THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #131 - August 21, 1996
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #131
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Topics for Today:
Tha new album
No Lady Madonna
Video Killed...
THE HAND OF ROCK
MTV sucks
ziggy's - what a show
How tenuously can we link ourselves to the BF5?
RE: Tim Hartman -- BF5 arena vs. small clubs
The Devil Sign
BF5, animal flesh, and philosophy
MTV
BF5 Tapes
Non-BFF: Odds rarities discovered
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 01:51:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: ian s fay <ifay@lynx.dac.neu.edu>
Subject: Tha new album
Hey folks. I seem to remember (don't know why) that Ben gave away the
title of the new album during the "as Ben questions" thing. I thought I
saved it to a file, but seem to have lost it.
Does anyone remember?
--
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% Ian Fay % "It's hard not to play when there %
% Northeastern University, Boston % are so many toys" -Jewel %
% aka. Alan Sherman, Toreador % "Hi, honey! I'm doomed!" %
% http://lynx.neu.edu/home/httpd/i/ifay % -Crow T. Robot, MST3K %
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
<<<Ian's Alterna-rock artist to watch for - Republica>>>
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 04:54:50 -0400
From: PowerVegan@aol.com
Subject: No Lady Madonna
I dissent. I think Lady Madonna would be a horrible choice for a BF5 cover
tune. What would be the point? It's not quite energetic enough, and it's
not silly enough to be funny. Just because it's a good song doesn't mean it
would be a good one for *BF5* to cover. Also, I have a grudge against people
suggesting PIANO songs for BF5 to play. I think Ben and the boys want to be
known for playing MUSIC, not necessarily for playing PIANO music. Does
"Crosstown Traffic" (which they cover) have a piano in it? How prominent is
a piano in "Video Killed the Radio Star" or "Champagne Supernova"? (not that
they were serious about that last one).
Nothing is more infuriating than when I'm playing a piano somewhere, playing
Rush, Chili Peppers, Beatles (non-piano tunes), Stone Temple Pilots, etc.,
and I ask someone who's been listening what they want to hear, and they say
"Piano Man". Give me a break! I bet if you asked Ben to play "Piano Man"
he'd punch you right in the face. Well, no, I know Ben's too nice for that,
but he SHOULD. You all were on the right track when you suggested "Let's Go
Crazy" by Prince.
This doesn't mean that BF5 should avoid a song just because it's got a piano
part -- it simply means that just because there's a piano part in the song
doesn't mean it would make a good cover. My feeling is that BF5 prefers
covers that have something to offer along the lines of energy (Crosstown
Traffic) or cheesiness (Video Killed the Radio Star). Some Beatles songs
that might qualify according to those criteria would be Birthday, Tomorrow
Never Knows, Helter Skelter, I Want You, Help, and Oh Darling. (Notice that
there IS a prominent piano part in that last one.) Of course, it's up to BF5
as to what they want to play, but I think I may be right about their
criteria.
Sorry if this came off as a flame. It wasn't intentional -- I guess I've
just been asked to play "Piano Man" one too many times, and I saw a
connection. :-) I like to think Ben would concur.
-- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
P.S. Oh, and to Brad, who thinks I have a problem with Ben eating meat: How
could you miss where I made the distinction between non-vegetarian and
anti-vegetarian? And when you asked whether I considered that BF5 has a
sense of humor, how did you miss where I said that I thought the song in
question might be satire?
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 13:04:03 EDT
From: Ruprecht Jee <superuprecht@juno.com>
Subject: Video Killed...
I was reading this e-zine thing called "Pitchfork" (which had a Ben Folds
Five interview back when it was called "Turntable") and in an interview
with some guy with Superdrag it was mentioned that their would a
one-hit-wonder cover compilation with BF5 doing "Video Killed the Radio
Star", Ween doing Beck's "Loser", and obviously Superdrag doing something
I can't remember... Anyway, it was said that this was going to be
released on Elektra... Does anyone know the name of this? It sounds
really cool and any information would be great...
=========================a spooky man named Ike=========================
The Web: http://www.inca.de/user/ruprecht/
The E-mail: superuprecht@juno.com
The Annoying Quote: "Making some cash, selling hash, tax free" -Wally
Pleasant "Small Time Drug Dealer"
=================I wish that I could jump out of my .sig================
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:46:34 -0400
From: Kymberleyh@aol.com
Subject: THE HAND OF ROCK
<< also, I'm quite curious as to what the "devil sign" is that everyone
mentions. Can someone describe it? >>
Vicky...if you have ever in your life been to a heavy metal show, you have
witnessed the glory of the goats. Take your hand, either one, and leave your
pinky and index finger up. Put the two middle ones down with your palm and
put your thumb over those two fingers. Now raise your devil hand in the air
and wave it round like you don't care. And don't forget to scream. You have
now given the "devil sign", the "goats", the "hand of rock"!!
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 15:39:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: pprociss@tir.com
Subject: MTV sucks
Who's got the looks, who's got the brains, who's got everything???
Certainly not those morons on MTV!!! MTV does these little fashion
updates or whatever with cronies on the beach, and they play that part of
"Underground" at the beggining each time. I know....i should turn off the
television now!!!
shannon
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 17:54:05 -0700
From: immortalcd <immortalcd@gnn.com>
Subject: ziggy's - what a show
I'm not sure what else to add, except I drove up from Atlanta to see
them, and would do it again tonite. My first time seeing them, and I am
just amazed. I've never heard any band sound so true to the album,
which I love. Stephen last nite is the coolest, can't wait for the next
disc.
PS. Did Geezer Lake suck or what?
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 21:55:58 UT
From: Tim Young <Mr_Tim@msn.com>
Subject: How tenuously can we link ourselves to the BF5?
Firstly, anyone who has been kind enough to pop down to their local record
shop for me, I now have the Underground CD single ... and it has a very nice
cover indeed. I am, however, still hungry for any BF5 that I haven't heard
yet... Any offers or suggestions?
Secondly, I would like to see who can link themselves most tenuously with BF5.
I shall begin...
BF5 play a song on the soundtrack to "The truth about cats and dogs". That
particular film stars a British Actor called Ben Chaplin. (Did anybody else
think he was excellent in "Game On"?) He just happens to be my brothers
friends, brothers, best friend...and he used to live here in Old Windsor...
Any offers which can beat that on the pathetic linkage front would be worth
reading.
Toot toot...
Tim
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 21:54:07 -0400
From: Wri10@aol.com
Subject: RE: Tim Hartman -- BF5 arena vs. small clubs
Tim,
(and any other Chair inhabitants who disliked the arena shows...)
Please, please give the boys a chance in a small venue as soon as they tour
again. Frank is right -- I couldn't imagine seeing them in an arena, I think
it would be a disappointing experience for me. Not to say anybody who loves
the album and the singles shouldn't go for it, if they missed the club dates
this year... but anybody who saw them open for Neil Young or play at Lolla --
if you were dissatisfied with the sound, the distance/lack of intimacy, or
the speed, understand with Neil they are an opener. They probably play a
fast and predictable set every night, out of respect (or fear, its
not-too-distant cousin) for somebody who's been touring about as long as most
of us who listen to Ben have been alive.
I've seen other bands on as openers who were more than disappointing...
Primus sucked when they opened for Rush a couple of tours ago, and even
though we all know Primus sucks, well... I'm serious, they really were awful.
They were the only reason I went to the show, I was pretty bummed about it.
I kept it short, reasonably relevant, and changed the topic -- I'm improving.
MA
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 09:36:11 -0400
From: DMedsker@aol.com
Subject: The Devil Sign
> also, I'm quite curious as to what the "devil sign" is that everyone
> mentions. Can someone describe it?
> Thanks!!!
> -Vicky
Hmmm, someone didn't watch a lot of early MTV (or seen This Is Spinal Tap), I
see. I still haven't seen Ben live, but when my friend Steve saw them in
Cleveland (best small show he's ever seen hands down, he says) and Ben jumped
on the piano and flashed the crowd devil signs, I knew exactly what he meant.
Hold your middle and ring fingers down in the palm of your hand with your
thumb, and you've got the devil sign. He's playing with his image, he's
making fun of any band that did that seriously, and he's just having fun. But
it struck a chord with me because I grew up with those bands being worshiped
at my school, and Ozzy Is God spraypainted everywhere. But when it came down
to it, they were all just plain ridiculous.
By the way, if anyone was at Cedar Point this weekend, and saw a bunch of
goofballs doing devil signs on the rides (especially on the ones where they
take your picture at the end), that was me and my friends.
David M
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 11:15:56 -0400
From: stuart@optics.rochester.edu
Subject: BF5, animal flesh, and philosophy
> If you're going to devote enough of your life to a band that you would
> tatoo[sic]
> them onto yourself, then you shouldn't get hung up on what they EAT, for
> god's sakes. You should remain hung up on what made you want that tatoo in
> the first place-- the music, which doesn't change due to diet.
As I recall, Mr. Bluejay was not objecting to what they eat, but to their
possible anti-vegetarianism. This is another issue altogether. While it
may be true that all of us were initially attracted to the band for the
music, things will often run a bit deeper than that (at least where true
rabid fandom rules the day). After all, doesn't it make you happy to read
all these reports of what a great guy Ben is? If you hear the record, and
you connect with it on some level, then you *want* Ben to be a great guy;
not only that, you figure he must be someone just like you. So it can be
somewhat disillusioning to discover a favorite artist expressing some
political, social, or cultural idea that is repellent to you (it happened
to me with the Graham Parker song "You Can't Be Too Strong"). In this
case, I'm sure there's a good explanation - Ben doesn't strike me as the
anti-vegetarian type.
As for the tattoo issue, I would suggest that Mr. Bluejay avoid anything so
permanent (our heroes will always disapoint us eventually). I'm waiting to
find a Ben Folds Five bumper sticker to put on my bike.
Howie Stuart
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 15:18:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Christina Pillsbury <dpillsbu@isnet.is.wfu.edu>
Subject: MTV
About BF5 on MTV...
Just a few minutes ago, they had one of those stupid beach power play
thingies with John Sencio. I think they were about to play tug of war. But
anyways, softly in the background was a piano solo from Uncle Walter! Now,
if only they would play the video...
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 17:42:07 -0400
From: GobleyGoo@aol.com
Subject: BF5 Tapes
hey i have a couple BF5 bootlegs and I'm wondering if anyone would like to
trade some shows???? If you do please mail me! thanks a lot.
jeff
==============================================================================
[A brief non-BFF item: Oddsman (Kevin), an Armchair member who runs the
Odds mailing list, says the band have discovered some tapes of early
material (pre-Neopolitan) and they are thinking of releasing a CD that
would not be distributed via retail channels (ie, direct to fans). He
would like to hear from anyone who would be interested, so the Odds can
gauge interest. Please reply to him directly: <oddsman@wam.umd.edu>. Also
ask him about the Odds mailing list, The Truth Untold, if you're
interested. -fjm]
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Maybe write a book or change my name... I could settle down