Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #68 - April 16, 1996
Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #68
Topics for Today:
Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
for Mary the pianist
Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
Have I got some info 4 u
Ben Folds Five IRC Chat
to john about the mailing list beingbig
Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
bf5 sfd & tacad
Re: re: Sexuality
Re: sex, age, and movie parts
Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
"Alternativeness" (ugh.)
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 01:04:33 -0400
From: ZDarrah106@aol.com
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
Hey Ben, Darren, and Robert! Want to barbecue before your show on Friday? I
promise it will better than Rocky's or the Grit. If you refuse my offer, eat
at Weaver D's or Wilson's Soul Food to give your elan vital the ultimate
supercharge!!! I'll see ya at the show. Remember the warm water for the
hands!!! Z106
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 14:14:35 -0300 (ADT)
From: Daniel MacEachern <dmaceach@is.dal.ca>
Subject: for Mary the pianist
hi Mary,
speaking as a pianist who also plays the guitar, I thought I'd say that
guitarists DO see the notes on the fretboard - at least I look at it that
way. I just had to teach myself a different way of looking at notes, and
chords as well. Speaking of chords, you pointed out that being able to play
a chord on the guitar means you can use six notes, which seems wrong to a
pianist, since we have five fingers. You're right - if you only play
with one hand. Something tells me Mr. Folds uses more than that. But I
like your theories about how using piano as the lead instrument rather than
in the rhythm section produces a very melody-oriented style of music.
Daniel
Halifax
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 13:18:17 -0400 (EDT)
From: Lippy <mjt7742@is2.NYU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
This letter is for Mary who was forty-seven inches in 1975. The greatest
thing about the piano is not the melody alone, but the ability to
manipulate ten fingers at one time to form a kind of mini-orchestra.
What you said about playing a chord with more than four notes is
ridiculous. Adding upper partials (9ths, 11ths, & 13ths) to the chords is
what makes music played on the piano so intense. Have you ever listened to
Bill Evans? BF also uses these upper structures, so don't underestimate
the power of the other six digits.
Love,
Marc
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 13:36:32 -0500 (EST)
From: AGNEND86@SNYBUFAA.CS.SNYBUF.EDU
Subject: Have I got some info 4 u
You cats are going about it all wrong. Forking out $15 for major label
soundtracks with only one BFF song on them. Do what I do. Wait til it ends
up in the used bins, or get a shift at a collge radio station like I did! It
was a surprise to see the lackluster roster of both of those soundtracks. I
can't help but wonder how BFF ended up on them. Somoeone out there must have a
clue. Maybe the two soundtrack songs will be b-sides to the "Uncle Walter" EP,
if and when it ever comes out...
Did any of you notice that in the credits to the CATS & DOGS sndtrk, that
it read "BFF courtesy of Sony Records"? Does that mean they signed? I knew
all along that their music company was Sony, but I didn't know that was their
new label as well. Hmmm...
I recently picked up the D-TOX 7". The version of "Jackson" is different
than the LP version. It has an extended intro, but otherwise, pretty similar
to the album version. The flipside delivers another BFF gem, "Eddie Walker,
This is Your Life." The 7" is only $3 postpaid, so I'd order it from D-TOX
before they sell out of it. Actually, maybe they'll keep it in print for good.
I wouldn't count on it though, because they have let some of their stuff go out
of print in the past.
When I describe BFF to people who haven't heard them, I describe them as
Steely Dan for generation x. Does that sound accurate to you? I would
describe them as Joe Jackson for gen x, but that would be too confusing, eh?
-Neal A.
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 15:23:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: The Computer GEEK! <jgore@nrv.net>
Subject: Ben Folds Five IRC Chat
Here's just an idea I had. Why don't we all get on IRC and talk about Ben
and the boys and other things. Everytime I get on IRC, I get on
#benfoldsfive, but not many ppl usually get on it. So if you have IRC, get
on #benfoldsfive!!! :)
It would rock if we could have a channel full of BF5 fans.
BTW, my nick on IRC is freelove. But I'm thinking on changing it. blah blah.
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 18:02:09 EDT
From: MR MARC FACTOR <RFAA93A@prodigy.com>
Subject: to john about the mailing list beingbig
hey john,
your complaining is irrelavent so why dont you look at yourself
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 18:29:14 -0400
From: ShulussJoe@aol.com
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
Somebody last issue asked how old players in the band were. I think Ben is
29 but I'm not real sure about the rest of the band.
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 17:02:23 -0500
From: geomac <gmcnulty@students.wisc.edu>
Subject: bf5 sfd & tacad
hey everybody, just thought i'd let you know that my offer still stands to
email anybody wav files of "song for the dumped." oh, and i now have "thae
truth about cats and dogs," so if you want an email attachment of the bf5
song on that, just let me know.
geoff
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geoffrey McNulty |
Asst. Promotions Director | "...there comes a time when
| you want to roast marshmallows
UW Madison Student Radio | over your own fire."
gmcnulty@students.wisc.edu |
| --Tori Amos
(608) 264-2261 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Madison Student Radio -- "It's coming...are you?"
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 20:36:50 -0400
From: Hotdoglove@aol.com
Subject: Re: re: Sexuality
I was not trying to imply that there was anything wrong with being gay or
that it would change my opinion of the band or any members of the band. Is
it any worse than asking if they were married?
Sara
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 21:14:06 -0400
From: Alessandra Elizabeth Geboff <aegeboff@eos.ncsu.edu>
Subject: Re: sex, age, and movie parts
did i miss something? when did this stupid question get asked?
> 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.
thank you, sarah. it doesn't matter.
i would think most of you would at least have known that darren was straight
since he practically wrote "song for the dumped" otherwise known in this area
as black t-shirt, but that's beside the point. yes, they are all adorable as
hell, and they're really great guys--and they're all straight--for those of you
who put this high on your list of priorities of judging a band's talents. So
get off it, okay??? and yes, Ben did start off Retarded at they're last
raleigh show by telling the audience how he and Robert had just finished having
phone sex, had never seen each other before etc.... but for christ's sake it
was all in fun (HA HA HA--get it???)--don't take much of what they do on stage
seriously. Ben even had to ask me what he did once right after he got
offstage--they don't remember half the time!!!
> And by the by, does anyone know how old any of the band are? (I'm just
> curious.)
Ben's probably about 29 by now, Darren and Robert are younger, mid 20's--not
sure exactly. Two novembers ago i saw them in Winston-Salem and Ben started
off underground by telling a story about not being able to go to his 10th HS
reunion because of the show that night (...and now it's been ten years...) so
that would make him close to thirty(oops i said the T word).
just to start a new thread, if there were to be a movie, who would play each
member?
--alessa
[29 must be about right. "I was never cool in school... and now it's
been ten years" -fjm]
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 22:12:09 -0400
From: Ashndn007@aol.com
Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #67
Ben Folds Five in concert was the best thing I've ever seen! Please give me
the current tour dates if possible. Thanks.
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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 21:49:35 -0700
From: Reid Davis <reid2@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: "Alternativeness" (ugh.)
Since it's been brought up, (don't blame me!) I briefly wanted to
address the idea of "alternativeness" and how it relates to BFF...
David Aron Reaboi <dreaboi@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> wrote:
> * 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.
As to what makes them "alternative" I must disagree. Rachel Felder, in
her (highly recommended) book "Manic Pop Thrill" comes up with a very
useful definition of "alternative" that has nothing to do with sales or
the size of a fan-base. "Alternative" according to Felder, is 1) the
irreverent twisting of pop conventions and 2) the mixing of high art
and low art. This resonated with me, because I can remember, as I was
listening to my "weird" music (like The Smiths, XTC, The Housemartins,
etc.) in the 80s while the likes of Whitney Houston and Roxette were
ruling the airwaves that there was definitely something qualitatively
DIFFERENT about what I was listening to.
Nirvana were alternative by virtue of their mixing sharp pop songcraft
with ragged guitars and raspy, poorly-enunciated vocals - the Cocteau
Twins are alternative by virtue of their juxtaposition of
near-classical beauty with a clanging drum machine. In the same way,
BFF earn the dreaded "A-word" ;-> by their use of the piano (classical
instrument) in a loud rock band, their mastery of - and complete
irreverence for - the pop song form, the defiant clinging to
musicianship in an era that treats it as secondary, and by their
twisting of listener expectations in general. In fact, to me,
irreverence is the one hallmark of the now popular "alternative" genre.
When was the last time you saw a band doing "Big Rock Star" moves
without an element of poking fun at them at the same time? BFF
epitomize this, especially in a live setting.
I agree, though, the "a-word" has been overused - mostly because most
have no idea what it means. (Lets face it, "alternative" has come to
mean "any loud rock band that isn't, like, Skynryd or something".)
In case any of you were wondering, I AM a music writer. Know anyone
lookin' for freelancers? ;->
Love and hammer action,
Reid
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