Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #67 - April 14, 1996
Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
Topics for Today:
Re: Ben Folds Five/Alice Childress/Majosha
BFF
Mailing List Getting TOO BIG!
Couple o' things
BF5
Ben folds five
Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #66
BF5: alternative?!
Re: Sexuality
BF5 Hoot Night in NC?
Ben Folds Five: The Buggles
other bands
Alex Chilton/Big Star
chilton - tying it back to BFF
Re: BF5 Hoot Night in NC?
Ben Folds Fan Club
Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #65
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 08:36:20 -0400
From: "Gillmer J. Derge" <derge@holzmann.crd.ge.com>
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five/Alice Childress/Majosha
Colin McConnell <cmcconnell@prudential.com> writes ...
> As far as I know, there are only two accomplished recordings of
> Majosha in existence. But there may be more I don't know about.
> They did a 5-song demo called "Five Songs About Jesus"
You're basically right that there are just those two
available. I'm picking nits, but there were only 4 songs on "Five
Songs About Jesus," and none of them were about Jesus. Get it? Kind
of like "Ben Folds Five."
> and then a full 45-minute demo with about 10 songs. Song titles
> include "We Know What's Right for You," "Guilty," "Where's Bohemia
> (my favorite)," and "Video." Yes, it's the same "Video" from the BF5
> album, but it's played on guitars and mandolins. In some ways, I
> like this version better. It has a sort of Scottish highlands sound
> to it.
I'll second that emotion. As good as the BFF version of
"Video" is, the Majosha version is better. We always called that
highlands sound "Millard's Big Country sound." (as in, "In a Big
Country, dreams stay with you, like a lover's voice, on a mountain
side ...")
Most or all of the "5" songs about Jesus wound up on the
second tape, which was titled, "Shut Up and Listen to Majosha." They
were remixed and/or re-recorded, but they were basically the same
songs.
So, yes, there are still a few Majosha fans around. I still
wear my Majosha t-shirt, though it's getting a bit ragged. Gotta
find me a BFF shirt fast.
P.S. Hi, Ed Boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gillmer J. Derge <derge@crd.ge.com>
P.O. Box 8
Schenectady, NY 12301 (518) 387-6382
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 09:08:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: intcsb02@midget.towson.edu
Subject: BFF
*************************************************************************
To the person who inquired about the Archers the singers name is Eric
Bachmann(spelling i'm not sure about). The album is called Barry Black,
most stores 'round here carry it in the Archers section. There is a song
called Vampire Lounge in which Ben plays piano, the song is really
phenomenal, pretty laid back but still cool.
J.C.
*************************************************************************
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 10:19:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: John Moye <moyej@gusun.acc.georgetown.edu>
Subject: Mailing List Getting TOO BIG!
Hey guys.
I can't help but think that this mailing list is getting too big.
I'm all for an open forum to discuss Ben Folds and other related band
info, but when people start using this newsletter to talk about totally irrelevant
stuff that nobody really cares about (Sample: "Hey, my name's Bob, and I
live in Hoboken. I play the piano and I have a band called Leapin'
Lizards. We write a lot of our own material and practice every day." or
"Hey, my name's Jerry. I'm really bummed over my reacent breakup with my
girlfriend, and if it weren't for music, I never would have made it
through."), there's a problem.
RELEVANT? NO.
INTERESTING? NO.
C'mon, people, this is the Ben Folds Five Mailing list. Let's
keep it that way.
I'm tired of skipping through 50% of the newsletter everyday.
If I wanted a chat line about absolutely nothing, I would've
subscribed to one. Instead, I subscribed to the Ben Folds Five mailing
list because I love the band and was interested in hearing all about them.
But let's keep this list about Ben Folds and not about some guy
from Detroit that is learning to pick out "Sweet Home Alabama" on his piano.
Ben's more interesting.
-JOHN
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 10:32:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: GOTTLIEB@BU4090.BARRY.EDU
Subject: Couple o' things
Just a few things. First, I got the "Cats & Dogs" soundtrack, even though
I probably won't see the movie, and I love the BFF track. It's the
best thrash piano I've heard, or is it the only...Also, I too went on
that mad search for the Uncle Walter EP and got a lot of strange looks
when I told them it was coming out on the 9th. I would also like to enter
my plea for Ben Folds Fie live material. I have an extensive list of
other bands, so if anyone is interested, let me hear from you. Finally,
to add to the list of soundalikes, how 'bout Wonderstuff's "hit by a
car"?
Seeya,
Adam
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 11:21:17 -0400
From: pprociss <pprociss@sun.tir.com>
Subject: BF5
Does anyone have any tour schedules for the summer?? Detroit, Ohio,
Illinois, Indiana...Please, please someone help me! I need to see them soon.
Detroit is a great place, someone beg the guys to come back! Tell them I'll
do their laundry everytime they come!! I really would!! ....that's all,
just a desperate plea..
btw: Article in SPIN was cool. They look great in spacesuites, so do the
Barenaked Ladies...Coincidence? We think not!
shannon
(the quote girl)
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 18:09:50 EDT
From: MR PETER C TOWNSEND <pct@prodigy.com>
Subject: Ben folds five
Can you tell please tell me where to find the ben folds five song
that contains the lyrics" gimme my money back" ? i bought the debut
cd but can't find it , is it on a sountrack???
[Song For The Dumped, on the "Mr. Wrong" soundtrack, even though it
wasn't in the movie. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 22:31:46 -0400
From: BAYSUGAR@aol.com
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #66
can anyone please tell me when ben will be in oh or pa
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 00:04:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: David Aron Reaboi <dreaboi@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
Subject: BF5: alternative?!
* in this world of "mainstream alternative," must we affix that terrible
word to a band as great as BF5? i love the SPIN article and quotes by
ben: "what we're doing is rebelious, because it takes guts to say, 'well,
actually, i can play my instrument." after all, the only things that makes
them "alternative" are their record label and their lack of HUGE mass
following.
* "If historians look back and blame us for dismantling the alternative
genre, I wouldn't be ashamed of that at all." ---Ben Folds
Dave Reaboi ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George Washington University "rubber ducky, you're the one;
Apt. 527, 1900 F Street NW you make bath-time lots of fun..."
Washington, DC 20006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 03:57:34 -0400
From: fred antonangeli <fantonan@bcn.net>
Subject: Re: Sexuality
I'm just writing this in response to the question about the guys
sexuality..Should it really matter? Their sexual preference plays no role in
the type of band that they are. I listen to the band because I enjoy their
music, not because I think that they might be straight or gay or bisexual.
Sexual preference is something private and unless they guys feel the need to
make it known the world about it, why even worry about it? It has no bearing
on their excellent music...
Sarah A.
"The kindest truths are often spoke, but never heard.." - "Last Polka" Ben
Folds Five
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 13:03:40 -0400
From: PowerVegan@aol.com
Subject: BF5 Hoot Night in NC?
My band's going to be in the Raleigh area on Th. 6/13 and Wed. 6/19, and I
thought it would be a shame if we were right there in the middle of Ben Folds
Five country and didn't do anything BF5-related, so...
I'd like to see if we can set up a BF5 hoot night in Raleigh or Chapel Hill.
I'm thinking us and 3-4 other local bands each play a 1/2 hour set,
consisting of about 1/2 BF5 covers. (For our set, we're thinking of doing
BF5 karaoke and letting audience members sing, if there's an interest in it.)
So, would any of you locals in the Raleigh area want to help by inviting
local bands and suggesting an appropriate venue? Please email or call me
(512-467-8516).
Let's rock, -- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 14:12:51 -0400
From: "Walter S. Crane IV" <sheba@ici.net>
Subject: Ben Folds Five: The Buggles
I know a little bit about the Buggles. I think most of this information
is accurate, but then again, I was 9 when they were famous ...
The Buggles were formed in '78 or '79, and had a hit with "Video Killed
the radio Star", also the first music video played on MTV, appropriately..
The two main guys were Trevor Horn (vocals), and Geoff Downes(keyboards).
There may have been some other guys doing other instruments, but the cd
case for "The Age of Plastic " (Island, 1980) doesn't mention them..
Shortly after their one hit, the Buggles were absorbed into Yes, after
Jon Anderson (vox) and Rick Wakeman (keyboards) left in 1979. They joined
Chris Squire (bass) Alan White (drums) , and Steve Howe (guitar). This
strange version of Yes made one album, "Drama"(Altantic 1980), and toured,
setting a record for sold out concerts at Madison Square Garden (I think).
This combinaton of a mega-huge established 70's band and a New Wave duo
didn't last, most Yes fans not liking Horn (and one guy who actually threw
tomatoes at him at one of the MSG concerts!). Yes split up at the end of
the tour in late 1980. Steve Howe and Geoff Downes formed supergroup Asia
with John Wetton of King Crimson, and Carl Palmer, the "P" of ELP, and
became mega-huge by 1982. Asia nearly epitomizes 1980's cheese rock, and
after their first couple of albums, they lost both Howe and Wetton, and
apparently all creativity.. Last I heard Geoff Downes was still trying to
further the career of Asia, but I'm not very impressed..
Trevor Horn stayed close to the Yes fold. Yes re-formed in 1983 with Jon
Anderson, Tony Kaye (Yes' pre-Wakeman keyboardist), Chris Squire, Alan
White and Trevor Rabin as the new singer/guitarist. Horn produced "90125"
and contributed to the songs "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "Leave It".
Horn also produced Yes' 1987 album, "Big Generator". Recently he produced
Seal's recent album (and one a Grammy?), and scored the soundtrack for that
godawful movie "Toys"..
"The Age of Plastic " (Island 1980), is pretty tough to find
(especially on cd), but the music is pretty good 80's New Wave, and it's
cool that it's fashionable to like silly 70's and 80's music that my (and
Ben's) generation grew up with.. The Buggles did have a second record,
called (I think)"The Age of modern Recording", but I've never seen it..
Yes' "Drama" is easy to find. "Into the Lens" was a very Buggles-like hit
from that album, and I'd love to see BFF or someone do a cover of that
song..
Anyway, hope this answers a lot of questions...
-Wally
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 17:28:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jenn Halter <jlh4935@email.unc.edu>
Subject: other bands
sorry for lack of BFF content...
i agree one must see Bus Stop- they aren't nearly as fun as BFF, but i
used to go see them at frat houses when i was a frosh around UNC- one i
particularly remember the cops busted-ha! and i ran sound for Anna to
the Infinite Power once and they were hilarious! i loved them!
also- JUNE! super Chapel Hill band-- go see them if they come to your area!
and- if you like the piano, bass, drum thing (obviously you do) check out
Suddenly, Tammy! from PA-- they are more mellow then BFF and have a
female singer. i asked Ben once whether he had ever heard of them and he
got all excited and told me that they actually had the chance to play
with them once!
jenn "the kindest truths are often spoke but never heard"
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 00:15:07 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Ryan C. Hayward" <rhayward@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Subject: Alex Chilton/Big Star
In a recent post, someone asked about the identity of Alex
Chilton. I was somewhat dismayed by the apparent lack of Big Star fans
on this list. As several others mentioned, Chilton sang and
played guitar along with Chris Bell and Jody Stephens in Big Star, a
legendary Memphis band. As others mentioned, they have quite a cult
following and get glowing critical praise. Many rock critics rank them
second on the list of "influential bands" only to the Beatles. In my opinion,
they were the key band in the transition from the 60's type pop-bands (Byrds,
earlier Beatles) to the wonderful genre of power-pop as we now know it.
If you are not already familiar with Big Star, do yourself a
favor and go to your local music store and pick up a copy of "#1
Record/Radio City" now. BFF was my favorite CD of 1995, but I would have
to say that "#1 Record" is my favorite CD of all time.
Someone mentioned that REM and others were influenced by Chilton,
and someone else mentioned the Replacement's song "Alex Chilton."
However, no one mentioned Matthew Sweet, Teenage Fanclub, the Posies,
Tommy Keene, the dB's or Veruca Salt, all of whom publicly admit how much
they owe to Big Star. I'm sure that there are other bands that I'm forgetting
that do so as well, and there are countless others where the Big Star
influence is apparent. For one, Aimee Mann, who's "I'm with Stupid" has
to be one of the best pop albums released so far this year. In terms of
contemporaries, bands like Badfinger, the Kinks, the Raspberries, and
Cheap Trick seem to be most commonly mentioned in conjunction with Big Star,
although in my opinion Big Star blows them all away.
There are a lot of Big Star covers floating around. Most
recently, Evan Dando of the Lemonheads covered "The Ballad of El Goodo"
on the "Empire Records Soundtrack."
Sorry for all of the non-BFF content, but I think that
many of you would really like Big Star. In fact, I first found out about
Ben Folds Five from the members of the Posies/Big Star mailing list (who,
I might add have really good taste in music.) Many of them ranked BFF as
one of their favorite CDs of 1995.
-Ryan
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 12:15:06 -0500
From: jen sansbury <sansbury@bluemarble.net>
Subject: chilton - tying it back to BFF
In Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #66, my friend SHANNA E HUDSON-STOWE
<VGME15A@prodigy.com> wrote:
> Several other pioneering bands went on to make music inspired by
> Chilton. e.g. Dream Syndicate, Magazine, Television, REM(who was inspired
> by the last two mentioned as well), and of course the most obvious
> Replacements. Paul Westerberg even wrote a song called "Alex Chilton".
> Last year was a big year for Chilton. Big Star did a small reunion tour
> with many sold out dates. Chilton does perform, but to mostly small
> audiences. His latest styling tend to be of the Louge Lizard mode.
i think it's important to mention that one of the members of big star,
chris bell, died some time ago. so when big star 'reunited' it was actually
with two relative youngsters filling out the rest of the band - jon auer
and ken stringfellow of the posies. the posies are another hugely
BS-influenced band (as are the gigolo aunts, teenage fanclub, etc.). while
the last posies album is pretty darn loud (and the upcoming one is likely
to be as well), the very first one, _failure_ is every bit as
simple-yet-clever as the ben folds disc, IMHO.
while i do think that moxy fruvous is a fun band, i think their appeal to
BFF fans would be via a more indirect route through bands like the
housemartins, barenaked ladies or even TMBG. i feel much more comfortable
encouraging a fan of BFF's brand of pop music to go buy _failure_. catchy
tunes, witty lyrics with double meanings and sharp truths, and great
harmonies.
- jen
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
sansbury@bluemarble.net
http://www.bluemarble.net/~sansbury/jen.html
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"What did you say?
It's so hard for me to remember what you meant."
'I May Hate You Sometimes' - The Posies
"I just can't find the time to write my mind the way I want
it to read."
'Box Full of Letters' - Wilco
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 14:20:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kevin Jenkins <hondo@email.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: BF5 Hoot Night in NC?
On Sat, 13 Apr 1996 PowerVegan@aol.com wrote:
Errr..I don't know guys. It's cool you're coming here, by the way,
what's the name of your band? Don't get me wrong, BF5 is pretty big
here, but I doubt everyone here is familiar enough with them to have a
karyoke party. Besides, since you're an artist, so something new, like
you're own stuff. That's what it's all about... we already know Ben's
songs, and we all can go see him perform them since he can perform them
the best. Plus I don't know how cool the guys themselves would think of
this idea. "Give us something new maaaan..." Okay, here are a couple of
good venues right here off of Franklin St. (the main st. in Chapel
Hill): The Cat's Cradle (the big CH venue), The Lizard & Snake, Local
506, and The Skylight Exchange. You need to call soon though.
--kevin
> My band's going to be in the Raleigh area on Th. 6/13 and Wed. 6/19, and I
[rest of quote snipped by moderator because it appears above]
Kevin Jenkins
http://www.unc.edu/~hondo/
"Stapler, Stapler, PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH"
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Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 17:19:38 -0500
From: Cory McIlroy <mcilroy@i1.net>
Subject: Ben Folds Fan Club
Dear Ben Folds Five,
This is generally just basic fan mail. I think you guys are
incredible, one of the best bands that have played during my not too long of
a lifetime. I heard you by accident late one night doing a live show on the
Point in St. Louis. I really dug your sound, so I Checked your CD out. My
friend,the drummer in my band, and I both loved the CD. When we found out
you were coming to town, we were exstatic. He, two other friends and I saw
you at the Side Door and we both agreed that it was the best performance we
had ever seen. We were in awe. We are both musicians and enjoy seeing
shows and listening to new music in all genres. We play in a ska band, the
Hubcaps. We are on the new Amercian Skathic album. I don't know how much
you all know about the ska scene, but check us out. I think the way you use
your instruments is great, it is very fresh. I like to hear fresh concepts
in music and get away from the Everyday Nirvana, Bush, Green Day mainstream
stuff. I hope you guys are working on a new album, that would be great.
Send me a catalog or something so I can buy anything I can of yours. Keep
up the great sound and the inovation... and don't sell out!
Thank You
Cory McIlroy
mcilroy@i1.net
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 23:50:24 -0400
From: Aryadne@aol.com
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #65
Hey all!
Does anyone have a set list for the Providence show? Did they do "Cross
Town Traffic"? You know, I would think I'd have remembered that, if I'd been
bright enough to realize it was a Hendrix song (for a band with no six-string
guitar?!? They are so sick!) but I don't think I was exactly left-brained
that night. Though I do seem to remember a song that Robert Sledge did lead
vocals for.
I'm know I'm kind of new here, so maybe this has been mentioned before,
but in all the comparisions and attempted pigeonholing and parallels drawn
between BF5 and other bands, I don't think I've heard anyone mention Elvis
Costello. I admit I don't know a whole lot about him (beyond what I've heard
on the radio), but parts of BF5 just really really remind me of his
stuff--the chords and rhythm, the pronunciation or subject matter or
something--just once in a while, it hits me really strongly. Especially
"Julianne". Did Elvis Costello do a "Julianne" or something like that--is
that what I'm thinking of?
Shoeless Joe wrote: <<I would still like their music just as much even
if Ben played his piano part on guitar. (Most of it anyway, the piano does
leave way for more complicated finger patterns)>>
I have a theory (I don't know if it's true at all) that using the piano
as the main instrument forces one to write more harmoniously; to rely less on
chords, and more on melody, since it's probably easier to play melody on a
piano than on a guitar (just because of the way the instruments themselves
are structured). I think on a guitar you can get notes that are more like
noises or sounds or effects whereas on a piano what you see (or hear) is what
you've got to work with; just twelve notes with no in-between. Does this
make any sense? This is just a feeling I have, of course (I am a pianist
myself, and don't play guitar at all--it seems to me kinda strange, when you
can't just see the notes in front of you and have to "make" them. Also being
able to play a chord with six notes in it, when we've only got five fingers,
well, I don't know, it's just WRONG). Any ideas or input?
And by the by, does anyone know how old any of the band are? (I'm just
curious.)
Mary
September '75, I was forty-seven inches high
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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