THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #255 - April 24, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Thursday, April 24 1997 Volume 01 : Number 255
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Mailing List
Topics in this issue:
TMBG's
BFF in oz?
BFF Underground Maxi CD
status of the armchair
Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #250
BFF in Denver
FINALLY, MPLS
I meant to say Robert...
Hello from Wisco! (and Chicago show)
Review -- St. Louis
Thick as a Brick -- The lightbulb debate
my ben experience...san antonio _and_ dallas....
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 9:48:15 +0100
From: "Simon Burrows INF-KB" <sburrows@madge.com>
Subject: TMBG's
My favorite song on the record is called "Brick". The lyrics seem pretty
deep, but I can't seem to be able to associate any meaning with them.
Could
anyone please help me?
>>ARGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anyone else on this list like Jellyfish or They Might Be Giants? I
don't
know much about them, but would like to know more.
>>I borrowed some Jellyfish from someone having heard about them on this
list, and was dissapointed. As for TMBG's, well, they've recorded about 6
albums now, each of which will have around 18 tracks on. 8 of these will
be killer, hook-driven, catchy, quirky nuggets of idiosyncratic pop. The
other 8 will be ka-ka. As a taster, get hold of their 1990 album 'Flood'
which is classic, and only buy the rest if you like what you've heard so
far. Hope this helps.
>>Ceddy
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 19:10:11 +0800 (WST)
From: Jodie Poole <jpoole@tartarus.uwa.edu.au>
Subject: BFF in oz?
Hi there,
Just writing to find out two things:
1) when are BFF coming to Australia(esp. Perth)???
2) does ANYONE know if there is anywhere in australia that we can
get the piano chords for BFF?
CHEERS!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 07:45:42 -0400
From: Steffen Donath <SDonath@compuserve.com>
Subject: BFF Underground Maxi CD
Hello everybody!
Today I was able to find a copy of the BFF Underground Maxi CD containing:
Underground
Jackson Cannery (live at Ziggys 1995)
Underground (live at Ziggys 1995)
I already have a copy of that CD but as a lot of people have been asking
recently how to get their hands on BFF stuff I bought it anyway.
So if anybody is interested in the CD please contact me. I am willing to
sell or swap against other BFF stuff.
STEFFEN
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 08:05:22 -0400
From: Steve Deame <sdeame@iona.com>
Subject: status of the armchair
Hi all:
Just a short note to vent on the following issues:
1. I am sick about reading about what "Brick" really means.
2. Do we have a FAQ so people can read first before asking questions that
we(the early Armchair's;) ) have seen a thousand times already.
3. This whole idea of the band getting popular. Jesus...it's the real world
. Live with it. You don't get 500K and 500K per album because they think
your going to bomb.
Everyone on this list knows this. Enjoy this tour. Expect bigger venues next
time around.
4. Try to post your question once. Learn how to use email before submitting
to a mailing list. I work for a very e-mail happy company. I come in early
to read fun stuff like this. ONCE though not twice or three times.
5. I won't even go in to using all Capitals.
God I feel better. Try to refraim from flaming plase.
On a happier note. I have tickets for NYC, Boston and Providence. Have seen
BFF three times already. First time have ever been a "groupie". Next thing
you know I will be packing the van and following the band city to city
selling beads to survive. This must be what "Deadheads" felt. <laugh>
Cheers
Steve
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 09:28:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: "GERRI R. BAER" <gbaer@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #250
please remove my name from the list--I love ben folds but have no time to
read all this!
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 1997 20:46:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: SBoxGirl@aol.com
Subject: BFF in Denver
I was listening to the radio, and they were giving away tickets to
go see Ben Folds Five. I happened to call in and win the tickets. I have
only heard their present single, and that sounded good, so I decided I would
go see them. It was dumping snow that night, so the only people that were
there were die hard BFF fans.
The show started, and they were awesome!!! The piano rocked, and
Robert Sledge is one of the best base players I have ever heard! He knew how
to rock out, and his fingers were all over the base.
After the show, I hung out for a while, and after being entertained
by the amount of effort it took to move the piano off stage, I sat in the
lobby, and waited for a taxi. The band came out and mingled with everyone,
drinking and relaxing. Ben Folds was giving two girls the time of their life
by blessing them with his holy words, the drummer was too busy only talking
to his crew and drinking, but Robert Sledge sat at a table and started
reading a book (Wow! A literate one!). We looked at each other and smiled,
and he was so cute and shy! A while later, he had to do some private
business, so he asked me to make sure no one stole his base and Barbie
suitcase, and I said sure. His fellow band members sat down at the table, so
I went outside in the freezing cold to wait longer. Robert came out to put
his base away, and on the way back, he said "Do you know how cold it is out
here?" I said "It's freezing!" He continued the conversation while
shivering, talking about how they had just been to California, and they were
wearing shorts and T-Shirts, and two days later, they have to bundle up. I
asked where he was from, "North Carolina", and I understood why he was
FREEZING. He told me not to get too cold, and he went back inside.
Robert Sledge has the best voice, and the best personality of any
major band member I have ever met. They packed up and left, and my taxi
came, and the night was over. Too bad. The music was great, and the road
crew was HOT! I can't wait for them to come back to Denver.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 97 20:57:28 -0500
From: "Bergquist" <Kristin.M.Bergquist-1@tc.umn.edu>
Subject: FINALLY, MPLS
kids, how does this sound? whoever CAN make it to the PURPLE ONION THIS
week on FRIDAY around 7 o'clock comes and we have a grand old time..whoever
cant come this weekend comes NEXT weekend , FRIDAY again, and at the same
time.
tell you what, ill even be a big ol sweetie and let ya'll be annoyed as
hell with my presence at both times, okay? *grin*
ill do me best to get the laundry done and wear my BF5 shirt so we'll all
know where to go, but, seeing as that's lookin to be a rather outside
chance, just look for the blonde with a neck-piercing. :) thatll be me,
sucking down the cheapest coffee theyre selling.
see you there, honey-babes :)
kristin
***i never meant half of the things that i said to you
so you know there's a half that might be true*** glen phillips
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:28:24 -0400
From: cynthia@people.timeinc.com (Cynthia Wang)
Subject: I meant to say Robert...
Hi all,
Oops. In my rush to post, I made "Robert" out to be Darren's last name. Sorry.
But, in response to Susie's question:
>Someone earlier mentioned the truth about cats and dogs... my sister told me
>they were on the soundtrack, knowing i love BFF, but she said the song was
>really offensive. Can anyone tell me what exactly was so disrespectful about
>it?
>
The line "you make me feel retarded" may have offended people who really
are mentally retarded. That's my guess.
Later,
C
- -------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:25:02 -0500 (CDT)
From: EBERT@cpg.mcw.edu
Subject: Hello from Wisco! (and Chicago show)
Hi folks! I've been lurking around for awhile (haven't posted for a couple
months), basically cuz I haven't had anything interesting to say. But
goshdarnitall, it's time to come out of hiding!
Is anybody going to the Chicago show on Thursaday? What about my fellow
Wisconsinites... you out there, guys? I haven't heard from you in awhile.
Anyway, are we doing the "HELLO MY NAME IS...<first name> ARMCHAIR", or what?
I s'poze I could just tell you what I'm gonna be wearing (look for a short guy
who looks like a cross between John Oates and Beau Brady from "Days of Our
Lives" that's wearing a t-shirt with a big picture of The Tick on it). If
anybody wants to meet up, let me know!
Man, I can't wait until tomorrow.
Jugglin' one-handed and doin' magic tricks cuz I'm damn happy to be back!,
"Erokk"
Eric Ebert <ebert@cpg.mcw.edu>
Eric Ebert - Training Specialist
Medical College of WI/CIS Phone: (414) 456-5283
11200 W Plank Ct FAX: (414) 266-8843
Wauwatosa, WI 53226 E-mail: ebert@cpg.mcw.edu
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to
failure is trying to please everybody." - Bill Cosby
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:20:55 -0600
From: "Erik C. Lyons" <EPA8820@epa.state.il.us>
Subject: Review -- St. Louis
As I sit here and listen to BFF on my computer, I will give a small insight
into the show which took place on Tuesday April 22, 1997, in St. Louis. I
have read other fellow MA's reviews and I must say I am going to take a
different spin in my review. I didn't stand there with a pencil and paper
and write down each song in the order Ben & co. sang them. That would
be crazy. No one is paying me to review BFF. I went there to enjoy a
concert, and I was treated to one hell of a special night. First, Komeda,
the opening band from Sweden, was a good opener and got the crowd
going. They played for about an hour and then BFF took the stage about
30 minutes later. The crowd numbered about 400(?) maybe. . .Tickets
were 5 bucks and there wasn't a bad spot in the place. Very small club.
We stood about 20-30 feet behind Ben the whole concert. After each
song he would spin around and acknowledge our cheering. We made
some eye contact (but that story later). They played with incredible
energy for 2 SOLID hours and came out one encore. I think everyone
who has been to a BFF show knows the energy I speak of, and those
who have not made a show yet surely have an idea from other reviews.
The only disappointment was the absence of "uncle walter." I usually skip
over "julieanne" on the CD, but when Ben came out for an encore he
played it and it is much different live. So now the story. I used my wife to
get Ben and co. to stop for a picture. She obviously charmed him
because after the show we BOTH got pictures with him. *very exciting*
*very very kewl* They are a great group of guys and I am thinking of
heading up to Chicago on Thursday to see them again. I have this feeling
of a groupie now who follows the band to all venues. I better go see a
shrink before I get obsessive. . .But I digress. . .It was a fabulous show
and I look forward to seeing BFF many more times in the future.
For you "Brick" freaks, let me just say this. . .It has many meanings.
"TRUST ME"
Erik
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:44:42 -0500
From: "Louie Nash" <louie@tamu.edu>
Subject: Thick as a Brick -- The lightbulb debate
I, just like everyone else on the list, receive oodles and gobs of mail
every day and this stuff fills up my mailbox faster than I can read it.
When this becomes too much, I just scan through some of the messages and
look for important stuff. Lately I have been reading the ENTIRE Armchair,
though. (Yeah, I have time for mindless dribble despite my class schedule.)
ANYWAY, long story longer, I received a forward yeterday that reminded me
of this whole silly "debate over whether or not debating the debate about
brick's meaning" was worth while, worth time, or even worth mentioning.
So..... If you don't want to read a little satire of the whole situation
(or you don't know what satire means) SCAN AHEAD TO THE NEXT MESSAGE! DO
NOT READ FURTHER. This is sorta long, but have fun.
Q: How many internet mail list subscribers does it take to change a light
bulb
A: 1,331
1 to change the light bulb and to post to the mail list that
the light bulb has been changed
14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and
how the light bulb could have been changed differently.
7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs.
27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light
bulbs.
53 to flame the spell checkers
156 to write to the list administrator complaining about the
light bulb discussion and its inappropriateness to this mail list.
41 to correct spelling in the spelling/grammar flames.
109 to post that this list is not about light bulbs and
to please take this email exchange to alt.lite.bulb
203 to demand that cross posting to alt.grammar, alt.spelling
and alt.punctuation about changing light bulbs be stopped.
111 to defend the posting to this list saying that we are all
use light bulbs and therefore the posts **are** relevant
to this mail list.
306 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior,
where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs
work best for this technique, and what brands are faulty.
27 to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs
14 to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly,
and to post corrected URLs.
3 to post about links they found from the URLs that are relevant
to this list which makes light bulbs relevant to this list.
33 to concatenate all posts to date, then quote them including
all headers and footers, and then add "Me Too."
12 to post to the list that they are unsubscribing because they
cannot handle the light bulb controversey.
19 to quote the "Me Too's" to say, "Me Three."
4 to suggest that posters request the light bulb FAQ.
1 to propose new alt.change.lite.bulb newsgroup.
47 to say this is just what alt.physic.cold_fusion was meant for, leave it
here.
143 votes for alt.lite.bulb.
Anyway.... that's all I have to say about "Brick." (Which I will avoid
forming an opinion on altogether to avoid biasing my brain)
I wanted very badly to go to the Dallas Edgefest concert. (Even if only for
the reason of seeing BFF)Unfortunately, I now reside in College Station
while getting my edjubukashun. I was sorta stuck here carless. The one
thing I was NOT looking forward to while praying that I could go though WAS
the crowd. It seems like my worries were confirmed by previous posts. The
Edgefest crowd has always been a bunch of 13 year old grunge-puppies
looking to score their first hit of weed and meet Beck. I have ALWAYS been
dissapointed with the edgefest crowd. (and up until this year their choice
of musicians) I'm sure it would be much better in a club or pub setting.
When I saw Arlo Guthrie at Poor David's Pub last year I fell totallly in
love with the whole small club thing.
ARE THERE ANY ARMCHAIR SUBSCRIBERS IN THE COLLEGE STATION AREA?
Oh well, this'll probably be an entire Armchair in itself. Sorry to ramble
like this.
Bo
louie@tamu.edu
"The one serious conviction that a man should have is that
nothing is to be taken too seriously."
Samuel Butler: 1612-1680, British poet
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:28:21 -0500
From: nancy <ndoodle@ou.edu>
Subject: my ben experience...san antonio _and_ dallas....
Hey armchair folk, this is my ben folds five experience...two shows and
1500
miles....>sigh< um, yeah, I like to drive around a lot. already sent to
adam, so apoligies for the repeat!...
Also, wow, Ben Folds five....
Thursday morning, my friend Joe and I decided to just go ahead and drive
to San antonio (from oklahoma!) to see the bens folds fives and boy! was
it worth it! I got a speeding ticket on the way, so Ben put me on the
guest list
at the Dallas Edgefest (ha ha! beck was on the bill too...nevermind that
I saw him wednesday night in oklahoma!).
Anyhoo, saw them in San Antonio in the most ironic setting. a really bad
cheesy club called Sneakers that was home to the bad cock rock 80's gone
mainstream...the walls were this fake brick and there were band names
written everywhere in neon paint...um, lessee, ugly kid joe,
anthrax..NEXT to Hootie and the blowfish!, joan jett, for a good time
call....alice in chains, soundgarden, jesse james, the nixons..oh, it
was a sight to see! there was a raised dance floor in the middle of the
club! ack! and then the stage in the back of course,..um, and the
weirdest thing, they KEEP the id's of minor's in case they try to buy
alcohol, so they can go and look up there faces and kick them out of the
club (?!) um, yeah, so VERY UNFORTUNATELY (huge frown on this one :( ) I
missed Komeda, as we kinda got ass directions from a guy at a gas
station (after we drove to the opposite end of town), and were late to
the show, but FORTUNATELY, we made it about
one mintue (I'm not kidding!) before Ben sat down and introduced the
band and started with Missing the war. and then,....
battle
philosophy
selfless, cold, and compressed
last polka
kate
alice childress
brick
steven's last night in town
theme from dr. pyser
emaline
****y'know that metal silliness? ah, the medley thing too, um, he sang
*about the jungle boy and bruce springsteen and the blues explosion..um,
*and...bow wow wow, yippee yo yippee yay (um, never thought I'd type
*that to you eh?! ah, I never thought I'd type it at all!!!)
one angry dwarf and 200 solemn faces (HAD to type this one out!)
fair
best imitation
song for the dumped
underground
encore...smoke, and SHE DON'T USE JELLY!!!! (flaming lips) ack! yes! it
was oh so
great! ha! (they were singing jazzy harmonies and it was just crazy
jazzy easy listenin' fun!)
um, so yup, that was THURSDAY NIGHT! ah, after the show, you know what
happened, and then we hung out with a couple of listies from the trash
can sinatras list (very cool folk indeed) at Jim's (I guess it's the
denny's of san antonio) and then Joe and I got ready for the trek back
to Sucklahoma, we'd nap at kevy kev's half way in Dallas. alright, got
back for classes and to pick up weekend stuffs to GO BACK to dallas.
Sunday afternoon....edgefest.
Ben was skeptical about the whole guest list thing working at a
festival, but lo and behold...I got in! took Kevin and his little sister
(aw, her first concert experience!) and we had no problems getting in!
no line no anything. THis is incredible to believe considering STarplex
amphitheatre. I think it's the biggest venue next to the stadiums. ah,
y'now, it's all half grass, half covered seats...well, I really didn't
think that I'd be able to get in. Not only did I get in with my two
guests, but I got covered seating! ack! I couldn't believe it! Even
bands that I have friends in don't always follow through with the whole
guest list thing..in small clubs! I got into the starplex amphitheatre
with two guests for free in COVERED SEATING! good seats too for the
venue and considering the festival was sold out.
The guys played a pretty short set, but I have to admit that we were
late, so we missed the first couple of songs. I'm really bad at
remembering sets, (clue: joe got the setlist from the SA show, that's
why I know it there) so of course, I don't remember exactly what they
played in dallas...philosophy, uncle walter (which was lucky for me,
since they didn't play it in SA), of course, battle, um, and they did
that crazy metal thing again! (I don't think more than 15 people out of
maybe 20,000 got it though. :( um, Ben started saying that they were
going to be playing "how can we be lovers if we can't be friends"
(michale bolton...yes! ha ha!) right after he BROKE, yes, ahem..BROKE a
piano string (I've done that, but really, IT'S A FEAT!, but I guess
piano diving and throwing your stool at the keyboard can encourage that
;)) , but then decided not to play that ol' tune. :( (I think it had to
do with a couple of fat guys from the side of the stage waving two with
their fingers at him. two minutes? two songs? ben two-ed back I think,
and he seemed bothered or confused or ah dunno...
Needless to say, the dallas crowd just did not do them justice :( and I
am SOOO glad I didn't have to pay to go to the show (although, I
probably would've for ben and the boys). Beck was really disappointing
especially so since we saw him wednesday at a much better show (but
again, I couldn't say much about the crowd..sort of a pre-pubescent
convention that was scheduled the same day as "look as much like a
muscle wound dolt" convention. ahh, you all know the story..) Um, he had
two horn players for a two date thing. He played LOSER?! man! I really
didn't expect that! and all the singles and beer can. and other stuffs.
You can tell he was the one all the kids came for.
well, after ben folds five played, I lead the gang to the I guess what
you call backstage door area (it was outside a fence outside tho-) um,
and I sat around, hoping one of the guys would poke their head out. ha!
darren, my pray! ha! I called his name, and he walked over. I introduced
myself again, held up my hair in those two stupid knots I tied them in
in san antonio (cos it was so darn hot) and reminded him of my traffic
ticket and then he said, oh yeah- asked him what he thought about
playing at edgefest (since I knew it really wasn't their thing) and he
replied, "ah, I didn't think!" I could understand. Thanked him for the
guest list bit, told him about a record store that the gang just HAD to
stop at, and chatted a bit. of course, I went into a blank (even though
it was my second chance to say something) and forgot to ask if they were
playing horde since I heard a little rumour. He said they'd be leaving
after beck played and was excited to go to Lawrence, Kansas. Says it's a
great music town. (college town)
I met Kate too! :)
really great peoples, they are...don't be afraid to go up to them after
they've put their stuff up and just say hi or great show. But don't
hound them with stuff like, "what's your influences!" "man, I've been
listening to you for two years!" they're so tired from that kind of talk
everywhere...oh yeah, and ben signed my friend's driver's license on the
back where the signature was supposed to go, he wrote "my dad worked for
the DMV motherfucker!" and the rest of the gang signed all regulars...
all apoligies for such a long post, but I've got to tell you what an
experience it was! man!
well, later, kiddos!
nancy doodle! ;)
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #255
**************************************
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR - The Ben Folds Five Mailing List
Submit articles to: armchair@maillist.il.ft.hse.nl
Send administrative requests to: armchair-request@maillist.il.ft.hse.nl
WWW homepage: http://oeonline.com/bff
List archive: http://oeonline.com/bff/list/