Derek Welch and Jason Bacon started UNKL back in 2004 in Portland, Oregon as a way to focus their creative energy on non-client based projects. They had created so many characters and stories over the years, they figured why not make something out of it. So they did.
Their first character, HazMaPo launched January of 2005. That first offering of 1,800 figures sold in about a month, so they decided to keep doing it. September of 2007 brought the first UNKL character to television. TinPo will support CBS Saturday morning cartoons with 30 second animated shorts. That brings them to where they are now. Making characters they love and getting them out in any way they can to people who also share the love.
WHO ARE YOU? Derek Welch
1. PICK A NUMBER 1 THROUGH 10. GO. Three
2. WHAT'S THE ODDEST THING IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR? Pickled pig's feet
3. WHAT'S A PRODUCT YOU WISH YOU'D THOUGHT UP? The television
4. USE THE WORD "BAFFLEGAB" IN A SENTENCE. Poppycock, bafflegab, and fiddle faddle to your persnickety hind quarters, lassie!
5. WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE? Lemon meringue pie
6. HAVE YOU EVER FELT COMPELLED TO BUY A BILLY MAYS PRODUCT? (YOU KNOW, OXICLEAN, HERCULES HOOKS...) No, because that guy's voice and beard irritate the hell outta me. I don't care how bad the mildew is on the tile grout…I'm not giving that man any business.
7. I'M SO SICK OF HEARING ABOUT... Bright Eyes. Don't get the music. I've tried and tried, but I can't do it and I'm tired of trying.
8. WHAT'S THE FUNNIEST NICKNAME YOU'VE GIVEN OR BEEN GIVEN? I'd say "The One Man Gang" is the funniest, because I'm a little bitty dude.
9. IF YOU DIDN'T DO WHAT YOU DO, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Skip rocks professionally
10. WE'RE FISHIN' FOR SOME NEW MUSIC, SO WHAT BAND(S) DO YOU LOVE RIGHT NOW?Jucifer, Junior Brown, Blackalicious, Lyrics Born, Boris, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Lifesavas, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Calexico, Damnations (Tx), Yoshinori Sunahara, Vic Chesnutt, The Handsome Family, Reverend Horton Heat, Slayer, Hifana, Prong, Hank Williams III, Grandaddy, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Fantomas, Old 97’s, Dash Rip Rock, Mastodon, Lard, Jimmy Smith, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Drug Rug, Celtic Frost
