THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #1044 - June 6, 1998



Magical Armchair Digest    Saturday, June 6 1998    Volume 01 : Number 1044



                          THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:

    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1041
    Haven't We Had Enough?
    air
    let 'em rest
    unsubscribe
    jerry springer
    Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1040
    Rockford Filers
    88.5 XPN
    I have extra BFF Atlanta tickets!
    (no subject)
    (no subject)
    shut up
    (no subject)
    and one more thing
    (no subject)
    rockford files people
    Tripping the live fantastic?
    What have we gotten ourselves into?
    a single penny for your thoughts
    bff sydney
    RF-ers

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

Date: Thu, 04 Jun 1998 20:25:58 PDT 
From: "garrett john weindorf" <garrett32@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1041

i have wonderful dinosaurs in my pocket

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 23:34:42 EDT
From: SunfireQT@aol.com
Subject: Haven't We Had Enough?

Chairers:
   Alright this is just rediculous already.  All of these old members of the
armchair suddenly coming back and saying they left cuz the "newbies" are all
stupid and taking up lots of room to insult newer members.  
   WELL NOW IT'S MY TURN!!!!!!
   If new Armchair members are so stupid, how come we know good music when we
hear it?  
   The old members seem to be forgetting what they are most complaining
about....they hate reading on the Armchair all the petty little arguments we
have, such as "Should 'Brickheads' be considered real fans?" or "Should 15
year olds be allowed at BF5 concerts?"
   Instead, these members who have been fans forever are posting things like
"We're cooler than you because we've been here longer." and "You people don't
know what you're talking about because we've been here longer" therefore
starting arguments themselves.  It all amounts to "because we've been here
longer."
   Man!  If y'all are sick of all the bullshit on the Armchair, quit posting
bullshit yourselves!!!!!  Who in their right minds cares who has been here
longer?  The fact is that we're all here and we should enjoy what we have to
say and share with each other.
   And if you think you are better than me because you have been a member of
our (that's what I said, OUR) Armchair longer than I have, I think the problem
is that you have no self esteem nor intelligence and need to swell your own
heads by putting other people down about bullshit you had nothing to do with.
   Now....this does not go out to all "old" Armchairers.  This goes out to all
the people who have their feet up their asses and socks in their mouths
thinking they have status over other people simply because of seniority.
Well, dudes and dudettes, this isn't the workforce and seniority doesn't come
into play.  So just shut the hell up!!!!  You want the Armchair to be what it
used to be, then stop being part of the friggin' problem!!!!
   In fact, I feel so strongly about this, not only am I prepared for any hate
mail I may recieve, I am signing this with my first name rather than The Texas
Yankee.

Erica the Supreme Bitch

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

Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 23:40:28 -0400
From: schander@juno.com (joe s schanderson) 
Subject: air

Okay, I'll give it a go at dissecting "AIR." 

This is the scenario that seems to work and be cool, etc... for ME. 

A person or animal ( a silhouette) runs in front of two guys on a
motorcycle.  The two guys on a motorcycle crash into a lake or pond or
something. They're drowning. The one w/the helmet on(the driver), is
unconscious. The other guy gathers himself, swims up and gets them both
out of the water. They pass out or blackout or something and are taken to
a hospital. Don't know what happens to the driver. Family of the other
guy shows up asking him to "pull through" etc.....he's in a coma or
something though and can't communicate with them even though he hears
them.  


Basically all the details of the song are accounted for but I don't know
if I'm really happy with the silhouette part. It seems the mentioning of
a flourescent was meant to signify something institutional, like a
hospital. So maybe the first line about seeing the silhouette is the guy
seeing someone, through his "out of it" state, but not really being able
to tell what it is....and THEN he starts recounting the story of what
happened.

a possibility for a cool song,

michigan joe

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 00:23:46 -0400
From: schander@juno.com (joe s schanderson) 
Subject: let 'em rest

 >>i  feel bf5's getting tired.  redundant, even


Uh, they've been touring for TWO YEARS! I feel tired and redundant for
them.


michigan joe

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

Date: Thu, 04 Jun 1998 23:29:32 -0500
From: Dave Sterling <pezhead@execpc.com>
Subject: unsubscribe



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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 00:38:55 EDT
From: MissDa@aol.com
Subject: jerry springer

i hate to be the first one to point out how bogus this jerry springer thing
is, but THERE IS NO 31ST OF JUNE.

amanda

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 00:39:56 -0500
From: john_oc@juno.com
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1040

To all--

Starting the 6th and up until Dave Matthews Band joins the bill, opening
for BFF will be Elliott Smith.  Anyone seeing a show with Elliott will be
the luckiest person on the planet.  Elliott Smith is brilliant.  Do not
write off his music as stupid acoustic ballads.  Elliott is the most
talented Folk-pop solo artist I have heard since Nick Drake.  Don't know
who Nick Drake is?  Good.  Learn something.  Go find out.  He rules too. 
Elliott Smith WILL be the highlights of those shows.  I can already see
it now..."Sure, BFF was great as usual, but that Elliott Smith guy blew
me away!!!"  Oh yeah.  Gawd, I wish I could be there.  Still being in
college sucks.  Yes, we're on quarters.

Educating the masses...

John Boyer
Indie Rock Director
101.5 WOBN-FM
Westerville, Ohio

Yes, I am a part of the resurgence.  Got something to say about it?  By
complaining you only feed our cause.  Thanks.  So what if I am
pretentious.  Aren't we all?  Don't answer that.  HINT*HINT.

In CD player
Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk

"Close your eyes and you'll see nothing at all, or maybe it's just
everything at once."
                                                                         
                    --Modest Mouse

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
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------------------------------

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:00:52 EDT
From: BlueJellow@aol.com
Subject: Rockford Filers

Dear Chairites,

Well, I investigated the Rockford Files.  I read a TON of the issues, and came
to a conclusion.  They hate us.  Every single one of us.  They are not to be
trusted.  We can't even tell which person is a 'chairite or a filer.  It's all
very confusing.  They think they are a LOT better than us, and it really
pisses me off.  They make fun of us, make jokes, and plan to AMBUSH us with
complete SHIT!!!!!!!

The Robert on Springer was a joke, made up by the Filers.

I don't know what to do anymore!!!!!!  I've lost this list.  Please help us
Frank!!!!!!!!  There are good people on this list!!!!!  But I'm afraid the
Filers SUCK MY BUTT.

Lucy
*The boys would NOT be proud*

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:27:07 EDT
From: KamalaICB@aol.com
Subject: 88.5 XPN

owned by Penn, but full time non student air staff

KICK ASS STATION

and the show they recorded was for the World Cafe which is syndicated
nationwide


it's no dinky college radio station

casey

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:50:12 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jessica Mathews <writeme@arches.uga.edu>
Subject: I have extra BFF Atlanta tickets!

Please help me...due to some really crummy circumstances, I can't go to
the BFF show at the Tabernacle in Atlanta...anyways, I have 2 tickets and
if you're interested, please e-mail me PRIVATELY.
Thanks,
Jess
writeme@arches.uga.edu

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 01:56:34 -0700
From: Thomas Andrews <iceberg@nycap.rr.com>
Subject: (no subject)

subscribe

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 02:03:47 -0700
From: Thomas Andrews <iceberg@nycap.rr.com>
Subject: (no subject)

subscribe

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 02:11:55 EDT
From: Corrin108@aol.com
Subject: shut up

In a message dated 98-06-04 21:04:42 EDT, you write:

<< and maybe, if you listen carefully, you'll learn something. >>

looks like i just did...you guys all suck. go away again.  sure i am not a fan
of hearing the same question ovr and over...sure im sick of the same endless
battles, sure ive thought about leaving....but the one thing that pisses me
off mor than any of that is you morons announcing your arrival and all your
bullshit.  maybe i can teach you something too...listen carefully....YOU ARE
NO BETTER THAN ANYONE ON THIS LIST..OR ANYONE AT ALL FOR THAT MATTER....GET
OVER YOURSELVES.

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 02:12:23 -0700
From: Thomas Andrews <iceberg@nycap.rr.com>
Subject: (no subject)

subscribe

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 02:14:13 EDT
From: Corrin108@aol.com
Subject: and one more thing

i forgot one thing...LEAVE US ALONE...GO BACK TO YOUR OWN LIST, APPARENTLY ITS
COOLER THAN THIS ONE ANYHOW.

bring it on,
corinne

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 02:31:35 -0700
From: Thomas Andrews <iceberg@nycap.rr.com>
Subject: (no subject)

subscribe

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 03:57:28 EDT
From: FHudetz@aol.com
Subject: rockford files people

I love all the terms people from the RF use.  Us simpletons on the Armchair
have no idea what ya'll are talking about.  That was quite an "ambush"
guys!!!!  Although the Rockford Files people don't want to be associated with
the MA, they sure as hell will look for their names in print.  I ask members
of the RF one question,  what was better, alot of boring people or a few
boring people?  I remember i got emailed to join this Rockford thing, but it
seemed too much like a cult, and everybody gets to know each other WAY too
well.

A Boring person

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 21:36:56 +1000
From: Bree Nevin <nevinb@mpx.com.au>
Subject: Tripping the live fantastic?

do the words:tripping the live fantastic 
appear in a BF5 song???Is anyone aware this is a title of a Paul Mc
Cartney album?????Am I going crazy????
Who knows?Speak or forever hold your peace

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 07:34:28 CDT 
From: "Scott A. Schneider" <saschneid@hotmail.com>
Subject: What have we gotten ourselves into?

Sometimes things can go a little far.

My intention when I decided to participate in the "come back to the 
Armchair for the month of June" project was never to offend people or 
start a flame war.  I apologize for what has happened and am beginning 
to wonder if I should have been a part of it.

I have the utmost respect for Frank Maynard and the work he has done for 
the BFF fanbase.  The Magical Armchair has always been a wonderful (if 
sketchy) source of information, and though we may not have always agreed 
on things at times, it doesn't really matter.  It's about the music, 
right?  We all have something in common, whether we've been here for 3 
days or 3 years: we love the music of Ben Folds Five.  So what happened?

Because they are so obviously talented, the Armchair has grown 
substantially in members.  We're getting 3 or 4 digests a night, and I 
simply didn't have time to read them, so I began deleting them before 
even reading them.  A side-digest (The Rockford Files, started by Erik 
Lyons) was formed as a place to continue to discuss the band, as well as 
off-topic subjects such as dream interpretations and music 
recommendations.  I don't know that it was an "elitist" group; it was 
about 50 people who loved the band in an intimate setting.  Sounded good 
to me.

To be quite honest, at the time I didn't know the people on the Rockford 
Files any better than I knew the random posters on the Armchair.  They 
were, however, very friendly and intelligent in their postings, and have 
grown to be friends.  The RF digest was a place where you knew a little 
something about the person who was posting the message-- not just 
randomness from people you've never seen before.  It was and still is 
fun.

I had thought the "come back to the MA" suggestion was an attempt to 
turn the MA back into a setting similar to that.  I introduced myself, 
as did others.  Somehow, a flame-war started.  I'm not sure if it was 
mild cockiness on my friends part or misunderstanding from others; it's 
not important.  What's important is that it stops.

I'm was not trying to and will not belittle anyone but the people who 
post the word "unsubscribe" to the MA 50 times instead of reading the 
MA-FAQ or people who ask the same questions that have been covered in 
the BFF-FAQ.  I suggest reading the FAQ not only because I wrote it, but 
because it'll answer a lot of your questions and minimize the digests 
being clogged with 30 posts answering the same questions over and over 
and 30 posts flaming you for asking the same question that was answered 
last week.  Use discretion in your post: thousands are watching.

This will be my last public posting on this subject.  If you have any 
feedback, please e-mail me privately.  I don't want to clog up the 
Armchair with any more of this-- it's counter productive and against 
what I believed the original plan to have been.

scott

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

Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 09:22:47 EDT 
From: "Kurt Grieb" <sirgeb27@hotmail.com>
Subject: a single penny for your thoughts

not to interfere with this raging war on the armchair, but the boys are 
supposedly coming out with a new US single in late July or early August.  
What do you guys hope or expect to be on it?  There’s usually 3-4 songs 
on a single, so which will be the featured “a” side and what will the 
others be? air? SFTD? Eddie Walker?  Pyser? maybe post what you think 
and give a reason why.  lets try to have some civilized conversations 
about the coming release y’all. I’d also like to hear what the returning 
original armchair-ers have to say about this. just a suggestion... you 
don’t have to answer.   

kurt  

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 23:25:07 +1000
From: "Steenholdt" <steenh@atinet.com.au>
Subject: bff sydney

Can any one please tell the dates bff are touring sydney ?

If any one knows please send the dates and place to steenh@atinet.com.au

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

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 09:35:13 EDT
From: Brad654@aol.com
Subject: RF-ers

In a message dated 98-06-04 20:13:31 EDT, a bunch of RF-ers wrote:

>  so he told us how we were inordinately smart, and how we should return
>  to the ma(mostly atavistic) to breathe fresh air and wisdom into it.
>  he also said something about how dull you all were.

>  but now, i  feel bf5's getting tired.  redundant, even.  show 9 was as poor
a
>  show as i've seen the boys do.....beck was bitchin though.  and sean
lennon'

>  (provided i stay long enough at this fanletter that's already been proven 
>  once to be weak.)

>  Which I find to be churlish, but understandable & truly par for 
>  the course on the MA. So no worries, mates.

> Well, we were some of the old
>  school of Helmetheads who got sick of the virulent decaying of the quality
>  of the Armchair. So we did the only thign we could have done: quarantine.

The one thread I detect here is that these people did not like the Armchair in
the first place, so they left. Hey, it's a free country, and I think that
anyone who is unhappy in any given situation should have every right to change
that situation.

But then why would these people hate the Chair so much voluntarily subject
themselves to it? I know that I avoid things I don't care for. For instance, I
absolutely HATE, LOATHE and DETEST "The Family Circus." So guess what? I don't
read it. 

Is it because they're trying to save the Armchair? I don't think there's
anything wrong with the list, save the occassional former member coming back
to trumpet his or her triumphant return, and that's really not all that bad,
either, since those posts are so utterly laughable (in an unintentional,
"Manos: The Hands Of Fate" kind of way). 

Brad

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

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1044
***************************************


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