THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #217 - April 5, 1997



                     THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #217
 
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Topics for Today:
 
      bff in Boston
      Re: Chapel Hill show, excitement/depression
      Growing up is hard to do
      Recognition.
      Re: Ben Folds on the Radio
      The Magical Armchair (Subscribe)
      Ben Folds interview!
      Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #212
      Kissing music
      BFF in Miami?
      The free CD offer
      mis
      Re: Kareoke Night in Winston-Salem
      BFF free stuff?
      Re: Singing over lyrics / Driving to Atlanta
      What we should all REALLY be concerned about.
 
 ==============================================================================


 Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 17:14:17 EST
 From: jrose@MIT.EDU
 Subject: bff in Boston

 after being passed over on this US tour (which SUCKS), I saw in the
 Boston Phoenix today that Ben and the boys will be here at the Paradise
 on May 27 (a Tuesday), presumably starting the tour after their return
 from Japan. tickets go on sale tomorrow (4/4) and are $10.
 kinda weird that they skipped this college town while classes are
 in session, but will be here right after finals when the city shuts
 down...oh well. at least they're coming.

 Joel

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 16:36:48 -0500
 From: Ed Crabtree <ecrab@ga.unc.edu>
 Subject: Re: Chapel Hill show, excitement/depression

 > Date: Mon, 31 Mar 97 10:32:06 EST
 > From: Jason Kilts <Jason.Kilts@css.unc.edu>
 > Subject: Chapel Hill show, excitement/depression
 >
 >   Well, it's been two and a half days since the BFF show at the Cat's Cradle
 > here in Chapel Hill.  First of all, let me tell every last one of you out
 > there who have not seen BFF in a club setting, listen to everybody on this
 > list that tells you that it will be the greatest show ever.  They were right.

 This was my third BF5 club show, and it was great, but my second will
 probably always be my favorite--with Fleming McWilliams Painter dancing
 right in front of me. ;-)

 >   It was great to see a fellow Armchairer there.  Hey, Ed!!  (I'm sure there
 > were several others, but I didn't go around taking a poll.)

 I just overheard Jason asking someone else if they were on the list and had
 to speak up.  Nice to meet ya, Jason.


 Ed Rock Crabtree
 ecrab@ga.unc.edu
 http://ias.ga.unc.edu/~ecrab

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 17:27:40 -0500
 From: "Matthew W. Morse" <Matthew.Morse@mail.trincoll.edu>
 Subject: Growing up is hard to do

 There seems to be a lot of dissent about the new album and how it measures
 up. I listened to the new album extensively and then listened to the old
 one. My first reaction is that the songs on the second album and fuller and
 richer in quality and the members of the band have grown tighter and more
 comfortable with each other. What I think we've seen is that BFF has begun
 to mature as a band, and their personal growth both as people and musicians
 is documented in the gap between album 1 and 2. Looking forward to seeing
 them at Irving plaza.
 -Matthew Morse

  "The people who think Tiny Tim is strange are the same ones who think it
    odd that I drive without pants."

 Matthew Morse
 Trinity College

 Matthew.Morse@mail.trincoll.edu

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 97 16:39:01 -0600
 From: "Scott A. Schneider" <echo@msn.globaldialog.com>
 Subject: Recognition.

 Okay, guys and gals... time to begin that spat that came about the first
 time they went on tour...

 Are we (as list members) doing anything at live shows to recognize
 eachother?  You know, like wearing "Hello, my name is Frank" nametags, or
 shouting "Satan is my Maynard!" or any of those other things that Frank
 obviously hates?  :)  I think it'd be fun to at least do something to
 identify ourselves to other list members...

 C'mon, let's brainstorm!  Those tour dates are commin' up fast...

 Scott

 http://www.globaldialog.com/~echo/bff/

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 17:40:35 -0500 (EST)
 From: Jessica237@aol.com
 Subject: Re: Ben Folds on the Radio

 I listen to this modern rock local radio station. Every week they do this
 thing where they pick a CD and every day at 5:30, they'll play another song
 from the CD--it's called Prime Cuts. Well, this week it's our buddies Ben
 Folds Five. Everyday they play a new song and give more info. about the band.
 Here's in order what they've played so far:
 Fair
 Kate
 Selfless, Cold, and Composed
 and. . .(the next one should be on in a minute). . .Steven's Last Night in
 Town
 This station is so awesome. They've been playing Ben Folds since Underground
 first came out. I'm so psyched up!! Woo-hoo! Go Ben Folds!!
 Jess

     [What station and where? -fjm]

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 18:07:41 -0500
 From: GreenBayFan <GreenBayFan@prodigy.net>
 Subject: The Magical Armchair (Subscribe)

 ...I must confess, being a die hard Phish fanatic
 for a good 5 years I have not given any other bands a chance ti impress
 me. Thank god a good friend of mine forced me to listen to Bf5 about a
 month ago and I love it. I don't mean to grovel, but if you know anyone
 who could help me find some live Bf5 it would be much appreciated. I
 have tons of stuff to trade. I was really impressed with the intensity
 they played with at Ziggy's. My friend and I drove from Minneapolis to
 Winston-Salem for spring break/his birthday. I wrote down the
 setlist,(phorce of habit)and I havent seen it posted so here it is.
 My e-mail is GreenBayFan@prodigy.net  Thanks!!
 Missing The War
 -New Song-
 Philosophy
 Selfless,Cold,Composed
 Where's Summer B.
 Alice Childress
 Kate
 Steven's Last Night in Town
 Brick
 Video
 Jackson Cannery
 -??????-
 One Angry Dwarf..
 Fair
 The Battle Of...
 Jam>Uncle Walter
 Song for the Dumped(w/extended jamming)
 -Stairway To Heaven Tease> Underground#
 E)Best Imitation of Myself
   Julianne
 # During the beginning lyrics, Darren says"Hand Me My Cockring"
 and Robert says"We beat up the Cardigans in a fist fight."

           Chris Scanlon
          University of Minnesota
           GreenBayFan@prodigy.net

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 18:09:13 -0500 (EST)
 From: ryan wesley lakenan <lakenrw3@wfu.edu>
 Subject: Ben Folds interview!

 hey there.  My name is ryan lakenan, I'm a wake forest student, who is
 posing as an mtv intern for this semester.  In trying to abuse the
 privlages there in, I nabbed an interview with ben and wrote up a summary
 of it and the band that should be going up on their homepage soon.  It's
 in the music part called Biorythms of MTV's homepage.  Hope the review
 was somewhere close to what the band is actually like.  I basically
 praised them, so most everybody on this list should like it.  Stuff I
 didn't mention in the review:  Ben is completly down to earth!  Given,
 he's no world renowned rockstar, but he could have been a little pissed
 at having to answer some questions from a college punk looking for a few
 good quotes, but he wasn't.  He's calm and nice, and I gotta say that I
 have even more reasons why I'd love to see the band explode: they deserve
 it.  Also, the wintson-salem show was a mind f***.  They are amazing and
 if you get a chance, go!  I had long-liked their album, but seeing them
 in concert is a far greater experience.  Check out the interview, hope ya
 like it,

 	ryan lakenan

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 18:20:11 -0500 (EST)
 From: Bronwyn Anna Deaver <bdeaver@indiana.edu>
 Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #212

 Hello everyone!!!!
 	This is my first post on this list and I want you all to know
 that I think it is great that some people out there have good tastes in
 music.
 	I would like to talk about Brick.  I think it is about abortion
 also.  Take it from someone who knows the experience first hand.  Ben
 portrays my boyfriend (also named Ben) and my experience to the dot.
 Abortion is not a bad thing in my opinion.  I don't want them to happen,
 but sometimes it the choice that has to be made.  I don't expect any of
 you to understand.  But her being balled up on the couch and him pacing
 around in the parking lot is just too perfect of a typical abortion
 process.  Most people think that everything will be fine after an
 abortion and in many cases it is, but for some including this girl you
 realize that you made the right choice, but you miss the baby.  Thus the
 brick.  Ben realizes that the girl isn't just going to magically be okay
 now that the pregnancy is over.  SHe is sad and he wants her to be over
 it, but realizes she can't be.  Therefore she is bringing him down too
 and is sad about the child also although they both think the decision
 they make was correct.  They hid it from her parents and it was early in
 the morning.  Just more evidence.  Thanks for listening and try to
 support and love anyone you know that gets pregnant no matter what they
 decide to do with the pregnancy.  Sometimes abortion is just the best
 although hardest decision to make.  Not only for the parents but the baby
 too.  Mommy and Daddy love you BA!!!!
 						Bronwyn

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 18:37:19 -0500 (EST)
 From: Michele <mmenuck@umich.edu>
 Subject: Kissing music

 Perhaps this is a cheesy thing to post, but it's something I feel strongly
 about...
 It used to be that Dave Matthews was the best music to, you know, fool
 around to...
 Now, with songs like "Brick", Ben is taking Dave's place- for me, at
 least.
 It was said that DMB had a tendency to "turn people on."  I stress _had_.
 BFF all the way.

 Michele


 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Michele R. Menuck
 University of Michigan
 mmenuck@umich.edu
 http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mmenuck

 "Life is hard, but it's even harder when you're stupid." -?

 "Welcome to the world.  Thank you, drive through." -Beavis
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 18:33:15 -0500
 From: Shaleen R Hamilton <revir@juno.com>
 Subject: BFF in Miami?

 Could someone PLEASE tell me if the BFF have any plans to play in Miami
 or anywhere in south florida?? I know they came last year for the first
 album...but (of course w/ my luck) they were playing an hour and a half
 away on the night before I biggest final...geez.  I'm dying to know if
 they're playing down here...someone help me please!

 Shaleen

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 18:51:22 -0500 (EST)
 From: Michele <mmenuck@umich.edu>
 Subject: The free CD offer

 I must be really slow...
 Last week, I paid a visit to one of the BFF web sites (I forget which
 one), to find a coupon entitling me to a free BFF import CD.
 "Wow," I thought, "That's pretty f***ing cool."
 So, I proceeded to call every independent record in the immediate area, to
 find that they were all gone. :(
 Then, I decided to call a store that was a bit out of the way, in "tears."
 They had them both shipped from another store for me. And I was happy :)

 Hava Nagila.
 Michele

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 19:31:56 -0500
 From: lpd105@psu.edu
 Subject: mis

 is 'kate' a song about his wife?  also i am going to see bff in philly on
 the 30th.  i can hardly wait.  i am going to have time of my life.  if
 anyone else is attending that show i will catch you there.  well catch all
 of you on the flip side.

 luke

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 19:35:52 -0500
 From: Mike Piccuirro <mikeman@pegasus.rutgers.edu>
 Subject: Re: Kareoke Night in Winston-Salem

 >  Why do people feel
 >  the necessity to sing ever single lyric out loud?
 >  ... at the concert venue I'm there because I want to hear the
 >  artist perform, not the drunk guy behind me
 >  or the cute couple next to me bleat out the lyrics at the top of their
 >  lungs.
 Well, PJ you're not going to be able to do anything about the crowed so
 there is only one thing you can do....get just as drunk as the guy
 behind you...more so if possible.  Then the crowed singing (and you own)
 doesn't sound that bad:)

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 19:43:54 -0500
 From: Shaleen R Hamilton <revir@juno.com>
 Subject: BFF free stuff?

 This is (technically) my second time writing to this, but I do'nt count
 the first one (when I asked if anyone knew of a concert in S. FL)  But I
 just want to say that I love Whatever...I really can't say if it's better
 or worse than the first, because they're both so great...and so
 different, with all the ballads it's a completely different album.  I'm
 glad for that too, cause I like to see that they have such a huge range
 in songwriting.

 Too repeat Joel (who posted earlier) where are you people getting all
 this other Ben Folds Five stuff?!  I live in Miami, and I have only ever
 found 1 import...actually I've only ever met one other person who had
 heard BFF (well  who I didn't introduce to the band).

 Dying to see the guys in concert--
 Shaleen

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 20:01:42 -0500 (EST)
 From: Mint-Chocolate <fender@grove.ufl.edu>
 Subject: Re: Singing over lyrics / Driving to Atlanta

 PJ,
 	Yes this annoys me very much too.  Luckily, when they came to
 Gainesville last year they were unknown to mostly everyone except those of
 us listening to WRRX97X (small station run by music lovers, always have to
 plug them!).  The small venue was comfortably packed, I think only a
 handful of us actually had the CD and knew the words.  Even then we had
 the respect to not sing them...  When I went to see weezer there were
 these guys at least 10ft behind us totally yelling every word.  I actually
 couldn't hear Rivers' voice at all.  I hope that never happens in future
 BF5 concerts, but I think most of us do actually want to hear Ben, Darren,
 and Robert sing rather than ouselves!  I mean, it IS natural to want to
 sing along, but have a little self control!  Oh, yeah...the obnoxious guys
 at the weezer show were drunk.  Another reason why I'll never drink.
 	Unfortunately I'm not sure if they will be playing FL dates or not
 this time around...so if there's anyone in central FL wanting to drive to
 Atlanta with me, please contact me.  Thanks!

 Steve

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 20:32:06 -0500 (EST)
 From: AGNEND86@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU
 Subject: What we should all REALLY be concerned about.

 Dear Benfolders,

 I'm really kinda sick of all the nitpicking over the new songs, "new sound"
 and whatnot. The only thing that we should really be concerned about, is the
 fact that we won't have a NEW BFF album for another two years.  The
 anticipation for the new record was so great...and now that anticipation
 and excitement is all but a memory.

 Is it just me, or does, "Ciggarette" sound like it belongs in the middle
 of some sort of  concept album?  I mean, what's this Fred Jones guy all
 about anyways?  I wish I knew more, because it's my fave song on the album.
 Whoops, there I go, nitpicking - not even taking my own advice.

 Just out of curiosity, has anyone on here heard of The Marshes (fairly new
 band with Colin Seers from Dag Nasty on drums)?  I think I read someplace
 that Ben likes them.  If you see their CDs, pick 'em, if pop-punk is
 you're thing that is.  Ta ta darlin's.

 NA

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