THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #530 - October 13, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Monday, October 13 1997 Volume 01 : Number 530
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
BFF on Rage in Oz.
Re: bff-pj
a rundown on the RAGE special
re: Amateur Lovers and Lounge-a-pollooza and other bits
When will you learn?
Re: If you are kind, read this. no bff
i got tickets!!!
bootlegs
Favorite Live Track
grr... and other things
this silly pearl jam/bf5/brad debate
unsubscribe...
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Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 16:41:01 +1000
From: "Rebecca Gorrell & Lance O'Brien" <lotto@netspace.net.au>
Subject: BFF on Rage in Oz.
I'm rapt to say that I got all except the first 20 mins of Rage on video
and that the best part, as I found out this afternoon, is that they had
OAD, BOWCCL, Uncle Walter and Underground one after the other at the end of
their guest spot!! I was worried I'd missed them. It is so cool to have
them all on the one video with BFF themselves introducing them!!
Will definitely be breaking the tab on that video!
Cheers,
Rebecca
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 23:45:25 -0700
From: "Doron Richartz" <rich5363@tao.sou.edu>
Subject: Re: bff-pj
Josh, I'd like to know if you are a musician yourself? Because of all the
things I've ever read on the Armchair, this was the most shocking. First, I
was amazed that you went and compared two completely different bands
musically. Secondly, you made a fool of yourself in doing it. I'm a bass
player and I've heard Robert Sledge do much more unique and interesting
things than I've ever heard Jeff Ament do. You probably just like Jeff Ament
because he plays a fretless bass every once in a while, ooh, very cool. The
fact that Jeff Ament jumps around on stage obviously makes him a better bass
player, huh? That's interesting...
>1 thing incorrect:Pearl Jam is not as talented as BFF? debateable. The
>obvious is that Jeff Ament is a far and way better bass player than Robert
>Sledge. Im not downin on him, but he doesn't do anything that special.
Case
>in point-he plays nothing as well as Ament and at that...couldn't do it
while
>jumping through the air.
I won't even comment on the drumming ability of either band because,
frankly, I'm not a drummer and I don't want to put my foot in my mouth. Like
somebody else...
Doron
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 01:42:27 PDT
From: "Petra Starke" <naturalselection@hotmail.com>
Subject: a rundown on the RAGE special
Politics - who needs it? As a result of the stupid South Australian
elections going overtime by about three hours I managed to miss a whole
lot of the special.
What I did see, however, was really cool. Isn't it cool to know that a
band you really dig likes some of the same music you do? The mix of
videos was really varied and included stuff like Krupa, Everything but
the girl, Dee-Lite (does EVERYONE like 'groove is in the heart' or
what?), Supergrass, Edwyn Collins, Superdrag (that song 'sucked out' is
so cool, i recommend you check it out if you haven't heard it), even
DIGITAL UNDERGROUND with 'doowutchyalike', haven't heard that one for
ages (Robert: "I shake my booty to the Digital Underground."). In the
bits that I saw, Darren and Robert did most of the talking with Ben
making a short appearance towards the end to introduce his all time,
number one favourite video, "seeing through the eyes of the dead" by
Cannibal Corpse. Seemed like an odd choice to me but there you have it.
He said that they had tried to base the video for OAD on this Cannibal
Corpse video, and that it had been "Robert's thing". Darren and Robert
were acting very straight and extremely cool, but were being really
funny behind it all; they introduced Tom Waits' song 'Going out west' by
saying that Tom Waits was one of the best all-girl bands to recently
come out of Ireland, and they described The Divine Comedy as being a new
irish r&b band that do gospel with rap in between. Ireland on their
minds, huh? :) All of this was followed by their video clips (hurrah
hurrah, i've seen it all!)
Anyway, just thought I'd let you know how cool you all know they are.
Cheers,
Petra
We love Darren! (what happened to the long hair, babe?)
______________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 06:06:35 PDT
From: "Flying Nun" <humperdinck@hotmail.com>
Subject: re: Amateur Lovers and Lounge-a-pollooza and other bits
It's hard to keep up with this thing...
I can't remember who it was who said that thing about the Amateur
Lovers' song Rubiks Cube. Anyway, I thought that song was the best one
they had because i, er, actually have peeled off the stickers, and
bought the book with the solution, and got really frustrated witht he
last level. but i digress, at the Sydney University concert it was the
blond guy's birthday (the one with the keyboard) and we all sang happy
birthday to him. In regards to their actual music...yeah, well, they
could do with improvements. Apparently they love BFF (or is it the
other way round? I can't remember what the article said), and are
supposed to sound like them. Which they don't, BTW. about the only
similarity is that both bands sing in harmony, but also, therein lies
the difference. Seattle versus North Carolina...can anyone guess which
wins? Oh, and purely on a superficial level, and speaking as a girl,
the guitarist needs to get rid of his Simply Red hairdo. hmmm, that's
bad news.
need to know where to get that lounge cd. can anyone (esp. the
australian listees) help out? and purely coincidentally, today i bought
a pizzicato five cd having never heard of them, and completely on
impulse, and they turn out to be on the cd. top band BTW.
To keep the BFF thing happening, I'm going to start a mildly obssessive
Darren Jessee shrine on the net, 'cos let's face it, there's no one who
plays the drums as well as he does. granted, there's no one who plays
the piano and the bass like Ben and Robert...ah, get off my back
already!!
Another bit to the Australian listees...I don't suppose anyone taped
their appearance on Midday? I'd like to see what all the fuss Geoff
Harvey made over Ben and his piano was about. Ben actually signed
someone's shirt on stage at the Metro concert with "I love Jeff Harvey"
on it.
and lastly, Brad are an all right band, but Shawn's comments on the
piano seemed like sour grapes to me. what a little sook.
______________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 09:47:05 -0400 (EDT)
From: Brad654@aol.com
Subject: When will you learn?
In a message dated 97-10-11 20:12:59 EDT, you write:
> because with every name that this is sent to, The American Cancer
> Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery
> plan. One guy sent this to 500 people !!!! So, I know that we can
> send it to at least 5 or 6. Come on you guys.... and if you're too
> selfish to take 10-15 minutes scrolling this and forwarding it to
> EVERYONE, then you are one sick person. Just think it could be
> you one day.It's not even your $money$, just your time!!!
Hey, Albert Schweitzer (or should I say Einstien?)--
This is a hoax, just like the letter about the boy whose dying wish is to set
the world's record for postcards received. Think about it, o brilliant one,
how the hell is the ACS going to keep track of how many intellectual giants
like yourself have actually forwarded this? It's impossible.
Not mention the fact the we readers of the Armchair FUCKING HATE CHAIN
LETTERS! But then, being as compassionate and unapproachably intelligent as
you are, you probably knew that already, right?
Brad
By the way, this IS a chain letter. Even when the text of a chain letter says
"This is not a chain letter," it's still a chain letter. Sorry to burst your
bubble, Stephen Hawking.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 11:56:21 -0400
From: "John E. Fahey" <jfahey@cyberportal.net>
Subject: Re: If you are kind, read this. no bff
Geez, how should I begin. First of all, this is a chain letter. It
denies it in the first few lines but then contradicts that claim towards
the bottom. There is no little girl dying of Cancer. At least not one
that wants this chain letter sent around. Also, how the hell is the
American Cancer Society going to know how many or when this message is
even sent to donate money to the non-existent girls treatment. Now how
would the writer of this letter know that some guy mailed it off to 500
people? Hmmmm...Sorry but chain letters just start to piss me off once
in a while, and regarding the subject of the message, I am in deed a
kind person, so don't flame me for being a jerk. There's a time and
place for chain letters. A list for BFF is not one of them. If you're so
desperate to mail this fraudulent chain letter, than try cluttering your
friend's mailboxes.
cheers (i guess)
john
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 13:07:37 -0500 (CDT)
From: c715454@showme.missouri.edu
Subject: i got tickets!!!
okay, i just got tickets yesterday for the lawrence show. and i am so
psyched. it's on a wednesday night at 7, and so i'm driving three hours to
see it on a school night. and i've reverted someone. my first experience
with that and she's going with me. so it should be tons of fun (although
it won't be the same without anna there :(. ) so if anyone's going, let me
know and we can wear our nametags or something. i can't believe i'm going
to see two concerts in lawrence in one month (the other is morrissey). oh,
and by the way...in steven's last night in town, do you hear the one part
where it sounds like the theme from the tonight show's (with johnny
carson) theme? that's all...talk to you all later.
- -bess
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 12:30:28 -0700
From: rminier@thacher.org (Rose Minier)
Subject: bootlegs
hello!
i would really like to get a few bff bootlegs, since i don't have any yet!
if anyone would be willing to trade, i have a bunch of counting crows
tapes, as well as two from matchbox20, or i would be willing to do a 2:1...
if you're interested, please mail me!
many thanks....
rose
"i'm sick of summertime
all of the best things in life are unkind
i could be anything, i could be everything,
but all the time i'm thinking
'if i only had a pair of wings....'"
-a.f.d.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 16:09:53 -0400
From: Carrie Shanafelt <cds9@po.cwru.edu>
Subject: Favorite Live Track
Hey guys! I just thought of an interesting question, because it seems to
me that few people agree completely on this... I know we all love different
songs on the CDs and all, but the live versions are completely different.
I've been to two live shows, and I think I've come to the conclusion that,
although it's not necessarily my fav on WAEA, "Fair" is easily my favorite
live song. The way Ben sings the first verse completely a cappella and
then suddenly Ben and Darren join in to slam into the "chicken bit" just
makes me involuntarily bounce all over the place with glee. Although I
must say, "Philosophy" is a close second, 'cause damn, it's cool to see the
man's fingers fly like that! I have the sheet music, and I'm really not
very good, so seeing him do it and knowing what he's playing really gives
me a massive appreciation for his talent (like I didn't have it before).
Any other ideas? (I'm just about to wet myself, because Halloween steadily
approaches and I have my tickets hanging up on a bulletin board right next
to me. I'm afraid to touch them, or they might disappear!!!) Alright,
much love and stuff; I must go change my pants.
Carrie
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 18:21:17 -0400 (EDT)
From: LeathrIdol@aol.com
Subject: grr... and other things
In a message dated 97-10-09 08:52:30 EDT, you write:
<< They are no measly punk band-they have talent
that people want to see. I WILL NOT move to the back to satisfy your
violent urges!) >>
this angered me. i love love love punk music; it's not "measley." and
plenty of punk bands have talent, and lots of people want to see them
perform. i love both indie and punk. and, i saw avail recently, and
although there was lots of moshing, etc., they impress me at every show with
their talent and energy. they get great reviews, in all sorts of magazines,
too.
but i agree, moshing to BFF is pretty lame. it's probably ppl who don't go
to shows very often and don't know what's going on. i saw reel big fish a
few weeks ago, and there was moshing to that, too. not skanking, even!
<3,
Melissa, who is very excited to see ben folds five (for the second time) in
her hometown of richmond (the first time was in DC in may)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 18:48:09 -0400 (EDT)
From: F2G2@aol.com
Subject: this silly pearl jam/bf5/brad debate
i like them all, for different reasons.
brad puts on a kickass live show......if you haven't seen them, do. and as
far as their recorded material, it's rather decent too.....if not better.
pearl jam has talented musicians, yes. eddie vedder is one of the best TRUE
singers in "modern rock" today. and musically, they are becoming more and
more innovative......
bf5 is one of the tightest bands musically and vocally, as far as
harmonization, that i have ever heard OR seen.
once again, why are we comparing apples to oranges?
matthew
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 19:35:45 -0700
From: "Richard P. De Leon" <slacker8@pop.a001.sprintmail.com>
Subject: unsubscribe...
I regretful find the need to unsubscribe from this wonderful letter...
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #530
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