Deep South Con 50 this weekend which features musical performances by many talented artists and media guest of honor Dr. Demento whom I was hoping to thank in person for playing 5 songs that I had a cameo including one based on a parody idea I developed while in high school. Hopefully one of my friends will get him to autograph a record I sent with him.
On Thursday morning, while feeling sorry for myself at work instead of being in a car on the way to DSC, I got a phone call and had to leave ASAP to drive someone to the Elmhurst Hospital Emergency Room which was opened less than a year ago. This was the third time since September I had to go to that ER along with 2 trips to other ERs and trips to two other hospitals to see a newborn and visit my father who has had multiple surgical procedures over the past couple years. (Note: This trip to the ER fortunately turned out to be a false alarm and nothing serious)
While almost there, I heard a worried comment since I did not take the route directed by a sign. Having been to the Elmhurst Clinic over the past 15 years which the hospital was built next to, I realized that the way I take is faster especially considering that the ER was on the west side of the hospital. When having to take my kid to the ER in December in separate cars, I got there 3 minutes before my wife who followed the sign instead of the car.
While driving home with my wife, I tried explaining that the route she always takes home from the clinic or hospital is the exact opposite of the route I took to get there. She told me the route she tried to take one time.
On Thursday morning, while feeling sorry for myself at work instead of being in a car on the way to DSC, I got a phone call and had to leave ASAP to drive someone to the Elmhurst Hospital Emergency Room which was opened less than a year ago. This was the third time since September I had to go to that ER along with 2 trips to other ERs and trips to two other hospitals to see a newborn and visit my father who has had multiple surgical procedures over the past couple years. (Note: This trip to the ER fortunately turned out to be a false alarm and nothing serious)
While almost there, I heard a worried comment since I did not take the route directed by a sign. Having been to the Elmhurst Clinic over the past 15 years which the hospital was built next to, I realized that the way I take is faster especially considering that the ER was on the west side of the hospital. When having to take my kid to the ER in December in separate cars, I got there 3 minutes before my wife who followed the sign instead of the car.
While driving home with my wife, I tried explaining that the route she always takes home from the clinic or hospital is the exact opposite of the route I took to get there. She told me the route she tried to take one time.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Mad dog vs. Madman
Last Monday, I was at Lombard Commons Park playing disc golf. After finishing #3 (point A on the map), I heard a noise about 25 feet behind me. The person playing #3 had a large dog snapping at him (point B on the map).I called out to the people watching a softball game involving 7 year old girls (point C on the map) thinking the dog was with one of them. The dog turned away from the person and came after me. Fortunately when I hit it in the face with my disc golf bag (which had about a dozen ones in it) it backed off.
At that time a woman (point D on the map) who was walking from the street that ended near where I was called out to the dog. It saw her then ran away with the woman walking after it. (arrows)
After playing the next three, I heard police sirens at the ball field at the other end of the park. They caught the dog in short center field (point E on the map) interrupting a different softball game played by 8-10 year old girls and had a police vehicle there.
While I was waiting to play #6 (point F on the map), the woman who was talking to the police pointed towards me and the police waved for me to come over by them. She was upset that I hit the dog with the disc golf bag even though I had seen the dog snap at another person then go towards me. The person who was behind me 15 minutes earlier confirmed my story and to my surprise and objection, the police let the woman go home with her dog
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Everybody dies
Last week I said good bye to what has made up 1/3 of my work personality, Dr. Gregory House. I tell people my job is 1/3 parts each Dr. House, Winston Wolfe (Pulp Fiction) and Radar O' Reilly (M*A*S*H).
Considering what was happening with the show, I was anticipating the show would end with House's death but after hearing the episode title is "Everybody Dies" (a takeoff of a common phrase from the show "Everybody Lies") I realized that he was not going to die. I was satisfied with the show's conclusion including how things ended up in Princeton Plainsborough Hospital..
On December 31, 1999, I had a belief that my life was exactly half over at midnight Jan 1, 2000. Since I was born @ 5:28 AM on November 13, 1965, I figured out that 6:32 PM February 17, 2034 is when I will expire. (I did adjust to Feb 17 allowing for one more leap day after Jan 1, 2000 than before.)
Not to my surprise, I usually get very confused replies and looks upon revealing this information. This is not the first time I had this type of feeling.
For a long time when I was a kid, I had the belief I would not make it to 25. The Saturday before my 25th birthday, I was at work at 619 S. Wabash in downtown Chicago. As with most Saturdays there, it involved restocking our first floor picking area with merchandise stored on the 2nd floor. Believing this was possibly going to be my last Saturday night on earth, I wanted to get done quickly so I could leave early.
Being ahead of pace, I was able to take my lunch about 20 minutes earlier than normal. As I often did, I walked a block north for food and brought it back to eat. While waiting for the last minutes of my lunch, I heard a large rumble outside. On the 15th floor of the parking garage next door, someone backed a car into the wall sending bricks to the pavement on the path I walk to get lunch. Had I taken my lunch at my normal Saturday time, I easily could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and quite possibly killed.
Having cheated fate, I knew I was going to survive but had no idea what to do next since I figured why worry past that date? To be honest, my decision to not consider anything past that date definitely put me behind the learning curve for many social things and one I am still behind up decades later.
It is possible that in less than 22 years, I will cheat fate again. No matter what, I am not going to do anything deliberate to make my belief come true. If I survive that day, I will just as I did in 1990 continue to live.
Considering what was happening with the show, I was anticipating the show would end with House's death but after hearing the episode title is "Everybody Dies" (a takeoff of a common phrase from the show "Everybody Lies") I realized that he was not going to die. I was satisfied with the show's conclusion including how things ended up in Princeton Plainsborough Hospital..
On December 31, 1999, I had a belief that my life was exactly half over at midnight Jan 1, 2000. Since I was born @ 5:28 AM on November 13, 1965, I figured out that 6:32 PM February 17, 2034 is when I will expire. (I did adjust to Feb 17 allowing for one more leap day after Jan 1, 2000 than before.)
Not to my surprise, I usually get very confused replies and looks upon revealing this information. This is not the first time I had this type of feeling.
For a long time when I was a kid, I had the belief I would not make it to 25. The Saturday before my 25th birthday, I was at work at 619 S. Wabash in downtown Chicago. As with most Saturdays there, it involved restocking our first floor picking area with merchandise stored on the 2nd floor. Believing this was possibly going to be my last Saturday night on earth, I wanted to get done quickly so I could leave early.
Being ahead of pace, I was able to take my lunch about 20 minutes earlier than normal. As I often did, I walked a block north for food and brought it back to eat. While waiting for the last minutes of my lunch, I heard a large rumble outside. On the 15th floor of the parking garage next door, someone backed a car into the wall sending bricks to the pavement on the path I walk to get lunch. Had I taken my lunch at my normal Saturday time, I easily could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and quite possibly killed.
Having cheated fate, I knew I was going to survive but had no idea what to do next since I figured why worry past that date? To be honest, my decision to not consider anything past that date definitely put me behind the learning curve for many social things and one I am still behind up decades later.
It is possible that in less than 22 years, I will cheat fate again. No matter what, I am not going to do anything deliberate to make my belief come true. If I survive that day, I will just as I did in 1990 continue to live.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
United Center cosplay
Last month, my sister purchased 2 tickets to the Blackhawks first round playoff game against Phoenix hoping that the game would be played on the Sunday. Since it was played on Tuesday, starting at 8PM her husband could not make it and she asked me to go.
Having never been to a professional playoff game, I jumped at the opportunity. We got there about 6:45 and had time to kill. So with the help of my sister we tried to track the wide variety of jerseys the majority of the fans there wore. I did this from 6:45 to 7:30 and also counted those easily seen from the section where I was sitting. I decided to not bother counting those of the 5 all stars (Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, and Keith) since there are too many and also decided to not count jerseys custom made for an unknown person. (If I made a jersey with the number 13 and the name Madman)
I broke it down two ways and here are the charts describing the 140 jerseys:
To my surprise I only saw one jersey that was not Blackhawks related and that was of the Charleston Chiefs from the movie Slap Shot. The N/A are 6 with the number 00 and name Griswald.
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