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Forums > CSDb Discussions > Candyman
2006-11-15 21:35
The Shark-INC
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 24
Candyman

Hi All,

I was sad to learn today from CSDb that Candyman (aka Dave) has passed away. I thought I would give a little more info about him. Candyman's profile notes that he was a real-life candy man. I do not think he filled vending machines, however. He told me that he owned a candy business where they distributed a box of candy to various businesses and offices. You would then put money in a slot in the box and take candy on an honor system. This is common in the USA, although vending machines are common as well. He told me that if ever he was ripped off, he simply would no longer bring candy to that office. I imagine he had a partnership with the secretaries as well to watch over his candy and money.

Dave was pioneer too. He started what I believe was the first USA scene magazine named Influx and then later used his wealth to order originals with overnight mail to get a leg up on the competition. This worked extremely well on the PC scene with his newly formed group The Humble Guys (THG) and had some light USA crack success on the C64 with FBR and Intense. His sense of humor regarding his "local lamers" was legendary, and could also be seen how he ran THG. He proudly treated his locals like peasants, but allowed them to work their way up in rank if they proved themselves. Ironically, his locals loved this kind of treatment, but this was in part because Dave would reward them by "slowly feeding them" releases now and then.

Here's a picture of Candyman... RIP, Dave...



The Shark

PS – In the back of my mind, with his sense of humor, I wonder if Candyman is still alive and just pulled a fast one on us. I guess I don't want to believe he is dead.
2006-11-15 22:03
Death Demon
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 68
Wow. Candyman and I used to talk quite frequently when he was on the PC in The Humble Guys. I was sort of messing in the PC scene, but nothing like the C64 scene. I spent a lot of time in chat with him talking about old times, sharing stories, etc. Eventually we were back to talking on voice again, but only randomly. Awhile back, we were trading emails, but again, very intermittently. I haven't heard from him in a long time. I thought of him as a great guy. A lot of fun to talk to and a great guy to have had in the scene.

Of course, there's the whole Oahawhool thing that comes to mind. And as bad as that was for CMan, it was pretty damned funny for the scene in general. One of those little stories that grows to legendary status.

Sad to hear he died. I suppose with all of us getting older, we're going to see some of the older people in the scene from back then start to show up in these types of emails. Sad.
2006-11-16 06:50
Jazzcat

Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 1044
Very sad indeed. The list in scene heaven grows further...

2006-11-16 10:11
Mason

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 461
Really sad news.

Without any doubt he did alot of the C64 and Pc-Scene, some of the things even first. As The Shark mentioned The Humble Guys, I still think it was one of the first more structured pc groups doing cracks.

2006-11-16 11:10
Burglar

Registered: Dec 2004
Posts: 1069
and another legend died... sucks... rip candyman
2006-11-16 11:40
Skate

Registered: Jul 2003
Posts: 494
R.I.P
2006-11-16 12:21
Skylab

Registered: Dec 2005
Posts: 183
It's really sad. Another mate left our world. My deepest condolences goes out to his family/friends

Once we all will meet again in the scener's heaven...

R.I.P.
David J. Francis
aka Candyman of FBR (C64) / THG (PC)
2006-11-16 15:36
OEP

Registered: Jun 2002
Posts: 60
That's a bummer. RIP Candyman, thanks for your contributions.

The Oahawhool story will forever be in my memories.
2006-11-16 22:30
AMB

Registered: Nov 2005
Posts: 15
Sad news again...

Rest in peace.
2006-11-17 03:44
Matt

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 597
Quote: That's a bummer. RIP Candyman, thanks for your contributions.

The Oahawhool story will forever be in my memories.


what about that Oahawool story?
sounds funny
2006-11-17 06:48
The Shark-INC
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 24
Well, it wouldn't have been funny if you were Candyman. Here's my version of the story. Candyman was an up and coming scener in 1988. I believe he was in Epic, and he got an offer to join FBR by Oahawhool. By this time, FBR was not doing so well with their competent staff gone. They had lost most of their major contacts except Zenith, but this was a big step for Candyman. Looking back, as I was in communication with C-man at the time, I am kicking myself for not asking Candyman to join INC as he would have been a great addition in combination with Master Kracker.

Now, for the other half of the equation. I was in a serious war with Oahawhool at the time as Fairlight left FBR for INC. Oahawhool wasn't at the stalker level as Wanderer is today, but rather chose the silent strikes such as turning in any competitors and doing all sorts of evil plotting such as trying to get power and phone lines shut off (and this is the tame stuff he would do). I won't get into all of this now, but trust me, he was pure evil and I don't label people like that often. As time went on, C-Man and Oahawhool formed a tight friendship which only hurt my relationship with C-man. C-man, to his credit, tried his best to remain nuetral. As Oahawhool fell on some hard times back in New Jersey, C-man offered him some work and a room at Dave's house. When C-man told me this, I told him that he was inviting "pure evil" and a master manipulator into his home in Missouri. He laughed it off and wondered when Oahwhool and I would end our fued.

Perhaps because C-Man was spending too much time with his business and his various PC/C-64 success that he was ignoring his wife. Maybe their relationship was getting stale after raising teenage children. Whatever the case, Oahawhool made the choice to betray the one guy who offered him so much. Once C-Man figured it all out, Oahawhool and C-man's wife took off together, and this was certainly a sore subject with C-Man so he didn't like to talk about it. After the dust settled, C-Man and I were on good terms again, and it was clear to me that he agreed with my assessment of Oahawhool.
2006-11-17 17:45
Matt

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 597
wow!
that's a story!
2006-11-17 18:25
OEP

Registered: Jun 2002
Posts: 60
It's "funny" in a soap opera sense, but I'm sure it wasn't funny to Candyman. Seems odd that scene life spills over to real life sometimes...
2006-11-17 19:11
Trazan

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 620
Oahawhool - Skånska for Rövhål?
2006-11-17 20:52
Matt

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 597
@OEP & The Shark-INC: I got that wrong then. I thought you'd come up with a funny story but it's pretty sad yeah.
more sad ofcourse is the loss of C-man. rip.
2006-11-22 07:44
The Shark-INC
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 24
With this recent news of Candyman, I dug up an old issue of Influx and posted it here on CSDb. It is the July 1989 issue (Influx #2).

Also, I wrote earlier that Oahawhool moved to Missouri when it probably was Tennessee. I confused Candyman's place of death with his former residence.

-The Shark
2006-12-13 19:01
Morrissey (moRR)
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 16
IF this is true indeed, man, I'd like to pay some respect. Wow, Candyman, may you be in 64 heaven!

Interesting story Shark, Im sure I was aware of some of this drama back in the day. But it's so hard to remember much nowadays...

Thanks for the heads up on this sad bit o'news...

moRR/Lords/FBR
2006-12-16 06:24
Jon
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2005
Posts: 247
Out of curiosity... Is THIS Oahawhool?

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofil..

Just asking to reconcile the "scene" in my own head. :)

-Ninj
2006-12-16 11:06
dalezy

Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 476
Quote: Out of curiosity... Is THIS Oahawhool?

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofil..

Just asking to reconcile the "scene" in my own head. :)

-Ninj


Last Login: 12/15/2006
2006-12-17 23:59
The Shark-INC
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 24
Yes, that is him.
2007-04-05 16:03
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
The only thing that makes all of this hard to swallow is, I hear a lot of stories about this guy. Too many stories in fact. Don't base everything on what you hear. Candyman is a wiley creature. From my sources. http://www.tocquevillian.com/articles/0135.html Supposedly, he is living in Russia. I hear that he's living in Watertown, TN and was found dead in his front yard face down. Alot of these stories are assumed. If you are going to spread rumor, At least in your posts specify that it may be a rumor, or you had heard through the grapevine.
2007-04-05 23:11
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
Shark,
Even though I don't know the validity of your statements to be true about Oahawhool. I know Oaha personally and have known him for quite some time. The "Pure Evil" that you speak about him I think could be construed as libelious. I would say change your wording around a bit. I seem to remember you from back in the day. My memory is a bit weak but the friends in the scene back then around Tennessee I had were pretty tight. I never joined any groups and I was at Candyman's house just about every day during the summer of '86, coding his BBS and just overall hanging out over there. Candyman is a cool cat. I miss that guy a lot. If I had an Idea, he let me roll with it and they always worked. I never affiliated myself with Candyman or his group and there was always that understanding between us.

Again, on the OP you made earlier, the "Death of Candyman" seems like speculation at the moment, until you can aquire some sort of proof.. Just saying someone is dead doesn't make it so. Who did you hear it from or where did you get that information from.
2007-04-05 23:38
Jon
Account closed

Registered: Apr 2005
Posts: 247

The FBR (under Oahawhool) / INC feud is well known and well documented here and on various other websites. Since your entry page says that you left the C64 scene prior to this feud (1 January 1987), perhaps you could google up some history on it.

If you wish to contact Oahawhool and introduce him to the discussion, he has a MySpace page under--- you guessed it-- Oahawhool.

Ninjasbane
2007-04-06 00:46
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
Ninjabane,
Considering this is a one sided discussion and since Oahawhool is not present (yet, he's been informed), I don't think that's quite appropriate. I'm usually not the type for spreading drama or rumors but Shark is rather well known for stirring a few kettles in his hey-day. It would be nice to take the obvious and "market" it in such a way that libelious and slaunderous statements, esp. when such people are not present to defend themselves, be put on hold.

In other words, time to grow up. Oaha might be here, and then again, he might not be. I've known Oaha for a looooong time. Before he ran FBR. I am still in excellent contact with him and a few others back in the day. I never left the scene, quite the contrary. I've always been in it. Again, I was never branded to a group and was more or less a renegade. Groups (gangs) never appealed to me. Tight friendships do however appeal to me and those friendships that were tight back then are still tight to this day. Pretty remarkable.

I've already talked to Oaha about this and he seems to think Shark is still a little toasty about a certain incident which me thinks made Shark a little smarter. Don't hate tha playa... hate the game...
2007-04-06 05:31
Style

Registered: Jun 2004
Posts: 498
anyone who comes on to csdb and starts ranting quasi-legal shit (libel and slander indeed) is a moron in my book.

2007-04-06 06:41
TDJ

Registered: Dec 2001
Posts:
Quote: anyone who comes on to csdb and starts ranting quasi-legal shit (libel and slander indeed) is a moron in my book.



Hear hear.
2007-04-06 08:18
The Shark-INC
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 24
I first heard of Candyman's "rumored" death from CSDb on front page news. I am not the one who started this story, I just tried to post my regards. I doubt that you searched the net too hard as the THG page mentions it and you'll likely find references to the death in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Since you like to run to Oahawhool, maybe you should ask Oahawhool what he knows... Or did he ditch Candyman's wife by now?

As for Oahawhool, I stand by my opinion about him being pure evil. Your comment about my evil comment being libel is a joke, IMO, not to mention that I am sure a jury would agree with me as we chronicled his life. Hehe... You indicate that you are a buddy of his, so I understand you want to defend him. Maybe he's turned over a new leaf? Great for him...
2007-04-06 20:37
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
Quote: anyone who comes on to csdb and starts ranting quasi-legal shit (libel and slander indeed) is a moron in my book.



So are you calling me a moron? Ah I see the C64 has left you but the child in you hasn't. Good for you!
2007-04-06 20:38
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
Quote: Hear hear.

Anyone hear something?
2007-04-06 20:47
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
Quote: I first heard of Candyman's "rumored" death from CSDb on front page news. I am not the one who started this story, I just tried to post my regards. I doubt that you searched the net too hard as the THG page mentions it and you'll likely find references to the death in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Since you like to run to Oahawhool, maybe you should ask Oahawhool what he knows... Or did he ditch Candyman's wife by now?

As for Oahawhool, I stand by my opinion about him being pure evil. Your comment about my evil comment being libel is a joke, IMO, not to mention that I am sure a jury would agree with me as we chronicled his life. Hehe... You indicate that you are a buddy of his, so I understand you want to defend him. Maybe he's turned over a new leaf? Great for him...


See, the point i'm trying to make in all this is don't rush to conclusions. Saying things like "I heard it on wikipedia, that makes it true" or "The Sky is Blue" doesn't exactly make it true.

Yes, I talk to Oaha a lot. Him and I are good friends. I heard Tuesday from Greble Dagmar at Bongo Java in Nashville that Dave (Candyman) Francis was found dead, face down in his front yard in Watertown, TN. What I'm saying is.. I hear these stories about Candyman like Missouri, Tennessee, Mexico, Russia and Kentucky.. hell I even heard Canada back in the early 90's.

As for Oaha, He's always been on a good leaf. I don't know what you're saying about him. Oaha is a very nice guy... always has been in my book. I don't know what pages you flipped in your book.

When I exited the scene in 87, I took with me a handful of friends that were truly the best, imo. Shark, I think you have too much angst for such a small incident. You hang on too much to the past. Sooner or later, that angst will catch up to you.

Check this out:

http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=7222

LOL
2007-04-06 21:28
The Bandit
Account closed

Registered: May 2005
Posts: 18
Shark, quick question, are you the kid that lived behind Candyman around 85-86?
2007-04-20 22:19
executioner
Account closed

Registered: Sep 2003
Posts: 17
No, Shark lived in AZ.. Of course I don't know if he still does, but he definately did back then... I guess I'll never know his where abouts now considering he won't talk to me anymore.. We've (Shark & Myself) been so close throughout the years and he finally decided to 'cut off' our relationship because I emailed him a porno one day for laughs.. Oh well, Hi David...

Regards,
Joel
exe/xds
2007-04-21 20:14
The Shark-INC
Account closed

Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 24
Executioner: Nonsense. I've never cut off our communication. I just haven't received any CSDb message from you _ever_ and the old email account you had for me may be dead as I change private email addresses frequently. I don't recall ever receiving unsolicited porn from you, but knowing you, I am sure that is some kind of prank you would pull. You're still cool in my book, even though you are from New York. :) You ever find Warewolf?

Bandit: I basically told you to go out and do your homework about this subject. Instead, you decide to post 4-5 year old information about Candyman found with basic Google searches, paint it as current, and claim it as coming from "your sources." Yes, Candyman was in Russia for a bit, but I guess he came back to the USA. Regarding his death, I read the actual obituary in the St. Louis paper mentioned above. Sure, Candyman could have reported his own death as a joke or to stay hidden, but thus far no one has presented any evidence to contradict this.

Bandit, you've come here telling people that I am spreading rumors, but the only rumor spreader I see is you. Based on your tone and content, there is no doubt to me that you have an agenda here. I don't know what that agenda is, but I am sure you were sent by Oahawhool as that was his MO. I brought up Oahawhool because people asked about the incident which you then made a huge cognitive leap that that means I "hang onto the past." As far as I know, Oahawhool was the one gunning for me, not the other way around. I've moved on from 20 years ago, and I think Oahawhool has too. Anyway, birds of a feather flock together, so I know what you are all about. You and Joe should take your agenda and misdirection elsewhere.
2007-04-22 07:53
executioner
Account closed

Registered: Sep 2003
Posts: 17
Ok then fair enough... Probably so.. I did try to message you at one point here as well but it seems as though you never received it..

I still have my wildcard after all these years.. Tried selling it on ebay now that I have the entire SNES collection emulated with 'zsnesw'. Naturally they shut the auction down =(

Whats the hangup with NY??? I don't get it... And no I'm still looking for Stan & Steve...

Regards,
Joel
exe/xds
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