THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #821 - February 13, 1998



Magical Armchair Digest   Friday, February 13 1998   Volume 01 : Number 821



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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:

    poor summer B....
    Trades
    review of SF show
    Summer B Lyrics 
    wanted 1996 bff boots...
    cmj
    Summer B revisited
    duh 
    Tapes!
    Where has the Angry Dwarf gone?
    "smoke" a bowl with caleb
    Who knows for sure??
    Daydream
    RE: The organ thing on Smoke
    free show
    other bands
    BENHOLIO!!!                         

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 14:24:19 PST 
From: "Betsy Pfaff" <pfaffbetsy@hotmail.com>
Subject: poor summer B....

The song goes:

But summer won't care
We'll fly away
Or settle down

I have the songbook.  By the way, anyone willing to trade singles or 
bootlegs for copies of the songbook?  I consider myself a good pianist, 
and I find some songs fun and easy, while others are a challenge.  Email 
me privately.

- --Betsy

"I'm just a piano-playin' asshole..."--Ben Folds


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 19:24:44 -0600 (CST)
From: " Elizabeth.C.Pendergrast " <pende002@bama.ua.edu>
Subject: Trades

Hey, i have something that i'm wanting to get rid of, and i wondered if
anyone would want to trade any bff stuff for it.. its a videotape of
different videos including g love, finley quaye, BFF(its just brick),
Travis, Kula Shaker, Save Ferris, Fiona Apple, hooverphonic, marilyn
manson, RATM, our lady peace, reef, offspring, psycho realm, apollo440,
headswim, geneva, edwyn collins, ozzy osbourne, jamiroquai, sinead
o'connor, oasis, chantal kreviazuk, verbow, wink, andrew dorff, david poe,
mike watt , and arnold.. i wasn't sure if anyeone was maybe interested in
these other bands and might want to trade .. its called the sony
alterna-reel.. and i also have a video tape of a band called shift.. i've
never heard of them. please email me at   evdebs@ix.netcom.com if you are
interested. Thanks,
Celine

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 18:05:51 -0800 (PST)
From: Lila Tene <lolly@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: review of SF show

hi,

I usually lurk, but I'd like to try to review the excellent
SF show last Saturday... This was my 5th time seeing them
live, and it was my favorite, probably because they played
a lot of songs I'd never seen them play, and Ben was pretty
hyper (lots of stool throwing and climbing on top of the piano)
and relatively talkative, and, most of all, it was a Great Sledge
Night(tm).

I didn't write down a setlist, but the "unusual" songs were:

1) Short attempt at covering "Rock Me Like A Hurricane" by the 
Scorpions (with Sledge singing, but he didn't know any of the
words, which is why it was so short)

2) A lovely Ben improvisation entitled "El Nino" ("why does it have
to rain all the fuckin' time..." etc)

3) Emaline (Ben said they usually play this in San Francisco for
their friend Sophie)

4) Eddie Walker ("this is about a visit to someone in a halfway house")

5) Boxing ("this is a ballad about Muhammad Ali")

6) the Big Rock Ending(tm) - this was at the very end of the show,
they just jammed for a fairly long time with Ben yelling random
things in his rock-metal-guy voice (a la The Ultimate Sacrifice
on Naked Baby Photos... incidentally I happened to be at the
show this was recorded at too). At some point he said something like
"We're just going to do this all night until you guys get sick of us
and leave". a bit later he climbed on the piano, took off his pants and
revealed his blue plaid boxer shorts and skinny legs.

Some other cool things that happened:

Starting with The Last Polka, Ben introduced about 4 or 5 different
songs in a row by saying "this song is about a breakup" (including 
such classic breakup songs as Kate and Steven's Last Night in Town). 
Then before he played One Angry Dwarf he said "this song is definitely 
not about a breakup".

Right before playing Steven, he informed the audience that the plan
was for the show to start out slowly, and build up to a Big Rock 
Ending (tm). Then he asked if the audience liked that, or if they'd 
rather the show started out loud, and then sort of trickled off.
Most people voted for the former, although I think the latter would
have been interesting.

Also, In the beginning of "Underground" (the last song in the main 
set) when Darren was in front center stage about to deliver his line,
someone threw a bra at him! He caught it and held it up and said 
"oh, my" and went on with his line. Sledge did an awesome
flamboyant-Disco-Diva-intro when it was his turn.

That's all I remember for now. If anyone recorded the show please
contact me, I have some cool stuff to trade.

Lila

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 12:38:04 -0500
From: "Laura E. Goddeeris" <goddeer2@pilot.msu.edu>
Subject: Summer B Lyrics 

I noticed there's been a lot of confusion over a certain part in "Where's
Summer B?" I think that the lyrics are "We'll smoke a bowl with Caleb," as
in Ben's brother or Caleb Southern (the producer). Listen to it on
headphones and it should sound pretty clear.
~Laura
******************************
Laura E. Goddeeris
Michigan State University
A205 Bailey Hall
East Lansing, MI 48825

(517) 355-5553

goddeer2@pilot.msu.edu
http://www.msu.edu/user/goddeer2

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 17:16:08 -0500
From: aplauri@juno.com (Philip J. L.) 
Subject: wanted 1996 bff boots...

hey all- 

attention to all people that feel they have some rare boots....  i have
compiled a rather large list of bootlegs that i REALLY want......  the
list is rather long, but they are in order by date all from 96 except
where noted... please just quickly skim through and if you have any of
these shows, lets trade!!!  i have a lot of other bff boots to trade.. 
http://come.to/bffboots

the list is:

<h3>1996</h3>
Raleigh, N.C.- The Brewery- Jan. 13
Charleston, S.C.- Music Farm- Jan. 16
New York, N.Y.- Brownie's- Jan. 17
Danbury, Conn. Tuxedo Junction Jan. 20
Northampton, Mass. Pearl Street Jan. 21
Albany, N.Y. Bogie's  Jan. 22
Pittsburgh, Penna. Rosebud Jan. 24
Cleveland, O. Odeon  Jan. 25
Chicago, Ill. Lounge Ax Jan. 27
Madison, Wisc. Club De Wash Jan. 29
Lawrence, Kans. The Bottleneck Feb.  1
St. Louis, Mo. Side Door Feb.  2
Cincinnati, O. Top Cats Feb.  3
Louisville, Ky. Cherokee Feb.  4
Atlanta, Ga. The Point Feb.  8
New Orleans, La. Voodoo Groove Feb.  9
Austin, Tex. Electric Lounge Feb. 11
Albuquerque, N.M. Golden West Feb. 13
Phoenix, Az. Mason Jar Feb. 15
Tucson, Az. Club Congress Feb. 16
San Diego, Calif. The Casbah Feb. 17
Los Angeles, Calif. Troubador Feb. 19
San Francisco, Calif. Bottom of the Hill Feb. 20

<h3>1997</h3>
Dec. 8: Manchester, England - Manchester University MDH 
Dec. 9: Bradford, England - University of Bradford 
Dec. 11: London, England - Shepherd's Bush Empire 
Dec. 12: Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow University Queen Margaret Union 
Dec. 13: Dublin, Ireland - Red Box 

and ofcourse, any tapes you are taping on this tour!!!  THANKS!!!!!!

philip

\/\\/\//\\/\/\//\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
http://come.to/bffboots- bff bootlist |
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"who's got the looks, who's got the brains. . . who's got everything???" 
- -ben folds

_____________________________________________________________________
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Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 11:01:25 +0000 (GMT)
From: ER Burningham <u7g83@ugg.keele.ac.uk> 
Subject: cmj

hey guys
what was the deal with that money making scheme thing?? if i wanted a money
making scheme, i'd watch only fools & horses......
yeah, anyway - does anyone know if cmj is available in the uk & if not would
someone send me a copy if i pay postage???!!1 pleeeeeease?!!!
oh, and rollong stone - i think that will be out here - does anyone know
when (the one with bff in it obviously)
great idea about the dolls, just like the spice girls. not. the Ben doll
should be able to say "c'mon lady" as that is apparently the most american
thing he could think of to say when i talked to him - he repeated it many
times. oh and the darren doll should say "i was never cool in school......"
cool. 
thanks if anyone has any info.
love
em
i think it's "we'll smoke a bowl of cake......." hohohohohoho........

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 18:20:03 -0500
From: "idaho" <idaho@appstate.campus.mci.net>
Subject: Summer B revisited

Thanks to the guy who clarified that thing about the bowl.   I think most of
us who have never been outside of our mother's basements were a little
confused about that.

Actually, I think that the post was more about what comes after "We'll smoke
a bowl......"   Some guy posted a couple of issues back and said "We'll
smoke a bowl OK"  which actually sounds about right.

Why do we worry about such things anyway?

blb

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 10:34:24 -0500
From: Rebecca.Cole@mail.cc.trincoll.edu (Rebecca Cole)
Subject: duh 

>Um, to whoever wanted to know about the "smoke a bowl with Kate" thing, here's
>my insight: He probably means a bowl of pot

I KNOW what it MEANS. I want to know exactly what he says. i.e., with whom.
here's the suggestions so far:

we'll smoke a bowl      ...with kate
                        ...with caleb
                        ...with jay
                        ...okay
                        ...with cake

I think I'll rule out the last one. I like with Caleb, because, as it was
pointed out to me, he was the producer of the album.


- -Rebby, wiping crusty drool from her chin while staring blankly at shiny
objects and counting the days to the hammerstein


PS- Seeing the keys listed for all the songs made me realize why BF5 makes
me so gosh-darned happy--almost all their songs are in major (talk to my
psychology of music professor if you don't think that major keys sound
happy...).


***
rcole@mail.trincoll.edu

"There are two things any person will watch with absolutely undivided
attention: an attractive member of the opposite sex, and a Zamboni."
                                        -Jack Runchey

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 00:06:59 EST
From: JBeeler1@aol.com
Subject: Tapes!

Hey everybody!  Is there anyone who is willing to help out a new list member
with an old love of BFF?  I don't have any bootleg tapes of any of their shows
and I would really like to have some.  If anyone would be willing to help me
out, please e-mail me.

Nate
jbeeler1@aol.com

"Bring in the bass, Sledge!" - Darren

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 11:17:13 -0500
From: Jessica Brandt <jbrandt@kent.edu>
Subject: Where has the Angry Dwarf gone?

anyone who is taping the shows off the latest tours or who is recieving
some tapes, pllease e-mail me because i am dying to hear them. check out my
page (see sig) for my list. 
jess

- ---------------------------------------------------------------
"I wish I was a messanger and all the news was good"-Pearl Jam
Visit Cousin Jess's World Wide Mess at
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Backstage/6814
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 20:16:40 EST
From: Rocketno8@aol.com
Subject: "smoke" a bowl with caleb

the organ sounding thing on the album version of "Smoke" is a clavinet(i've
also heard people refer to it as a melodica). it's a small keyboard that is
blown into like a horn. it's very impressive to watch Ben play it live because
he plays it with one hand and plays the piano with the other hand. he also
plays the Klezmatics' parts on "Steven's Last Night In Town" on it when they
play live(one of my favorite songs for them to play since Ben walks out to the
front of the stage and usually also climbs on top of the piano to sing the
last verse, a prime example of his expert showmanship). he also plays it at
the end of the studio version of "Tom & Mary."

in "Where's Summer B.?" Ben says "we'll smoke a bowl with Caleb"(as in Caleb
Southern the producer), not "....with kate." i'm pretty sure Ben and Kate
hadn't met at the time the song was recorded(Ben has said that his first date
with Kate was the day BF5 were on KCRW and played the "Alice Childress" that
appears on NBP).
- -dr.rocket
"sex me up"-robert sledge
p.s.we definitely need some new setlists, i'd like to know what they've
stopped or started including in their live repetoire, and more importantly, i
need a reason to cry the night they play the show i was going to go to before
it sold out.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 08:53:25 EST
From: Gymnasia10@aol.com
Subject: Who knows for sure??

So...let me just ask...are they going to be on MTV's the 10 spot any time
soon?

Ginger

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 10:21:56 -0500
From: Jennifer Spinner <JSPINNER@CAHNERS.COM>
Subject: Daydream

Coming this summer:
THE MONSTERS OF PIANO!!!
Headliner: Ben Folds Five!
Also starring:
Tori Amos
Fiona Apple
Paula Cole
and many, many more!
Wouldn't that kick ass? I would buy tickets. As long as Elton John
stayed home.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 10:17:34 -0500
From: Jennifer Spinner <JSPINNER@CAHNERS.COM>
Subject: RE: The organ thing on Smoke

That organ thing is played by Ben.It's a little mouth organ. If you
saw the Sessions on W. 54th thing, you would've seen Mr. Folds
blowing through a little white tube and playing a little organ that
looks like those crappy $10 jobbies you find at Radio Shack.
Thanks, and god bless.
Jenni
"Once I wept, for I had no shoes. Then I met a man who had no feet.
So I took his shoes. I mean, it's not like he really needed them,
right?"
- --anon.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 08:23:02 EST
From: KJeon4003@aol.com
Subject: free show

Hey guys...

I found this on one of the mailing lists i belong to

+ BEN FOLDS FIVE
  Sunday, February 15th, 10:30 pm  ET
  Bringing the their hit 'Brick' and the rest of the new album 
  'Whatever and Ever Amen' live in concert ONLINE from the Riviera 
  Theatre in Chicago. Brought to you by JamTV 
     http://www.jamtv.com
     http://www.bffweb.com

neat-o!
Sandra

http://members.aol.com/KJeon4003/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 16:59:21 EST
From: PlayDohPez@aol.com
Subject: other bands

all you people out there~

i love BFF. alos other bands obviously...anyway....one i just heard of was
Lincoln and it was especially good..on a completly different kind of scale
then BFF...anyway if anyone has heard of it please write me or
something.....Is there a website for it??? Anyway,.....BFF is totally
kewl...it makes me mad because i've liked them since last year because i
scrumaged around until i could find there name. then i tried getting my
friends to like them, of course, they just didn't want to. now they hear the
brick song on the radio and they suddenly think they discovered it....what the
helll!!! it makes me sorta piised here!

sorry about all that
~Kat

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 98 8:45:00 EST
From: "Emily Durand" <edurand@nunet.neu.edu>
Subject: BENHOLIO!!!                         

Caroline: You are a GENIUS, Ben is indeed channeling Cornholio.  "Hee hee, 
	  *snort*, I am dee great...*snort*...BENHOLIO!!!"

Bonniy: THANK YOU for the cool NBP postcard!

Emily
	Spokesmodel for the Anti-"The" Ben Folds Five Coalition	

------------------------------

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #821
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