THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #256 - April 24, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Thursday, April 24 1997 Volume 01 : Number 256
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Mailing List
Topics in this issue:
Conan show...
Sale on Imports
RE:ST.LOUIS SHOW
Truth about Cats & Dogs: offensive?
Associated Press review
Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #250
BFF Cover
BFF / Moxy Fruvous
lowering themselves
Thanks Everyone!
Re: More on the piano scores
Chords to BoWCCL
Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #250
boston show!
bff going mainstream
New Question!!
underground, underground,ooh
IF YOUR SCANNING THE LIST READ THIS (MARC)
BFF in Amsterdam (better late than never!)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:32:21 -0500
From: nancy <ndoodle@ou.edu>
Subject: Conan show...
>Could someone repost when BFF will be appearing on the Conan show? >Thanx
>very much.
>
>JBW
29 April, I think...it's on the webpage, but I don't think they were
sure even!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 12:18:09 -0400
From: Ryan Green <rgreen4@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Sale on Imports
Hello Everyone,
Just thought I would let everyone know that Ben Folds Five imports are
on sale at CDNow. The singles are Underground part 1 and 2, and Where's
Summer B. They also have all of the bands other import singles. I just
though I would let my other Ben Folds Five buddies know of this website
as well as all the great CD's you can get from it.
www.cdnow.com
See ya at Music Midtown,
Ryan Green
Marietta, GA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:48:32 -0500 (CDT)
From: vanhalen6 <tholten@siue.edu>
Subject: RE:ST.LOUIS SHOW
Hi everyone,
This is the first time I've posted, and I hope I get on.
I have recently attended my first BFF concert in St. Louis and was unaware
how unknown the band is in the Mid-West. the band played at the Galexy,
which is a very small club, and although it was packed, I figured that Ben
and the boys could sell a much large venue.
On the flip side, the smaller the better. I was so close to the
stage I could touch Ben's piano and receave the varitible HI_FIVES as he
came by everone. Because of the size, this ended up being one of, if not
THE best concerts I have ever attended. (& I've been to alot) Plus, he
(Ben Folds) stuck around after the show (for those die hard fans) to give
signatures and to talk with the man behind the music. BEN IS SO COOL!!!
Hope this can sway someone in favor of fighting the elements, and
going to see such a good show.
Thanx,
TIM (FAN # 5)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 11:38:32 -0500
From: Dan Mauer <dmauer@earthlink.net>
Subject: Truth about Cats & Dogs: offensive?
> From: Yoda90210@aol.com
> 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?
Well, I don't agree that it's offensive, but I guess I can see why some
might. The song is called "Bad Idea" and includes the line (sung
many-a-time), "You make me feel retarded"... I guess she's got a problem
with that one. Other than that line, I can't imagine why someone could
find the song offensive... It's kinda a weird one for BFF, regardless.
Kinda punk-rockish... cool tune, though.
- -Dan, who found someone with a copy of the tape he lost! Yay! and who
will still be at the Metro in Chicago tomorrow, wearing a KNAC t-shirt.
Say hello!
- --
==============================================================================
_.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._ _.,-*~'`^'`~*-,_
dmauer@earthlink.net
`~-,_ '` _., `~-,_ _
Daniel P. Mauer `'~*-,._.,-*~'` `'~*-,._.,-*~'`
==============================================================================
"Maybe just once I'll get what's coming to me." -Trent Reznor
==============================================================================
Naked Harmony Homepage: http://home.earthlink.net/~dmauer/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 12:46:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: Frank Maynard <maynard@mail.oeonline.com>
Subject: Associated Press review
The AP sent over a short review of Whatever and Ever Amen, by David
Bauder. I won't reproduce the whole article, but he gives it a good
review, saying the guys "have the goods to make this more than a gimmick,
with strong songs and boundless energy that leaps out of the speakers."
He says BoWCCL is "a dead-on putdown of people who think `it's cool to be
so bored'" and his only criticism is "a smarminess that should be erased
by age." Look for it in your newspaper soon.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 13:34:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: SKA667@aol.com
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #250
my e-mail adress has changed to canadore64 @aol.com so please send the list
to that adress thanx
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 12:50:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Atropos <dashapir@cord.iupui.edu>
Subject: BFF Cover
I've been reading everyone's suggestions for which songs you think BFF
should cover. Most have been pretty good. I was unable to come up with
one until I heard "Rock the Casbah" by the Clash on the radio today. I
know it already has some piano in it, but it also has guitar, and I'd be
curious as to how Ben combined the guitar and piano parts into one piano
part (plus he'd probably jazz it up a little bit).
Atropos
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm
not sure about the former." -Albert Einstein
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 13:59:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kristine Knoke <kknoke@engin.umich.edu>
Subject: BFF / Moxy Fruvous
>
> Just got back from an Instore with the Canaidan Band Moxy Fruvous (really
> cool). Anyway, one of them was wearing a Ben Folds Five T-shirt (blue with
> the piano). He said that way back before either band was even heard from
> they played two shows together in New York (about 3 years ago). He said
> that he really like them and that they were "very original." pretty cool...
>
> bummin' because my physics final is 7-9 the same day as the BFF concert...
my friend went to the concert, and afterwards talked to that guy. He
wrote on a poster that he got that said, "Bow to the mecca of Ben Folds
Five." That's pretty cool, and i'm jealous.
oh man, maybe we can have a mourning session at the final, cause that the
reason i'm missing the conert as well... I knew i hated physics for some
other reason...
Everybody else in Detroit, enjoy the concert...
Kris Knoke
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:10:02 -0300
From: dmaceach@is2.dal.ca (Daniel MacEachern)
Subject: lowering themselves
Simon Burrows:
>I would sooner die than listen to Ben Folds Five lower themselves to
>cover. "Don't You Forget About Me" and "Beds Are Burning". I can think
>of few more tedious records.
>
I'll try to let your snide comment about my choice of covers pass, but I'd
like to ask how exactly it is "lowering" yourself to play a cover song? If
there's a song you'd like to play, play it. Dying is a little extreme, if
you ask me, which you didn't, but I'll tell you anyway. Since BF5 do play
covers in concert, does that mean you won't go see them play?
I thought it was cool how you said you could think of few more tedious
records and then actually came up with a bunch. Congratulations!
Whoops, I guess I couldn't let it pass.
Daniel
Halifax
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 04:17:40 +1000
From: "Cairns Family" <cairns@c031.aone.net.au>
Subject: Thanks Everyone!
A big thanks to everyone who explained what a "Fanny Pack" is. Down here,
they are called "Bum Bags" and are very big amongst Japanese Tourists and
European Back-packers.
Cheers,
Janelle
P.S Hi Pat!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 13:39:00 -0500
From: Eric Trondson-Clinger <holyboy@minn.net>
Subject: Re: More on the piano scores
>> What I WOULD like to happen is this: Sit Ben down in front of one
>>those midi-grand deals you see in the expensive music shops and pound out
>>the songs exactly how he would live. Then have a computer spit out the
>>actual surely-horrific score.
>I had this same idea almost two years ago, but I doubt Sony would let him
>do it, even IF Ben wanted to. The catch is, you'd have to get Ben to play with a
>metronome, which I have a feeling he wouldn't be too keen on.
actually, i've heard of some program or doohickey or sumthin...that you
just tap your foot to set the beat instead of having to play with a
metronome. this was a few years ago, i never tried it, so really i don't
know, maybe it don't work all that great, but it's better than playin by
a metronome...if any of y'all care.
- -erict
Holyboy Road - A glorious lit/photo/anything/mag/book/zine.
http://www1.minn.net/~holyboy/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 14:46:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: NakedVegan@aol.com
Subject: Chords to BoWCCL
>Anyone have the chords to "Battle of Who Could Care Less"? I wanna figure
>it out on piano.
I posted a trascription back in issue #199. You can get to it at
http://oeonline.com/bff/list (March).
As a reminder, you folks have less than two weeks to send me your ONE
idea for a BF5 cover (title/artist). I'll compile all the idea and send
out voting instructions to the whole list in about a week and a half, and
then maybe BF5 will play one or two of the selections chosen by the list.
You MUST send your suggestion directly to me. I won't count the ones
that are only posted on the Armchair.
- -- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
| bluejay@pobox.com | If adding me to your address book, |
| | please use this address. |
|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| http://pobox.com/bluejay | Home of AUSTIN MUSIC, KING CHEESE, BIKING |
| | IN AUSTIN, VEGETARIAN pages, & more |
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 14:55:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: ObieDoll@aol.com
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #250
Hi, I'm Erica from Texas, and I was there at Edge Fest last Sunday (April
20th) in Dallas. I witnessed the fabulous abuse that Ben Folds gives the
piano and the awesome talents of all the band members. And not to mention, I
forced Mr. Folds to have his picture taken with me after picking him out of
the crowd. OK- I just wanted to say that. Write back if you have any
experiences that you would like to share with me. (SheRaGal@aol.com)
thanx
Erica
=~}
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:30:04 -0400
From: Pete <brandanp@bc.edu>
Subject: boston show!
I just wanted to remind anyone that is going to the boston show, to wear
your "hello my name is_________" tags. so that we can tell who is on the
list and who isn't. I'm psyched! the show will be wicked awsome!
pete
************************************
* Peter Brandano *
* Boston College *
* brandanp@bc.edu *
* http://www2.bc.edu/~brandanp *
************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 14:03:18 -0500
From: bryan siebers <brdsieb4@uwc.edu>
Subject: bff going mainstream
to all:
i recently wrote in and said that i wished bff wouldn't go mainstream. but,
after reading some very angry responses, i guess i can see your points. i
apologize if i offended anyone, but i've just seen so many bands that i like
(no doubt, green day, stp, foo fighters) sell out and just make music for
money, and their music suffer as a consequence. try to see MY point. please???
_____________________________
"I send my best, cause God
knows you've seen
my worst."-
Ben Folds
o.k., bye.
__________________________
Bryan "Frank" Siebers
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 13:37:59 -0500 (CDT)
From: koenij22@vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu
Subject: New Question!!
(hi Frank, I lost the new address so I'm sending to you. Hope you can help)
Hello people!
It's Joel from Oshkosh. I've decided that this name stinks so I
will now be going under the name Baker(one of the best power forwards
in the league). Thanks to you all who are playing around with my
questions. If anyone new is reading here are the old questions if you'd
like to take a stab:
1.the best cover?
2. the best opening band?
By the way, I'm very excited because I found out BF5 is coming to
Milwaukee on June 3. Anyone else going to be there? Nametag system
would be cool. I never hear Bf5 on the radio, and I'm actually quite
content. Up here in Wisconsin, Radio stations playing Pearl Jam and
Alanis stamp themselves as "New Rock". It's a joke really.
By the way, I'm going to slow down with the questions, so there aren't so
many different answers floating around. Anyone know what's going to be
the next video? I hope it's Kate. "When she smiles it's a rainbow" I love
that line. Enough out of me.
Hope all is well,
Baker......
JOEL D KOENIG
Internet - KOENIJ22@uwosh.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 14:17:32 -0500
From: bryan siebers <brdsieb4@uwc.edu>
Subject: underground, underground,ooh
hey anthony, what's up, man?
there, now you know someone's reading your stuff.
do you have any info on where i can get bootlegs or singles (that goes for
anybody)?
brdsieb4@uwc.edu
_____________________________
"I send my best, cause God
knows you've seen
my worst."-
Ben Folds
o.k., bye.
__________________________
Bryan "Frank" Siebers
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:22:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: Landohappy@aol.com
Subject: IF YOUR SCANNING THE LIST READ THIS (MARC)
Two brief comments:
1- I am SO proud of Ben Folds Five. I went into Target today, and I saw the
video for BOWCCL on the prestigious (cough cough) Target Television Network.
I just cracked up laughing in the isles. Good for them. They've received
sparratic airplay even here in tampa florida, the culturally and artistically
deprived capitol of the world.For anyone interested in my theory on why
things become popular, here it is: typically i think it's safe to say that
things- let's say MUSIC, for instance- is liked if it is good. In other
words, if people like something, there's usually a reason. Go figure. Let us
stop trying to be so secretive with our finds in music. We're not a tree
house club with a secret hand-shake anymore.
2- Those kids from Hanson are pre-pubescent. I can't wait to see what happens
when their voices start cracking.
Thanks marc for making a much needed point,
natalie.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:45:44 -0400
From: Janniek van Walsum <106700.1457@compuserve.com>
Subject: BFF in Amsterdam (better late than never!)
Hi! My name is Lisa Joy. I am an American living in Holland and I had the
immense pleasure of seeing BFF in Amsterdam at the Melkweg on March 18th.
As soon as I heard that they were coming to play I said to myself that I
HAD to meet them! I had played their first CD to death over the past year
and had managed to get my 3 daughters 2,5+7 singing the lyrics to every
song on the new CD within the first week! The girls were pissed that they
couldn't go with me to the show...
I was nervous as hell the whole day and couldn't concentrate on my dinner
knowing that the band were a few hundred meters away at the club.
When we got there we went into the bar/cafe within the club and ordered a
coffee. I turn around and Ben and Robert are sitting at a table within
touching distance of me! They were sitting with 2 other guys. I wanted to
yelp or something, but remembered that I am 31 years old and probably have
more stretchmarks than braincells at this point and yelping probably
wouldn't be highly beneficial to me getting to meet them. I nervously
sipped my coffee standing next to Ben as he chatted to Robert and the other
two guys and just as I get up the nerve to say something to them their
dinner is served to them. Shoot! Well, I approached Ben anyway and
appologized for interrupting his meal. He was so polite and said it didn't
matter. I told him that I was from Boston and that I had heard them on WBCN
last March for the first time.
He was interested in why I lived here and said that I had an accent when I
spoke english. Within 3 seconds of talking to him you feel like you are
chit-chatting with a good friend! I asked them for their autograph and he
said "Sure!". He then handed my paper to Robert who said "hi!" to me and
then got up and brought it to Darren who had been sitting at another table.
I let them finish their meal and then approached Ben again. I told him that
my 2 year old is always singing "Give me my money back, you bitch" at
school. He thought that was funny! Robert was getting up to go and put his
hand on my shoulder and said "I hope she didn't get in trouble for it!" My
day was made completely!
They came out and played pretty much on time (no opening group, THANK GOD!)
and I was right up front by the piano, but I could see Robert really good
too. They were too awesome to describe and played almost every song in
their repertoire. Before they played "Song for the Dumped" Ben announced
that he had heard that a young girl had gotten kicked out of school for
singing the lyrics to that song and that her teacher must have been a
bitch!
The concert was taped by the Dutch radio and some of it was played a week
or two later on a radio program. I have the tape, it also had a short
interview with Ben. It was such a kick to hear the concert again and I
could clearly hear myself laugh and cheer for them, since I was so close to
the microphones.
I am looking forward to their next show in Holland. I understand they will
be doing festivals in the summer.
If anyone has info on these shows PLEASE let me know. Maybe we can get a
bunch of BFF fans together to go as a group!
Sorry this was so long... Some things just cannot be shortened!
Whatever and ever... Lisa Joy
P.S. If anyone took pictures at the Amsterdam show could you let me know?
I'd really love some copies!!!!!
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #256
**************************************
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/