Tommy Glen Carmichael

It is every casino player's dream to beat the casino, but very few are successful at it. Famously, an MIT-based blackjack team devised card counting to hammer the casinos, and in the 1950s one man used biased wheels to take a fortune off of roulette houses, but that's just two successful examples in comparison to probably hundreds of failures.

• Tommy Glenn Carmichael Monkey Paw
• Tommy Glenn Carmichael Wikipedia
• Tommy Glenn Carmichael Light Wand
• Tommy Glenn Carmichael
• Tommy Glenn Carmichael Movie
• Tommy Glenn Carmichael Documentary
• Tommy Glenn Carmichael

And Bubba going at it in the last round of the '06 Nationals at Glen Helen. Great Race - video. Glen Caruba & Tommy Keenum.

One man who cannot be dubbed a failure though is Tommy Glenn Carmichael, a man who spent forty years beating slot machines in Las Vegas. His technique though was not based on mathematics or finding favourable machines, or even being incredibly lucky. The way he cheated the machines was altogether simpler – he rigged them. Unfortunately for Tommy though his success story came to a sticky end when he was found out and ended up serving time in prison.

Tommy began his pro-life in TV; not on it, but fixing and selling televisions

Tommy did not begin life as a slot cheat. Indeed, once his school years (and a few … ahem . drug convictions) were behind him he opened up and ran a moderately successful TV repair and sales shop called ‘Ace TV Sales and Service' in the 1980s.

After his third divorce, Tommy must have thought that the normal life was not for him … which is maybe why he became extremely interested when an associate of his called Ray Ming introduced him to the concept of the ‘top-bottom joint' used to cheat slot machines.

Tommy Glenn Carmichael Monkey Paw

(And if you, at this point in the article are becoming extremely interested about the thought of cheating real-world slot machines then here's the bad news … the technique described here absolutely no longer works).

The joint was a very simple mechanic tool, or cheat. It consisted of nothing more than a long piece of guitar wire upon which was fixed a small piece of a spring. In the 1980s most slots machines operated mechanically in that when a specific combination of symbols appeared on the reels, a combination of devices would trip within the slot to release a cascade of coins. These days such machines are controlled by computer chips.

Tommy and Ray found a way of persuading slots to payout without paying in

By feeding the top-bottom joint into the machine, and with a bit of ‘touch and feel' Carmichael and Ming found that they could cause the coin-release mechanism to trip without even spinning the reels. The result would be a cascade of quarters with no coinage required.

You would think that casinos would be wise to someone feeding a length of wire into a machine to cause it to splash the cash, but Tommy honed his technique so that he would not be noticed. He started on smaller-paying machines and then moved on to bigger slots in Las Vegas. Tommy later claimed that in his first ‘nefarious' weekend in Las Vegas he took home over $10,000.

Staggeringly, Tommy amassed millions of dollars from Las Vegas casinos over the next twenty years or so without once being caught. Sadly though, for Tommy, this cash cow was about to go belly up. Las Vegas was slowly replacing all their mechanical slots with video-based ones. Even the mechanical slots were now controlled by computer chips, and it was the chips that triggered a pay-out. Unfortunately, it takes a little more than a bit of a spring on a guitar string to fool a computer chip.

Tommy was forced to conduct his hobby in lesser-known gambling halls that still housed mechanical slots. As there were less populated there was more chance of him being spotted … and eventually he was. Tommy enjoyed a very successful week at one particular spot but that week was about to come to an abrupt end … as he had been noticed and plain-clothed policemen had been following him all week, building the case against him.

Prison should have been the end of Tommy's career … but it just saw him change track

Tommy was found guilty of fraud and served five years in prison. For most people,this would signal the end of the criminal career, but for Tommy, it just meant a change in direction. He met a man called Michael Balsamo in prison and together they devised new ways to cheat casinos.

Tommy and Ray found a way of persuading slots to payout without paying in

By feeding the top-bottom joint into the machine, and with a bit of ‘touch and feel' Carmichael and Ming found that they could cause the coin-release mechanism to trip without even spinning the reels. The result would be a cascade of quarters with no coinage required.

You would think that casinos would be wise to someone feeding a length of wire into a machine to cause it to splash the cash, but Tommy honed his technique so that he would not be noticed. He started on smaller-paying machines and then moved on to bigger slots in Las Vegas. Tommy later claimed that in his first ‘nefarious' weekend in Las Vegas he took home over $10,000.

Staggeringly, Tommy amassed millions of dollars from Las Vegas casinos over the next twenty years or so without once being caught. Sadly though, for Tommy, this cash cow was about to go belly up. Las Vegas was slowly replacing all their mechanical slots with video-based ones. Even the mechanical slots were now controlled by computer chips, and it was the chips that triggered a pay-out. Unfortunately, it takes a little more than a bit of a spring on a guitar string to fool a computer chip.

Tommy was forced to conduct his hobby in lesser-known gambling halls that still housed mechanical slots. As there were less populated there was more chance of him being spotted … and eventually he was. Tommy enjoyed a very successful week at one particular spot but that week was about to come to an abrupt end … as he had been noticed and plain-clothed policemen had been following him all week, building the case against him.

Prison should have been the end of Tommy's career … but it just saw him change track

Tommy was found guilty of fraud and served five years in prison. For most people,this would signal the end of the criminal career, but for Tommy, it just meant a change in direction. He met a man called Michael Balsamo in prison and together they devised new ways to cheat casinos.

The pair came up with new tools. One they christened The Monkey Paw which could be fed into the payout chute of a video poker machine in order to get the device to cough up. The second was called The Light Wand which would trigger the electronics within slots, also to make the payout. As well as hitting casinos, Tommy and his partners would sell their devices on the black market.

For four years Tommy, Balsamo and another associate called Ramon David Pereira ran their illicit operations until 1996 when the gang of miscreants were caught. Tommy though was only sentenced to a single year in prison, and then spent three years on probation during which he was not allowed to visit any casino.

Once released Tommy decided to turn his back on crime, and even offered to help the Nevada Gaming Commission to develop a way of blocking his devices. The device he came up with did indeed block his other devices … but Tommy could easily convert it to a device that was another cheating tool all of its own. The Nevada Gaming Commission eventually came up with a much better anti-cheating device – they banned Tommy from all casinos within the state.

Tommy eventually ended up living with his mother in Tulsa, still tinkering with gadgets. Not a lot has been heard from Tommy since 2003, but if you are playing a slot and a 70-year-old man next to you starts feeding wire into his machine, you might just be standing next to Tommy Glen Carmichael.

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Tommy Henriksen (born February 21, 1964) is an American musician from Port Jefferson, New York, best known for his work as a guitarist, bassist and songwriter with Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires and German metal band Warlock. He has also fronted punk rockers P.O.L. and released several albums as a solo artist. In addition, Henriksen is a songwriter, arranger, producer and mixer who has worked with artists such as Lady Gaga, Meat Loaf, Lou Reed, Halestorm, Kesha, and Daughtry. Henriksen is currently based out of Zurich, Switzerland where he lives with his family.^{[citation needed]}

Biography[edit]

Henriksen got his start on the New York scene with the band Ruffkut which also featured his brother Gene on drums. After playing mostly covers initially, the group began writing their own material and issued the Fight for the Right mini-LP in 1984.^[1] In 1986, Henriksen joined German metal band Warlock and was featured on their 1987 album Triumph and Agony which went gold in Germany; the videos for the singles 'All We Are' and 'Für immer' were in regular rotation on MTV's heavy metal program Headbangers' Ball. Henriksen stuck around co-writing several songs as lead vocalist Doro Pesch lost the rights to the name Warlock and issued her next album Force Majeure, which also went gold, under the name Doro. Eventually, Henriksen, guitarist Jon Levin, and drummer Bobby Rondinelli all left the Doro camp and formed their own band, Big Trouble, with future Burning Rain and Montrose vocalist Keith St. John rounding out the line-up; another incarnation featured Eric St. Michaels (China, Criminal Minds) on vocals. Although signed to Atlantic Records the band split up without ever releasing an album. Henriksen left New York and moved to Los Angeles. After a brief stint with C.C. DeVille's ill-fated band Needle Park he joined former Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson's band War & Peace, appearing on the band's 1993 debut album, Time Capsule, along with guitarist Russ Parrish, aka Satchel of Steel Panther, and future Enuff Z'nuff drummer Ricky Parent.

In 1994, Henriksen, taking on the alias Da Skunk, formed punk rock outfit P.O.L., short for Parade of Losers, signing a major label deal with Warner Bros. imprint Giant Records. The band's Garth Richardson produced self-titled debut was released in 1995 and the group appeared on The Jon Stewart Show playing their top 5 alternative single, 'Stupid'. P.O.L. issued their sophomore effort, Sprockett, on their own Junkrock label in 1996 before the album saw a wider release via Entourage Records. The song 'Sixteen and Confused' would later become the alternate closing theme to Is It Fall Yet?, the first Daria TV film.

After the breakup of P.O.L., Henriksen began working Keith Forsey on a more pop oriented full-length solo album.^[2] Released by Capitol Records in 1999, the self-titled album included the hit single 'I See the Sun', which reached #34 on the Adult Top 40 that year^[3] and was also included in the Blast from the Past movie soundtrack.^[4] In 2000, Henriksen released the follow-up, Selected Songs for a New Beginning, on his own ZuZu Ltd label. He also collaborated with former War & Peace bandmate Jeff Pilson in Underground Moon whose sole album was issued on the Nuclear Blast subsidiary Rebelution Entertainment in 2002.

In 2001, Henriksen teamed up with P.O.L. drummer and future Alice Cooper bandmate Glen Sobel to form girl-fronted sugar-punk band Boink!. They achieved popularity in LA, releasing a single and video, 'Punk Break Beat', followed up by a 5-track EP, Walk of Fame. A huge Sex Pistols fan, Henriksen unleashed DiS ViciOuS in 2006, described by Tommy as being 'another side of Sid Vicious'. Konami casino games online. A few tracks were released via social networking, most of which were an anarchic rant against society, albeit rather tongue-in-cheek.

2007 saw Henriksen, in a silent member producer/singer/songwriter role, join forces with Rehab's Brooks Buford and Ashley Alan-Lee in The Audio Club. The trio independently produced a music video for the single, 'Sumthin' Serious', which gained airplay on a number of North American radio stations. Signed to Interscope Records, the group disbanded after disputes with their label. During this time Henriksen also continued to hone his skills as a producer and engineer working with a wide variety of artists.

Tommy Glenn Carmichael Wikipedia

Henriksen has worked as a songwriter, arranger, producer and mixer for such artists as Lady Gaga, Kesha, Krace, Daughtry, Kumi Koda, Porcelain Black, Meat Loaf, Cavo, Allison Iraheta, Atom Smash, Steel Magnolia, Alice, Tohoshinki, Kimberly Caldwell, Hyper Crush, The Canadian Tenors, Fefe Dobson, Lou Reed, Christian Kane, Alice Cooper, Longview, Reamonn, Revis, Runner Runner, Clear Static, Framing Hanley, Halestorm, China, Camera Can't Lie, New Medicine, Angels Fall, The Audio Club, Syndicate, Safety Suit, Brooks Buford, Emphatic, BC Jean, Kristin Chenoweth, Bowling for Soup, Capra, Simple Plan, Future Boy, Wes Carr, Fighting with Wire, The Rouge, David Cook, Beasto Blanco, Fugufish, The 3 Dudes, Annie-Rose and The All New Josie and the Pussycats.^{[citation needed]}

Tommy Glenn Carmichael Light Wand

In March 2011, while being associate producer, guitar player, bass player, programmer, mixer and engineer on the new Alice Cooper Welcome 2 My Nightmare record, Henriksen was asked by Alice to join his live band on guitar which he continues to be a member of.^[5] He can also be seen playing bass guitar in the 'Heaven in This Hell' video by fellow Cooper bandmate Orianthi.^[6]

On October 31, 2014, Henriksen released the digital single 'Give'm Hell' off his solo album Tommy! Tommy!! Tommy!!!, out on the Blue Martin/K-tel label in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.^[7] A promotional video for 'Give 'Em Hell' was shot around Zurich, Switzerland.^[8] A limited edition vinyl version of the album was released in 2015 on Bellyache Records.^[9]

Henriksen is also an auxiliary member of the Cooper-fronted rock supergroupHollywood Vampires, appearing on the band's eponymous 2015 debut studio album^[10] and playing rhythm guitar at the band's Rock in Rio show on September 24, 2015, as well as warm-up shows at The Roxy on September 16 and 17.^[11] Henriksen played with the Hollywood Vampires during their February 2016 Grammy Award Performance.

In March 2017, Henriksen digitally released his latest solo album, StarStruck, on his own label Dis Vicious Music;^[12] a limited edition vinyl release followed in late May via Bellyache Records. Henriksen also had a significant role in the making of new Alice Cooper album, Paranormal, co-producing, playing guitar, and co-writing 3 songs.^[13]

Discography[edit]

Tommy Glenn Carmichael

• 1984 Ruffkut – Fight for the Right
• 1987 Warlock – Triumph and Agony
• 1989 Doro – Force Majeure
• 1993 War & Peace – Time Capsule
• 1993 George Lynch – Sacred Groove
• 1995 P.O.L. – s/t
• 1996 P.O.L. – Sprockett
• 1999 Tommy Henriksen – s/t
• 2000 Tommy Henriksen – Selected Songs for a New Beginning
• 2002 Underground Moon – s/t
• 2003 Boink! – Walk of Fame EP
• 2011 Tommy Henriksen – Bluto Nero
• 2011 Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare
• 2014 Tommy Henriksen – Tommy! Tommy!! Tommy!!!
• 2015 Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires
• 2017 Tommy Henriksen – StarStruck
• 2017 Alice Cooper – Paranormal
• 2019 Hollywood Vampires – Rise
• 2021 Alice Cooper – Detroit Stories

Tommy Glenn Carmichael Movie

References[edit]

Tommy Glenn Carmichael Documentary

1. ^Charlie Craine (June 3, 1999). 'Tommy Henriksen Interview'. HipOnline.com.
2. ^Tommy Henriksen at Allmusic
3. ^Charts, Allmusic
4. ^Isaac Guzman (January 27, 1999). 'Tommy Henriksen Brings It Back Home'. Newsday.com.
5. ^'Alice Cooper Announces Tour And New Band Line-up'. AntiMusic.com. March 11, 2008.
6. ^'Orianthi releases new Heaven in This Hell music video featuring Alice Cooper bandmates Glen Sobel and Tommy Henriksen'. Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
7. ^Tony Keefer (October 29, 2014). 'Tommy Henriksen: Tommy Tommy Tommy'. TheMusicRoom.me.
8. ^'Alice Cooper Guitarist Tommy Henriksen Debuts 'Give'm Hell' Video'. SleazeRoxx.com. October 14, 2014.
9. ^'Tommy Henriksen CD Available Now, Vinyl Next Year'. BellyacheRecords.com. November 6, 2014.
10. ^'Hear Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp's Gritty 'My Generation''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
11. ^Nicole Payer (September 17, 2015). 'Johnny Depp & Alice Cooper's Hollywood Vampires Joined by Kesha for Roxy Rock-Fest'. Billboard.com.
12. ^John Jeffrey (March 13, 2017). 'CD review - Tommy Henriksen - 'Starstruck''. RockMusicStar.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
13. ^Joe DiVita (June 9, 2017). 'Alice Cooper's 'Paranoiac Personality' Single Blends Modern and Classic Sounds, 'Paranormal' Track Listing Unveiled'. Loudwire.com.

Tommy Glenn Carmichael

External links[edit]