THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #128 - August 13, 1996
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #128
REMINDERS:
* Change the subject of your reply to something pertaining to your
message (not "The Magical Armchair, Issue #nnn").
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* Please keep non-Ben Folds Five content to a minimum.
* If you attend a show, you must post a review!
Topics for Today:
Ben's Linneage
show dates
BF5 CD & T-Shirts
Re: Austin, Texas
TY!
Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #127
Ziggy's!
Concert in Atlanta...
BF5 on KO.OP Radio
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 11:57:58 -0400
From: HartManTim@aol.com
Subject: Ben's Linneage
Was Ben joking when he said in his Q&A that his parents are first cousins?
What a rarity in today's world! Or am I just missing the sarcasm there?
He seems to have a pretty good view on the music industry. Although his
laid-back naturemakes him sound like he doesn't care for success in music, it
is obvious that he has a good plan in his precise mind. That is also rare
with all of these indie bands trying to "revolutionize" the industry. We
need more manipulators in the industry, and less revolutionaries.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 09 Aug 1996 13:46:58 -0400
From: Todd Vallie <Todd@spidermen.com>
Subject: show dates
Hello all,
Sorry if this has been asked before, but I'm new to the BFF list. Does
anyone out there know if there are any tour dates planned beyond what is
on the web pages? I live in western New york (Rochester or
Rottenchester as some call it) an would LOVE to go to a show within 4 or
5 hundred miles of here.
-Todd Vallie
tnv@servtech.com
http://www.twogoons.com
[Just what's on the web page, then it's into the studio to record
album #2, and a foreign tour. US dates start next spring. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 14:01:00 -0500
From: "Allen, Mike" <mallen@temmc.com>
Subject: BF5 CD & T-Shirts
FYI for the list: Anyone looking for the CD or a BF5 shirt can now
find them both at the Ben Folds Five listing on CDNow's website. That's
cdnow.com. The disc is $13.97 and the shirt is $17.70. That's all. Mike.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 14:43:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Donna L. Hokanson" <hokansod@goldey.gbc.edu>
Subject: Re: Austin, Texas
Michael's message is making me sad. Hering about Emos, the Electric
Lounge, etc. I was in Austin last March for the SXSW confernce, (I am
not a musician, just love live music scene, some friends from East Coast
were playing down there and I had always wanted to go to Texas but had
never been in my 30 years of existence). Just reading his message has
made me "Homesick for Austin." I wasn't planning on going back next year
for SXSW but the last couple weeks I've been considering it. Hope the
lineup is as good as the '96 lineup. My 1st (and unfortunately) only
time of seeing BFF live. Hope to see them again soon. They are playing
with Neil Young and Gin Blossoms about an hour from my home but Not too
crazy about the other bands and Ben will probably only play 45 minutes
and it's cost me $30 or more.
Anyways does anyone know how I can get a BFF t-shirt?
Hey and Michael, if you have play near Philadelphia, PA area let me know
and I'll try to come out and see your band.
> my Ben Folds Five t-shirt while all this was happening.
>
> autgraphed by Ben. And further, when BF5 first played Austin, they played at
> the Electric Lounge while the Presidents of the USA played at Emo's that same
>
> -- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
And Lisa was there too ----
>
> Lisa
>
> To the band: I was at your SXSW showcase this year (March-Austin...ring a
> bell?) AND HAD A GRAND OLE TIME. After you guys played the bar started
> giving out free pitchers to lure the audience into staying for the next act
> but it was clearly your crowd. MY GOODNESS!! It was fun and crazy--do you
> remember/did it bother you that there wer lots of problems with the
> mix--that and the fact that it was only a 45min set were the only droplets
> on my parade.
>
Even though it was 45 minute show, it was electrifying.
Donna
"I need a Ben Folds Five show, I'm suffering withdrawal"
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 23:43:48 -0400
From: Hotdoglove@aol.com
Subject: TY!
I just wanted to write and compliment Frank on how nice of a job he did with
the questions for Ben and everything. I also thought that it was very
thoughtful and nice of Ben to take time out of his obviously busy schedule to
answer questions from some on-line groupies. It certainly made my day!!!
Bye!
Sara
P.S. Tomorrow, BFF with Neil Young, and I've got VIP passes!!!!! Review to
come!
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 09 Aug 1996 11:11:49 -0600
From: rjamasio <rjamasio@lis.ab.ca>
Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #127
greetings
I'm new here, and i have a question. Is there any sheet music or
transcriptions of any Ben Folds Five music out there on the internet? I want
to learn some of their music, and i'm feeling too lazy to try to figger it
out myself. :) Any help is appreciated immensely. thanks!
With wishes floated up to the night,
*junebug*
[We're working on it.. tabs to several songs have been posted so far.
-fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 1996 19:11:42 -0400 (EDT)
From: Christina Pillsbury <dpillsbu@isnet.is.wfu.edu>
Subject: Ziggy's!
Okay here's the plan..
All of us NCers who love BF5 need to stick together! I think anyone near the
W-S area should come to the show at Ziggy's so we can all meet. Whatcha
think? Sounds like a great plan to me :) Anyone with me?
~Christina~
P.S. There was a big picture and long article about Ben and the gang in the
Charlotte Observer the other day. Glad they are getting some exposure round
here.
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 01:36:45 -0400
From: Hotdoglove@aol.com
Subject: Concert in Atlanta...
(Warning, this is REALLY long!)
OK, I am writing this while I am still on a huge euphoric rush, so if it
sounds a little weird, don't blame me. Tonight, (August 10) was the BFF,
Jewel, Neil Young concert, and it was better than in my dreams. I got there
at about 7 and BFF was scheduled to go on at about 7:30. My mom knows the
woman who books the acts at Lakewood Amphitheatre, which was where the
concert was, and she had gotten me, my friend, my sister, and my mom VIP
passes. But they turned out to be just a little card that got us in to this
little beer garden type thing that had free food, but it was smelling kind of
funny and was attracting flies, so I didn't eat anything. But anyway, we
went out to our seats, which were in the second section (not row) up from the
stage, which are good seats, but not good enough to see the band really well.
So about 5 minutes after we found our seats, BFF came on stage, and my
friend and I went wild. There weren't many people out in the seats, so we
looked really weird, and we got some funny looks from people. The song they
opened with was "Uncle Walter", which, of course, was good. Then they played
"One Angry Dwarf In 10000 Faces" or whatever that one is called. At this
time, my friend flashed Sign of the devil at Ben, which he returned. Then
they played "Where's Summer B?", which was followed by "Alice Childress",
which Ben introduced as "101 Ways To Use Icy Hot". Then Ben whipped out the
little piano instrument whose name I can't remember and played "Steven's Last
Night In Town" (new title). After this was the really cool part. My friend
and I(who had been screaming and cheering after every song) yelled out VERY
loudly, "WE LOVE YOU BEN!" and he said, "Thanks", and we went nuts. Then,
all of a sudden, Ben said "Hey, who are you guys?" And I yelled my name
(Sara) and Ben goes "Yeah, we were just talking about you before the show!"
and I heard a guy in the row next to me go "yeah right" but anyway, then Ben
said "I'll come talk to you over at the side of the stage after the concert"
and I of course, went nuts. Next, Darren stepped up to the mike (we knew
what was coming) and said the ever present line. Then Robert came up to the
mike (he took his sweet time) and I yelled "Go Robert!" and he says "I'm
going" from up on stage. So they played "Underground" "Song For The Dumped"
and closed it out with "Philosophy". No, I didn't forget any songs, the set
was REALLY short and had no encore. So anyway, I went over to the side of
the stage where the backstage area was and said to the guard, "He's waiting
for me" or something like that. And the guy gave me this really funny look.
Then this cool guy named Jason came over and stood with us. Then out comes
Alan Wolmark, BFF's manager and says to me, "OK, you can come back, but only
you" and my friend just got this horrified look on his face but then my mom's
friend (the one with the connections) came back and got all four of us and we
walked through this little tunnel and there was BEN FOLDS!!! Man, I went
nuts. He must've thought I was a total weirdo or something. So then he
hugged me and my friend (that was really cool!) and talked to these other
people who came in with us. Then he came over to us and started talking. I
really don't remember anything except that Ben said that "One Angry Dwarf..."
and "Steven's Last Night" were going to be on the new album. He said he was
kind of mad at SPIN magazine cause they said they liked them better when they
were in their "imitating Joe Jackson phase" than their "imitating Todd
Rundgren" phase. So then Ben, being the nice guy that he is, saw the fans
outside the tunnel and went over to talk to them for a while. When he came
back, he signed a bunch of stuff for us and we talked to him some more. My
friend asked him about the meaning of "Philosophy" and Ben said that it
didn't mean anything about his, you know, private parts. So then we said
goodbye to Ben (sadly) and left. We didn't get to meet Robert or Darren.
(much to my friend's chagrin, he's a drummer) Ben was a really nice, sweet
guy who seemed very down to earth and in touch with the fans. I think he's
just starting to get used to this well knowness thing and he was really nice
and funny and seemed like the kind of guy you'd want to hang out with and
just chill, you know? Well, long as it was, that was my BFF concert story.
By the way, I also saw Jewel, but she just walked right by my friend and I
and these two other guys and just said "hi". No autographs or nothin'. But
nothing could dampen my night, or for that matter, my week.
Sorry for such a long post, but I'm bursting with excitement,
Sara Miller
P.S. Ben Folds Five rules!
==============================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 18:32:53 -0400
From: PowerVegan@aol.com
Subject: BF5 on KO.OP Radio
I have a 15-minute radio show about bicycling on community radio here in
Austin (91.7fm, KO.OP). I can't really play BF5 on my show because it's way
too far off-topic. (I did write to BF5 and offer to interview them by
telephone, on the condition that about half of the interview had to consist
of them talking about their biking experiences, but I didn't hear back from
them.)
But anyway, there's a news program on after mine, and they use various music
for segueways, so I thought I might be able to get them to use the BF5 CD. I
checked to see if the station had the BF5 CD in its library... I didn't think
we'd have it, but then I remembered that BF5 was on the same label (Caroline)
as Sincola (local faves), so I figured Caroline might have sent the CD to the
station, and sure enough I found it right there on the shelf. I gave it to
the guy who does the news program, and he not only agreed to use it, but let
me pick the track. I picked my favorite, Jackson Cannery, and they played
about the first minute of it as a segueway.
Here's the mini-review (a sticker on the CD case) by someone on the KO.OP
music library staff:
"Would you believe a hip Billy Joel? Believe it! In the vein of Joe
Jackson-esque undiluted pop, you'll wish you'd stuck with those piano lessons
as a kid so you could be cool like Ben instead of the geek you are. Best
tracks: 2, 3, 6, 9, 11"
-- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
==============================================================================
[Remember, if anyone attends a show, a review would be appreciated by
your fellow Armchairites. -fjm]
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But as I'm growing older I'm bored