THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #133 - August 23, 1996



                     THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #133
 
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Topics for Today:
 
      devil sign...
      BFF and Party of Five!
      Jonny Polonsky
      Reading Festival and some other things,
      Party of Ben Folds Five
      tenuous links
      Party of Five
      Yet another MTV sighting......
      Re: Ben Folds Five on Party of Five
      am i the only one?
      Clarification on the Odds item
 
 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 00:30:25 -0500 (EST)
 From: borcheva@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
 Subject: devil sign...

 Thanks everyone, for describing the devil sign for me.  I knew what it
 was, I just didn't realize that it had a name... I guess it loses a lot
 of significance that way.
 Anyway, just thought I'd say thanks!
 -Vicky

 -------------------------------------
 **Vicky**

 MSTie #37366
 email me@: borcheva@miavx1.muohio.edu
            CommSign@aol.com
 -------------------------------------

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

 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 22:20:39 -0700
 From: jodi kurland <jbird@cbc.net>
 Subject: BFF and Party of Five!

 I know someone beat me to post about "Alice Childress"
 being on the season premier of Party of Five, but I
 live on the West Coast so I just saw it! What impressed me
 was nearly the entire song was played :)

 Jodi Kurland

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 08:04:19 -0400
 From: Morly@aol.com
 Subject: Jonny Polonsky

 For Andy who was wondering about Jonny Polonsky's entire album, it is
 excellent and well worth picking up.  Jonny recently opened up on Frank
 Black's latest tour.  Basically, the story I've heard is that Jonny sent out
 loads of demos and one of them was to Frank Black.  Frank then pushed for him
 and got him a contract with American Records.  Anyway, he's a talented guy
 that rights catchy (albeit very short) songs.

 Hope that helps,

 Chris

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 12:46:11 UT
 From: Tim Young <Mr_Tim@msn.com>
 Subject: Reading Festival and some other things,

 Tomorrow is the Reading festival, which is only 15 miles from home for me
 (i.e. the closest that BF5 have played ). I am not going because however good
 a band is they will never be as good in a field full of cider based life forms
 who haven't washed since Thursday evening. Anyway, £27.50 is a bit steep for
 just one band. Frankly, by the sound of it, if Ziggys could be transported to
 Windsor ... I would be happy.
 I am also unsure whether I should like BF5 anymore because I heard Underground
 on Radio 1 yesterday (and it wasn't John Peels show either). What is the world
 coming to?? (Maybe they will make a Pepsi Ad.)

 Tim.

 P.S. I don't know how to lighten up ... but I will "take a powder" if you
 really insist!

 "The tiny light shines twice as bright on the only nice part of me" -TMBG,
 Birds Fly.

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 08:59:04 -0400
 From: Robin.Agranoff@turner.com
 Subject: Party of Ben Folds Five

      I know that I'm too old to be watching these teen dramas, but I was
      justified last night when I heard "Alice Childress" playing in the
      background on "Party Of Five."  My roommates thought I was nuts when I
      jumped and pointed at the screen saying, "That's Ben!"  I missed the
      whole scene listening to the song.  If you were watching and missed
      it, it was the bonfire scene about 3/4 of the way into the show.

      And last night was also a re-airing of the Space Ghost Coast to Coast
      episode with Ben's brief appearance.  It will be replayed again on
      Saturday night at 12:00 midnight.

      ...robin, faithful fan in Atlanta

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 10:57:52 -0400
 From: Cynthia Wang <cynthia@people.timeinc.com>
 Subject: tenuous links


  Tim Young wrote:
  >> Secondly, I would like to see who can link themselves most tenuously with
  BF5. I shall begin...

 Here's my stab: Ben Folds Five on Caroline Records. Another artist on that
 label, Eden White, is a friend of a guy (Danny) who has a band in New
 YorkCity called the Subway Darwins, who are managed by my friend, Mia.
 Talking with the Darwins one night, I recommended BFF to Danny, who said
 that Eden got a copy of the CD from her company, and that he was already a
 fan of BFF's music.

 So there it is. A wisp of a link to BFF.

 Cynthia

 -------------------
 "Dark is not one of my favorite colors."
                 -Ralph, the All-Purpose Animal in Twice Upon a Time

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 13:24:23 -0400
 From: DMedsker@aol.com
 Subject: Party of Five

 In a message dated 96-08-22 00:47:44 EDT, you write:

 > I was just watching the season premier of Party of Five. During one scene
 > Alice Childress was playing in the background!  If you already know this
 > then, nevermind.

 That show is surprisingly good at picking songs to play in the background.
 I've heard Barenaked Ladies, Toad The Wet Sprocket, kd lang... I've heard one
 good song on Melrose, still waiting for a good one on 90210. Well, actually,
 I'm not waiting for that anymore. I couldn't care less.

 On the discussion of how much MTV sucks because they only play the two lines
 of Underground, that is what MTV is best at: commercials. Using music that
 they wouldn't play the videos of to get your attention. Last summer they
 played this one or two minute bit called 'A Nod to the Mods' and it was all
 the British bands that were knocking on the US door, like Blur, Elastica,
 Supergrass, Oasis, Radiohead, etc. It was brilliantly done. The songs they
 chose, the way they edited the videos together... fantastic. It was also the
 first time I saw a piece of the Blur video for Parklife without watching
 Beavis & Butt-head, which really frustrated me. They got the video, kept it,
 and have only used it to make you think they actually play it. The ultimate
 tease.

 Getting off his soapbox now,

 David M

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 13:58:24 -0500
 From: Biff <mikef1@primenet.com>
 Subject: Yet another MTV sighting......

 Well, I told myself I'd never make a stupid posting, but I decided I
 should.  It really made me laugh.  MTV did this thing with summer
 fashions and they cut away from the host (Christy Swanson, I think) and
 did their signature "fast moving camera with music behind it" routine.
 Of course, the song happened to be "Underground."  You know, the part at
 the beginning where he's singing:

 "Who's got the looks?  Who's got the brains?  Who's got everything?"

 I found it really funny.  THe thing I don't understand is why evereyone
 is so obsessed with sighting BFF on MTV.  Who cares if they make it big?
  They're the coolest band around!


 			-Biff

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 19:08:54 -0400
 From: Jessica237@aol.com
 Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five on Party of Five

 If anyone has ever watched the TV show, Party of Five, which is shown on Fox,
 you know that they play some pretty good music throughout the show. Well, now
 I'd have to say that they play incredible music! The first show of the new
 season was on last night and they play the song "Alice Childress" on it. It
 wasn't the entire song, but it was a great big piece of it and you could hear
 it really well. Wow. . .I was going crazy!!!
 Jess

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

 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 19:34:18 -0400 (EDT)
 From: "DAVID A. MEYERSON" <davidmey@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>
 Subject: am i the only one?



 who holds Party of Five in contempt?


 may the force be with you
 daniel

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

    [re Party of Five: As has been mentioned, for those who have not
 caught the show yet, it is one of the best written and produced dramas
 currently on TV. It's not just a teen show, but has relevance to anyone
 who is or ever was a teen, or who has kids who are, have been or will be
 teens. And the appeal goes beyond the story lines to the background music
 they use, the lighting and camera work, and directing and production
 values as well. Give it a try, or two, or three, and if you still agree
 with Daniel, then at least it will be an informed opinion.
     Clarification on the postscript from issue 131 regarding the Canadian
 band The Odds:  Kevin has let me know that some people interpreted the
 message to mean the members of the Odds found old Ben Folds Five tapes in
 their basement.  If the item was misleading, I apologize. The material
 they dug up is Odds stuff, not BFF. If you're an Odds fan and would be
 interested if the band puts out a CD of their early stuff, e-mail Kevin
 directly <oddsman@wam.umd.edu>.  -fjm]

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