THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #1003 - May 18, 1998



Magical Armchair Digest     Monday, May 18 1998     Volume 01 : Number 1003



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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:

    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1000
    SPAC
    I like the way you work it...

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

Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 17:31:57 EDT
From: Zyah <Zyah@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1000

Can I make something clear?  Not all 12-17 yr. olds are alike!  I don't want
all the BFF fans to stick me in a category with all of the obnoxious people
just because of my age.  The shows shouldn't be just 18 & over--what about me
& all the other genuine under-18 fans?  You're going to give everyone the
impression that we're all jumping on the bandwagon & then acting obnoxious in
concerts, but remember,  that's not always true. :)  Also, I'm taping Modern
Rock Live, so if you miss it, let me know, and maybe we could figure something
out!

- ---Lauren---

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

Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 15:36:30 PDT 
From: "Dustin O." <doneil41@hotmail.com>
Subject: SPAC

It look like I'm not going to SPAC... I wish I had a job... but I have 
no money, so I can't go

sorry to dissapoint y'all
Dustin

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

Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 16:54:38 PDT 
From: "V Hochschild" <charzi@hotmail.com>
Subject: I like the way you work it...

Hi, Fivers.
  Poking my head in again after another month or so of speed-lurking 
(maybe an hour a week - I scam whatever I can).  Today I've had plenty 
of time to peruse the digests I've saved and even check out some stuff 
on the webring and other links you've offered.  So to catch up...
   The profanity on "Song For the Dumped" did in fact make its prospects 
as a single tricky.  Our friends at Sony sent out an edited version 
("fuck" is rather gracefully edited, I think) on the compilation CD of 
singles it sends out to radio every month.  In the States, airing 
profanity in songs is usually a cut and dried "no" (college radio often 
being an exception), though little nudges of the envelope get made all 
the time (like "bitch"). Alternative stations are the ones doing any 
nudging at all. Someone mentioned 102.1 The Edge in Toronto playing the 
album version - in Canada, playing profanity has always been a little 
more acceptable (many can recall Carole Pope and Rough Trade's "High 
School Confidential" in the very early '80's, replete with "scheming 
bitch", "Is he screwin' with her" and "she makes me cream my jeans when 
she comes my way" being played everywhere - actually, that song would be 
a primo BFF cover!). It's up to the music director and what he thinks 
the audience can take. No matter where though, "fuck" is the last 
frontier.  102.1, often straddling the fence, also plays the edited 
version, which I've heard in the middle of the day.  I understand the 
fears that stupid people can take the song as a mysognist (sic?) anthem, 
but I don't think enough of them will to wreck it.  They may not all be 
stupid, but relating to Darren's pain and too manly to admit it 
(awww..:-)).  It's very unlikely SFTD will have 3/4 the impact of 
"Brick", and I don't know if it'll keep their career momentum up (tho', 
jeez, for the whining we can do about barely any Canadian dates, these 
guys have been touring on this record without a lot of rest for a long 
time.  They must be really tired and to be honest, I feel a little 
concerned for them), but I just saw it move up into #30 on R&R's 
alternative chart (pretty much the bible of US radio airplay), so it's a 
scrappy bitch. Still, I wonder if there'll be thoughts of releasing 
"Air" as a single to follow up this bloody Wallflowers thing on radio 
now.  I haven't heard "Air" yet (I don't know how to work this mp3 thing 
and can't find a listening post), but from the live reviews, maybe it 
has a shot. (Comments?)  Though I just got to see snatches from that 
"Kate" video off the official site, and it only makes me want to yell 
louder THEY GOTTA RELEASE THAT IN NORTH AMERICA! KATE'S GOTTA BE A 
SINGLE! pleeeeeeaaaase?  (but why does Darren have a his shirt on?  
dang.)
  Oh, this reminds me, props to that person doing a page dedicated to 
Robert. That is so sweet. (Hey, cynics, quit giggling.  I mean it!) I 
probably should send some of that nipple post of mine from a few months 
ago out to you.  This also reminds me: I have no problem with silly 
googling about who's cute and what they wear and that kind of thing.  If 
this is a Fan list, people should not be afraid to be silly in their 
love of BF5.  People are coming from so many different angles on this 
list, it makes it richer.  It's good to have some gushing about Red 
Pants next door to Bluejay's musician-oriented analysis (man, that post 
was *brilliant*!  Thank you so much for that!).  This band hits all the 
chakras, kids - let's not ignore what a feat that is. 
   Thanks to that person (Kathryn, is it?) who does The Strangest Things 
page, not just for an excellent page and a fab job on transcribing that 
Breakfast, but for bringing up the Doobie Brothers relating to "Last 
Polka".  From the first time I heard the end part, I found myself 
humming the chorus to "It Keeps You Running" and thought I was mental! 
(and I'm no big Doobie fan)  Whew!  Okay, I may still be mental - at the 
beginning part of the same song, I find myself thinking of 
"Chattahoochie" by Alan Jackson (gulp...shudder...).
   That's all I can think of now, and you're figuring it's probably 
enough.  With no MTV up here, I'm missing the SFTD video tonight, so 
enjoy, you who can.  Oh, and for anyone who remembers my last post, when 
I was whining about why I wasn't going to see BFF open for Beck at 
Molson frigging Amphitheatre cuz it was too much to go through.  Uh, 
well, a friend at an industry shindig scored a couple tickets as a door 
prize, so it looks like I'm going if I can get off work.  (weak laugh, 
strained smile...{:-))  Sorry, Christine.  Excuse me while I continue 
the search for my spine....

Peace,
Valerie

Top 5 Bands (in order): The Pursuit of Happiness, Ben Folds Five, Odds, 
Nine Inch Nails, Barenaked Ladies. (6th would be Sloan)

More BFF cover ideas: the theme to "The Patty Duke Show", "Blue Morning 
Blue Day" by Foreigner, "Vodka" - the hidden track on Moe Berg's solo 
album (hello, Loveslaves!), "Sinking Ships" by Sloan and anything by any 
Teddy Riley band (like "No Diggity" by Blackstreet, "Wanna Get to You" 
by Guy, etc. etc. etc....yeah even "Rump Shaker" - though I can't help 
feeling they've done that somewhere already).

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

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1003
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