THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #224 - April 10, 1997
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #224
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Topics for Today:
Ben Folds Music Folio
more Last Polka
Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #219
Ben Folds Promo
Tempe, AZ show
Jonesin' for a Video
Alt. Lyrics & other blah blah blah ginger
"Keep that sheet safe"?
quirky lyrics?
BF5 Tour Date
real fans and Identification
Salt Lake Review
Lawrence, KS show...April 21
Tapes
I bought BBF dinner at Denny's!
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 11:16:07 -0400 (EDT)
From: Bnanakingg@aol.com
Subject: Ben Folds Music Folio
Hi,
I'm desperately seeking this music folio. I was going to order it before I
went out of town for a week, but I forgot and now that I'm back, it's been
discontinued. Well, I was just wondering if any of you out there have this
and would be willing to part with it or would be able to get it from
somewhere, and I'll be willing to pay $$$. Please help a poor kid out.
THANKS!
Over,
Bryce
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 13:15:26 -0500
From: Howie Stuart <stuart@optics.rochester.edu>
Subject: more Last Polka
"Yellosno" wrote:
>
> "p.s. does anyone else think that the most powerful part of the first cd is
> during 'the last polka' when ben belts out 'but baby i was doing fine how
> do you think that i survived the other 25 before you?'"
Actually, "Last Polka" is probably my least favorite song on the first
record. For me, the most powerful moment comes in "Philosophy" with the
line 'so you can laugh all you wa-ant too-oo' and the drum/piano buildup
that follows it. In a close second place would be the bridge of Boxing
('sometimes I punch myself hard as I can'), at which point my goose bumps
have risen 3 inches off my skin. I must not like "Last Polka" because it
comes just before "Boxing" and I'm so eager with anticipation.
For those of you who receive The Box (it's a video jukebox thing available
in some local TV markets, for those of you who don't), the BOWCCL video
is now available, and it is definitely worth the $2.50 - especially if
you tape it!
Will BFF ever come to Rochester, NY?
Howie
==============================================================================
Date: 08 Apr 97 14:35:14 EDT
From: Terry <73060.205@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #219
to kareoke queen what did you think about dave matthews
after ben folds they are my favorite band
sarah
==============================================================================
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 22:13:41 +0200
From: rsnead@awod.com
Subject: Ben Folds Promo
Hello all,
As old Bryce said I too want the Bff promo video too. Can someone pick it
up for me? It's at Tower Records and there are none of these stores
located near me... I'll do the same as Bryce, pay for everything and give
you some money for your time and effort. If someone does this I'll even
make a quicktime movie of it and put on the net for all to see. Well
anyways someone please help.
Bryan Snead
rsnead@awod.com
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 16:01:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kreeaytv@aol.com
Subject: Tempe, AZ show
Hi All!
I just recently joined the mailing list for Armchair, and am glad to see I'm
not the only one who thinks BFF is amazing. I saw them for the first time in
LA about two years ago (it was also the first time I had ever heard of them)
at a radio station sponsored concert. It was BFF, Barenaked Ladies (another
band that is absolutely mind blowing live) and a few other bands I don't
remember. BFF was the first band on, and the sound was atrocious. The mix
was all wrong, the instruments would sometimes stop working - but I was
floored anyway. They played Underground, Where's Summer B, Philosophy and a
few others. I just couldn't believe I had never heard of them before.
Despite the fact that they were being sabotaged by the sound people - they
rocked. I bought the album the next day, and have been spreading the word
ever since.
Here's my dilemma: They never play anywhere near LA. I want to drive to
Tempe and see the show at Gibson's if possible, does anyone know how to get
tickets? Is the show sold out? Please help.
Thanks for listening,
Matt (kreeaytv@aol.com)
==============================================================================
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 18:26:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: ShirowFan@aol.com
Subject: Jonesin' for a Video
Folks---Looking for that Tower Video with Ben and Friends. Will pay for it!!
Can't wait till Lawrence--
dave
P.S. Somebody E-mail me and tell me about Liberty Hall. The damn tickets are
all Gen. Addmission, and i have to get there early for good seats.
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 01:02:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: Aneehall73@aol.com
Subject: Alt. Lyrics & other blah blah blah ginger
Hey party people
I haven't posted in a while but have been skimming over all the reviews and
stuff. It's so hard sometimes to read them and not take stuff personally, ya
know? o well.
Let's see, Kristin mentioned a discrepancy in the written lyrics for "Dwarf"
and what is sung. It reads "Mom said someday I would have" and what i hear is
"My mom said by Christmas i would have.... a badass mutha GI Joe..." so no
Kristin yer not crazy, yer probably just drawn that way. :D
Okay and another post from Scott spoke of a comparison of Ben to Joe Jackson,
that seems very true (and i'msure it's been mentioned before) , especially in
the song "Selfless, Cold and Composed," which i happen to like a whole honey
bunches of oats.
A comparison I'm really surprised hasn't been mentioned is Ben and Biggie
Smalls. Hee hee (no Ben hasn't been shot) but, it's just funny what a tuff
guy he can pretend to be in shows and at the one i saw in oralndo last year,
he started a song by yelling "Are ya'll ready for that gangsta s***?" Funny.
But i'm going nowhere with this, well maybe to one more comparison, a real
one this time. The much-dreaded (not by me, i dig it) song "Cigarette"
reminded me at first listen of French Composer/Pianist Claude Bolling, who as
far as i know did the sndtrk. for Neil Simons' flick, "Californa Suite".
Anyone else hear that?
Okay well that's enough silliness for now. If you'd like to a see anotha damn
review of the new album, you could check out my fakey fake homepage at
www.firefly.com, look for member name "daughterjudy" :D
smiling in her special way,
shida/aneehall73
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 97 10:45:00 PDT
From: "Riley, Adrian D [DBE]" <A.D.Riley@lmu.ac.uk>
Subject: "Keep that sheet safe"?
Is Sam Jacob Lewis (issue 221) right in his interpretation of the lyrics in
the jazzy bit in 'Stephens last night' ? - "Ooooh, keep that sheet safe"
Anybody got any other ideas?
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 13:33:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: RnRinDC@aol.com
Subject: quirky lyrics?
> Some guy from WVU wrote:
> Where's the quirky lyrics and inventiveness of Underground? You can't
> count Dwarf, Dumped, of Steven becaus those were old songs.
how about in Fair:
"he was thrown head over heels into the traffic coming on....."
or Kate:
"Down by the Rosemary and Cameron/she hands out the Bhagavad Gita/I see her
round every couple days/I wanna meet her so that I can say....hey Kate"
or BoWCCL:
"Fine pewter portraits of general apathy and major boredom singing whatever
and ever amen......"
Sorry that you are that unhappy with the disc - yeah, there are some more
mellow songs on this one than the first, and while I admit that I don't love
every song.....there are 7 phenomenal songs on there and another few that
I'll listen to as well.
I guess that is my take on the album as a whole. For me, the high points are
higher than the first album, but the low points are far lower too. As far as
the "mellow" songs are concerned, I love "Brick" - wow; "Selfless....." is
okay - interesting compisition; "Smoke" is good, but I'm not going to jam
down the highway to it........frankly (nothing personal, Frank!), I can't
seem to get through "Missing the War" and "Evaporated", but it doesn't keep
me from saying that this is the best album I've purchased in 1997.
Although I don't love every song, I do love the fact that it is not just like
the first album. That might be okay for a second album, but a third album of
the same ould just sound flat. I think that you can definitely hear the
maturity in a lot of the song writing.....I think that we are in for years of
BF5.
Rich
(who is tripping from DC to Philly on 4/30)
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 1997 13:47:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jason Martin <UN036034@wvnvaxa.wvnet.edu>
Subject: BF5 Tour Date
Armchairite First-Class J. Martin here reporting the following:
I was skimming the Verve Pipe'
s page when I came across the following:
June 1 (Sat) Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh-Durham, NC
Verve Pipe w/ Barenaked Ladies, BEN FOLDS FIVE, Sublime, and
Luscious Jackson
Can anybody confirm this?
Jason
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 1997 15:55:09 -0400
From: elutz@kent.edu
Subject: real fans and Identification
Hi, I guess I want everyone to know that a true fan is like a real
friend with each other till the end(hopefully BFF will never end) but why
are you complaining, I mean don't you want them to be successfull? I know
that a lot of people are woried about the main streeam and it seems to me
that Bff is really down to earth so I don't think that will change that
much. I know that I get everyone I can to listen to the band, I even
preformed one of their songs live once apon a time When I was in a band...,
but my point is we all wanted fame for them, but are now taking it back?
Fads come and go but turue fans are there always. The good thing is that
maybe it will be more adventurouse to get tickets. I once camped out for
two days to get tickets for and REM show and The show ended up being one of
the greatest shows I have ever seen and I had a grand O'l time camping out.
there are good aspects I am telling my friends "I told you so..."....a
lot. and when people ask me "Who's that on the raido?" I say proudly Ben
Folds Five and they say " hey thre pretty good!" And I say "Yeh I know..."
We all love the the guys(and to keep them to our self) but we have to
accept their popularty and be proud of it.
The other thing is that For Identification at concerts: The t-shirts are a
good Idea, But I have no way of knowing how to do that. But I do know how to
get buttons made(fairly cheeply too)...Sounds dorkie I know but it could be
cool.....let me know if any one is interested elutz@pop.kent.edu or
waxgrl2@hotmail.com
another thing I have a picture of the guys at Lola (from the preformance
in Columbus) and Would be willing to share and or trade let me know...
Elizabeth
elutz@pop.kent.edu or waxgrl2@hotmail.com
"Let's all go were we are not wanted
Let's all be someone we're not
let's all go where were out of place
you can use my name..."-Fith Wheel-therapy for the sane
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 18:54:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: Bnanakingg@aol.com
Subject: Salt Lake Review
Hi kids,
So my friend and I heard Ben Folds Five from the back door of the Zephyer
here in Salt Lake last night and would just like to say they are incredible!
When we arrived their bus driver was trying to load up the trailer onto the
jack of the bus, so being the nice young men that we are, we helped him out
with directions and backing up onto it, but at one point he wehnt WAY too
fast and we were motioning for him to stop, but he backed up into the trailer
and we broke his jack.... Also being the small young men that we are, we
couldn't help him lift the trailer back up onto the jack, so he thanked us
for our help, insisted that it was his fault and then motioned for us to get
the hell away from him. About 15 minutes later I look over, and there's Ben
crossing the street, but we couldn't move, so we just sat there and he gave
us a grin as he walked into the club. About 10 minutes after that Robert and
Darren came crossing the other street and we went up and introduced
ourselves, shook hands, got autographs, the whole fan crap. Darren wento
into the building a couple minutes later but Tobert just sat there and talked
to us forever about touring with Counting Crows. I had a Gershwin book that
I had brought for Ben to sign becuase I've been playing since I was 5, and he
sat there and talked to us forever about this big Gershwin box set back home
and we apologized for breaking the jack on the bus. REALLY nice guys.
Anyway, he went into the building and then a lady came out and got onto the
tour bus. After she came ou we stopped her and asked her what their taping
policy was, just to be on the safe side, and she said she wasn't sure. My
friend asked if she was a part of the crew, and she said, "No, I'm his wife."
We shook hands as I looked stupidly at her and confirmed that was in fact,
the REAL KATE. She talked to us for a while then went into the building.
AND THEN SHE SENT BEN OUT TO TALK TO US! We didn't even ask her to. He
just came over to us and introduced himself and we did the same, and then we
talked to him about the Doobie Brothers shirt that he had so proudly
purchased down the street at the Salvation Army, about how he enjoyed Berkely
the best so far, about how long he's been playing me:"How long have you
been playing?" Ben:"Wince I was about 9." me:"Wow! did you train
classically?" Ben:"For about a year, but after that I just slammed on it."
Then some other folks that had met him at Ziggy's came over and talked, and
we all took our little pictures, and then he was called back into the
building talk to some representatives. Anyway, I know I've been going on
now, so here's the setlist:
Missing the War, Emaline, Philosophy, Selfless Cold & Composed, can't
remember, Alice Childress, Kate, Steven's Last Nightin Town, Brick, Jackson
Cannery (Before he started this he apologized because we were underage and
couldn't get in and asked everybody to shout hello to us at the back door),
One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces, Fair, some heavy metal song that I'm
probably too young to know the title of, Battle of Who Could Care Less, a
song that sounded very much like Rage Against the Machine but don't know what
it was (before he started this somebody asked him to play "For Those of Ya'll
Who Wear Fanny Packs", and he said that they had unfortunately just made that
one up as they went and didn't remember it), Where's Summer B., Theme from
Dr. Pussy, Song for the Dumped, Uncle Walter, Underground, Smoke, Julianne,
some country song that I don't know, and that was it. If anybody out there
went to this show and can help me fill in the blanks, please do.
I had somebody take a recorder in for me, and I guess it's a decent copy. It
only recorded on the left channel, and I didn't any of the songs after
Underground, but if anybody would like a copy, just let me know.... I'd only
give it about a B. Sorry I've rambled on for so long... This was my first
show.
Over,
Bryce
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 18:28:46 -0500
From: "Greg Monkey (Drunken Monkey Fanzine)" <pavement@idir.net>
Subject: Lawrence, KS show...April 21
Just wondering if anyone is going to the April 21st show at Liberty
Hall in Lawrence, KS...I'll be there, working security. I can't let anyone
in or anything, but still, if someone is gonna be there, lemme know and say
hi or whatever!
Greg
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 1997 19:56:24 +0000
From: Geof Goldbogen <goldbogen@earthlink.net>
Subject: Tapes
Still looking for any tapes of Ben Folds. Have plenty of other stuff
to trade Bela Fleck, Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Ben
Harper etc. If not I'll send some blanks or something. I'm going to the
Metro(Chicago) show on the 24th, can't wait!
goldbogen@earthlink.net
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 1997 20:57:19 -0700
From: Garrett Helmer <ghelmer@cs.byu.edu>
Subject: I bought BBF dinner at Denny's!
last night was I had the pleasure of seeing the Five in Salt Lake.
The show was the best I've seen so far - out of three shows. I don't have
a lot of time, but I'll just say that if they're coming anywhere close to
you, you must see them. I got to the club where they were playing an hour
and a half early, and Ben came walking in and he immediately recognized me
from the show I saw in Winston Salem. He said, "hey, you're the North
Carolina guy!" I went up to him and introduced my fiance, and we talked
for about five minutes. I asked him about counting crows and all that,
and he said it was cool playing in front of so many people. He did say
that their first show with them in Seattle was a little rusty for some
reason. He said it was probably because of playing in front of so many
people for the first time. Darrin told me that opening for CC's in
Berkley was probably the best and most fun so far.
one song that was hillarious was "ultimate sacrifice", which they
said was kind of a joke between them. They also played "fanny packs", but
it was kind of a mix between that and something from rage against the
machine. They never sang the actual words "fanny packs", but Ben did his
'babble rap' and his incredible piano solo.
After hanging out, getting t-shirts signed and all that, my
friends and I took off and went to Denny's to eat. We had been eating for
about 20 minutes when we saw our waiter sit Ben, Kate, Robert, Darrin, and
a roadie named Trey at a table right across from ours. We couldn't pass
up the opportunity to thank them for the incredible show by annonymously
picking up their tab.
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I wonder if she knows which way is down