THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #141 - September 21, 1996
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #141
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Topics for Today:
Underground availability in NY
BFF boots?
Counting Crows
Re: mailing list for BFF
Re: BFF Euro Itinerary
RE: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #140
unsubscribe
Re: A BBF Article on Selling Out
BF5 on makeover madness
Where did you go that you were gone so long?
Underground Singles?
Err, crikey, dunno how to put it....
BFF in London
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 22:52:55 GMT
From: hpunch@pipeline.com
Subject: Underground availability in NY
I picked up the Underground UK single at Other Music yesterday. They had
both parts, but I could only afford 1 ($9.49) and opted for the one with
Satan Is My Master (kind of a throwaway of a song) and Video live. Other
Music is right around the corner from Tower @15 e 15th st. #212-477-8150.
JD
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 18:03:59 -0500 (CST)
From: Ethan Book <eb10996@www.cedarnet.org>
Subject: BFF boots?
Ethan Book, but you can call me Benny <eb10996@cedarnet.org> SMILE :)
Are there any ben folds five boots on cd? Or does anyone have any good
DAT recordings from concerts? I was just wondering cos' I just learned
about the band and I have been into Oasis for awhile and have a ton of
boots of theirs. And it has been my experience that live stuff rocks 90%
of the time. Someone tell me the story please.
whatever,
benny =)
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 1996 00:17:03 -0400
From: Jacy33@aol.com
Subject: Counting Crows
Just thought you'd be interested to know, if you don't know already, that on
a song entitled, "Monkey" on Counting Crows next album (Recovering The
Satelites due out Oct. 15th) there is a lyric in which Adam Duritz sings,
"...got Ben Folds on the radio.."
Absolutely cool!
Adam is a big fan of BF5, and I think its great that he includes them on a
great song like Monkey....
Adios,
Tracy
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 1996 01:40:24 -0400
From: JoanneQ@aol.com
Subject: Re: mailing list for BFF
Thanks for adding us. We first heard of BFF in September 95 when Underground
appeared on the CD for that month's issue of CMJ New Music Monthly. I ran
right out and bought the BFF disc (after much searching) and was happy to
find that all of the songs were great. We then saw them in Feb (I think) at
the Khyber Pass in Phila. What a great show! We've been anxiously awaiting
their next album ever since.
==============================================================================
Date: 15 Sep 1996 16:32:00 +0200
From: Daniel Rodrigues Parreira <parreira@aquawolf.xs4all.nl>
Subject: Re: BFF Euro Itinerary
On 14.09.96, maynard@mail.oeonline.com wrote:
> Sat Nov 16 Amsterdam, Holland Paradiso
Does somebody know if they do radio/tv interviews in Holland, Germany or
England? Or maybe the concert will be recorded? Frank?
_ _ _
_ | \ |_) |_) parreira@aquawolf.xs4all.nl
(_iao... |_/aniel | \odrigues |arreira parreira@ecsi.chem.uva.nl
parreira@tmbg.org
amsterdam, the netherlands, europe
biochemistry student at the pgp key available on request
university of amsterdam http://ecsi.chem.uva.nl/~parreira
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 96 20:47:20 PDT
From: gillet <gillet@pi.net>
Subject: RE: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #140
> Here is the first official announcement of the full BFF European Tour. Please
> post this wherever necessary.
<cut>
> Sat Nov 16 Amsterdam, Holland Paradiso
<cut>
does somebody know if ben folds will bring his own piano? last time they
played here in holland they had a rented piano and he hold back a little,
so if he brings his own piano maybe we can see ben in 'full action' this
time .......
-------------------------------------
met vriendelijke groet
joris gillet
gillet@pi.net
uitgeest, the netherlands
-------------------------------------
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 1996 18:11:13 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jenn Halter <jlh4935@email.unc.edu>
Subject: unsubscribe
[administrative request deleted by moderator]
PS: saw Ben and his girlfriend at Cafe Trio in Chapel Hill this morning. he
had on the
brown cords and light green shirt. i think that's his favorite outfit...
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 11:29:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mitch Armbruster <marmbru@email.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: A BBF Article on Selling Out
Here is an excerpt from an article from about two weeks ago in the
Independent Weekly (a Chapel Hill-Raleigh Area newspaper)...
MAJOR MISCONCEPTIONS
Ben Folds and the Backsliders Discuss The Joys of Major Labels
by Greg Bower
Ask a music fan what "selling out" means. The answer usually involves an
artist and heaps of money. In this scenario, major lables are easy
targets for scorn, seeing as they're the ones with (practically) all the
money. But if, as some musicians see it - "selling out" is an artistic
decision - tailoring music to appeal to an established record-buying
demographic rather than drawing solely from the artist's inspiration - the
moral lines between the big majors and the smaller independent labels
become hazier. And things may not be as artistically pristine as they
seem indie-land.
"[Indie rock] is much more uptight about its exclusivity," says Ben
Folds... "I think a lot of the indepedenents really do want to make stuff
look and sound shitty so that it keeps its credibility"...
...Describing independent labels' music as "every bit as formulaic as
anything" Folds says major labels actually offer musicians more creative
freedom. "I belive as a whole independents are more uptight than major
labels because they have less money, whereas a major label can afford to
screw up."
But don't corporate-rock machines like Sony pressure artists to release
"commerical" material?
"Whenever businesss meets music, it's already fucked up," says Folds.
"There's no good way to deal with it except to keep making the music that
you make, but's it going to be fucked up to a certain extent.
"There's this dynamic that happens once you get in the middle of the big,
hairy commericial shit," says Folds. "For instance, we're making a record
with 50 times the budget of the first record, and it's likely to get a lot
of attention. And you feel that when you're making the record. I know
all the people who have a job if the reocrd does well and who don't have a
job if it doesn't do well. So that's pressure.
But so far, no one at Sony has tried to coerce Folds into commercializing
his music to become the next multiplatinum act: "It's not like someone in
the business walks up to you with a million bucks and says, Here - go sell
out."
Some musicians who have dealt with the majors caution that the pressures
of the experience are best left to artists secure in their instincts,
those who already have a firm grasp on what their music is "supposed" to
sound like. Or as Folds puts it: "Music always should be marketed after
it's been made, and someone who is making music for someone else is
marketing music before it's been made." That "someone else" could be
anyone from the honchos at Mega Records to the artist's No.1 fan....
-----------------
(How can you not like Ben!)
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 20:08:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: Andrea Merrifield <hapfield@mix-net.net>
Subject: BF5 on makeover madness
i just heard "underground" on MTV's Make-over Madness!!!!!! Could anything
be more anti-BF5 than that?? An entire show about how you should look
better than everyone else , i'm disgusted......
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 13:37:08 GMT
From: Mark Piper <MFP540@novell3.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: Where did you go that you were gone so long?
Wahey!
I'm glad that my web site is still standing (http://www.geocities.com/
SunsetStrip/5430 - Looks, Brains and Everything, the unofficial UK
BFF Web Site, fact fans), and I shall be updating it in the next
couple of days for those starved of news.
I guess everyone knows the tour dates. If anyone here is going
to the Birmingham gig (YESSSSS!!!!!), or to the Dingwalls (probably
the 26th), get in touch. If anyone needs a place to kip in
Birmingham, my luxury (student) condo is a mere stones throw from the
Foundry.
Underground single, blah, blah, blah. Cool B-Sides. If you
study your NME hard enough, you'll know that it crept into the UK
charts at number 49. Oh no, mainstream acceptance!. Oh, and the
album made a re-entry into the indie LP charts at about 27 or
something. I guess that means someone bought a copy >8)
My little black BFF badge got trampled by a few hundred Teenage
Fanclub fans at T In The Park, but miraculously I found it
afterwards, albeit the worse for wear. Does anyone have a spare one
they could send? Please?
Best news of the summer is that I had a near religious
experience seeing BFF at Reading Festival. Seven songs, including
"Song For The Dumped" and "Stevens Last Night". Both instant
classics. If anyone was there and wants to relive the moment with me,
feel free to email.
Is anyone in the UK aware of / in possession of any BFF
bootlegs? It's about time.
Well, until next time, cheerio, and, hey, get off that piano!
Mark
mfp540@bham.ac.uk
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5430
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 14:41:13 -0400
From: MARK400@aol.com
Subject: Underground Singles?
I know some of the people have bought the recent versions of the
Underground singles. Where is everybody finding them? I really want to get
my paws on these CDs.
MARK400
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 1996 14:59:19 GMT
From: Mark Piper <MFP540@novell3.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: Err, crikey, dunno how to put it....
Hi, me again chums
I need some help (but that's between me and the shrink). I want
to compile a couple of lists for your information and entertainment.
Firstly, I'm after a list of BF5 songs (originals and covers) to post
on the web site. Here is my prototype version.
Originals:
All the album tracks (I don't need to list them)
Emaline
Steven's Last Night (In Town)
Song For The Dumped
Tom & Mary
Satan Is My Master
Bad Idea
Evaporated
Rocky
Missing The War
1000 Solemn Faces (???)
Covers:
Crosstown Traffic
Video Killed The Radio Star
Havah Navilgah (sp?)
I know there are more out there, please can anybody add anything to
this list? Just email me.
Right, the second list is a list of live tapes / CD's that are
floating around. Please let me know of any live shows you have, where
they were recorded and the date, as well as the number of tracks if
possible. I would also like details of any demos that are around.
Thanks. If possible, maybe people would like me to collect a database
of people who have these shows and are willing to trade. I can keep a
list of email addresses for anyone who wants to get hold of any of
the shows. Thanks
Mark
mfp540@bham.ac.uk
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5430
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 00:00:34 +0100 (BST)
From: Stanford Chiou <stanford.chiou@university-college.oxford.ac.uk>
Subject: BFF in London
> Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 15:52:27 -0700
> From: John Purdie <jb58@dial.pipex.com>
> Subject: BFF LONDON DATES & BEYOND
>
> Also, having spoken to GLR (Greater London Radio), who booked them last
> time round, and Caroline's pluggers, JTM, it is very likely that there
> will be a short live session on said station around the 18th or 26th Nov.
What frequency is GLR?
==============================================================================
[The Yo Page, which is edited by high school students in Gastonia, NC,
did a story on Ben Folds Five. It's at
http://www.gast-gazette.com/YoPage.htm
and there is a link on the "Interviews and Reviews" page.
Unfortunately, they have changed the content of that page, and the BFF
article isn't archived anywhere. I will try to get it back.
Finally, this mention on Usenet in alt.kids-talk:
i love instant magazine. they're just funny. hey, they review not only beer,
but they review milk! yes milk! and this guy gets his own column complaining
about things that need to be complained about.
and today's issue is "Only Lame People Don't Like Ben Folds Five"
granted, i've never heard ben folds five, but the attitude is absolutely
refreshing. and the name of the band is rocket from the crypt.
I've been unable to find the article, which may be only available to
subscribers, but you can find them at
http://www.instantmag.com/ -fjm]
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And I love you you're my friend, but you got no philosophy