Fear of Pop (Ben Folds) - USA Release date November 17, 1998; Sony 550 Music
Selections: (Click on Sound sample to hear a 30-second .wav
sample)
Fear of Pop is the name and Volume I is the collection of music recorded over the past year in various locations, in any spare time I could manage during my touring with Ben Folds Five. Sometimes I regard it as an excuse to play drums, guitar, electronic noises or hammer dulcimer. Often it was a vehicle to work with rock legends such as William Shatner, Caleb Southern and John Painter. Also, it gave me another reason not to sleep. But primarily, it helped satisfy my need to express some things musically - textures, orchestration, rhythms - things that don't always naturally fall into the standard three minute singer/song format. I love to paint sounds in an abstract was, discovering their effect after it's all put together. Once you’ve sold a million records, you've earned the right to experiment self-indulgently at the expense of your record company... I guess I haven't earned that right yet... But they let me do it anyway and we all actually agree now that it wasn't a total waste of time. And if my opinion counts for anything, I think it's pretty good. It's a record I wanted to hear and I felt like I had to make it so that I could. Everyone tells me that it's really good...
Love,
Ben