SimpleBits ~ Contest Winners

10:44 AM

First things first, a big thanks to everyone who entered the contest. A whopping 713 entries far exceeded my expectations — and it’s excellent that so many weighed in with genuinely thoughtful comments regarding Huey Lewis’ modern day equivalent.

And so, three winners were to be chosen. The first two were selected with a random number script that chose two numbers between 1 and 713. And the lucky winnders are:

#192
#529

Congrats! Now, the third winner was to be selected by me, based on the comment’s content: attempting to answer the question, “Who is the present-day equivalent to Huey Lewis?”. This was a tough one. I did my best to keep up with the flow of comments, skimming the arguments that best answered that incredibly important inquiry.

My friend said it best, when he mentioned “the concept of working-class rock has fallen out of favor”. And that’s just it — Huey Lewis embodied the working-class rock star, along with the likes of Bryan Adams, Loverboy, The Outfield, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Jett, Boston (perhaps), etc. The average guy who isn’t so average by being incredibly popular — and at the top of their game.

So, those that chimed in with anyone who isn’t extremely popular right now might have missed the mark. If I had asked the same question 5 or so years ago, Hootie and the Blowfish might have been the closest.

Getting back to the “working-class rock” thing, I’m awarding the third prize to #46 Kris, who aptly argued that:

Huey Lewis was the quintessential average Joe who wrote average rock songs about average subjects. And yet he was popular. That he transcended his absolute mediocrity is what made him special.

Ah yes — that is exactly what I was getting at with my question, and for that, you’ve earned yourself the third prize.

Thanks again to everyone for playing, and if you are a winner, kindly contact me with your address and prize preferences. We’ll have to do this again. And for the record, I think Huey Lewis is an anomaly (and that’s a very good thing).

Add your own

30 Comments

Matt Ramos → www.mattramos.com/

*Snaps fingers*

Oh well. I was hoping for a signed copy. I’ll go down and pick up a book today.

Congratulations to the 3 winners.

Terry Apodaca → www.terryapodaca.com

Good job everyone! Now that I know I am not a winner…gonna have to get that book ordered!

Dave

Damn! I forgot to enter!! Had the book on order here in the uk for about 2 weeks but its not available here till mid sept…my mouth is watering. Congrats to the winners!

Zach Smith → Jessandzach.com

Congrats to the winners! My book should be here by Friday.

Have a wonderful Day.

Dante → dantecubed.com/

Darn, I should have waited (seeing as how Mersenne Twist has a slight preference for larger numbers).

Oh well, maybe the next contest…

Charles G

How did I miss the contest, I’ve visited the site over the past week and just kept seeing the Mighty Mouse post and completely overlooked the contest article. That makes me sad, guess I should go order myself a copy. *kicks dirt and walks away defeated*

Sal

Hootie & The Blowfish? At least Huey wrote blues-based rock music and not frat boy junk like Hootie puts out. C’mon, Huey may have been 80’s corny but at least the music was based on something real.

Jeff Wheeler → nokrev.com

Congratulations.

I brought my book to school today, to read on the bus ride home (oh, how I love to show off my geekiness), but a signed copy sure wouldn’t’ve hurt the experience.

Hoku → www.hokusmith.com

My copy came in today!

Matt Ramos → www.mattramos.com/

Well, I went to Barnes & Noble and bought my copy today. Got back too late to read much of it, but I like it so far.

Manolo Guerrero → www.ideasfreelance.com

I should be used to this, as I have never won anything in a raffle (or similar). The good thing is that I’m saving my “lifetime raffle winning” for a next time, maybe it will be a house, a million dollars, or a copy of next Dan’s book… who knows?

Cheers to the winners!!

(Next click-> Purchase that iconset I wanted to win)

Kristof Rutten

ARTIKELS
1x 125166 Bulletproof Web design : improving flexibility and protecting against € 38.59 € 38.59
Subtotaal BTW in € 38.59
Totaal BTW in € 38.59

So, I bought the book. Could you please send the autograph by mail ;)

Kris

Oh, well, gosh gee, I just don’t know what to say. Perhaps this will suffice:

Don’t need money, don’t take fame

Don’t need no credit card to ride this train

Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel

You won’t feel it until you feel

You feel the power, feel the power of love

That’s the power, that’s the power of love

You feel the power of love

Huey knew how to bring it.

Andy Strachan → www.apricot-studios.com

Like Dave I didn’t think the book was available in the UK until end August/ beginning September but I just got a copy delivered today from Computer Manuals - Amazon UK don’t even have it in stock yet - the book looks great!

Bernd → www.bernd-lutz.de

Now all the other 710 participants will have to buy your book. I will do so in the next few days.

Ramandeep Singh → www.ramandeepsingh.co.uk

Congratulations to the winners! Commiserations to me :o)

Well it’s a good thing that as a backup plan I placed an order for your book along with Professional CSS. That was 6 days ago and Amazon still taking their sweet time to ship it to me.

Dude next time tell you publisher to print a few billion copies so Amazon has enough to ship them on time. The wait is killing me :o(

Can you e-mail me your signature? I can try forging it on to my copy of the book :o)

OK I’m off to Amazon to check my order status ;o)

Jo

Huey Lewis and the News, a first-class underrrated
Pop Band from the 80s. I recall the tunes, a good clear voice and energetic tunes. I like Avant-Garde to Zappa but I dig Huey for sure.

Jo

I dig lots of eighties music: Billy Idoll, Talk Talk, Gary Numan, Blue Nile, Soft Cell, Nena Hagen.

IC

Congrats to the winners!

I guess I’ll have to go and get my copy the normal way.

Mikulla → www.mattmikulla.com/

There was a rumour that Huey was kicked off a private golf course a while back in Dublin Ohio, my home town. I think he and the boys were gettin too rowdy for the uptight golf crowd there.

He also played the 4th of July fireworks show this year in Dublin Ohio. Maybe he came back for more golf. And drinks of course.

Jo

Small-talk and rumours, who cares about it. Just enjoy the music.

Shane → www.freshclickmedia.com

What a response from your visitors! Congratulations to the winners!

I ordered my copy of Bulletproof as soon as I could on amazon.co.uk, and was looking forward to getting my copy within days of its release date. They’ve since told me I’m going to have to wait a little longer, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.

theanomaly → www.theanomaly.co.uk/

Congrats to the three winners!

Mikhail Bozgounov

Congratulations to the winners :-)

Well, I guess I’ll have to order my copy through Amazon, too, although chances are, I can order the book and not receive it after, giving the fact Amazon has no local branch here and sometimes the Post Office steals items from outside contry:-(

Yep, it’s the 21st century but it happens…

PNII

Doh! Missed by 8. Congrats to those that won … off to the book store :)

Fritsie

Wow, great advertising campaign Dan! Everyone is buying your book since they didn’t win it. Guess I’m off to amazon too.

Congrats to the winners!

Richard Senior → www.ifingers.com

Congratulations to the winners.

I couldn’t wait for amazon.co.uk to deliver - so I bought it for £8 more in waterstones. So glad I did, this looks like being just as useful as W.S.S which is really saying something. I am up to chapter 4 - and it’s great, love the full colour graphics too. Thanks Dan!