THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #204 - March 21, 1997
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #204
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Topics for Today:
A great day
BF5 Amsterdam concert 18/3
Re: BFF-Album of Week
finally finally finally
chords perchance?
Bruce in PHX-did you see the latest New Times?
Addicted to Brick
ehy...
Japanese version of Song for the Dumped
phone ring in Steven's last night in town
"Vaseline" / "She Don't Use Jelly"
BF5 tidbits
Detroit show
New BFF U.S.tour dates
Here it comes...I think I'm gonnaaaaaaahh...thanks.
Part 3 - The Album Arrives...AMEN!
more reviews from the land of Oz.
BF5 & Klezmatics
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 08:50:17 -0500
From: Jason Light <vinvestor@mindspring.com>
Subject: A great day
Hello everyone, this is my first post. Yesterday was a great day, first I
found out that Ben Folds Five will be performing at the Midtown Music
Festival. For anyone who does not know about the festival, it takes place
in Atlanta over three days and city blocks are blocked off so that stages
can be setup in the streets. There are about 70 bands performing plus a
number of local bands, the complete list of bands and prices, etc. go to
www.musicmidtown.com. As if that was cool enough, then I bought the new
album. After listening to it on sonicnet I thought that it was very
different from the first album, but now after 5 or 6 listens in one evening
I think that it is just a strong as the first album(which was the best
album I've purchased in the last two years.
As far as Blur fans on the mailing list, I am also and just saw them with
about 200 people at a tiny place in Atlanta, they blew me away like no band
I have seen in probably 5 years. As a new fan of their music, I am
definitely die hard now.
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 15:21:00 +0100 (MET)
From: parreira@aquawolf.xs4all.nl
Subject: BF5 Amsterdam concert 18/3
Although it wasn't as good as last year's concert at the Paradiso, the
show yesterday was still very much enjoyable. There weren't that many
people, I guess the place was half-full. :(
But the concert was recorded for radio, so I will be able to enjoy it
forever and ever amen. :)
*** Daniel Rodrigues Parreira
*** parreira@aquawolf.xs4all.nl
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 09:49:19 -0500 (EST)
From: "Donna L. Hokanson" <hokansod@goldey.gbc.edu>
Subject: Re: BFF-Album of Week
For those living in Philadelphia and surrounding area - Ben Folds Five's
Whatever and Ever Amen is the album of the week on WXPN 88.5 out of Philly.
Donna
Has everyone gotten their Philly tix.
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 11:30:47 -0600
From: Justin Baker <jbaker@olivet.edu>
Subject: finally finally finally
hello everyone,
finally finally finally i got the new album. it is so good. i just
wanted to express my joy for my recent purchase. i love the song
"brick." i think it's my favorite. bye.
justin
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 11:45:03 -0600
From: Justin Baker <jbaker@olivet.edu>
Subject: chords perchance?
i was wondering if someone might know the chords to the wonderful
song "brick." just wondering.
justin
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 17:17:49 -0700
From: Rhonda Glover <rhondag@syspac.com>
Subject: Bruce in PHX-did you see the latest New Times?
i know it took a long time for me to give this chat thing a shot, but i was
waiting for something really exciting to happen. finally!! i thought i
would let bruce know, if he doesn't know already, that today's (3-19) New
Times announced that BFF will be playing at gibson's on April 12. a
saturday, no less...
i'm way new to tempe, so i was glad to hear of a fellow follower. see you
at the show!
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 07:32:30 -0500
From: "Bryan L. Brown" <idaho@appstate.campus.mci.net>
Subject: Addicted to Brick
So I finally got the new album. I was starting to feel more than a little
jealous of you guys who already had it. Anyway, do you know how when you
first listen to a good album, you don't like it like you hoped you would.
This happens to me with most of the new albums which I buy which are any
good at all. Whatever and Ever didn't thrill me at first and I was
thinking "You know, I really like the first one better". But now, a day
after my aquisition and after several listens, I feel that this recording
is superior to the first. Unfortunately, the song brick is so captivating
that every time the CD player gets to it, I just keep hitting repeat and,
consequently, haven't given the songs after #4 proper listening time.
BRICK IS JUST SO ADDICTIVE. I think I've heard it about 20 times and the
rest of the ablum about 3 times. Anyway, I'm officially impressed (like
you guys care or something) and will be among the crowd at Ziggy's next
Thursday.
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 22:12:14 -0500 (EST)
From: Iodine <el266071@hvcc.edu>
Subject: ehy...
Well, of course, I got Whatever and Ever Amen yesterday, and I
simply cant stop listening to it. I didnt like it a terrible lot when I
first heard it but now Ive got it on repeat - I think this is one a those
albums that grows on you....i think my favorite song so far is Stevens
Last Night In Town cuz its really jazzy and all that, and I dig it cause I
was in my high school jazz band :) shrug..i dunno..I also really like
Selfless, Cold and Composed, its kinda depressing but at the same time
really great..but then again, there isnt any song on here I dont
like..shrug. But i just wanted to mention how much I like this cd, I'm
not disappointed by it at all (like i woulda been) in fact, Whatever And
Ever Amen makes me like the first album even more.
tankuverrimuch
*----jawbox-->
take me down to the desert sea.
i don't want to wait.
i want to leech my memory.
*----mostly harmless web page--> (bbs.cowland.com/giuseppe)
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 22:18:00 -0500
From: Allan Hsu <Animate2@broked.underworld.net>
Subject: Japanese version of Song for the Dumped
I was lucky enough to obtain a copy of the Japanese album a week or
so ago (Thanks Azusa!), and enjoyed the version of "Song for the Dumped"
in Japanese that was only on the Japanese relase. Since most of us
people living in non-Japan don't have access to this song, I've put the
song up for listening on the internet, in multiple formats and
qualities... check out http://www.underworld.net/~animate2/bff/
Please take time to click on the little "comments..criticism..." thingy
and tell me what you think about the site so far, if I should pursue it
any further, etc...
Thanks...
Allan
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 23:26:30 EST
From: James R Herndon <sacapunta@juno.com>
Subject: phone ring in Steven's last night in town
Hey all. I was wondering if anyone else has noticed the telephone ring
at around the 2:54 mark in "Steven's last night in town." I knew the
album was recorded at Ben's house, so it's funny to hear. You have to
listen carefully, the first time I heard it I thought it was my phone
ringing downstairs. Long live bff.
James
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 13:02:48 GMT
From: Mark Piper <pipermf@ugs1.ph.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: "Vaseline" / "She Don't Use Jelly"
Someone mentioned that at the Gavin Convention, the band played a Flaming
Lips song called "Vaseline", and now someone else has mentioned that
they're doing a song for a compilation called "She Don't Use Jelly". Would
these perhaps be the same song, or do
Flaming Lips have a fixation for songs about lubricants??
Happy 200 issues! Is it that long? How many subscribers we got now Frank?
I'm sure we've come a heck of a long way since I first joined all those
years ago (well, it was one year actually...). Here's to the next 200!
Y'know, it doesn't seem so long ago that we were celebrating 100 issues......
Well, I'm off for the Easter vacation. Have fun. BTW, in case anyone is
interested. All the lyrics to the new album are now up on my web site (in
case you can't read them from the inlay >8), and I'm busy adding all the
articles I've been meaning to add in the past few weeks. Things are
changing around a bit, so take a look at Looks, Brains & Everything, at:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5430/bff.html
Oh, and I can't connect to that IRC server that someone mentioned. Any
ideas why not???
Mark
[The current membership count is 1,249. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 08:24:42 -0600 (CST)
From: kcharris@ix.netcom.com
Subject: BF5 tidbits
For a while, I thought I was the only BF5 fan around. It was good to see all
of these people (on the mailing list) that are into them. Then, I found out
there are a LOT more folks.
"Whatever...." debuted at #1 in Japan. U2s "POP" album only debuted at #2.
We've got several dates here in Texas toward the middle of april, so I'll be
road tripping.
Glad I work for Sony,
Kyle Harris
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 12:44:22 -0500
From: Dean Drouillard <droulard@MNSi.Net>
Subject: Detroit show
Just wanting to let anyone know in Michigan or Southern Ontario that
BFF will be performing April 25 at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit. Tickets go
on sale Saturday, March 22. See ya there.
Dean Drouillard
RACECAR (http://www.mnsi.net/~racecar)
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 17:16:42 -0600 (CST)
From: sam jacob lewis <sjlewis@students.uiuc.edu>
Subject: New BFF U.S.tour dates
After months of drooling and whining, the new US dates are finally in.
The good news is that they're headlining w/out the lamo Counting Crowes
(sorry CC fans but they make me wanna go to sleep) and also they will be
playing the Metro in Chicago, whoopie! Only bad new is that they're
gonna be around while I'm gonna be finshing up my studies (finals and
crap) but for BFF, I can take a break. Anyway, here they are coutresy of
www.bffweb.com:
4/8 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr Club
4/10 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
4/12 Tempe, AZ Gibson's Bar & Grill
4/14 Tuscon, AZ Pima County Fairgrounds (ooh, outdoors!)
4/16 Houston, TX Urban Art Bar
4/18 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
4/20 Dallas, TX KDGE Edgefest
4/21 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall
4/22 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy
4/24 Chicago, IL Metro
4/25 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
4/26 Cleveland, OH The Odeon Concert Club
4/28 New York, NY Irving Plaza
4/30 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts
5/01 Raleigh, NC The Ritz
5/02 Lexington, VA Washington & Lee Univ.
5/03 Atlanta, GA Music Midtown Festival
That's all but I'm sure there will be a summer tour (hopefully!)
Anyone wanna give me a ride to NC to see BFF on the 27th and 28th?
Sam Lewis
==============================================================================
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 14:11:08 -0800 (PST)
From: Chad Wheeler <rednewt@hotmail.com>
Subject: Here it comes...I think I'm gonnaaaaaaahh...thanks.
Well that's that. I just flew through 6 consecutive issues of our
wonderful MA, and boy are my arms tired! Ba-Dumb! Ok, the news. This week
has been "folds" of a-Ben-dant good fortune. First the album on the 18th,
then my birthday on the 19th, and, if you're into numerology unlike me, I
turned 20! Crrrazy! MY GOD, Whatever... is such an experience! I kidnapped
the souped-up, "family" stereo and blasted all the heady goodness of
tracks one through twelve and nobody seemed to mind, even though it was
11pm! How's that for "cool" family? My mom goes to bed around 9:30, so I
think it was just part of my birthday presents, but hey?! I don't care
why, just so long as it happened! And happened it did. I can't think of a
more perfect gift than a new BF5 album, and so near my birthday no less!
As Aimee (MA196) questioned, coincidence? I think not! Man, this has been
such a great week! Oh, I also got an ant farm and a new amp. Ant farm you
say? COOL!! I wasn't as excited about it until I found out I didn't have
to go out and hunt down the ants. (I've seen ant warfare and it's not
pretty...) Personally, and I don't care what Johnny Boy says, I really
thought the "Ba Ba Ba"s on Fair were cool. Chickens? As a sheltered
surburban youth, the only chickens I've ever heard clucking were the ones
in Gonzo's retinue on the Muppet Show. but I do agree that the sing along
quotient is exceptionally high. As to Rob McGovern's alledged(sp?) beeper
during "Steven's Last Night In Town," I heard it. It's like 2min and 56
seconds into the song, right before Ben handles the solo note for
"town..." On my headphones it throws itself out the left speaker and is
just quiet enough to keep me thinking that the phone is ringing at the
computerlab desk. Way weird unless you're expecting it...The only
noticable REM that I catch is the intro to Brick. !!NightSwimming??? Oh
well, could be me...Anyway, I know Frank hates me for posts that get kinda
long (my last one would have printed out at something like two pages) so
I'll wrap this one up...for now....Waaa Ha HA HA HA (evil laughter, etc)
oh yeah, Kudos Frank! The big 2-0-0!! Your father and I are very proud of
you. ha.
Chad "I-liked-Star-Wars-before-it-was-cool" Wheeler
ps- if the boys come to Springfield, I'll get my mom to cook for them...she
makes cheese and macaroni to die for...
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 19:41:53 +1100
From: Alex <belawan@parramatta.starway.net.au>
Subject: Part 3 - The Album Arrives...AMEN!
Hi....
as your all aware from previous posts, the album is here in
Australia...and its great...will now enjoy understanding exactly what the
American/European fans are talking about...CHEERS!
Alex
** I'm the re-run that
you always force
yourself, to sit through **
Berlin Chair
Tim Rogers, You Am I
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 21:21:31 +1100 (EST)
From: Derek Scott <scoco@netspace.net.au>
Subject: more reviews from the land of Oz.
Well, they just keep coming! Here's another review of the new album from
Metro, a great newspaper supplement from the Sydney Morning Herald.
BEN FOLDS FIVE
Whatever and Ever Amen
(Epic/Sony)
****
In which Ben Folds continues his search for the perfect body shirt and
fondue set and asks the big question: Is there life after 1979? The second
album from this North Carolinan trio, despite being recorded "at home",
sounds cleaner than the debut, and strings join the baby grand, drums and
bass axis.
But, fear not, the core is as it ever was: Ben Folds's multi-genre piano
lines offset by the soft touch of drummer Darren Jessee and all around them
unaffected melody lines which somehow mix innocence with a way-too-knowing
attitude.
Influence-wise we are back with bright cabaret and the usual '70s suspects,
with the added thought that the Todd Rundgren layered vocals of 'Fair' even
has a moment or two of - dare I say it? - Supertramp. Folds' tongue-in-cheek
humour still has bite - whether it's 'Song For the Dumped' ("give me my
money back you bitch/and don't forget to give me back my black t-shirt"), or
getting in first with the "Ben Folds is a wanker" jibes on 'One Angry Dwarf'.
Less exuberant, driven and hook-filled than the self-titled debut,
'Whatever' is still one of those albums you walk away from finding the songs
soaked into your consciousness.
BZ
Not too bad, I guess. There was even a picture! Ben's hand in front of the
camera and the three of them sitting behind it.
One question: the album cover here is kind of purple with some kind of
pattern on it, and three individual photos, and the name written in "that
writing" in black. Is it the same everywhere else? Can't wait to get my
hands on it!
Btw, any TMBG fans, there was an article in Metro about TMBG as well, seeing
that they're out in Oz at the moment. Mail me off the list if you want it, ok?
cheers,
Claire
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
! Claire !
! "i want to live and breathe. i want to be part of the human race." !
! -radiohead !
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 10:16:36 CST
From: The Big Giant Head <KARNOPPA@nsu001.northern.edu>
Subject: BF5 & Klezmatics
Hey y'all...
Got the new album, love it, listen to nothing else, yadda yadda
yadda..... Must say I love the version of "Steven's Last Night in
Town" (I've heard it previously on a boot, no violins, etc)--can
anybody enlighten me on The Klezmatics? Who are they, what are they
like, etc?
Also, has anybody else had trouble getting to bffweb.com? I've been
trying for over a week, but to no avail. I always get the screen
with the drawn instruments, but when I try to move forward, I get
some error screen thing (as you can tell, I'm very gifted in computer
lingo ;-). This is where you all are coupons for the free singles,
correct? (or did I just dream this up?)
Answer me, please! (or in Spanish: !contesteme, por favor!) Thanks.
Adam
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