THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #693 - December 10, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Wednesday, December 10 1997 Volume 01 : Number 693
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
ben writes a little story for rolling stone
more bff press
Blah blah!
inspiring songs
Okay, that's it!!!
McCartney BFF connection?
ICQ BF5
oy!
Ford Prefect
georgetown bootleg
To LJ
naked baby photos
Bus Stop's surprise!
All the Sadness, all the rage...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 19:49:02 EST
From: JCannery <JCannery@aol.com>
Subject: ben writes a little story for rolling stone
While roaming around the AOL rolling stone online site, i happend upon this:
(i tried to take up as little space as possible, so sorry if it's a little
disorganized)
<<Virtual RS:
The Tao of Ben Folds:
One Happy Dwarf--
Ben Folds is fixin' for some fresh-fried potaters:
"The Tao of Muhammad Ali" by Davis Miller. I was jumping on a plane in England
and I was like, 'I can't get on the plane without something to do.' So I'm
running through the bookstore like a maniac and I see [Ali's] big face. I grab
the book and buy it. I'm reading it and [the author's] describing his high
school days and I'm like, 'he could be writing about my high school.' Six
months later I find out, it is my high school.
"Sling Blade.": One of the best movies I've ever seen. It's like a
portrait of abuse -- not just one side of it. It's really accurate.
Flaming Lips' "Zaireeka": I shouldn't admit that I'm one of the lucky
people that has a tape of all the [songs] in stereo and about seven or eight
other tracks. It's the best thing I've heard in so long -- a really cool
record.
"Rosemary's Baby.": It's so surreal. It's a horror movie but there isn't
a bunch of blood and gore in it. I'm not real good at articulating why I like
a movie.
Vietnamese Food: A more grainy, fresher version of a lot of different
kinds of oriental and Eastern food. You never know in the United States when
you get food that's from somewhere else. It's like Greek food that's full of
Turkish stuff.
Belle & Sebastian's "If you're Feeling Sinister": It's just very
pointed and carefree at the same time.
Auto-Erotic Asphyxiation. But you can only do that once.
Download a sample of "Brick" and "Fair" from BF5's "Whatever and Ever Amen"
and "Emaline" from BF5's "Naked Baby Photos.">>
So, if you have aol, you can download a bit of Emaline the way it'll be on the
new album. (keyword is "rolling stone" then click on virtual rs).
By the way, I too sat through 2 painful hours of Mr. Wrong to see if Song for
the Dumped would be played. And it wasn't. But I do believe Bad Idea is
played in that Cats and Dogs movie, when they're running around or something.
lindsay
http://members.aol.com/jcannery/bff.html
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 20:45:41 -0500
From: doug cunningham <douglc@mindspring.com>
Subject: more bff press
bff is pollstar.com's feature story this week and appear just about
everywhere else you look these days
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 21:03:05 -0500 (EST)
From: Ginger Nance <gnance@email.unc.edu>
Subject: Blah blah!
I would just like to say "AMEN SISTER!" to Jessica Brandt for her post on
how redundant the Armchair has been lately. As I understood it, the
Armchair exists so we can talk about BF5's music, and the shows we went
to, our experiences with the band, trading bootlegs, and sharing news
tidbits. If you all want to argue with each other, e-mail your feelings
to the person who wrote the offending post because no offense, but I'm
getting sick of reading "I'm 12 but I'm mature" and "I'm old but I'm still
cool dammit" and other such ranting, and with finals being this week I'm
already not in the best of moods so this junk doesn't help. Why don't we
take the Armchair back to what it used to be--fun, informative, and
slightly irreverant.
Doing my part to save the Armchair,
Ginger :)
ps--my fave line...hmm...lately I've been humming "Go ahead you can laugh
all you want, but I've got my philosophy, and I trust it like the ground."
depending on my mood, it changes.
Ooooo Ginger Nance
( ) ginger_nance@unc.edu "A bittersweet symphony--
) ( gnance@email.unc.edu that's life"
(o) http://www.unc.edu/~gnance --The Verve
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 21:21:49 EST
From: mystry1616@juno.com (C M)
Subject: inspiring songs
Hi fellow armchairites... ok, I was thinking about the whole "what BFF
song has affected/described (I dunno, either one works) my life... and I
decided that the past couple days it has had to be 'Evaporated.' My best
friend died last week in a tragic plane crash with the rest of her
family, the hardest part being that she was only 16. I'm a very
music-oriented person, and listening to the BFF songs has really helped
(I still can't tell if it's the lyrics or just the general beauty and
upbeatness of their music) me cope with this loss. I've used BFF's music
to help me cheer up through several things over the last couple years,
and they were there for me when I needed to hear them this time. I just
love those guys. ok, just wanted to throw in my two cents (geez, with
all the $.02 being thrown in lately, we could all be rich by now).
anyways... bye!
Christy
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 21:42:09 -0500 (EST)
From: Eric Patton <shirak@umich.edu>
Subject: Okay, that's it!!!
The next person to start whining about the age issue after the
date of December 10th, 1997 will immediately be stripped of all cool
points, cast down, and named "Beast and Defiler." I make this decree by
the powers invested in me (with a 6% intrest rate) by Eris Child of Chaos,
Daughter of Discord. ;) Now that that's over and done with, I have another
thread for you all. Nivrana vs. BFF. I'm not talking musically, I'm saying
all out backstreet brawl. Hell, you can even throw in Pat Smear to
Nirvana's side, just because they need the help. I say BFF would beat them
to a bloody pulp like the good ol' boys they are. ;) Please, so as not to
spam up the Armchair, send your replies to me. Actually, this is a
desperate attempt to get people to send me mail, 'cause I'm a pathetic,
lonely guy, but that's a different story. ;) Laters all! Hail Eris! Hail
Yes! Can I get an Almond Mocha!
ERIC
_______________________________________________________________________________
"How fortunate I am to battle the witless."
-Sang Chi, Master of Kung Fu
_______________________________________________________________________________
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 21:52:14 +0000
From: Hilarie Surrena <walflowr@Op.Net>
Subject: McCartney BFF connection?
Hi everyone,
I was watching BFF on TV with my cousins from Va yesterday and they had
some intresting imput. BFF gets a lot of airtime in Charlottesville and
when my one cousin heard "BOWCCL" at my house, he asked who it was. He
said he keeps hearing this one song at home and it sounds like the same
band. Of course I rundown numerous BFF songs until he stops me at
"Kate." He told me that he thought it was very similar to Paul
McCartney's song "Jet." Does anyone know that tune because I sure
don't! Is there any similarity between "Kate" and "Jet?"
Hil
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 19:10:55 PST
From: "wilson lo" <inane@hotmail.com>
Subject: ICQ BF5
Hey there everyone...I've decided to not get into the whole teens at
show argument because I'm onemyself...only have one comment Live and Let
Live.....so here comes to unrelated part if Lemonboy, Elle or Banana are
reading this SEND ME A MESSAGE SO I CAN GET YOUR ICQ NUMBERS because ICQ
just erased my list....anyone out there on ICQ who want to add me they
can my number is 4429325
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 22:19:13 -0500
From: Sean Gambrel <gambrels@pilot.msu.edu>
Subject: oy!
Whoever sent that friggin forward to the list f***kin' sucks! Maybe
tomorrow I'll send all 50 of the "Good luck on finals" and "Merry Christmas"
forwards I get. If I send them to 10 people I am guaranteed good grades. I
can't take any chances with my academic life...
not trying to be negative, but please don't do that anymore.
Also, about the prom thing...
I'd have to say that I probably wouldn't take any of them to prom since I am
a guy!
later guys!
Sean
"life is for pleasure"
Perry Farrell
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 22:32:03 -0500 (EST)
From: Peter Dean Mast <mastpd@elmail.cc.purdue.edu>
Subject: Ford Prefect
Didn't Ben write ALL his songs for me? It seems like it sometimes. But
if I had to pick one, it would be Philosophy. It's just... perfect.
Steve, wasn't the heads for Exquisite Dead guy the funniest thing you've
ever seen? I saw that and just went nuts!!
Here's a thought: What's more annoying at a concert... the over
energetic (possibly drunk) person bumping into you as they hardly even
notice the music at the concert... or... the guy just to the left and in
front of you who stands perfectly still looking like he's an instructer
for a piano recital grading a student? Hmmm
Okay, I'm gonna bring up brick. Yes, I know that it's about abortion,
but has anyone else notice how the song seems to be able to aply to so
much else. Like when you just catch one of the phrases that just
perfectly describes how you felt when you broke up with the person who
you really cared about, and still do. Maybe it's just the mood of the song.
Peter
P.S. 42
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 21:57:34 -0500
From: Heather Hurwitz <hhurwitz@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
Subject: georgetown bootleg
Hiya Fivers,
Anyone have a boot of Georgetown? I've got goodies to trade for it. Email
me please if you taped the Georgetown show!
Heather
EVERYDAY IS A NEW LIFE TO A WISE HUMAN
"If you're drivin into town with the dark cloud above you, dialin the
number who's bound to love you, if you're lyin on the beach with the
transister callin, kick off the sand cause honey the love's still flowin,
if he says forget it but your heart's still smokin, call me at the station,
the lines are open" -Joni Mitchell, the goddess!!!!
get your fill of peanutts on the www: http://www.cyberdrive.net/~percystar
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 23:05:23 +0000
From: Hilarie Surrena <walflowr@Op.Net>
Subject: To LJ
Hi,
This is in reference to LJ's remarks regarding Steve's List. LJ, the
rules were a joke to lighten things up around here! How could you
possibly think that they were serious? Steve also said at the end that
he always screams to all the songs and acts like any other normal BFF
crazed fan.
Hil
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 23:15:22 -0400
From: pgaston@hamilton.edu (PG)
Subject: naked baby photos
hi there. just joined the list but i've been a fan for awhile.
anyway, just writing to say that i got my copy of "naked baby photos" in
the mail today from caroline. not sure if any of you out there have been
able to get it yet, but caroline sent me a copy (i'm the editor and music
columnist for the student newspaper here at hamilton college).
two cents:
kind of weird for a young band like bff to put out a b-sides/rarities disc
so soon. i guess morphine and even the pumpkins have done it recently, but
i was shocked that bff was doing one. still, the fact that it's on caroline
and not sony says alot about this band's intentions and loyalties. those of
you who worry about the large venue and dave-matthews-syndrome problems
need not fear. bff will be keeping it real. besides, both outdoor shows i
saw them at this summer (h.o.r.d.e. in nyc and at central park summerstage)
were rockin.
anyways, back to the album. i love "eddie walker." this one will probably
get into the singles rotation at our campus station. "for those of you who
wear fanny packs" really embodies what i think about bff: musical talent
meshing with incredible humor. great versions of "underground" and "alice
childress" are quite enjoyable. we could have done without "dick holster"
and "ultimate sacrifice." throwaway tracks at best.
overall, it's a great cd for people like me who have no bff bootlegs but
want live versions some of our faves, or who are interested in other bff
material. the liner notes are written by ben and describe the story behind
each track, making it an educational history as well. for those of you who
have crazy boots or have seen them a million times, it will be nothing new.
i think another album's worth of recording could have yielded enough potent
b-sides to really make this one a "must-have."
glad to be joining y'all on the list.
peace,
peter
- ------------------
spectator website: http://spec.hamilton.edu/
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 22:01:52 EST
From: BenFolds J <BenFoldsJ@aol.com>
Subject: Bus Stop's surprise!
Hey fellow Armchairites,
I was browsin' through Tower Records' rock section tonight (12/8) and low
and behold what do I see? None other than a copy of Bus Stop's "A Little
Faster" (Chuck Folds' band, brother to Ben for those who didn't know). I have
to say, I liked it... ALOT. It had a bit of a Sister Hazel tone to it, but I
recognized something in there that rivaled the sound of Darren Jessee's
drumming and Ben's jazzy beats. I don't know, maybe it runs in the family. But
anyway, I recommend you all pick up a copy of Bus Stop's CD. I'm going to see
if I can find the other release (the name escapes me for now). If I strike
gold, I'll let you guys know. But in the meantime... see ya 'round!!
~Jordan
P.S. I asked them to look up BFF stuff on the computer and NBP came up on the
screen, because the guy said the store received promo copies. I've already got
one, so I don't need it now, but I just thought I'd share for those of you
with friends at Tower. Funny thing is, Brick didn't show up as the new single
- -- must be JUST an import.
"I wish it was last September..."
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 23:06:12 -0500
From: dr beck <drbeck@ibm.net>
Subject: All the Sadness, all the rage...
As i was surfing the net like a typical 90's teen, i commenced my weekly
stop at the Frank Maynard BFF page. I scrolled down the list of news
blurbs, hoping to find that my favorite band for two years running was
going to play one of the ohio cities that i have travelled to in the
past for an intimate BFF session, always guaranteed to be able to talk
with the band for a couple minutes afterwards. BUT, as my eyes widened
and my hands started sweating, i felt the cold chill of fear run through
my body as i read the apocolyptic sentence that BFF was going to be
playing SNL on the 10 of Jan. BEN FOLDS FIVE, A SMALL TRIO FROM CHAPEL
HILL, THAT HAS SUCH A CULT FOLLOWING THAT HAS THE MOST INTIMATE GROUP OF
FANS, IS GOING TO APPEAR ON A NATIONAL SHOW, THAT IS FREQUENTLY WATCHED
BY CHILDREN AND ADULTS... i thought i would never see something like
this...i wasn't prepared for it, and to think, i passed up going to the
halloween show in cleveland becuase i had too much to do that weekend!
i may never get to see my band in an intimate setting again. i will
have to wait in line to buy tickets weeks in advance, competing against
the parents of children who want to see "those guys who sing the song
about a brick or a dwarf or something". DO YOU GUYS REALIZE WHAT THIS
MEANS? I AM SCARED THAT I WILL LOSE THEM TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY!
i know what i am about to say may seem selfish, but i truly believe that
it is the only way we can salvage the love we have for
them...................I THINK WE SHOULD STOP ADVERTISING THE ARMCHAIR,
ON PLACES LIKE THE BFF HOMEPAGE AND FRANK MAYNARDS...we then will be
able to discuss things like usual...do you realize how many people will
be joining this listserve after january 10th? i really think we should
consider this option, we need to control the population growth of the
armchair...Frank, if you're reading this, please, i am scared that i
will have to eventually unsubscribe from the chair...two years ago i was
getting 1 every 2 days...now it is 3 a day!
I am sorry that this is so long and drawn out, but we are really going
to have to face up to the fact that our band may be losing its
intimacy...What's even more scary, is that i read on a page that they
may be coming out with an instrumental album in feb, that is labeled
FEAR OF POP...something to think about....
Thank you, and i hope that we will stop arguing and fighting over teeny
boppers and stuff, becuase we may not have much more time to talk about
them at all....
Officer Friendly
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #693
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