THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #975 - May 5, 1998



Magical Armchair Digest      Tuesday, May 5 1998      Volume 01 : Number 975



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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:

    Teleconned Question
    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #973
    LAZY?
    Trouble finding imports.
    Where were those moderated BF5 lists again?
    my favorite bands and favorite concerts
    Good stuff
    Re: Passes
    naughty SFTD bits
    Feminism & SFTD
    bff down under
    so long :(
    Armchair meet-n-greet in Nashville
    Jazz rocks :)
    Knoxville Set List/Review

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

Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 18:03:57 -0700
From: "Lance Bustrum" <lancepa92@earthlink.net>
Subject: Teleconned Question

same as the B-Side version??

Thanks in advance,
=) Lance

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

Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 21:29:47 EDT
From: KNULPREK <KNULPREK@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #973

In a message dated 98-05-03 20:23:39 EDT, you write:

<< 1. Robert mentions an "octave pedal." I know absolutely nothing about
basses
 so is this correct? >>

Yups. That's correct. I'm not a big fan of the ol' octave pedal, but
basically, you hit a note and it'll play that note and the octave of it at the
same time. Gives it a 'fuller effect' or whatever..

 -jason.
 <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/knulprek/home.html">The Happy Scrappy Page
</A> 

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

Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 21:55:37 -0400
From: RusBF5@webtv.net (Rusty Weiss)
Subject: LAZY?

Michigan Joe.....

Song For The Dumped...lazy?  Maybe not.  I'd go with deceptively
intelligent.  Here is a song that is trying (and succeeding) to capture
an emotional moment.  The lyrics mimic that of a person enraged after
being dumped.  After all, they were scribbled down by Darren almost
immediately after going through a break up.  I guess if somebody didn't
care to look any deeper, then this would appear to be lazy and
simplistic.  I would also guess that when women break up with you, you
lash back with philosophical quotes, poetry, and acerbic witicisms.
That's where you and I differ I guess.  When I've been kicked to the
curb, I can guarantee my responses have been a little less than rapier
in wit.  I think it's important to look at the song as a whole; it's
lyrics, it's message, the music, the emotion, and appreciate it this
way, as the intelligent piece of music that it is.  Period.

One more thing:  If there are people out there who like this song just
because it contains the phrases "bitch" and "fuck you too" then I pose
this question to you:  Who the hell cares?  There are songs out there
that I like for stupid reasons.  I'd be willing to suggest that there
are some that you like just because they're fun to sing along to as
well.  If this is wrong, then you must be the life os the party.....

Later,
Rusty

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

Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 22:00:02 -0400
From: RusBF5@webtv.net (Rusty Weiss)
Subject: Trouble finding imports.

For anyone having trouble finding BFF import's (like myself), you can
order them online at http://www.musicblvd.com
You can order them with credit card or by sending them a check or money
order.  Found this site to be very useful, considering all of my local
music stores bite.

Later,
Rusty

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

Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 22:16:32 EDT 
From: dorkpopkid@juno.com (Stephen B CLay)
Subject: Where were those moderated BF5 lists again?

Dear armchair,
	Seeing as I don't have so much time to do email anymore I'm going
to have to unsub.  Would the person(s) who run the moderated BF5
info-only list please email me w/ instructions on how to subscribe? 
Thanks.
	Afn's server has been down a lot lately, but my fakebooks are
still located on the page below.  It's been great!  Bye bye! (sniff)

Love,
Steve
________________________________________
- ---Stephen Clay---dorkpopkid@juno.com---
      http://www.afn.org/~afn61842/

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

Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 22:49:25 -0400 (EDT)
From: Tony Flaminio <flaminio@acsu.buffalo.edu>
Subject: my favorite bands and favorite concerts

ok here goes.
fav bands..other than bf5:

radiohead                 servotron
les savy fav              sunny day real estate
tugboat annie             jeremy enigk
the wrens                 beck 
the wicked farleys        imperial teen
burning airlines          menthol
portishead                swirlies
spiritualized             squirell nut zippers
milf                      jas mathus and his knockdown society
hum                       fugazi
tanner                    pavement
hayden (new album out on may 13th!!)
the rentals               weezer
vic chesnutt              g. love and special sauce
shudder to think          bis
chisel                    promise ring
jawbox                    jawbreaker
superchunk                the disappointments
jimi hendrix              the doors
harry connick jr.         boys life
archers of loaf           velocity girl
christy front drive       joan of arc
the jesus lizard          nirvana 

and many many more....ok favorite concerts

1. the wrens, shirley divine, the wicked farleys, tugboat annie...nietzes,
buffalo (you had to be there)
2. hayden...nietzes, buffalo
3. radiohead (opening for alanis morrisette, they blew her off the stage,
but then again...a stage full of retarded kids playing checkers could do
that) darien lake, buffalo
4. radiohead (opening for REM) memorial auditorium, buffalo
5. burning airlines, quixotic, and fugazi....rangos ballroom, carnegie
mellon university, pittsburg, PA
6. weezer...ogden st. concert hall, buffalo
7. superchunk....harriman hall black box theatre, UB
8. weezer, sloan, tugboat annie...edgefest 3, buffalo
9. weezer, that dog....blind mellons, buffalo
10....and soon to be number 1...ben folds five and beck...darien lake,
buffalo 

well, sorry to trouble you. have a nice day!

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

Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 20:09:55 -0400
From: schander@juno.com (joe s schanderson) 
Subject: Good stuff

Oh this is good. See, now as long as it stays "cool," discussions like
the current "Dumped,"  is part of what these lists are all about.


>i can't see why everyone makes such a big deal out of a few "offensive"
words

>- - it's human nature to be angry after all, and it's a good way of
expressing
>it.


Okay, there's the essence of the problem I have with the song. To me it's
not a good way of expressing emotions, it is a LAZY way of expressing
emotions. There are so many people who think swearing and having strong
emotions go hand in hand. Thus swear words have become adjectives, verbs,
etc....I guess I'm just sick of hearing people swear to convey  EVERY 
emotion. 

 "!$&$!~, I'm so excited!"  or

 "#~!$^%, I'm so pissed off!" or 

"!*^&$, I'm kinda tired." 

 
I've said this before, I wouldn't want to hear that same song without the
lyrics it has now...it wouldn't be the same song. I just think lyrically
it is the most juvenile. I still think it's a good song. Just not a
particularly good showcase for BF5.

Take sides all you want, I still get my opinion : )

michigan joe 

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

Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 00:07:00 EDT
From: Debra1495 <Debra1495@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Passes

In a message dated 5/3/98 7:28:17 PM Mountain Daylight Time, owner-
armchair@ford.il.fontys.nl writes:

<< 
 Im curious as to how people aquire backstage passes....
  can somebody please clue me in here...
 thanks
  >>
Don't you think that if they were this easy to come by, we would all have
them? (Instead of standing behind the backstage doors, in freezing rain, till
3:00 am for autographs and handshakes.)  :)

Let me know if you have any luck.

Deb

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

Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 23:31:55 -0700
From: joeyk <z_kreidelrj@TITAN.SFASU.EDU>
Subject: naughty SFTD bits

> I respect the use of a Simpsons quote but I'm not trying to say "Noone
> should swear," I just think that a group of people ORGANIZING a petition
> because "THEY WANT THEIR SWEAR WORDS," is a SAD, SAD state...............
> 

No one is petitioning for the sake of hearing swear words on the radio. It
is about hearing a song in its unedited, intended form. The words "fuck"
and "bitch" were written into the song because they convey a meaning not
felt with words like "screw you too!" or "give me my money back you croos
eyed freak" (although I do like that one...).
Why should radio listeners hear the song with certain words silenced out?
I've never understood this logic, or writing F---. You are supposed to know
what they mean, and are supposed to understand it's relationship to the
rest of the sentence, but it is not written? WHY? Because silly people
don't like silly words, I guess.

 

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

Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 01:24:38 EDT
From: Rachw2as <Rachw2as@aol.com>
Subject: Feminism & SFTD

fellow fivers,

I have to comment, as a feminist female, about SFTD.  Yes, I like the song, it
is fun and I can relate and I am NOT offended.  But I have to agree with
Michigan Joe here...the lyrics and music are exactly what they come across as,
fun and silly and a pure vent of anger.  They just don't do it for me as much
as say, Selfless, Cold and Composed (silent anger is always more palpabable
and stinging)

Now, as a FEMINIST and damn proud of it, I just want to say to all those women
out there who confuse feminism with being a lesbian, man-hating, politically
correct watchdog, that is NOT what it is about!!!  Don't believe the media
hype of a few loud extremists!!  I am more concerned that in many professions
women still make only 64 cents for every dollar a man makes doing the same job
and that some judges in this country think wife-beaters are doing the right
thing!!!  THIS is what is important to feminists, not that 3 guys in some band
put the word "bitch" in their latest single.

Sorry for the off-topic vent, but the comment "I don't understand this whole
feminism thing" from a women really got to me today.

Rachael

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

Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 22:32:50 PDT 
From: "Sarah Cattell" <sawacattell@hotmail.com>
Subject: bff down under

hello all!

i am going to be in a good mood until August when bff come to australia.  
i will try and get to all the shows that they do.  my friend and i are 
actually thinking about going to japan to see them play there as well!!

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!

sarah

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

Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 23:41:23 -0700 (MST)
From: Geoffrey P Newsum <gpn@dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: so long :(

hey all.  had a good time, but I'm leaving my email account here at school
so I must say goodbye.  and hello too, I guess, since this is my first
posting.  i enjoyed being on the list even though i sometimes had to sift
through junk to get to the good stuff.
well, I just wanted to comment on the whole sftd thing.  i think that
musically it is a great song.  ben folds is an awesome composer.  i'm a
music major here at northern arizona university and i sometimes sit down
and analyze ben's songs for fun and notice all the cool stuff that he is
doing that i'm learning about in my theory classes and stuff.  really
cool!  anyway.  i don't understand why it is so important to some people
to have sftd on the radio.  don't you have it on cd.  can't you listen to
it when ever you want to?  you know if it becomes a radio hit, there is
the risk that it will be overplayed and you'll begin to dislike (or at
least like less) the song.  well, just some thoughts.  go ahead and rip me
apart if you want to because I won't be here to read it.  hope to run into
some of you guys at a show someday.  

cheers

geof

favourite bands (sorry, five is too hard):
joe christmas - radiohead - eden burning - wilco - ghoti hook - velour100
starflyer 59 - joy electric - fold zandura - over the rhine - phantasmic
lassie foundation - Mike Knott - weezer - roger miller

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

Date: Tue, 05 May 1998 02:35:35 -0500
From: noctum <noctum@usa.net>
Subject: Armchair meet-n-greet in Nashville

Well to all that either could not make it, find my house, or those who I
failed to contact back about directions, etc., I am sorry you missed a fun
get together of people from the armchair. But, for those of you that could
make it, I had a blast and enjoyed meeting everyone of you. Well, the day
started off like so, the New Jersey sisters (Becky and Melissa) and Kim
(Georgia girl) were the first to arrive. We sat down, talked, exchanged
stories and had fun. After they had time to relax from traveling a few
others arrived (Heath, Neill, and co.). We all sat down and
chit-chatted...Jessica was amazed and wanted my pet snake...we all searched
for Neill's screw that fell out of his glasses and all pitched in to
putting his glasses back together...and watched BFF's Bacharach
performance. Well, after waiting a bit for a few of you that got lost, we
decided to head on downtown to the festival. We arrived downtown and
immediately spotted BFF's new yellow tour bus. Actually, Melissa (BFF radar
girl) was the first to spot it. Anyways, we parked and everyone met back
together and we all wandered over to the new tour bus. Took a few pics
waited around, and then proceeded to enter the festival. Well, after
entering the festival, we situated ourselves over off to the side of the
main stage where we could see BFF's tour bus. Well, Melissa spotted Trey
and he walked over to say "hi" and then some damned security person walked
over and gave Trey hell and told him to back away from the fence that was
separating the crowd from the bus not realizing that Trey was part of the
BFF crew. Stupid security person...I won't go into how stupid security
was...but the guy at the gate that was nice enough to let Kim bring her bag
(with our cameras, recorders, etc.) in was damn cool!....as for the
rest...screw them! Anyways, the show started and rocked!!! The only
drawback to the show was the security that gave us hell for taking pictures
and the stupid people that wanted to mosh through every song (including
brick, go figure?!?). Anyways, after the show we wandered back over to the
tour bus and hung out waiting for the band. Well, the first to arrive back
over to the bus was not BFF but Fleming and John, long time friends of Ben
and a really good band themselves. We talked to Fleming and John...took
pictures with them...and found out that their new album will be out this
August. Well after meeting Fleming and John, Ben and Darren wandered over.
We all talked to Ben and Darren and got this info out of them. BFF will be
touring Australia this August and yes Julie, they will be playing a few all
ages shows for you. We didn't get any particulars...like exact dates...but
they did tell us that. Also, Ben said that he was currently working on
"Fear of Pop", Ben's first solo release. Ben said that he is basically done
with it except for a spoken word piece in which he is waiting to hear back
from William Shatner (Capt. Kirk from Star Trek) about him doing the spoken
word piece. Ben also stated that he is interested in collaborating with
some members of Belle and Sebastian on a few things as well, but he didn't
go into much detail in to that project or collaboration. Well, after
talking to Ben and Darren for a bit, we all took pictures together..whole
group and individual...with Ben and Fleming and John and all of us people
from the armchair. Well, after that our armchair group split up and headed
over to Waffle House, except for Becky, Melissa, Kim, and I. We waited
around just a bit longer to catch Robert. Well, after about just a minute
after we split up...Robert came strolling around and was exhausted. Poor
Robert. Well, he was kind enough to let us get a picture with him and then
we wished him a good nap. Well, off to Waffle House we went, singing BFF
songs the whole way there. It was fun! Anyways, we had dinner together took
some parting group pictures and said our goodbyes. Well, I must say this
will be one day that I will never forget. I had a lot of fun. I must say
that everyone I met are just some of the nicest and coolest people I have
ever met! You guys rock! We have to have another meet-n-greet/picnic again!
Well, had fun and enough from me...talk to you all later. 

Sanders

P.S.-
For those of you that are interested in a show review, set list, pictures,
and sounds from the show...check out http://bffirc.home.pages.de sometime
Tuesday night. I am going to the Auburn show tomorrow night and haven't
gotten all my pictures developed yet, so I won't have that site updated
until sometime after I get back. Talk to you all later. Bye Bye!

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

Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 04:32:38 EDT
From: Snowwite67 <Snowwite67@aol.com>
Subject: Jazz rocks :)

<< For those of you that are
 interested, he was doing a couple of gigs here in London a week or 2
 ago, doing jazz, where he is more of a frontman. Gosh, don't I sound a
 geek. >>
no you don't.  Jazz is great! Without it we wouldn't even have Ben Folds Five.
:)
- -Lauren

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

Date: Tue, 05 May 1998 04:29:15 -0500
From: noctum <noctum@usa.net>
Subject: Knoxville Set List/Review

Here is the set list from BFF's Knoxville performance:

1) Theme from Dr. Pyser
2) Battle of who could care less
3) Philosophy
4) Last Polka
5) Smoke
6) Steven's Last Night in Town
7) Fair
8) Brick
9) Song for the Dumped
10) One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces

As for a review of the show, here is a brief and short one that basically
explains the whole show:
BFF kicked ass and played awesome...the crowd sucked...Darren and Robert
got pissed at the crowd...the crowd sucked....that was about it....

Look for a complete review at http://bffirc.home.pages.de sometime in the
near future. Later.

Sanders

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

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #975
**************************************


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