THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #412 - July 26, 1997
Magical Armchair Digest Saturday, July 26 1997 Volume 01 : Number 412
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
Bootlegs, No BFF comment
this and that
"Brick" lyrics
Australian Tour
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Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 12:45:40 +0100
From: kareng@ici.net (karen gannon)
Subject: Bootlegs, No BFF comment
To my knowledge, selling bootlegs is not illegal. Selling them for PROFIT
is. What bands like DMB object to is the fact that they play for a couple
hours, let people plug into the soundboard, and otherwise put on a great,
taper-friendly show, then somebody makes a living off selling something
they had not part of creating. People forget that allowed taping is one of
the nicest things bands do. Do movies or plays let you tape every word and
sell it as a 'live tape'? No, of course not. I think we should be thankful,
and try to trade for boots of bands that don't want them sold. Or buy CD's
that are reasonably priced (for materials and labor, not profit). But
that's just my opinion, I've been known to be wrong.
- --Josh
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Date: Fri, 25 Jul 97 15:44:25 -0000
From: Charles D Folds <4rachuck@concentric.net>
Subject: this and that
Hello-
Wow, thanks to everyone who is helping me get some 'stuff' for mom, I
appreciate it very much.
Someone was wanting a Ben childhood story, well I guess I'm obliged.
We used to go to piano and organ stores when we were little, you know the
ones that sell those cheesy organs that all you have to do is press one
button and it does everything else? Well, the guys who usually worked at
those places were real dorks (I apologize to anyone I offended) and were
frustrated musicians who just weren't that good, so they sold cheesy
organs.... anyway, you get the picture. So here is me and Ben walking
into the store where this guy in the cheap suit and a hairpiece is
trying to impress the 45 year old women with his one finger rendition of
'heart and soul', while the organ does the rest, and Ben would start
pounding on a piano. At about 10 or eleven, his big thing was Little
Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, so you can imagine what that sounds like.
Immediately the crowd would shift their attention to the little kid
beating the shit out of this rock n' roll stuff and they would leave the
looser and gather around Ben. He's always been a ham, so he loved it.
After a while the guy at the store would throw us out, which would piss
everyone off so they would leave. This happened all the time. There were
even a couple of these stores at Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem (our
hometown, not chapel hill) that would recognize Ben and tell him to leave
when we showed up.
End of childhood story.
Another tidbit I would like to throw in about the Ben vs. godzilla, and
Robert vs. Ultra Man. I never have based how 'good' someone is on their
technical ability alone. Its basically impossible to decide who is better
than who when your talking about art. Who's better, Picasso or De Vinci
(spelling?), know what I mean. I do believe its an interesting debate but
rather than asking who is better, why not who do you like better. A funny
bit about the Robert and Les thing. The first time I heard Primus was
that song "jerry was a racecare driver" on the local college station but
I didnt hear the name of the band, the bass part really caught my
attention. A couple of days later, my band and Roberts were playing some
show and I hadnt heard them before. During soundcheck he was playing the
bass part from 'jerry was a racecar driver' and I honestly thought that
must have been his band I heard on the radio, what a dumbass! He was
playing it verbatim. But anyway, there are so many ways of determining
how 'good' someone is. Eric Johnson is no doubt a phenomenal guitarits,
when I hear him, I say "wow", but I would much rather listen to say, Kurt
Cobain, cause the first time I heard that note he bends in 'Smells like
teen spirit', I said "WOW, this kicks ass!" Not that it was technically
amazing, it was just very inspiring, which is more important in my book.
I would like to say that I am so glad to see so many people who dig Ben's
music, it has been a long time coming. I also really get a kick out of
you guys being so into it and talking about them on this digest. I've
been reading it since Frank started it. Its very strange for my brother
to be like a star or something, almost not even real!
Enjoy,
chuck folds
Hey, me and my wife are going to be at the Jones Beach Horde show, anyone
else going to that one?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 13:29:48 PDT
From: "One Angry.Dwarf" <one_angry_dwarf@hotmail.com>
Subject: "Brick" lyrics
Hello, collective.
The generally accepted theory seems to be that "Brick" is about
abortion. Listening to the lyrics, I would definately agree with that
assesment. I'm sure the guys weren't trying to make any political
statement with the song, but that is always a risk when speaking of
overly political subject, and abortion is definatly a political hot-bed!
I just can't imagine pro-choice people, or women's groups in general
really liking this song much. It really seems to give a exclusively
negative slant to this very debated issue.
Fortunately, I've never been in the position of the singer of the song,
but I would have no trouble believing the lyrics to be an accurate
representation of the emotions that could overcome a person in that
situation. It is very depressing, and for that reason, the song seems
to have a pro-life slant.
Like I said, I doubt the guys had any agenda (either pro-life or
pro-choice) in writing and performing the song, but I would like to hear
other's opinions.
Sorry so depressing, and potentially personal, but I've been listening
to the new record a lot lately, and that song just seems to get stuck in
my head.
Russell
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Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 09:34:22 +1000
From: Elle <roxie@powerup.com.au>
Subject: Australian Tour
It was just announced that Cordrozine (how wrong did I spell that - I'm
sorry) will be the support act for Ben Folds Five's Australian Tour.
Besides that, I just got my ticket for Livid - be happy for me! :)
Elle
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End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #412
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