THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #268 - April 29, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Tuesday, April 29 1997 Volume 01 : Number 268
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Mailing List
Topics in this issue:
unsubscribe
Funky cold medina.
Ben Folds Five in Detroit!!
Japan
Yikes...
Re: yer play
new list
"Song..." as next single / variety of the almighty five
Got Ben Folds (Five) on my Radio...
Japanese translation of SftD
For those of y'all who liked komeda
Re: bras + towels + handcuffs = BFF in Cleveland
In need of Philly saviour
I nearly lost and eye in Cleveland !
BFF
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 20:18:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: ABowen1028@aol.com
Subject: unsubscribe
please unsubscribe me from the magical armchair
Adam Bowen
ABowen1028@aol.com
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 20:51:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: Yoda90210@aol.com
Subject: Funky cold medina.
Clearing up some schtuff here...
> If you didn't get the chance to see them when they came
>through town, you can see them on the H.O.R.D.E. Tour this summer with such
>acts as Soul Coughing, Mighty Might Bosstones, and many others. The rumor
>id that they'll have a four piece string section on tour with them on
>H.O.R.D.E. It should be FANTABULOUS!!
Did i write that? I think i did...i'm under the impression that i'm the only
person in the world that says fantabulous. Anyhow, H.O.R.D.E. has been
confirmed by everyone i know from friends that work at radio stations, to the
bands playing the show itself. Ben Folds Five should be there with the
aforementioned bands, and a couple others such as Morphine and Wilco. The
tour is running, i believe, mid-July to early-September....i might have the
dates messed up...get back to you.
>> with all the reviews of the chicago show im surprised no mentioned
the
Edith Bunker version of "Underground"..
Ah, but i did. You just missed it.
>>my roommate accidently put me on the armchair mailing list. please take me
off of it.
It was meant to be, schmoopy. Don't fight it.
>>I'm in the chicago land area and I was wondering if that show (KBTV)
was going to be aired on TV. Ben mentioned that at the Chicago show. I
have seen that show once or twice before but that channel of which I saw
it is now a Spanish channel. If any can help me out with any info of
what channel it is on or where I could find a copy, that would be
great. I'm also looking for an audio copy of this show.
JBTV, it is, famed of Jerry Bryant. He was the guy that looked like Jerry
Garcia working the video camera. The show airs on public access channel 26
(i don't know what the channel is in cable-talk), it should be on this
wednesday circa 2:30 AM, but i don't know. Like i said...
>>To those of you that saw there was a guy that looked a helluvalot like
Jerry Garcia, that was Jerry Bryant, famed of JBTV, which airs on wednesdays,
saturdays, or really whenever they can find a slot on local access around
2:30 AM...basically, i've decided that if i can't find it on the telly, I'll
call up jerry myself and request a copy of the original footage, which we can
then distribute to armchairees. Who knows if it will work, but it's worth a
shot.<<
To John (McDougall33): I'm glad to say i haven't experienced any of the
newbie fighting, but i'm ashamed of this list if it has passed...i'm joining
you in yr plea to cut out the crap from the list, if it's even running.
Kids, be nice.
>>Brick (Robert on cello or whatever you call it)
Upright bass, the bull fiddle. Also a huge sing-a-long.
>> (Sounded kinda like a spy show theme)
Theme from Dr. Peyser, yes?
For future shows, when the armchairites meet up, if someone's shouting
SHAGGY!!!!! at the top of their lungs when you KNOW scooby doo is the shout
out theme, respond, won't you?
lv,
susie.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 03:53:24 -0700
From: GoodOmen <melani69@idt.net>
Subject: Ben Folds Five in Detroit!!
YAY! I saw Ben Folds Five today at St. Andrew's Hall:) My friends and I had to wait
outside for a good hour-and-a-half, but it was so,so worth it (even though we
WERE approached by several bums begging for money) Komeda (opening act) wasn't all that
bad either. They were actually pretty cool and Swedish too. Anyway, the guys played a
good mix of songs from both albums. Ben beat on his piano in various ways (feet,
pounding his hands, microphone, etc.) it made me feel bad for the poor, abused piano!
Well, my friends and I were feeling weird, so we made some funny signs before we left
and we actually sent one down to Ben! Someone made a little adjustment to it, but we
saw what they wrote and thoroughly approved!! Was it someone from here? (Ours was the
sign that told a history of our worship- no we don't nor have we ever worshipped
satan!) We tried to just hold it up, but he couldn't read it and he was pretty close, so
we just threw it down at him. Someone else made a sign for Ben saying that he was a sexy
mother f****r and he changed the lyrics to Steven's Last Night in Town drastically to
fit that! After they left, we applauded a lot and they came back for a few more songs.
It was really nice to be so close to them. I saw Ben's hands get to the point when
they're not really connected molecules! I mean, he was playing the piano so fast, his
hands nearly disappeared! It was such a cool show! I loved it and want to see it again,
I also got a neat t-shirt. I'm so happy!
GoodOmen
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 20:14:27 -0500 (CDT)
From: Edward A Weinstein <wein0047@gold.tc.umn.edu>
Subject: Japan
Okey doke. Since it came up twice in a day, here's some info:
I'm putting together a Japanese site for BFF which may or may not end up
being official (the jury's still out). Plans are to have this up well
before the shows start over there.... Folks in Japan please contact me.
As for the "Song for the Dumped" here it is in all it's glory:
Sorya nai sa, "No way!"
Kyuu ni "All of a sudden"
Hitori ni naritai nante sa- "You say you want to be alone"
Kane o kaese, kane o kaese "Give back the money (X2)"
ore ni kaese "give it back to me"
wasureru na "don't forget"
kuro no T-shatsu mo ore no da zo"The black Tshirt is mine too."
Takai meshi "the expensive meal"
ogotta sono "I bought you"
ato de poisute "right after (that) you threw me away"
sayonara suru nante! "how can you end it (like this)"
and the chorus repeats. So there you have it. Gee, maybe if I get them
to let me up on stage in Minneapolis (YEAH, RIGHT) I'll sing it in
Japanese...
Ed
PS-just a fun fact- the Japanese tour coming up next month sold out
almost immediately. I'd almost wager they're bigger there than anywhere
else in the world at the moment.....
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 20:49:36 -0500
From: "Greg Monkey (Drunken Monkey Fanzine)" <pavement@idir.net>
Subject: Yikes...
I'd have to agree with everyone else who has said that there is too
damn much mail now. I like Ben Folds Five a lot, but I don't really need
100 posts a day about whatnot. Please unsubscribe me. I've been on the
list for a long time, and I've enjoyed it, but I'm not too fond of it now.
Thanks for doing this, Frank.
Thank you for your time, love, attention, and the sandwiches were great,
Greg
DRUNKEN MONKEY FANZINE
www.angelfire.com/ks/drunkenmonkey
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 21:24:49 -0500
From: Tara Haelle <tarasue@mail.utexas.edu>
Subject: Re: yer play
Thank you for the comments-- I don't take any of them in a mean way because
I think about page 7 or so till about the last few pages is boring because I
was stretching so hard. I plan on cutting about half the play and trying to
tighten it up. Do you have any suggestions on anything that should stay or
that can be tightened fairly easily without chucking completely? Also, my
characters seem flimsy to me (other than the accent, which was just my
mistake)... do they seem distinct to you or do they need more "stuff" to
them to make them different or actually interesting. Funny you say that
about Heaven's being boring hurting the play--I realized that by my second
set of five pages and didn't know what to do but follow my original outline
and hope it turned out with a decent enough ending that I could rewrite the
middle--I realized that a setting without conflict results in a play without
conflict--and therefore boring. However, does the ending work at all if the
middle were tightened or even chucked altother and rewritten? Is the irony
too contrived? (I didn't intend that ending; I had something else planned
and happened to write that instead.)
I hope you're able to have time to answer some of these questions although
I'll understand if you don't. Thanks for the input.
- --Tara
PS Do I know you?
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 21:31:12 -0400
From: Will Little <sidlittl@netpath.net>
Subject: new list
If anyone is intersted in a new list and sick of majordomo let me know
I could start up the good old human way of doing things and put back all
the things we know and love in the old armchairs, with franks permission.
Or I could just rename the list
email me if interested.
"guns don't kill people, snakes do." --Davif Grant
- -------------------------------
Will Little
mailto:sidlittl@netpath.net
- -------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 22:38:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: Steve Clay <fender@grove.ufl.edu>
Subject: "Song..." as next single / variety of the almighty five
First of all, I find it very interesting that some peoplle look
for very different things in music. In particular I found it funny that
one of my least favorite songs on WAEA, "BOWCCL", was the only song given
any merit by the person who gave the unfavorable review. I do like the
song a lot, of course, but standing next to the others from both albums it
just seems a little shallow IMO. But what bugs me is that THAT is what
the mass media is looking for. So I guess by offering them "Song..."
next we'll be really handing them something to exploit. The simpler
side of pop music is a fantastic thing, but I think sometime it would be
nice to show the world that they do other things incredibly well also.
Maybe I'm just bitter because now I'm going to start hearing them
referred to as "that band with the piano and the novelty breakup song with
the profanity." Will I blame these people for thinking of them that way?
No. That's just what they've heard. I'll blame whoever made that IMO
dumb decision to make "Song..." the next single. I'm sorry to be sound so
uptight, but it's just frustrating to me. This group has so much to offer
us on many different levels and it starting to bother me that they even
release singles into this mass-market culture that wishes they would just
be good and narrow. What they've already shown with "Selfless...",
"Steven's...", "Brick", and their sharp choices of covers and arrangements
is that they will never be nailed down. That's why it also won't surprise
me when I hear some guitar in their music in the future. It hasn't been
needed and just wouldn't fit into what they've done up until now, but
don't think that they will ever limit themselves by what we or the rest of
world think they should be.
Now I have to apologize for not seperating my random thought into
paragraphs. The grammar police are on their way.
Steve
PS - Someone mentioned that we need a cute little label? I said "fivers"
the last time I was talking to someone about the list, so....maybe.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 23:14:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: KRI1701@aol.com
Subject: Got Ben Folds (Five) on my Radio...
Just a quick summary for you non-New York area Armchairites on the BFF
appearance on Idiot's Delight on WNEW in New York.
The band came on around 8:50 and were on until after 10:30.
Vin (The Host) played Smoke in his opening set to fade in the band.
Set List
Kate
Battle of Who Could Care Less
Cigarette (By Vin's request)
Brick (From the CD)
Alice Childress (By Vin's request)
Selfless, Cold, and Composed
Fair (From the CD)
Missing the War (Segued into the Beatles Because--acapella from CD)
She Don't Use Jelly
Ultimate Sacrifice
Emmaline
Smoke
The band confirmes that they will be playing at the NY Summer Stage on June
25. They also taleked about being on the H.O.R.D.E. tour and said they are
working on a String Quartet to accompany them. They also mentioned that
their performance could possibly be the entire score from Jesus Christ
Superstar (Unfortunatly, no cover from that one). Emmaline was going to be
on the first album, but was dropped because it had a guitar on it. Ben said
it will be released next year on an album of B-sides, live tracks, ect.
Great show--I cannot wait to see them tomorrow at Irving Plaza.
Ken
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 14:20:58 +1000 (EST)
From: Derek Scott <scoco@netspace.net.au>
Subject: Japanese translation of SftD
Hey
I know most ppl don't have a copy of Song For the Dumped in Japanese, but I
do, and I know a few others do, too. So I thought I'd post the direct
translation which (even though I really should be studying for my exams at
the moment) I worked out. However, I'm not Japanese, so I could be wrong.
(If I'm wrong, could anyone who knows for sure please tell me? Ta.) Oh yeah,
there are some words I couldn't figure out, so just use your imagination.
That __________ suddenly
by yourself wanted to be ________
return the money, return the money, You bitch!
To me return it. Don't forget
black t-shirt to me give
Expensive dinner that I paid for
after it on the porch
it seems you did goodbye
return the money, return the money, You bitch!
to me return it. Don't forget
black t-shirt to me give
That ________ suddenly
by yourself wanted to be __________
return the money, return the money, You bitch!
to me return it, to me return it
And don't forget!
so there it is. kinda quaint, isn't it!
As I said, if anyone can fill in the blanks, please let me know.
Claire.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 00:25:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: Yoda90210@aol.com
Subject: For those of y'all who liked komeda
For those of y'all who liked Komeda...
A) THeir album is available at virtually any underground record store.. (I
was surprised to see a poster up that i had never noticed before in an ann
arbor record store.)
B) They were nearly a blatant stereolab rip-off...if not a bit more dull
than. Therefore, i definitely recommend stereolab to anyone that was even
slightly amused by the opening band.
Got a pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-party going on...How about those white
jumpsuits/orange straight-outta-oasis bass player?
lv,
s.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 00:51:36 -0400
From: Shaun Gilmour <sgilmour@pgh.net>
Subject: Re: bras + towels + handcuffs = BFF in Cleveland
Siva007@AOL.COM wrote:
> Komeda played a rawkin' set of poppy, loungey, dancey schtuff.
Personally (not like my opinion matters) I thought Komeda SUCKED. They
sounded like a really shitty Cardigans. Who themselves are already
shitty. And I'm not just saying that because they are from Sweden also.
I just thought they were really rank. But others seemed to dig them, so
I guess it's good exposure for them.
> Anyway, Ben Folds Five's set included (with my lil' $0.02 after certain
> songs):
***original document cut to save space***
> An untitled instrumentally jammy thang (Sounded kinda like a spy show theme)
That song is called "Theme from Dr.Pyser".
- --
Later,
Shaun
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaun Gilmour Visit my tapelist on the web!!!
sgilmour@pgh.net http://www3.pgh.net/~sgilmour/tapes.html
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 14:25:52 -0400
From: Scott Michael Pugh <spugh@bucknell.edu>
Subject: In need of Philly saviour
Hi BF5 Fans!
To the Philly Phans:
I was just wondering if anyone wanted to be an absolute saviour. See, I
have 5 tickets for the show, and I was promised a ride from someone here
at my college, Bucknell University, but they just bailed on me! So now
I'm here, 4 days away from the show of the most amazing band I've ever
heard, and I can't go. I was wondering if anyone lived out in the
central PA area, and wanted to pick me up. Bucknell is in Lewisburg,
PA...about 2.5 hours NW of Philly. I'm screwed and desperate. You have
no idea how much I would love you if you helped me out. I have a few
extra tickets if need be, and I'll certainly pay generously for gas,
tolls, etc...Please let me know as soon as possible. I hope to see you
all at the show.
Thanks so much,
Scott Pugh
- --
*****************************************************************
* "I see that there is evil, and I know that there is good. *
* It's the in-betweens I never understood." *
* *
* -Ben Folds Five *
* Scott M. Pugh *
* C0624 *
* Bucknell University *
* Lewisburg, PA 17837-2080 http://www.bucknell.edu/~spugh *
*****************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 18:45:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: Folds5@aol.com
Subject: I nearly lost and eye in Cleveland !
This is my first entry to the Armchair, so I'll try to do my best. I drove up
from Cincy to the sold out Cleveland show on Saturday and had a quite
enjoyable time. The opening band was pretty blah, but that only made BFF all
the better. The band sounded great and by all appearances seemed to be
enjoying themselves. They played all but five songs from both CD's along with
Emmaline. Only one cover, a great version of Tangerine, and a little jam
thing that was real cool. At one point in the show Robert was wearing a
lovely black bra, it went quite well with the new haircut. The highlight of
the show, for me at least, was during Song for the Dumped when Ben launched
something into the crowd and it hit me right in the eye. Never did see what
it was though, fortunately my vision seems to be returning as I type this.
All in all it was a great time and I'll be anxiously awaiting the
announcement of a Cincinnati date. Until next time keep fighing the battle.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 18:45:25 -0400
From: David Robbins <ozzie@infi.net>
Subject: BFF
I am a big fan of Bff and was wondering if anyone knew what pedal Robert
used on his base for his fuzz bass sound?
-Dave (ozzie@infi.net)
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #268
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