Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #63 - April 5, 1996
Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #63
Topics for Today:
intcsb02@midget.towson.edu
BF5 and sheet music
I need a fix of BF5
Philosophy
more philosophy
eddie walker
Ben Folds Five Mailing list
new member to bf5 list
BFF:Regarding the Customers
Good Cheap Music!!
(no subject)
Re: Ben Folds Five, Providence show
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Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 14:40:19 -0500 (EST)
From: Somebody to Love <erica67@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
Subject: intcsb02@midget.towson.edu
All righty then! I would just like to say to you, dear sir:
As free-willed humans, we can listen to and believe what we want. So, you
don't like the Customers. Thats ok. I happen to like them. Some people do,
some people don't. Thats how life is. If you get so riled up at
everything that people say or do, then you have to take another look at
your coping skills.
I happen ot have six years of music experience, along with concert
experience, PR, and I was just promoted to Music Editor of UR magazine.
I DO happen to have a vast knowledge of current music. Just because I have
that knowledge, doesn't mean that I like all the bands that "indie" people do,
and hate all the bands that they don't or vice versa. You are being just
plain rude. By bringing up SIlverchair etc, I was trying to tell you that
there ARE bands out there that have basically ripped off other bands, and
still PEOPLE LIKE THEM! That was all that I was saying. So,I have opinions,
and I consider them to be valid. But they are as valid as your own.
Arguing over opinion is USELESS! I can't change your mind, you can't change
mine! Lets keep in the nice spirit that most on the Ben FOlds Five list
have kept in. By that I mean, we all know that we have the same love of BFF,
but other than that we are there to chat about life, not argue about opinions!
erica
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University Reporter "Constantly in search of
Music Editor cool, new music!"
815 15th Street NW Suite 608 "Mmmm... Yes....."
Washington DC, 20005 "ARGH! The Angst! ARGH!"
******************I do the best imitation of myself.....*******************
contact http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~erica67
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Date: Wed, 03 Apr 1996 16:36:48 EST
From: REUBEN FRANK <RoobWorld@prodigy.com>
Subject: BF5 and sheet music
On the question of Ben Folds Five sheet music, Michael Bluejay wrote,
"You know, Ben's playing style doesn't really lend itself to being
transcribed."
Huh?
Any type of music can be transcribed. Even eclectic jazzy pop like
Ben's. Any piano music "lends itself to being transcribed." Anybody
who's taken Music Theory 101 knows this.
Hey, I can't pretend I'm as talented a keyboard player as you - who
is? - but I'm ready to give the BF5 stuff a whirl as soon as the
folio is published. Did you stop and think that maybe the reason
nobody's recognized your playing as Ben's music is that you're just
not very good?
roob
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Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 22:10:44 -0500
From: Scott Ludwig <scottlud@tiac.com>
Subject: I need a fix of BF5
I bought BF5 about 2 days after it was released. I heard Underground on
a CMJ cd, and went on a mission to find any store who carried this
little-known cd from this less-known band. Since then I've become
addicted. I've seen them everytime they've came
to the Boston area, and I bought Mr. Wrong and Cats and Dogs the days the
were released.
I NEED NEW MATERIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If anyone has any live tapes or anything (especially concert videos),
please e-mail me. I'm willing to pay top $.
I'd also like to thank Ben, Darren, and Mike, for taking the time to
sign my cd. It's great to see that some bands still realize that success
doesn't mean that you must be miserable.
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Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 22:20:02 -0500
From: Shan111111@aol.com
Subject: Philosophy
One of my friends, who is also a fan of BF5, has an interesting theory about
"Philosophy". Here's what he thinks....
"My philosophy is that he is expressing his situation on the size of his
penis. In my opinion, he expresses in the song that he is happy with his
penis size and that everyone else can f*** themselves if they feel
differently about his philosophy. I could probably give you a better brief
on this song if I listened to it again, so I will when I get home and write
you again tomorrow."
OK.....
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Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 22:42:11 -0500
From: Shan111111@aol.com
Subject: more philosophy
People have told me that they've heard Joe Jackson in BF5, Queen, Bee Gee's,
Van Halen (??) in one of the chords, and a Kit Kat commercial (at the
begining of "Jackson Cannery". 1,2,3,4...) Here's more of what my friend
said about Philosophy. I just thought I'd post it because it's the strangest
thing I've heard said about BF5's music. Maybe my friends are just strange.
>Shanna, > In the song “Philosophy”, he mentions, go ahead and laugh at me
because he >has his own philosophy...about his penis size [??]. He
mentions how the ‘in >betweens’ get the job done, again a reference. Then
he mentions ‘laughing at my >torch’. To me, that is pretty clear what he
is implying. I’m not really sure what he is >talking about where he says
something about -sorry I pushed you guys and that you >weren’t having
fun-, and then in the next line he says something about being too hot >and
something about fire. At the moment, I am not sure how that part of the
song fits >in with my theory, but if I figure it out I will tell you. >
Alan
PS...I loved Fleming & John on Conan!
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Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 22:56:18 -0500 (EST)
From: allison <allison@servtech.com>
Subject: eddie walker
wow, i just got a copy of bus stop, and i am amazed! they are so great! i
highly recommend them for any and all BF5ers to check them out! they have a
nice full sound like BF5, but are a little more... shall i say "funky"?
it's great stuff!
i was checking out the bus stop web site, and realized something strange -
one of the guys names is eddie walker! so that solves another mystery...
anyway, here's a little of what they had to say about him:
Malcolm "Eddie" Walker
Eddie plays drums and wears really cool hats. A native of Eden, North
Carolina, Eddie grew up listening to a wide variety of jazz, rock, and reggae.
it's a really cool web site, too.
and one BF5 related question - is there really gonna be an EP out on the
9th? there wasn't one for underground, was there? i can't wait to pick it up!
:)
al
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Date: Wed, 03 Apr 1996 22:12:55 +0000
From: Matt Tabor <tabor@adsnet.net>
Subject: Ben Folds Five Mailing list
Please add my name to the mailing list!! These guys are great!! I was
introduced to them through CMJ and caught them in Seattle about a month
ago. I also work at the college radio station at Central Washington
University (KCAT, 91.5 FM Cable), and while I am one of the only people
on the station who plays them, they are played.. mostly because I bring
in my own CD. I am trying to get them out!! Thanks!!
Matt
--
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| Matthew O Tabor - Religious Studies Major - |
| Central Washington University |
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|The stillness in the room was so unusually quiet that the |
| beginning of it seemed rather loud when the utter |
| stillness of the end of it had been encountered. |
| - Flann O'Brien "The Third Policeman" |
============================================================
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Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 17:45:58 -0500
From: PhairTwo@aol.com
Subject: new member to bf5 list
wow, i know i'm a late bloomer, but i just recently received the cd. i've
fallen in love. bf5 is like nothing i've heard before, though ben sounds
oddly like this guy who used to sing in a band with my dad. i wanted to see
them when they came to kansas city, but they were playing at an 18+ bar, and
i'm a youngin'. oh well, maybe they'll come back. let me know if anybody
hears about them coming back to kc. thanks.
-bess
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Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 19:21:17 -0500 (EST)
From: Barletta Philip T <pbarlet@wilkes1.wilkes.edu>
Subject: BFF:Regarding the Customers
First, let me clear the air. I have never seen the Customers play, nor
have I heard their CD. Therefore, I really cannot say how good or bad of
a band they are.
What I CAN say, however, is that JC has to chill in a hurry. Just
because someone (in this case, Erica) has an opinion which, God forbid,
differs than his, he thinks has the right to off on them with an
insulting and obnoxious entry. I can't speak for everyone on the list,
but I personally like to hear everyone's opinion, whether or not it's the
same as mine. And if we do happen to disagree, let's at least be civil.
It's the input of ALL of us, Erica included, that makes this digest as good
as it is. We should feel free to write what want without worrying
about other suscribers trying to make us look like a**holes. Remember--
"There's good in nearly everyone, just give them all a chance."
- Peace, love, and understanding,
Flea
(no, not the bassist)
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Date: Thu, 04 Apr 1996 22:10:01 -0500
From: Josh Norek <jan7@cornell.edu>
Subject: Good Cheap Music!!
This note is for all Ben Folds Five fans:
I publish ZedNosh, Cornell Univerity's music newspaper, and we
have a great compilation available dirt cheap. Although BF5 doesn't
have a track on it, there are a lot of musicians- both major label and
indie, on the cassette who would appeal to Ben Folds Five fans.
The cassette, which is around 45 minutes, can be had for only $4,
which includes shipping and handling.
We are guaranteeing people will like the album or they can get their
money back.
You should send the $4 to:
ZedNosh Cassette Offer
c/o Josh Norek
426 Eddy St. #3
Ithaca, NY 14850
Or if you want more info, e-mail me at jan7@cornell.edu
I look forward to hearing from you.
-Josh Norek
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Date: Fri, 05 Apr 96 00:10:00 -0500
From: Steve Vetter <vettersj@mindspring.com>
Subject: (no subject)
Hello!
Please add me to the mailing list...
How come cool things happen in Chapel Hill after I leave?
Do you know if there is a Dillon Fence mailing list? I haven't seen them
around here...
Thanks
Steve Vetter
Atlanta, GA
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Date: Fri, 5 Apr 1996 00:41:09 -0500
From: Aryadne@aol.com
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five, Providence show
Well, um, some random opinions from what everyone else was talking about:
erica67@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu wrote:
<<BFF did have a few roadies if you remember, and the Customers only had one
(the old weird looking guy). The other guys were BFF's.>>
Yeah, that old guy was kinda scary, wasn't he? I don't know anything
about the Customers and have never heard their album, but I really didn't
care for them. Though some people in the audience in Providence were rather
rude to them, which I thought was uncalled-for. Yeah, the lead singer did
come off as kind of a jerk (he seemed to like to swear at the audience), but
most of the time I was too worried that they were all going to tangle
themselves up in the amp wires so badly they'd hurt themselves to pay too
much attention to their music.
Erica also wrote:
<<Video Killed the Radio Star is by another band (Buggles, I think).
So that probably won't be on the next cd. Sorry!>>
And yes, that is by the Buggles, bits of whom went on to be part of one
of the incredibly twisted lineups of Yes and Asia, too, right? I would love
to get BF5 doing that on tape--I was cracking up when Robert Sledge was doing
the little valley girl "Oh oh-oh's" and wiggling his butt.
Anyway, about the Providence show--
Did anyone else here go? Isn't Babyhead a pit? But it was a blast!
Like I said, I had a very good spot, right in front of Ben Folds, in the
very front row. They opened with a cover of Liz Phair's "Chopsticks", and
pretty much played everything off their album except "Boxing" (I assume
because of the lack of a string section). They also did "(Every Night Out
Is) Steven's Last Night", that bizarre dwarf song, of which I don't know the
proper title, and "Song For the Dumped." There may have been another one or
two in there I didn't recognize. "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the
encore, with "Philosophy."
I don't go to many concerts, so I can't really compare them to anything,
but I know I was mightily entertained--so much so, that I feel I should write
them a thank-you note. It was just so nice to be right up there and see the
band interacting and all. When they did "Underground" Darren Jessee came up
front, and they took turns with the opening lines, doing it very
melodramatically (grade A American cheese, my favorite!) Somewhere in there
Darren's mike was coming off the stand, and they had to duct-tape it back up,
and he made a joke about taking a collection for new mike stands, which
apparently no one got, because he said, "Jesus, they think I'm serious" (or
something like that). They had a problem with the bass in the end of "Best
Imitation of Myself", and I noticed Ben Folds was filling in the bassline
with the piano (that's quick thinking). Throughout the show, he was stomping
on the keys (with his feet!), and playing stupidly fast, with his fingers,
his elbow, and sometimes his whole arm, getting up on the body of the piano,
though the ceiling was kinda low, and at the end of one song he jumped off
the speaker in front of me to crash into the length of the keyboard for the
final, er, chord.
At the end, Ben Folds kinda got mobbed by us chicks (technically, I
thought Robert Sledge was the cute one :) ), and I climbed up there too
(which rather surprised me), and got an autograph. I told him they were
INSANE, and thanked him. He looked kinda surprised.
Wow, I'm impressed. Not just that their music is the best I've heard in
some time--I don't know any other way to describe it except that it sounds
"whole"--but that they're incredibly insane live. We need more bands out
there who LOVE what they do, and aren't afraid to be cheesy and silly like
that.
Mary
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