THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #453 - August 29, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Friday, August 29 1997 Volume 01 : Number 453
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Mailing List
TO REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THIS MAILING LIST
Send an e-mail message to armchair-request@maillist.il.fontys.nl with
the word 'unsubscribe' (without the quotes) in the message body. Please
do not post unsubscribe requests to the list itself! If you are having
trouble, send mail to armchair-owner@maillist.il.fontys.nl and I will try
to help you.
TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
Dwarf's mumbled lyrics
What a wanker!
Live Recordings Of BFF
UNSUBSCRIBE
Yeah
Drug Use
looking for someone....
Pot, Parenting, Prohibition, and Philosophy
Kate
Pluvius's Anti-Drug
Pluvius's Anit-drug Pt.II
The good weed
Cigarette's piano transcripstion?
i have a problem...
guess what guys?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 00:09:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jaymoj@aol.com
Subject: Dwarf's mumbled lyrics
Frank Maynard wrote:
>>Jessica asked about the mumbling lyrics at the end of Dwarf. I asked Ben
about this, and he said they were just nonsense syllables. If you view
the captions on the video, you'll see there is no transcription for them.
-fjm
Maybe I'm a kite that's flying high and random dangling on a string<<
I think one of the lines Ben sings is "Get ready for the payback." Anybody
else hear this?
Jay
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 00:19:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Brad654@aol.com
Subject: What a wanker!
That's right-- a wanker.
In a message dated 97-08-27 20:07:50 EDT, Pluvius Dope writes:
> Here is the problem. All of you drug users are saying "What's the big deal
> about him smoking a little pot". I will go to the extreme here and say
> "Well what would be the problem with him molesting a few children". The
First of all, I wrote one of the "What's the big deal about him smoking a
little pot" posts. I am not a drug user. Don't generalize like that. Second,
smoking some pot (or being interviewed in High Times) is not the same as
molesting children, and PLUVIUS KNOWS IT. I think he thought that would evoke
responses in people that were more along the lines of what his closed mind
was aiming for.
> advocates drug use, then sales of that particular drug go up. So if you see
> a lot of people buying drugs from one dealer, that instills competition,
> and another deal decides to shoot the first dealer. Bullets fly, and pretty
> soon a whole school yard full of innocent children were mowed down by the
> Uzi of a drug dealer who hadnt even heard of Ben Folds Five, he just knew
Oh yeah-- I see this happening. "Let's see, there's a band called Ben Folds
Five. I don't know anything about them since they never get played on the
radio, but they smoke pot, so I think I'll smoke pot." Right.
> Granted this is filled with a lot of extremes,
Yep, even with the comma splice.
> know if y'all remember but when "The Chronic" came out(Dr. Dres first solo
> album) that is when we began to see the influx on the marijuana leaf into
> society.
Where has this guy been? The pot leaf was around as a decoration long before
Dre. I think we're reaching here.
> I am sure that the drug users out there dont see anything wrong
> with that, but those of us who are Straight Edge, or even cleaner, see a
The implication being that anyone who is NOT this Pluvius person is
automatically on a lower moral ground and therefore must accept his
logic-free, generalized arguments? I don't think so.
> pot smoking, because before you know it, your kids will be smoking crack.
> (And the line between the two is finer than you think)
And he knows, I'm sure, being the Straight Edge he claims to be.
Brad
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 23:46:33 -0800
From: justin@gcnet.com (Justin)
Subject: Live Recordings Of BFF
If anyone has some nice quality recordings of BFF from their recent HORDE
tour, I'd like to talk with you about getting ahold of some live stuff. I'm
trying to start a collection of live recordings, and I live in an area
where it's very hard to go to a concert. I did manage to attend HORDE in
Bonner Springs KS, but I didn't think to get a recording of it. I've only
got one live recording now, and it's off a CD of live recordings. If anyone
can help me out, I'd be greatful. Thanks in advance.
Justin
"Ted Kennedy's nephew Michal allegedly had a five-year affair with a
teenage babysitter. When asked about it Michal Kennedy said, 'I didn't
want to be involved in the sex scandal, but it was my turn.'"
- -Conan O' Brian
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 00:32:15 CST
From: "Robert Neal" <RNEAL@Athena.valpo.edu>
Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE
UNSUBSCRIBE
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 03:14:44 -0400
From: "Fred or Sarah" <fantonan@bcn.net>
Subject: Yeah
Well, I got my television schedule for the month of September from PBS the
other day...yes, I give to PBS :) Anyhoo...they will be on the 13th as
promised, whoooohoooooo! Unfortunately, being in college, this coiincides
with a party night, looks like I'll have to rev up the ole VCR to do the
taping for me.
Sarah :)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:19:22 +0100
From: "john.holloway" <john.holloway@which.net>
Subject: Drug Use
Who gives a toss?
Dave
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 02:19:21 +0000
From: "Arnold S. Rowe" <arowe@pe.net>
Subject: looking for someone....
hey! sorry this is sorta off topic, but i'm looking for someone. a
while ago, i wrote to the person and asked if they wanted to swap
some bff pictures, they wrote back, but my absent-minded dad lost the
message. so, if you're that person, would you please write to me? i
would still like to trade, and i don't want you to think i ignored
you or anything. Thanks! btw, my address, arowe@pe.net, is different
from the one they would have written to, which is a compuserve addy.
Thanks again! sorry to take up MA space! ;)
~aimee~
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:44:22 -0400
From: Anne_Lyons@BayNetworks.COM (Anne Lyons)
Subject: Pot, Parenting, Prohibition, and Philosophy
Hello the 'Chair!
Although many of you may also choose to respond, I just had to comment on
yesterday's post by Pluvious Dope regarding his Anti-Drug stance.
Dope comments: "I for one dont think that we should have the attitude that
there is nothing wrong with a little pot smoking, because before you know
it, your kids will be smoking crack. (And the line between the two is finer
than you think)."
Compare this with:
"And he sees the children
Smoking pot
He knows that in a moment
They'll be shooting up heroin"
Was this an intentional reference to Uncle Walter? Does Dope have a
different reading of Uncle Walter and his contributions (or lack thereof)
to society? I am truly curious to know whether Dope feels that Walter is
someone to emulate or castigate.
As to his statements that Ben Folds' stance on drugs may (in an extreme
case) lead to a "whole school yard full of innocent children mowed down by
the Uzi of a drug dealer". Well, I beg to differ. It is my opinion that the
job of parenting belongs to parents, not to Ben Folds or Michael Jordan or
Kate Moss or anyone else. I believe that parents need to teach their
children right from wrong and that their every choice will have a
consequence. A child (or adult, for that matter) who has learned these two
things can then make their own choices. No one should choose to do
something simply because someone else is doing it. It doesn't matter
whether that person is your next door neighbor or Darren Jessee or Robert
Sledge or Ben Folds.
Dope's comparison that smoking pot is like molesting children is simply
ludicrous. Most people who smoke pot compare it to drinking alcohol during
Prohibition, but if a comparison needs to be made to a crime in the 90's
then how about jaywalking? There is a crime that may indeed cause others
harm (by causing a car accident), but that those who do it do not consider
it to be a crime at all.
In conclusion, each of us needs to choose what is best for us. Just as Ben
Folds should not dictate (nor does he) that we should all take drugs,
Pluvious Dope should not require musicians to espouse his own philosophy.
After all, we all know that Ben has his own philosophy!
I apologize for the long off-topic post... hope everyone has a great day!
Take care!
- -Anne
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 10:04:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: SnchzLdScp@aol.com
Subject: Kate
Here is an article about Kate, Ben's Wife, sorry if this is the same one that
was posted before, but I am sure that the new people will like to read
it.....
WHATEVER AND EVER...I DO
The most surprising thing about being married is how weird it isn't. I'd
never gone out with anyone for more than about fifteen minutes, but as soon
as Ben and I got past the friendship hurdle, I knew I'd marry him. And I
never thought I'd get married. Neither did Ben. But there was this heavy
thing between us that sort of demanded marriage. Time after time I had to
stop myself from proposing to him (I knew he'd want to do that) and even now,
six months after the wedding, I keep finding myself asking him to marry me.
They say the first year of marriage is the hardest, and I believe it.
Imagine: you've been going out for six month's, you've never been together
for more than ten days (usually more like three or four) at a time.
Then-bam!-you're scheduling a wedding to coincide with the only month he'll
have free all year, you're staying together at you parents while every day
he's Fed-exed re-masters and re-edits of his major label debut, which he's
convinced at the time sucks sucks sucks, you have a beautiful wedding, you
honeymoon in your parents' guest room (they're still at home) because travel
is the last thing you want to do, and then he's gone for a month to Japan and
Europe for a press tour, and you're staying with friends in L.A. Huh?
The one thing I know is that Ben is my person, and I'm his. I don't know my
address, what I'll be doing next month, or where my baggage is, but I know
that I've been running lights for the band, and I love it, but I don't even
know if Darren and Robert are glad I'm doing it or if they wish I were color
blind. Will I still be running lights in the fall? And if not, what will I
do? Where will I be while the band's on tour? <Picture>
Sometimes these questions make my whole body tense up, but most of the time,
I just feel so lucky and amazed that I've found my person that it's ok. It's
hard living in his shadow, but I love my Ben, and we'll figure it out. Even
when we're apart, I'm not lonely because we're still together. I'm so glad
we're married.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 08:06:43 -0700
From: "Kamp, Marcus S" <Marcus.Kamp@PSS.Boeing.com>
Subject: Pluvius's Anti-Drug
RELAX...You're forgetting something. In the High Times article that
someone paraphrased on this very list (that started this whole debate),
Ben says pretty plainly that HE DOESN'T SMOKE POT. He says he tried it
+ it didn't do anything for him. But, intelligently, he doesn't care if
someone around him smokes. (This is exactly my position as well.)
Nevertheless, equating marijuana use + child molestation is by
definition ABSURD. On behalf of all children everywhere-I REBUKE YOU!
Besides that, marijuana is less harmful, less addictive, + MUCH less
violent than alcohol, which our society has NO laws against. When was
the last time you, YES YOU, PLUVIUS, heard of somebody getting baked +
raping their 3-year-old daughter? Alcohol users HAVE been known to do
this. Understand where I'm coming from-I don't smoke pot, I DO drink
beer-but I realize the relatively DANGER-FREE nature of marijuana. The
main reason it's illegal in the US is that the tobacco + alcohol lobbies
are VERY rich + powerful, while the marijuana lobby is not-probably
because they're overcharged for their unregulated, untaxed pot (or
because they spend their money on those late night, Taco Bell munchie
runs:-)).
Now, leave it the h*ll alone!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 08:17:50 -0700
From: "Kamp, Marcus S" <Marcus.Kamp@PSS.Boeing.com>
Subject: Pluvius's Anit-drug Pt.II
Sorry to post twice. The notion that Ben smoking a little weed @ home
(which he doesn't) could lead directly to a bunch of kids being mown
down by an Uzi is absurd to the point it's not worth arguing against.
This whole "gateway drug" theory is utter crap. Again, I drink beer +
have tried pot, but have NEVER felt the urge to smoke crack, shoot
heroin, snort coke, rape kids, shoot an Uzi, etc. I believe there's a
line in Uncle Walter about smoking pot + then shooting up heroin...this
is the sort of ridiculous close-mindedness that makes the character
Uncle Walter one we all know + are pitifully amused by. Pluvius, I
respect where you're trying to go with this, I really do, but you need
to drink a little less caffeine + do a little more individual thinking +
research. Now, back to the music...
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 12:31:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: BSCHACK@aol.com
Subject: The good weed
Allright - you people are driving me crazy so lets settle the issue once and
for all. I know Frank can't say anything, but I can 'cause nobody knows who
I am, or who I know that is close to Ben. And don't ask me how I know 'cause
I won't tell you, and , yes, trust me, its a VERY good source. Anyway, the
bottom line is that no, Ben does not smoke pot - not to say he never has, its
just not his thing these days. As to the other two members of the band,
well....
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 02:33:28 +0900
From: chiori-t@ppp.fastnet.or.jp
Subject: Cigarette's piano transcripstion?
Does anybody out there know the piano tab for Cigarette?
I was trying to figure out what keys Ben plays on it, coz it didn't
seem too much for me. I think I'm getting quite close, but can't make
it clear for the right-hand part when he sings:
"he couldn't sleep at night --- from the drugs that didn't"...
Any help will be greatly appriciated.
Chiori =)
~~ Y'know your timing is impeccable
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 18:40:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jessica237@aol.com
Subject: i have a problem...
ok, here's the thing. i had been talking to some girl through the list who
wrote me a real long letter about all the benefits and shite of GW. and she
was real cool. i read the letter...problem is that i deleted it right before
i was about to reply. hello--if you are still out there, PLEASE email me
again. i am real sorry--it will never happen again.
anyways, onto ben folds five shite...i think i should get some sort of
present from them. a commission--is that the word i was looking for? because
i have turned such an incredible amount of people onto them that it's crazy!!
i made my friend watch all of their videos that i had taped off mtv and
interviews and other stuff i have on video and he became an instant fan. he
really liked bowccl and he is planning on picking up weaea. i am pretty
psyched up. and another friend of mine was at sleepaway camp and someone
there liked bff and she flipped out and said she knows someone who is
obsessed with them....i dunno--weird stuff. everyone is connected by bff
somehow. it rules!! so...where is my bff commission? whatever--just kidding,
but it would be cool as hell if i could get one somehow...ok...enough of my
rambling...
- --jess
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 18:43:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jessica237@aol.com
Subject: guess what guys?
i know everyone is going to be really interested to hear this, but i did end
up refinding that mail that i was looking for...that i mentioned in my last
post. thanks, everyone, for caring so much. :) anyways, i'm going to listen
to some ben folds five...even though my mom stole weaea....which sucks...i
hafta go and get it out of her car. she is becoming a big fan now, also.
weird shite...
- --jess
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #453
**************************************
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR - The Ben Folds Five Mailing List
Submit articles to: armchair@maillist.il.fontys.nl
Send administrative requests to: armchair-request@maillist.il.fontys.nl
WWW homepage: http://oeonline.com/bff
List archive: http://oeonline.com/bff/list/