THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #233 - April 18, 1997
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #233
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Topics for Today:
my two year old
BF5: Jackson Cannery
Denver show set list
Re: Kate---army?
BFF interview
Popularity is good in this case.
Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #230
NY show?
Steven's Last Night in Town
Being successful is the whole point of LIFE
Tour dates
Steven's Last Night Lyrics
Lyrics to Cigarette
"BoWCCL" on MTV ... and ... Target TV
evaporated
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 97 14:02:51 EDT
From: Jason Kilts <Jason.Kilts@css.unc.edu>
Subject: my two year old
Unbelievable. Maybe it's a genetic disposition to BFF, maybe it's not. In
any case, I think I can safely say that I am reporting the group's youngest
die-hard fan.
My two year old son can no longer get into our car without excitedly yelling
"I wanna hear 'the squirrels and the birds come'!!!" He is obviously talking
about 'Kate'. He even sings along with them in parts of the song. He asks to
hear the song over and over and over. Trust me, BFF is fantastic, but no song
is good enough to listen to six, seven, eight times in a row. But that's what
he wants. (And he's always asking me 'why he sings "cool" before he starts
playing music'. I've tried to explain that a couple different times, but he
hasn't bought any of it yet.) Eventually, I tell him that we have to listen
to the rest of the songs, and he gives in, and he even lets me know what he
thinks about each song as it comes on. He has always liked Dwarf, Brick,
Cigarette, Steven, Smoke (another of his favorites, except that he continually
insists that 'we WILL right a new one!'), and Missing the War. He's not too
cool on Selfless for some reason.
Anyway, there it is. From the mouths of babes, eh? At least I can
guarantee he's honest. He doesn't know any other way yet.
Jason
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 13:08:21 CST
From: The Godfather <RNEAL@Athena.valpo.edu>
Subject: BF5: Jackson Cannery
I first Ben Folds at Lollapollooza at Buckeye Lake, Ohio. I
wondered over to the 2nd stage to find a band with a new sound and
great stage presence. A few months later, I bought their first big-
release CD, and was instantly mesmorized by the first song, Jackson
Cannery. Then came Philosophy, and I was hooked. I played the CD for
my friends, and they always tried to categorize or compare it,
because it was so different. They said it sounded like Weezer, with a
piano and no guitar, or Paul McCartney modernized. My mom said it
sounded like Christopher Cross (?). I am just so frustrated with it,
and hope all my friends learn to appreciate BF5 for what it is, and
not what it isn't. I hope to go to the April 24th Chicago show (if I
can get a ride--- I wrecked my car) and plan on buying the new CD. It
all started with Jackson Cannery... "Stop the bus, I want to be
lonely..."
-Rob Neal, college student and prospective BF5 Groupie
"I got my philosophy" -BF5
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 12:20:06 -0600
From: Joe Sweetser <joes@melblanc.Access.COM>
Subject: Denver show set list
Just now catching up with all the digests since I've been MIA for a bit. I
caught the Denver show and they were excellent. I didn't think it was quite
as good as the show last year at Fox in Boulder, but I was by no means
disappointed. Here's the set list from the soundboard...I sorta like
seeing all the songs reduced to one word:
Missing, Emaline, Philosophy, Selfless, Kate, Alice, Dr. Pyser, Steven,
Brick, Video, Jackson, Dwarf, Fair, Polka, Battle, Best, Dumped, Underground,
Smoke, Julianne
And I want to comment on some of the Counting Crows comments I read. It
seems like some of you think it was a competition instead of a concert.
Personally, it irks me just as much to have someone yakking during the
headline as well as the warmup act. So next time any of you go to a show
to see the warmup and don't like the headline...just LEAVE. Do yourself
a favor and don't hang around the show spewing your negative energy.
Sheesh - I wonder if the average age on this list is closer to 12 or 25.
later,
joe (Counting Crows neutral, Live Music positive)
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 12:41:27 -0600
From: "A. David Wright" <adavidw@infocreations.com>
Subject: Re: Kate---army?
dpm179@hecky.acns.nwu.edu wrote:
>Okay, can anyone tell me the reasoning behind the word "Army" after the
>title "Kate" in the "Whatever" booklet?
The way the title "Kate" is written suggests the big lit-up KISS logo. The
KISS Army is the name of the Kiss fan club. So, "KATE Army".
These kids today...
I'm surprised at the number of people who don't get this. Almost as
surprised as I am that nobody seems to figure out that the title "Whatever
and Ever, Amen", is a takeoff on Randy Travis' "Forever and Ever, Amen".
Study your pop culture history, folks, and the world will open up to you...
-David
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:25:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: ryan wesley lakenan <lakenrw3@wfu.edu>
Subject: BFF interview
hey check out the interview on mtv's site in the local section for
Winston-Salem...hope ya like
ryan
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:27:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: Marc <mjt7742@is2.nyu.edu>
Subject: Popularity is good in this case.
Somebody said:
> BEN FOLDS FIVE SHOULD NOT GO MAINSTREAM. I'm from their hometown, the
Moronic statements like these should be banned from democratic,
capitalistic fan-lists like the Armchair. I haven't written in a while,
and I admittedly scroll very quickly through the lists now. But this
caught my eye.
The mainstreaming of a band is simply their growth in popularity. If you
feel like you're losing your hometown band to the greater society, then
get off your high horse and just appreciate the fact that they came from
there and you can say it to whoever you want. BRAG.
Mainstreaming will introduce Ben Folds Five to new income, more free time,
and may even change the face of pop music as we know it. That's a
stretch, but look at Beck.
I'm in a slightly "different" band right now. We call it "groove-rock."
Nobody knows about it, but if I ever hit the small big time, I'll damn
well push to go mainstream and hit the REAL big time! So get real.
Marc
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:33:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: "D . Hokanson" <hokansod@goldey.gbc.edu>
Subject: Re: THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #230
> has anyone else seen the latest buzzclip on mtv by a group called "hanson"?
I just saw it for the first time this morning. Thought it was kinda cool.
The little drummer was adorable.
Donna
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:35:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: EM7036@cnsvax.albany.edu
Subject: NY show?
If anyone out there has info on a show coming to New York (preferably the
city or in the Albany area) please post. I have not been able to get ahold
of the tour schedule.
Ed
P.S. Brick=good stuff
P.P.S. I am also of the jock-boy frat persuasion and love BF5, quit with
the stereotyping
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:50:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Hilarie Surrena <walflowr@Op.Net>
Subject: Steven's Last Night in Town
Hi everyone,
I was driving to school today when all of a sudden "Steven's Last
Night in Town" came on the radio. I couldn't believe it. BFF never gets
any airtime in Philadelphia. It was played on 88.5 FM, which is run by the
Univ. of Penna. They did play "Battle of Who Could Care Less" too so if
you live in the area-tune in!!
Hil
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:00:43 -0500
From: Sam Rauch <sam@may.com>
Subject: Being successful is the whole point of LIFE
BFFers,
I hope the folks on this list who are dreadfully afraid of 'em becoming
popular or mainstream really stop and think about what you're saying.
Follow these simple instructions, and let's see how you'd feel: 1)
pick up something you've always wanted to learn how to do (it doesn't
matter if it's a golf club or a piano). 2) practice and practice and
practice it for at least a decade 3) achieve a *little* bit of
notoriety for it, but just enough so that a few people here and there
know who you are. Ok, you're almost there. One thing left: reach your
mid-to-late 20s, and not care whether or not you're ever succesful or
make any money at this thing you've been doing for as long as you can
remember. So, how much longer are you going to do it before you lose
your mind??
To deny them success and popularity means to deny them the monetary
compensation they deserve for all of their hard work and effort. Which
really says you don't give a crap about them as long as you can hear
people say "Ben Folds who?!?" That's silly. How "cool" and
"alternative" would you feel playing in bars for the rest of your
career?
Sam
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:59:29 -0700
From: Spidey the Fun-Licker <fruvousman@geocities.com>
Subject: Tour dates
Hi
I'm new to this thingy, and just wondered where I could get tour dates
on the Web or who to mail for tour info.
And now, a moment of irrelevance: I'm a HUGE fan of Moxy Fruvous, and
this thing reminds me of the now-defunct Bargainville Discount Store
mailing list. Wow. As a matter of fact, my fanmanship of BF5 began when
I saw Murray Foster of Moxy wearing a BF5 t-shirt and thought "they
might be a cool band to look into". Then a while later, when radio in
Rochester stopped sucking for a brief moment and played something cool
(Uncle Walter) I thought "Okay, Ben Folds is cool. I'm buying their CD".
So that's how I took to liking BF5.
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:15:33 -0500 (CDT)
From: Mike Morier <palomar@escape.ca>
Subject: Steven's Last Night Lyrics
Hello all,
After listening closely to the bridge/solo part in "Steven" I stumbled quite
easily on what is are probably the actual lyrics.
How does "Kick that cheapskate/Kick that cheapskate/Kick that cheapskate
out!" sound? Pretty simple huh? It makes definite lyrical sense anyways, and
I'm convinced that these are the actual lyrics. ( Although I would have
hoped for something a little more abstract myself as well. ) Anyone else
come up with those lyrics?
On a side note: How are the fakebooks for "Whatever.." coming along? I think
I've pretty much figured out half of all the songs just by playing along
while the album is playing. The only one I really sat down and tried to
figure out was "Cigarette". I got most of the way through that one, but it
didn't sound QUITE right...
BTW - Has the idea of a cover-tape of BFF material featuring the members of
the Armchair ever come up? ( Seems to me I remember some discussion of a
similar project? ) Would anyone like to tackle this? I've got dibs on
"Cigarette" or "Steven" if such a thing ever takes off... :)
Mike
Coming soon! Mike's new HomePage at http://www.escape.ca/~palomar/
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 14:10:29 -0600 (MDT)
From: "Eric T. Beteille" <eric@hemi.com>
Subject: Lyrics to Cigarette
Here's how I hear the first part:
Fred Jones was worn out
from caring for his often (orphan?)
screaming and crying wife
during the day
The web page says "Fred Jones was home now" but I don't think that
makes as much sense. Then again, what is an "orphan" wife? Either
way, as a newspaper article, if that's what it is, the sentence is
powerful and tells a good story. I think it must have been the lead
sentence in the article, because I'm dying to read the rest.
Eric
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 14:16:42 -0600 (MDT)
From: "Eric T. Beteille" <eric@hemi.com>
Subject: "BoWCCL" on MTV ... and ... Target TV
For our American Armchair members:
My friend Andrea saw the video for Battle of Who Could Care Less
on MTV the other day, during the day, when 120 Minutes isn't on.
And when MTV wasn't simulcasting its new all-music channel, M2.
Also, For Those of Y'all Who Shop at Target, keep an eye on those
close-circuit TVs in the music section. They've been playing BoWCCL
too.
Eric
==============================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:35:52 -0500
From: Adam Clay <aclay@netdoor.com>
Subject: evaporated
wow. i've been on the list for 6 months now but never really posted. i am
from good old mississippi and one of the first people to actually have the
debut record in the state (after a good while of searching) but i was really
taken back by the quality of this record. i am a rather large counting crows
fan and am a co owner of the counting crows mailing list...when the new
counting crows record came out it sort of amazed me. That line about "Got
Ben Folds on my radio right now..." really killed me. I had been there
before many of times. Bored out of mine in my dead end town listening to
them. i was sort of upset that the counting crows/BFF combination didnt come
by here but no one ever does.
Anyway...my fav track right now is evaporated. it sort of grabbed me after i
listened several times (although they all did). i just really can
understand the emotions in that song.
i've been giving my heart as an offering for years to someone and then she
left. sort of typical. oh well. but when i heard that song, it hit home. i
poured my heart out...it evaporated. see? sort of my anthem to her. and
imagine waking up late and feeling hungover and old. i can really focus on
that. that song is great for getting rid of a hangover. that and a cup of
coffee. but i just wanted to post for once. i post alot on the counting
crows list (alot more than i should i guess) but after reading all of your
posts i wanted to contribute.
take care all and if there are any counting crows fans out there check out
my page.
cheers...
adam
http://www2.netdoor.com/~aclay/crows.html
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