Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #74 - April 28, 1996



                     Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #74
 
Topics for Today:
 
      SXSW and other cool letters
      I can't believe you said that, John!!!
      Jackson Cannery 7" gone as we know it.
      BFF list, Help me!
      BFF in concert in Atlanta
      bf5 list name
      Mailing list name
      frank-- i say go with the magical armchair
      Europe & US tour dates
      Uncle Walter and the name of the newletter
      assorted Ben Folds Five bits
      mix
      BF5 Splash Club, London, May 10
      Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #73
      Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #73
      Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #73
 
==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 14:55:28 -0400
 From: AGottl5648@aol.com
 Subject: SXSW and other cool letters

 In the last post, someone mentioned something about a CD put out by Sony that
 has a live version of Tom and Mary on it.  Is this CD available anywhere or
 do I need to order
 it?  Someone please e-mail me with the lowdown.

 Also, if anyone is interested, go and buy the new Richard Davies CD.

 There's Never Been a Crowd Like This,

 Adam

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 15:07:14 -0400
 From: SaintBet@aol.com
 Subject: I can't believe you said that, John!!!

 In response to John's opinion about the worst songs on the album being "Alice
 Childress" or "Video":

 How could you?  Granted I respect your opinion but totally disagree with it!
  "Alice Childress" and "Video" might possibly be my two favorites!   Even
 though I am confused about who Alice Childress actually is, it's a good tune
 to listen to when your feeling down or depressed.  And for "Video," well, I
 think I'd be making a safe assumption to say that everyone can somehow
 identify with what he is saying. . .

 "Well I've seen some old friends sort of die or just turn into whatever must
 have been inside them. . ."  (Who hasn't?),
 Bethany

 P.S.  Thanks to everyone who so gratefully answered my question about the
 identity of Alice Childress.  I'm going to check out both Alex Chilton and
 the author Alice Childress to see what I can come up with.  Peace!

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 17:39:19 -0400 (EDT)
 From: "Adam H. Balevic" <adam@binary9.net>
 Subject: Jackson Cannery 7" gone as we know it.


 From Greensboro, NC sputters:

 Sorry it took so long to get back to everyone regarding the Jackson Cannery
 7". The fact is that if you have one now, you have a collectable. There are
 no current plans to re-press the record; this is the decision of the band and
 their manager. A re-press is possible but its up to the band.

 If you have sent a check to D-Tox, your money will be returned.

 For the extreme die-hards who absolutely must have everything every member
 has ever done, you may consider picking up a Toxic Popsickle 7" (Robert's
 band of 4 years before the BFF). They sound nothing like the BFF, but it
 does feature Robert playing bass and singing. Sort of a funk-rock type
 sound with a drummer + percussionist along with (somewhat) dissonant guitar
 and, or course, Robert's tight, groovy bass.

 Adam
 --
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------
  Adam Balevic  			           adam@binary9.net
  Greensboro, NC			http://www.binary9.net/adam
  -----------------------------------------------------------*/
 	
 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 18:26:48 -0400 (EDT)
 From: Sellout Punk Rocker <erica67@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
 Subject: BFF list, Help me!

 Hi, I am interviewing TORI AMOS and i need some suggestions for questions...
 PLEASE HELP ME! Its important!
 Your favorite DC girl
 Erica
 (Frank-I know that this has nothing to do with BFF, but I figured you
 guys could help me out! Thanks!)

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 University Reporter			    "I love you,
 Music Editor			    	     But I'm afraid to love you.
 815 15th Street NW Suite 608		     I love you,	
 Washington DC, 20005			     But I'm afraid... afraid..."	
 ******************I do the best imitation of myself.....*******************
 "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees."     -Dolores Ibarruri
 contact                                  http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~erica67
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     [If you respond to this, please do so directly to Erica and not to
 the list. Thanks. -fjm]

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 18:51:43 -0400
 From: Hotdoglove@aol.com
 Subject: BFF in concert in Atlanta

 (The kindest truths are often spoken and never heard)

 I just wanted to say that this was the best concert that I have ever been to!
  They played all the songs off the album except "Boxing"  and also they
 played, "One Angry Dwarf...", "Every Night Out...", and "Song For the Dumped"
  I was in the second row, right in front of Robert, and at one point in the
 show, my lovesick(for Robert) friend and I screamed his name and he smiled at
 us and threw something at me.  It turned out to be his pick!  He threw
 another one later in the show, too.  (To the guy that got the second one, you
 were slick)  Anyway, I just wanted to share my elation with all of the other
 fans on this list.  By the way, I like the names:  THE PIT FANTASTIC and MAIL
 ORDER SCHEME.  I also think that Can We Be Happy?  could make a good name.

 Sara

 P.S.  During "Video" I think I was the only one in the whole place that
 screamed at the beginning.  This is my least favorite song, is there anyone
 who it is their favourite?

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 16:40:55 -0800
 From: shannon <shannon@yyz.com>
 Subject: bf5 list name

 hey ya'll...here's my two bits about what to christen this here mailing
 list ....i like just plain 'underground'.  we all know that everything's
 happy underground!  but, then again, everything's heavy underground, as
 well...yikes! :)  anyhoo, cheesy as it is, that's my vote (i hope someone's
 counting these ...frank?)

 rock on,
 shannon

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 17:37:26 -0700
 From: Jodi Kurland <jbird@cbc.net>
 Subject: Mailing list name

 I think the suggestion "the magical armchair" is okay, but I'd second
 Eric's suggestion of "the underground." That's what I had thought of and
 just hadn't gotten around to posting it yet!

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 23:19:37 -0400 (EDT)
 From: Ben Tanen <btanen@netspace.org>
 Subject: frank-- i say go with the magical armchair

 -Ben

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
              It's not what you know.  It's not who you know.
                   It's not even what who you know knows.
          It's what who you know can find out if you pester them.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 00:37:02 -0400
 From: Alan Wolmark
 Subject: Europe & US tour dates


 here are the European dates:

 May 1     London         The 100 Club
 May 5     Hamburg       The Marx Music Club
 May 6     Munich         The Strom
 May 10   London         The Splash Club


 The band will return to the States and begin a club tour all of which is east
 of the Mississippi and covering smaller markets from about May 30 through
 June 18.

 Then the summer toruing begins  ... info to follow.


 Regards,

 Alan Wolmark   CEC Management

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 00:25:35 -0500 (CDT)
 From: Greg Saunders <godboy@galaxy.galstar.com>
 Subject: Uncle Walter and the name of the newletter

 Two quick things to say :
   1) The only gripe I have about Uncle Walter is when Ben yells "But he's
      not!" That just gets on my nerves. Other than that, a cool song.
   2) I think we should name this newsletter "Pouting in Stereo". It's a
      cool way to take ourselves a little less seriously.

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 23:46:12 -0700
 From: Steve VanDevender <stevev@efn.org>
 Subject: assorted Ben Folds Five bits

 A couple of weekends ago, I went to a local bar where Cindy Lee
 Berryhill was playing.  Two friends of mine on the Ecto mailing list
 recommended her after seeing her in Seattle.  (These two friends were
 part of the group that I went along with to see Heather Nova and Ben
 Folds Five opening back in October when I was in Seattle).  I wore my
 Ben Folds Five t-shirt (thanks Joe!) and during a break Cindy came up
 and asked me if I was a Ben Folds Five fan.  I said yes (of course) and
 told her I gave them my highest recommendation.  She said she was
 planning to buy the CD.

 I don't remember many of my dreams when I sleep, but the other day I had
 one where BFF came to play in town, and I got to sit practically next to
 Ben.  Someone asked him for an odd request (I forget what it was) and
 Ben had to work out the chords on the spot, which he wrote on my
 forehead.  I've had only a few dreams weirder than that.

 My vote goes to "The Pit Fantastic" for a mailing list name.

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 03:32:12 -0400
 From: Shan111111@aol.com
 Subject: mix

 >>.......and big pop (Eric
 >> Matthews, Big Star, Jellyfish, Matthew Sweet, AND Ben Folds Five).
 >> Anyone else share this eclectic mix?

 A tiny bit off subject, but I love Matthew Sweet, and recently I got some
 conversation going about BF5 on the Matthew Sweet mailing list, so I'm
 working on some new fans :)
 shan

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 10:48:32 +0000
 From: Matthew Trigg <mat@gmtnet.co.uk>
 Subject: BF5 Splash Club, London, May 10

 Dear all

 just booked my tix for the 10th (thanks Felix for the info)

 thought I'd post the credit card hotline for Stargreen Box Office who took
 my booking.

 The number is 0171 734 8932

 The tickets are five pounds plus one pound ten pence booking fee each plus
 thirty pence postage charge per order.  (That's £6.10 + postage but I don't
 know if you'll all get the pound sign OK!)

 Apparently, they've had a bit of a rush today so I hope everyone on this
 list who wants to go gets them soon.

 Hope to see you there

 Cheers

 Matthew
 (from the comfort of his office armchair!)

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 08:37:43 -0400 (EDT)
 From: "Donna L. Hokanson" <hokansod@goldey.gbc.edu>
 Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #73

 >  Subject: Names for BFF mailling list
 >
 >  - Magical Armchair		- Flying Spit

 I like Magical Armchair

 >  Subject: BFF on SXSW Sampler
 >
 >  	I picked up a disc last week.  It is the Sony Music Publishing/ATV
 >  SXSW 96 sampler.  It has tracks from band published by SMP, which were
 >  (presumably) at SXSW (was Oasis really there?).  The copy I found was in a
 >  black and orange cardboard sleeve, and was a promo.  Anyway, it has a live
 >  version of "Tom & Mary" that 'must' have been recorded at SXSW.  Did BFF
 >  actually perform this song there?
 >
 >  Scott Carlson
 >  carlson@math.umn.edu
 >
 Scott,

 How can I get a SXSW 96 sampleer -- I was there.  I saw Ben there -- my
 first BFF show.  I don't remember if they did Tom and Mary since I had
 never seen them before.  I loved their show tho and cant wait to they
 come to northeast.

 Donna

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 09:00:58 -0700
 From: Colin McConnell <cmcconnell@prudential.com>
 Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #73

 Without doubt, Ben, Robert and Darren all have solid chops on their
 instruments.  And more than that, they're a tight unit, which is a rare
 thing these days.  Somehow they blend the precision of Steely Dan with
 the natural acoustic chaos of grunge.  I love it.

 The rhythm section of Robert and Darren is totally in the pocket, all the
 time.  Pay close attention to how well Darren uses his kick drum to
 accent Roberts playing.  Gives me chills.  Unfortunately, a lot of
 contemporary rock drummers seem to ignore this technique and approach the
 drums like a solo instrument.  Yuck.

 Ben is an equally talented arranger as he is a composer.  And anyone
 who's tried to transcribe his music know how well Ben's chord voicings
 and Robert's bass lines compliment each other.  (If you listen to all
 notes in the bass of "Alice Childress," you'll hear what I'm talking
 about.)  Add to that a careful splash of background vocals and you get
 that surprisingly full sound.

 I have to say, however, that I'm a little surprised with people's
 reactions to Robert's playing.  Granted, his playing is tight and
 perfectly suited to the album, and I'm sure he's capable of much more.
 But it's not exactly ground-breaking.  I haven't heard him do anything
 that John Entwistle didn't do 25 years ago.  (Although I much prefer
 Roberts instincts to Entwistles, which were often pretentious.)  What
 gives?

 I'd like to hear people's reactions to a BF5 song which seems to have
 been overlooked ... "Boxing."  It's quiet and buried at the end of the
 album, but I think it's a masterpiece.  The boxing metaphor is beautiful,
 and I can almost see a broken down, teary-eyed Muhammed Ali on a broadway
 stage singing up to the ghost of Howard Cosell.  Almost brings tears to
 my eyes.  Anyone else dig this song as much as I do?

 Colin

 ==============================================================================

 Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 23:09:18 -0400
 From: "Mr. Bradley J. Price" <bjp128@psu.edu>
 Subject: Re: Ben Folds Five Digest, Issue #73

 I know this is a little late and a little profound.  By the way I am not a
 great speller.  It doesn't matter if you have a preference of one song or
 another, it doesn't matter what bands people like.  Too many damn people are
 interfioring in other peoples opinions.  Ever=ything is valid.  Now  Ben
 Folds Five is a tremendous new floavor out in todays repetative musical
 world.  Something new to all of you I know.  I hope they keep going for a
 long time even though they will probobly not go mainstream (by the way I
 would love to see them big.)  Hey how about a Folds army this summer
 following these guys around.  I would definately waste my whole summer going
 to their shows.  Well I know you are tired of reading my crap.

 For lack of a better phrase "Rock on BFF"

 Clove
 Brad Price

 ==============================================================================

   [Hi all - I'm getting caught up after several days of taking care of
 some family business. There are another 40-50 posts to sift through and
 handle, which I'll get to by tomorrow.
    Also a reminder to all who might be away from school for the summer or
 otherwise off line - let me know if you have another address you'd like
 on the subscription list instead of your university account, or if you'll
 be away from your access for the summer, so I can make the adjustment and
 avoid clogging up your mailbox or getting mail bounced.
    I'm keeping track of everyone's list name suggestions and will post an
 update shortly. -fjm]

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