THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #185 - February 19, 1997
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #185
REMINDERS:
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Topics for Today:
Five + Five
Whatever... released in the Netherlands!
Indie kids - who cares??
God bless America!!
I'm sure you don't remember me..
import albums
Problems , and the definitive guide to music (ish)
New BFF song on Sony web site
Review in "Independent"
RE: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #183
BFF BRITISH EXPOSURE
Ben Folds Minneapolis?
pee-shy.... anyone??
My URL....
Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #183
Can we stop this?
Battle of Who Could Care Less
Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #184
Amy fisher.
Carrie's BFF experience de la semaine
re: bf5 on european tv
UK / Indie?
BFF music scores?
Clearing up the name issues....
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 08:42:39 -0500 (EST)
From: ADuralde@aol.com
Subject: Five + Five
One of life's little mysteries about two of my favorite bands:
Ben Folds Five = three people
Pizzicato Five = two people
Put them together and you get ... FIVE MUSICIANS.
Weird, eh?
Alonso
(who shouldn't get this deep this early in the morning)
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 14:55:02 +0100 (MET)
From: Daniel Rodrigues Parreira <parreira@aquawolf.xs4all.nl>
Subject: Whatever... released in the Netherlands!
I've just come back from the record store where I've bought BF5's newest
album. And although I just heard 3 songs until now, I think it's at least as
good as their first album!
Btw, as I (and others) have mentoined, last night BF5 were on Dutch
national TV with 3 songs. It was very good (and funny)! :)
-- Daniel
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 97 15:02:42 -0000
From: Simon Burrows INF-KB <sburrows@madge.com>
Subject: Indie kids - who cares??
Please,
Lets not the excellent Magical Armchair degenerate into stuff like this:
" I have not met ONE person who likes Radiohead and not MSP/ Stone Roses
- NOT overrated at all!"
Souns like 'my groups are better than your groups..na-na-na-na.' Tell us
who you like and leave it at that!
Ceddy
sburrows@madge.com
Ps For the record, I thought all Ben Folds Five Lfans liked old Queen,
Billy Joel, and Dean Friedman? I know I do. (And Andrew Gold, he of
'Lonely Boy' fame).
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 97 15:11:46 -0000
From: Simon Burrows INF-KB <sburrows@madge.com>
Subject: God bless America!!
>> I'm beginning to think Ben Folds Five are giving lots of attention to
England, Australia, and Japan much more so than us, the little country
between two oceans. What's wrong with our TV programs? What's wrong
with
our magazines? Doesn't anybody like America anymore?
What do you mean, anymore???
Ceddy
sburrows@madge.com
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 10:13:24 -0500 (EST)
From: Floater <el266071@hvcc.edu>
Subject: I'm sure you don't remember me..
Uhhh :) Im kind of new here, but I thought Id submit something,
because I felt a little like a leech, just reading and not posting.
..anyway..I don't really have much to contribute, because I live in one of
the places where its virtually impossible to find the album, let alone
anything else (singles etc) I just hope I can find the new one somewhere
when it comes out. Ok...well anyway... I went to Lolla '96, and Ben Folds
Five was on the second stage (cant remember where, cuz I saw it twice in
Dallas and in Vermont), and right now Im beating myself up cuz I didnt go
to watch them. All I can remember is walking past the shirt stand for the
second stage and thinking Ben Folds Five had some cool shirts (and a cool
name, too) Now I really wish I could get my hands on a shirt :) sigh. I
didnt really know who they were, so I didnt watch the second stage much at
all..and a few months later, I was in the record store, trying to figure
out something to buy, cuz I had money and I wanted something new .. and I
found the Ben Folds Five tape, and Id never heard them, just great
things..and so I bought it and loved it, and when I got to Underground I
was shocked cuz I'd heard it before on the radio or something (just cant
remember where) its real familiar. And of course, now that I know the
song well and all so I can say HEY THATS BEN FOLDS FIVE when it comes on
the radio, they dont play it :) sigh. I should try to request The Battle
Of Who Could Care Less today or somthing..hehe..like they'll play it :)
oh well, if you've read this far, thanks for reading, and sorry I didnt
have anything better to say. If I come across somthing really good, I'll
post it. But in the meantime back to my shell
------
Take me down to the desert sea
I don't want to wait
I want to leech my memory
.[jbx].
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 10:45:44 -0500 (EST)
From: Alexander Jay Timin <ajtimin@fn5.freenet.tlh.fl.us>
Subject: import albums
if anyone knows how i can get the import (japanese) versions of BOTH
albums, plesae let me know off the list at
ajtimin@freenet.tlh.fl.us
thanks
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 16:10:54 GMT
From: Andy Hewitt <mbcx6adh@mh2.mcc.ac.uk>
Subject: Problems , and the definitive guide to music (ish)
Firstly I was wondering why I don't receive all the issues of the
armchair as I have had replies in the latest issue to comments I made
in an issue that I never eceived myself . Oh well .
On to the music debate which was getting out of hand last thing I saw
(which probably means that it's over now knowing my luck) .
Kula Shaker - The tunes they play are good so stop slagging them for
having strange ideas .
Radiohead - Most excellent
Manic Street Cleaners - Yes , the Radiohead connection appears to
work with me too .
Stone Roses - The Raeding Festival shambles was the fitting end to
the most overrated band in the history of the world . They aren't too
bad but they sure as heck ain't brilliant .
Charlatans - Is it me or does their new song sound like Dire Straits
(probably just me) ? They must have taken the second-rate Stone Roses
comments to heart !
Bluetones - Some nice songs
Dave Matthews Band - Genius
The Prodigy - Out of this world
Ben Folds Five - THE GREATEST
'nuff moaning and all that .
Cheers for the 'easter bunny' reply . Sorry that I've forgotten the
name of the lovely person who did it but I've deleted the file now .
Sorry once more .
To matters of folding five , I finally heard the single at 1:45 am as
I luckily had my radio on as I was falling asleep . It made me awake
that's for sure . I love it but see the points of how it might not be
the best single to release . I still think that it is great .
Also is it me (again) or does the song sound a tiny bit like the song
that Harry Connick Jnr. did - "I just whisper your name" ? I didn't
think it at the time but noew looking back I think they have a
slightly similar sound .
That's all as this is way too long and boring
Andy Hewitt
[As to your first question, Andy: Issue #181 was very long, something
like 40kb+, and other people have said they did not receive it. I didn't
have time to split that one before it went out. You can find it on the
web page. Check the end of this message for the url if you don't have it
bookmarked. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 09:19:38 -0700 (MST)
From: "Eric T. Beteille" <eric@hemi.com>
Subject: New BFF song on Sony web site
Sony's web site for Ben Folds Five features half a minute
of "Battle of Who Could Care Less" ... It's in the RealAudio
format, so you need the RealAudio software on your computer
(oh, and some speakers) to hear it.
Must say, even in these tinny little crap computer speakers,
the new song made me grin like a fool, just like the first
time I heard "Underground."
Not sure of the exact URL for this sound bite, but start
at http://www.bffweb.com/ or follow the link from Frank's
page. Then, fight your way through the bouncing logo screen,
and click on 'Sound' at the bottom.
Eric
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 13:05:42 -0500 (EST)
From: NakedVegan@aol.com
Subject: Review in "Independent"
A friend of mine just sent the following to me:
>Well, I just checked my most recent "Independent" (weekly
>paper of happening things) and this issue is devoted to the local music
>scene. This article is of the "Dirty Dozen" - 12 local bands no
>self-respecting rock fan can afford to miss: "BEN FOLDS FIVE: A few
>months from now, Ben Folds Five might not make this list. That's not
>because Folds is reportedly relocating to the West Coast, but because the
>band is probably destined for the graduated-to-greener-pastures category
>(also why you won't find Southern Culture on the Skids listed here). But
>big label (550/Sony) notwithstanding, BF5 insisited on making their
>second record (Whatever and Ever Amen, slated for March release) at
>Fold's house, just spittin' distance from downtown Chapel Hill. And as
>someone who grew up here, there's just something in this band's muscial
>M.O. - big sunny pop with that hysterical, wise-ass attitude--that sounds
>quintessentially Chapel Hill to me."
-- Michael Bluejay (Austin, TX)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
King Cheese * Austin Music * Bicycling * KOOP Radio 91.7
All available on ---> ** http://members.aol.com/bestpages **
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 13:15:18 -0500 (EST)
From: MERSSM@rascal.guilford.edu
Subject: RE: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #183
oops. that was a huge mistake. geez, i'm like the biggest bus
stop fanatic on earth and i've seen them live like a billion
times. i know chuck plays bass...i guess i wrote that reply in a
rush and maybe i was thihnking about chuck when writing about
snuzz. please forgive me bus stop fans of the universe...
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 18:49:27 +0000
From: "B.D.WATTS" <tl6304@qmw.ac.uk>
Subject: BFF BRITISH EXPOSURE
Finally the rest of this country is cathcing on to the fact that Kula
Shaker and Ocean Colour Scene arent where it`s at but BFF are. The
awesome new single has been on MTV, The Chart Show (not renowned for
its good taste in music) and TOTP 2. The O-Zone as everyone knows are
doing an item on them and I have been informed there will be a two
page spread in NME next week. I DJ and have been playing BoWCCL and
never before have I had so much positive feedback on any one song.
The time is now, the time is Ben Folds Five.
Ive got the looks
Ive got the brains
Ive got everything
We could be happy uNdErGrOuNd
tl6304@qmw.ac.uk
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 14:06:27 -0500
From: Steve Reidell <sareidel@eta.k12.mn.us>
Subject: Ben Folds Minneapolis?
Has anyone heard any information on Ben Folds Five coming to Minneapolis?
The Counting Crows are going to be here on March 18th sans BF5, so I was
wondering if they were going to make another First Avenue stop (a la
10/24/95), or even somewhere else like the Fine Line.
Steve
o Steve Reidell
o West St. Paul, MN
o sareidel@eta.k12.mn.us
><{{"> http://www.eta.k12.mn.us/~areidell/sreidell/home.html
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 15:57:32 -0500
From: Andrea Merrifield <hapfield@mix-net.net>
Subject: pee-shy.... anyone??
hey there
i was just wondering if anyone on the list was into pee-shy??if not
, check out they're album "who let all the monkeys out?" it's really
great....
sorry about the non-bff
content
spot
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 13:42:36 -0800 (PST)
From: Adam Gimbel <dumyhead@millennianet.com>
Subject: My URL....
OK, so my sig is 300 lines long. Sue me! I posted the fact that I can do
overseas transfers of PAL tapes for free and wanted to trade, so just check
my website. Well, my URL is in my sig and I guess Frank is sparing you all
from my huge essays at the bottom of each of my e-mails (that's ok but on
other mailing lists I'm on, they've actually started some pretty cool
threads, oh well). Anyways, my url is http://millennianet.com/dumyhead/
Even if you don't wanna trade, I think you'll dig it. Most pop fans do. (A
music site with a sense of humor? Say it ain't so!) Just in case my sig
doesn't show up below. Today's CD of the day is Schroeder's Greatest Hits
(supposedly a HUGE BF5 influence).
[Sorry about that, Adam. Yes, I do trim or delete signatures that go
on and on or offer no BFF content. Netiquette dictates no more than a
4-line sig (which I personally cheat a little, with 5) and usually
anything that's short will go thru unless it's blatantly commercial or
otherwise unsuitable. Yours is very creative, but most of it is better
suited for your plan file. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 16:06:19 -0600
From: Dan Mauer <dmauer@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #183
> Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 15:46:38 -0500
> From: rawlings@datastream.net
> DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET PIANO MUSIC FOR ALICE CHILDRESS. I RELLY
Yeah... call 1-800-BENFOLDS5, or check out http://www.bffweb.com/, and
you can order a songbook complete with piano/vox for the entire first
album plus some, for 24.95, autographed by Ben.
-dan.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 22:23:55 -0000
From: Tom Whitaker <tom@tw.prestel.co.uk>
To: Ben Folds Five Listing <maynard@oeonline.com>
Subject: Can we stop this?
This concerns my comments from a while back, suggesting that BFF and
Radiohead fans should check out Kula Shaker, Stone Roses, Charlatans, MSP,
etc...
SHUT UP! I wasn't saying you HAVE to like them. I've even had some hate
e-mail from someone who hated all bands mentioned, Radiohead included. I
was suggesting the bands to people who LOVED Radiohead. Doh! If you don't
like the bands I suggested, then fine. I don't like some of the bands other
people are suggesting. IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I suppose this has shown that us Fab, Funky 'Folds Five' Fans are a rather
diverse, unpigeonholable (?) bunch. Hurrah.
PS : Does anyone here like Celine Dion and Hootie....?
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 21:02:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Ben Hill <benhill@nr.infi.net>
Subject: Battle of Who Could Care Less
Well, I just heard a pre-release of BoWCL on the radio (106.5 for you
NCer's) and, what can I say, it was great! I'm not sure if it's the best
BFF song (I tend to lean toward Philosophy), but it is great! Its got great
meaning to it. Its about how many people today try to try to be the most
bored, or the biggest slacker, so true. I think maybe the weed reference is
saying that weed isn't helping this apathy (IMHO). Such a great song.
Great harmonies between all of them as usual. Oh yeah, I taped it off the
radio, so my BFF needs are craved for a while.
Another thing, how do ya'll like the new official web page?? I think its
great! In the bio section it has Ben comments on each song on Whatever and
Ever Amen...pretty cool. Also, neat merchandise. The only problem I have
with it, though, is it is extremly slower than other pages. Granted I have
a slow modem already, so this is extremely tough on me. I hope they speed
it up.
Anyways, I'm phasing,
Evan Hill
a.k.a. Mr. Masculine
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 23:57:44 -0500
From: Jennifer Delamar <47km67nb@coastalnet.com>
Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #184
I would just like to thank Mr. Mark for sending me info on BFF, since I am a
newcomer to these issues and such, and new to the band, pretty much. My
tape broke on my messed up walkman, so I have to go BFF crazy until I can
get a hold on another tape. Woe is me!
"Please be careful with me. I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way."
JEWEL
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 01:35:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Yoda90210@aol.com
Subject: Amy fisher.
Alright, in Re: to the "Indie kid" brouhaha A) That's brit pop. B) How did
that all get started?
Also, I wanted to extend HUGE thanks to the person who wrote out fake book
notations for all the songs on the s/t album. I've written out a fairly
accurate version of "Best imitation of myself", which happens to be my
favorite song by the band.
Ben folds five got to be a VERY big fave with me VERY quickly. Someone asked
if anyone likes sebadoh on this list, well that's me, too. (Although harmacy
isn't as strong as it should be....Lou is still whining, but he's happily
married. Something's fake.) Other favorites of mine... at the moment, I am
very much listening to soul coughing and morphine and sebadoh, some bettie
serveert, brendan benson, digable planets....basically everything that can't
be slapped with a label. I'm seeing pavement on monday, and sebadoh on the
saturday following.
Anyone in chicago know when the next BF5 date will be??
Happy belated valentines day to you all..
lv,
susie.
http://members.aol.com/yoda90210/yomomma.html
==============================================================================
Date: 15 Feb 97 03:41:45 EST
From: JOE SHANAFELT <102767.1635@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Carrie's BFF experience de la semaine
OK, OK, I know you all have heard "Battle . . ." and this is old hat, but
I was taking my mother out to dinner two nights ago with the radio on
really low because my mom hates loud music. Anyway, this song starts, and
I'm thinking, "OK, this is decent," but I really can't tell, because it's
on too low. I start listening more closely until I realize that's a piano
with our intrepid hero Ben singing his heart out. The next instant, I
hear "Battle--" and I cranked it all the way up. My mother, sitting in
shock, is trying to keep me from instantaneously slamming on the brakes in
the middle of an intersection while I'm desperately trying to relate to
her how I've had to hear people rabbiting on about how great this song is
on the Armchair for weeks while I sit desolately waiting for some little
morsel of new Folds creations. She was, respectfully, quiet until it was
over, and afterwards made only one conversational reference to "Score some
weed" I am a happy girl, but it just makes Mar. 18th seem that much
farther away!
And to J.A. Harton---I love you--you sent me Philosophy piano
music, and despite a crippled A-string on my piano, I am so incredibly
enthralled to have it in my posession that I took it with me to someone
else's house tonight for fear that I would forget for one moment what a
wonderful, benevolent, and most gracious example of human being you are.
Thank you!
Carrie Shanafelt
"I like your sister / I like your Aunt Louise
I like your doggie / I even like his fleas
I really like it / When you tickle me . . . heeheeheehee--STOP IT!"--Brak,
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 16:52:28 -0800
From: gillet <gillet@pi.net>
Subject: re: bf5 on european tv
> > They will play 3 songs: Jackson Cannery, Song for the dumped and Alice
> > Childress. At least, that's what they say on "teletext".
>
> Hmm, that's a bit strange. Promoting the new album so they play two old
> songs (plus one that's been hawked around for a while already)........
it was recorded november last year. i guess it was the programs decisions to
keep it on the shelfs until now.
> > the worlds cutest presentor (jayne middlemiss)
>
> Did anyone see those, ahem, "glamour" photos she did?? They were published
> in FHM or Loaded or something similar. *Nice*.
oh dear. i'm afraid i missed that ......
--------------------------------------------------------------------
met vriendelijke groet listen every mondaynight 9-10 to
joris gillet SUBBACULCTHA my weekly 'alternative'
uitgeest, the netherlands radioshow on the local radiostation
gillet@pi.net here in uitgeest, the netherlands !!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 16:30:17 +0000 (GMT)
From: "M.S. Bentley" <msb10@leicester.ac.uk>
Subject: UK / Indie?
Hullo guys 'n' gals,
My first post here, so bear with me..... A couple of these are repeats of
things I think, so I'll be brief.
There's been a lot of comparison between BFF and other groups and how people
will like one if they like the other, well I'm a Billy Joel / Elton John /
Bruice Hornsby fan : I guess the piano thing did it for me, there's too few
bands with piano leads as it is. I prefer it any day to a whining guitar :)
2nd, anyone had luck with the new singles here in England? Radio fine, but
shops no-go.
Finally I know someone asked this before but is there likely to be a music
score for the first album?
Cheers,
Mark Bentley
msb10@leicester.ac.uk
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 97 17:21:05 UT
From: Graham Padden <lifeblood@msn.com>
Subject: BFF music scores?
Does anyone know if there are any piano scores available for BFF songs?
Sheet music would be cool too.
[The music book is available now. Info is at http://www.bffweb.com -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 12:30:17 -0500 (EST)
From: Brad654@aol.com
Subject: Clearing up the name issues....
<< I always took the band name the same way I take The Dave Brubeck Quartet
(or
is it Quintet?) - Ben Folds is the man's name AND a part of the band name -
its not HIS five, the band is Ben Folds Five, NO apostrophe necessary.
(And
I always did wonder why it wasn't Ben Folds Three, or The Ben Folds Five,
but
those are other stories I suppose). Thats all. But I've been wrong before
(I too am an English major, though). >>
I am fairly certain that Ben Folds Five is a play on words, referring to both
Ben Folds, and Ben "folding five," as in folding five fingers (a saying like
"Tickle the ivories"-- playing the piano.
My $.02. I couldn't hold that in any longer, what with some of the silly
ideas of name origin.
Brad
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