THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #688 - December 9, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Tuesday, December 9 1997 Volume 01 : Number 688
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
young'ns listening to BFF
if you're sick of the age thing, skip this post
First denial, then acceptance.
just wanted to say...
Re:The Whole Anti-Youth Thread
A thread! A happy one!
Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #686
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Dec 1997 20:29:39 -0500
From: Mike Wilkinson <mwzoso@neo.lrun.com>
Subject: young'ns listening to BFF
I have no problem with young people listening to BFF, just as long as they
are mature enought to actually like and respect Ben and Co.'s music and not
because thay liked the video they saw on Mtv ("empty-v").
I'm seventeen. Some of you may cosider me to be "young". But, I first
started listening to BFF for their music I was (and still am) excited to
get away from the depressing and angry trend in music these days. And I do
not like them because they are the new cool thing. In fact BFF's apparent
success hasn't made it to my area yet. No one I know, save one person, has
even heard of them. So where I come from, BFF is definitely not the
hippest band on the planet.
So as I said, if younger kids like the music, fine. What I'm afraid of is
seeing a BFF cd sandwiched between spice girls and hanson in some kid's cd
collection. I'm sure you feel the same.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 20:51:19 EST
From: Fretbored7 <Fretbored7@aol.com>
Subject: if you're sick of the age thing, skip this post
aplogize in advance for the length...
ok, that subject was just a little warning for all of you who are sick of the
age controversy, because i am as well. but i could not stand to keep my
little teenage mouth shut after reading this post:
>I fully agree that teeni boppers cannot fully appreciate BFF because they are
>not at a mature enough mental capability to completely comprehend the adverse
>lyrics that are ben folds five. I feel also that me seeing that children
>listen to Tori Amos and Fiona Apple and turn them into pop rock
overpublicized
>garbage that they really aren't make me ill. If something is not broken I do
>not feel the need for the music industry to turn our hallowed music into a
>category for children to listen to. I feel to truly appreciate music you
need
>to understand where the person is coming from. It is a bunch of bull.
>Meredith
my my my... where shall i begin? as a 16 year old female who has enjoyed the
band ben folds five for about 2 years (yes, even since i was 14!), this post
totally infuriated me. as for meredith saying that i "completely comprehend"
the lyrics, please my dear, do not blanket your statements! i do consider
myself to have some mental capacity, and i <saracastically> can EVEN
UNDERSTAND THE LYRICS. man, someone should give me a cookie or something. so
meredith, i challenge you... send me the lyrics to a bff song that my pretty
little head can't handle. of course, even after seeing my interpretation, you
should still not classify it as wrong, because half of the point of music is
for each individual listener to draw their own inferences and apply it to
their own frame of reference. secondly, (and i aplologize in advance for the
lack of bff content), who made the you the queen who decided that tori amos or
fiona apple are "adult music?" or even "our music" (meaning yours) for that
matter? the last time i checked, there was no limit on who could listen to a
certain type of music (except for that pesky parental advisory, but i won't go
into that). i have been a rather ardent fan of tori for about 3 years now, and
i am incensed at the fact that i am told that i should not be listening to
this music because of my age. it is ridiculous that you can even make a
statement like that and believe that you are even semi-correct in making it.
finally, my purpose in this post is not to bash meredith in the least; my
purpose is simply to provide an educated rebuttal to her (and this is in my
opion only) ridiculous post. also, i apologize for the length of this post,
and thank all those who read it... i mean, us little 16 year olds really hurt
our heads when we try to think like this! <in case you can't tell, that was
sarcasm : ) >
*jackie*
~ just a 16 year old with a mind... (or a "teeni bopper" depending on your
level of closemindedness)
"it's not so bad being trendy."
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 21:03:53 -0500
From: jaedonely@juno.com (A A DONELY)
Subject: First denial, then acceptance.
Although SNL sucks, Ben Folds Five is going to be on there with....
Samuel L. Jackson! I wish that a different show, a consistently funny
show such as the Simpons would have musical guests such as Ben Folds Five
on the show. Think about it............Ben Folds Five animated on the
Simpsons. Darren Jessee in cartoon!!!
If Ben Folds Five were sell-outs, what would they have to do to get
that? the only real good example I know of a band "selling out" would be
Chumbawumba (what theyre doing now goes against the policies they
champoined in the past)BFF, maybe... "talking about how they really
really want to work with the dust brothers, and release a new album of
electronica only because we all know thats the new hip thing to do"
"Sellout" implies that you Sold Your SOUL!!!!!!!
Im not going to reprint it, but Courtney's post in MA 686 puts their
burgeoning popularity perfectly.~Elisabeth
>we all feel like our best kept secret has been made public. And in case
you haven't >noticed, the public is stupid. We're worried about
bastardization. Not success.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 21:57:24, -0500
From: PFJH05D@prodigy.com (MISS JESSICA R BORASH)
Subject: just wanted to say...
i think it's great that all these people love bf5. i may not be a
fan from back in the day when they used to play in chapel hill and
break piano strings, but i love them just the same. also, i am a
teenager, and i think ben folds is one good looking guy! plus, he
can sing and play the piano! a total 10.
okay, a good ole survey for you guys. what's your favorite line from
any bf5 song? i'll add mine at the end. i want to hear everything i
can about them, so keep writing.
looking forward to january and SNL,
jeskuh =>
"i've faith that there's a soul somewhere that's leading me around
i wonder if she knows which way is down."
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 21:05:57 EST
From: mystry1616@juno.com (C M)
Subject: Re:The Whole Anti-Youth Thread
Josh Wrote:
> To be honest,
>I'm really getting tired of being associated with all these people
>with whom I have only my age in common. I am usually on the recieving
end of all >those horrific acts of MTV-inspired stupidity. I have never
noticed a particular age
>group more likely to be at fault. Please don't support 18+ or 21+ shows
in
>order to spite those underage people who have bothered you. Why? Because
it
>hurts me, and my not being able to go to a show because of your
complaints,
>whatever would be far worse than anything you could have had done to
>you while listening to BFF. Just because I'm younger (16) doesn't
>mean I haven't been a fan for a while. Please don't label me a new fan
by
>age, because there are a lot of college aged kids, or beyond, who just
>heard Brick last night, or last night, and so on.
> --Josh
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I completely agree. These
generalizations shouldn't be made. I was annoyed by the lack of respect
shown by the people behind me at the concert, but they were all over 20.
You will find this in any age group... please don't punish me for only
being 16.
Christy
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 22:28:32 -0500
From: jaedonely@juno.com (A A DONELY)
Subject: A thread! A happy one!
Here's my brilliant thread idea, for young'ns, and ould ones.
Which Ben Folds Five member would you take to the prom?
Finally! A chance to admit your teenage sexual fantasies about the
band.:) And of course, a chance to discuss who'd look best in a tux.
I myself couldn't decide, but I think I'd be leaning towards Darren.
They'd ALL look really good in a tux, but I think Darren would be most
likely to go nuts and just dance, dance, dance! But, Ben is a fabulous
dancer, Ben Folds Is Sex, and its great when he shakes his ass, plus
Robert is so cute!! Something about the way that Robert is, blond, and
plays that funky music and sings....its a really hard decision, plus Im
an indescisive Libra.
After my prom, I want to go to The Rocky Horror Late Night show all
dressed up...which BFF guy would you take to that???
So hard, so hard!
~Elisabeth
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Dec 1997 22:48:16 -0500
From: Amanda McClintock <mcclin22@pilot.msu.edu>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #686
Well here is my attempt at making the beloved armchair a nicer place to
relax, and hopefully calm those with angst against concert going.
I myself had a hard time fully enjoying the Ben Folds Five concert I
went to on Novemeber 1st of this year. Not because of the opening
bands, not because of the youth, or the old... it was because I had a
seat, well a rather constrictive seat, and I couldn't dance the way my
body so naturally wanted to. Thus I tried my damdest to stay still and
as a result I think I pulled something.
I have to admit I laughed at the kiddies dancing and screaming their
brains out, and I could remember how I used to do that at all the
concerts I attended. I looked at the old, sitting nodding their heads
and laughed too, knowing one day I would be among those folks.
All I want to get across is that all of us enjoy concerts in our own
way, each age group doin it's own thing, just be happy to know that
music can bridge the gap....
Was that sappy enough for you!?! :)
I am also wondering if anyone has, or can direct me too some good
interviews with all of the band, or those that don't include Ben. When
these three are together they have the power to form a great comical
trio!, Ben solo can keep things rather serious, so any interviews
(written, radio, or video) that feature them hard at work making us
laugh are of interest!
Thanks
Amanda
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #688
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