THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #154 - October 30, 1996
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #154
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Topics for Today:
Oohh, everything, really.....
Flemming and John/Ben folds
Down Under
uh... ok
Re: Boxing (Day's) been good to me, Howard...
BF5 Bootleg Trade
Equipment for Taping Shows, Pt. 863
whats the facination?...
Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #153
Sounds like Todd!
Fleming & John Reply
Re: Live Recordig
Re: Boxing
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 13:45:00 +0100
From: Mark Piper <pipermf@phymat.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: Oohh, everything, really.....
Hi all,
More inane ramblings....
Nic wrote:
> Thanks, Magical Armchair, for reuniting me with my
> mom.
*sniff*. I love a happy ending!
Ruprecht wrote:
> Anyway, I am going to start a bootleg page. On this page I will list any
> and all holders of BF5 bootlegs who want to trade. I will list whether
> you want a trade, reimbursement or a tape and postage or whatever.
Just a quick note to say that anyone who is interested can find a bootleg
discography (if that is the right word..) on Looks, Brains and Everything,
at:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5430/bff.html
I also tried the same sort of thing that Ruprecht suggests above, but it
didn't quite work out (Too many wanting, too few having....). Anyway, I
hope it works out this time. Bootlegs don't just appear. Make yourself
know, bootleg traders!
> Ruprecht
> http://www.inca.de/user/ruprecht
> Because the best things are derived from boredom
In that case, Physics lectures are a pure fountain of ideas...
Alex wrote:
>
> PLEASE TOUR HERE! FORGET EUROPE! WE ARE MUCH MORE INTERESTING...AND
> WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE!
>
Well, exCUUUSSE ME!. Since when have Europeans been nasty to you? Or maybe
you're excluding the UK from that.... In which case... FORGET EUROPE! PLAY
SOME MORE SHOWS HERE!
Mark
Because most of my posts are derived from boredom *8)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| mfp540@bham.ac.uk | pipermf@phymat.bham.ac.uk |
| Looks, Brains and Everything, the unofficial UK Ben Folds Five site |
| http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5430/bff.html |
| If you haven't found out already, it's gonna blow your minds! |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 19:13:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Fett, Boba" <psommer@emory.edu>
Subject: Flemming and John/Ben folds
>
> in the credits of the album, ben folds five thanks fleming & john.are
> these the fleming & john that had a single called lovesongs (or something
> like that) earlier this year? and if so, what's the connection? thanks.
I would venture a guess that its the same flemming and john that have the
single (which I happen to think is an excellent song), for two reasons A)
as Frank stated, ben played drums on their album though I don't know if
they did anything for him. and B) They played together here in Atlanta
late last year. (a show I regrettably had to miss due the Sold Out
nature of the show.)
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 19:18:52 -0500
From: DAN FRANKE <deerlick@execpc.com>
Subject: Down Under
> Does that mean all you can listen to on the radio is Silverchair and
> Midnight Oil (with an occasional set by Men At Work)?
You forgot about Air Supply, INXS and Angel City.
PS. Is anyone else getting sick of all the bootleg discussion going on here.
PPS. My vote is for BF5
Dan
"The music that you listen to is the soundtrack for your life"
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 20:23:24 -0600
From: kdoyle <kdoyle@winternet.com>
Subject: uh... ok
> Last night on Witness (yes the Jana Wendt programme) they played 'Boxing'
> (instrumental version) in the background to the segment on Leunig's play. So
> there! Sucked in all you poor Americans for missing out.
Not to disrespect all the australians on this mailing list, but
this person's giving you guys a bad name..
I certainly hope he or she is kidding, because seriously, who cares!
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 23:13:25 -0400
From: Wri10@aol.com
Subject: Re: Boxing (Day's) been good to me, Howard...
In Armchair #153 relder wrote:
>I think, (I'm not exactly sure) it's just a day where everyone gives gifts
to everyone else..
in RE: Boxing Day.
I'm sure I won't be the only one to offer an explanation, but here goes --
Boxing Day is a British holiday (the day after Christmas?) on which the
"ruling" class and the "serving" class exchange places -- at least
symbolically. That is to say, the chauffeur is driven somewhere, someone
sweeps the housekeeper's floor, etc. I'm not sure how -- or how widely --
it's celebrated in the Isles at this point in history. A charming concept,
if it seems a little impractical here in The States -- though I'd drive to
Columbus, Ohio to see Dave Thomas fry up a burger... it'd take two hours, but
what the heck. Maybe somebody would like to offer to play something on the
piano for Ben while he sits back amazed. It's probably what most of us did
the first time we heard HIM.
Or we could at least offer to drag that bag of trash down the road for a
while. If we don't already...
Cheerio!
MA
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 96 23:43:30 -0400
From: Michael Rolli <rollim01@mchip00.med.nyu.edu>
Subject: BF5 Bootleg Trade
I have BF5 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ and a taping of their live show on
WNEW, NY. I'm interested in anything else anyone has. A tape for tape
switch is all I ask. If you have nothing to trade if you just send me a
tape and postage I'll dub you a copy of either or both.
--Michael
rollim01@popmail.med.nyu.edu
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 23:43:14 -0400
From: PowerVegan@aol.com
Subject: Equipment for Taping Shows, Pt. 863
Regarding Shaun Gilmour's slam of my recording advice in the last issue: I
hate to take up valuable Magical Armchair space on something that's only
tenuously on-topic, but let me try to defend my honor in as little space as
possible.
>the bottom line is if you use Radio Shack equipment you will get a Radio
Shack recording. Period.
My only point is that you *can* get a *decent* recording by spending as
little as $100. Sure, you'll get a *better* recording by spending $1500, but
the recording won't be FIFTEEN TIMES as good. A microcassette recorder
without a mic will always sound totally unacceptable. But a standard-size
handheld cassette recorder using good tapes and a decent mic *can* produce
decent results.
>I challenge you to tell me that there's no difference between a 20 buck mic
from radio shack and a pair of Shoepps capsules
I said as much. I said that if you're willing to spend more than $20-30,
then you should buy a brand-name mic instead of one of Radio Shack's pricier
models.
>you think spending $100 bucks is the top limit for spending on quality mics?
For non-sound engineers, yes, definitely you can buy a good mic for $100. My
pro music catalogs list several pro-quality mics for $100 or less, and nearly
none of them cost more than $200.
>Why would you recommend a sm-58? Those mics are best used for close
situations, like singing or on instruments...a more
realistic choice in a microphone might be a short shotgun mic, like
getting 2 Sennheiser ME-80's running into a stereo tape deck. Those are
fairly affordable and quite readilly available used, through audiophile
magazines.
I stand corrected.
>I wouldn't recommend reusing tapes at all unless you can get them bulk
erased by a hand held bulk eraser...I tried an erasing experiment
with the decks and found that there was still some signal there left from
the privious material I had recorded.
I have a $150 Sony deck that erases old material completely. I use it to
record my weekly radio show, where I might have up to twelve takes on the
same section of the tape. It always comes out fine. Your mileage may vary.
-- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 13:53:38 +1000
From: Alex <belawan@parramatta.starway.net.au>
Subject: whats the facination?...
Gee...we Australians are a bunch of whingers , huh? Everytime i read
my issue of the mail, some aussie is complaining about the absence of BF5
down here...well, no more whinging from me. Im over it! (although...i would
still like to see the fellows down here..........)
And whats the facination with bootlegs on here?...ive never had a
bootleg..never wanted one...um...never even heard one. Am i missing something?
Ohhh, by the way, if you ARE on that big, brown, beautiful island
called Australia, Ive heard Triple J play not only underground, but
Julianne, Wheres summerb, Philosophy and Uncle Walter...so at least the
songs are on their play list. Iv sent my PHAT FIVE in...and Uncle Walter is
number one..listen out for it...*please Tunnie....play my 5* ...u can also
hear BF5 regulary if your are in Sydney and have the means to go the clubs
BLEACH and UNDERGROUND RADIO...
Well, thats all from me....i have exams to study for and BF5 to
groove to..Cheers everyone.....
~Alex
~~I have no regrets...except the 80's~~
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 18:50:01 +1000
From: Earthy Rock <custer@ros.com.au>
Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #153
> Does that mean all you can listen to on the radio is Silverchair and
> Midnight Oil (with an occasional set by Men At Work)? Oy...I hope not for
> your sake.
hahahaha Australia has such a diverse range of music that the rest of
the world never hears, it's unbelievable. We hear lots of trash on them
stupid commercial radio stations, but then we listen to JJJ and hear some
great home grown talents that haven't got the funds to make it overseas...
Don;t judge Aussie music by Silverchair!!!! We're better than that... The
Whitlams is a band most BFF fans would love... Seeing them in just over an
hour... Great Sydney talent. LOng live Tim Baby.
Ad.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 96 11:02:16 GMT
From: cobrwn@swannet.com.au
Subject: Sounds like Todd!
Hi! I'm another Aussie fan of Ben Folds Five.The piano playing is dynamic! I
actually heard about them through the internet on a TODD RUNDGREN newsgroup.
I was told they sounded like Todd and went out and purchased their album. They
certainly have been influenced by Todd (many artists have,it's just not
credited to him) and I loved it the first time I heard it!
Anyone agree with me? It's time that the keyboard made a resurrgence into the
pop scene. THANKS BEN FOLDS FIVE!
All smiles,
Gavin
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 08:00:37 -0500
From: kgroves@tej.com
Subject: Fleming & John Reply
>in the credits of the album, ben folds five thanks fleming & john.are
>these the fleming & john that had a single called lovesongs (or something
>like that) earlier this year? and if so, what's the connection? thanks.
As far as I know, F&'s only single to date is "I'm Not Afraid" (which
featured Ben on drums). There was talk earlier in the year of releasing
another, but I never heard it. I've heard they're old buddies from NC. F&J
are from Nashville now & are one of the best bands around...period. Hard,
driving, eclectic, psychedelic, operatic, and feisty are a few adjectives
that don't come close to describing this talented band. They don't sound a
thing like BF5, though.
BTW, Ben also plays drums on the Barry Black CD (& BF5's bass player plays on
a couple songs, too). This instrumental CD is very different from just about
anything. It's kind of like Danny Elfman scores without an orchestra.
Kyle
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 10:20:45 -0400
From: BSCHACK@aol.com
Subject: Re: Live Recordig
FYI -
Inside info - Sony is recording BFF live in London in the 3rd week of
November (forget the exact date). Earlier live recorded tracks (in the US)
had to be scrapped because the quality of the performance was not up to par.
This is intended to be a major label record release.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 10:44:11 -0400
From: "Howard R. Stuart" <stuart@optics.rochester.edu>
Subject: Re: Boxing
> I was talking about boxing with this one guy I know, and he
> seemed to think that this song was about boxing the holiday...
> ... all in all, if this is intended, it is PURE
> GENIUS! just thought I would share this. Maybe I'm wrong, sure hope I'm
> not though.
>
Sorry to disapoint you, but I think you may be wrong. I have heard Ben
confirm in an interview that the song was inspired by Mohammed Ali and
Howard Cosell. In fact, if you listen to the lyrics, it is clear that the
song is sung from Ali's point of view to Cosell. As far as I'm concerned,
the song is absolutely brilliant, and I get goose bumps every time I hear
it. Perhaps this is because the Ali/Cosell thing is such a vivid memory
from my childhood (and I don't even like boxing). I'd be curious if the
song has the same effect on someone who may be too young to have seen them
on TV together.
I find it interesting that the BFF record both begins and ends with songs
(each very different from the other) about quitting. "Jackson Cannery" is
sort of about dropping out of society, or at least totally changing one's
direction in a radical way. And "Boxing" is about retirement. Ben is 30
years old, and
his musical career is just now starting to click. He's apparently been
writing and recording songs since he was 12. And the music industry is a
business that puts a real premium on youth. One wonders to what extent
these songs arose from his own frustrations.
Howie Stuart
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