THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #730 - January 1, 1998



Magical Armchair Digest   Thursday, January 1 1998   Volume 01 : Number 730



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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:

    Unusual sighting (hearing)... at least for me
    Brick... of course 
    10 Spot??? Not yet, anyway
    Best Of Sessions at West 54th
    Please repost Dublin pics URL
    keith moerer article on Fiona Apple in Request 
    BFF in Philly
    Ben on desktop
    *When* is the SNL performance?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 21:48:39 EST
From: JARAMINI <JARAMINI@aol.com>
Subject: Unusual sighting (hearing)... at least for me

I can't believe it. Today for the first time, I actually heard BFF on the
radio. I was totally shocked. I was headed to swimming practice (shameless
plug: http://johnswim.home.ml.org) and my friend was flipping around the
channels on the radio, and I heard "Brick" in there, I couldn't believe it, I
would've told him to stop right there but two things prevented me: 1)It wasn't
even 8AM (7:45AM, 3 days after Christmas) so my reaction time was slow and 2)
the kid is into Chumbawumba and other crappy stuff (they call themselves
anarchists and they let one of their songs be used in "Home Alone 3"? I think
not) and he wouldn't appreciate it, and I wasn't in the mood to hear BFF
ragged on. All for now.
Toodles,
John

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 04:47:30 +0100
From: Dave <djm@lancom.com>
Subject: Brick... of course 

Ok, sorry if this seems ignorant, and I missed something that someone said a
while ago.  What I want to ask, is how are you all so sure that "Brick" is
about abortion?  I mean, I can see how that can be concluded from the
lyrics, but a few of my friends who were lucky enough to see the boys in SF
last time they played, claim that he said the song was about a girl with
AIDS.  Now, I know the lyrics of Brick (and just about any other BFF song)
by heart, and it being about AIDS makes sense too.  I'm sure that what
"Brick" is about has been discussed many times before, but I haven't seen
any proof of why it is about abortion.  It seems that Ben himself saying
what the song is about would be proof of what the song is about.  Now, if
anyone wants to tell my why I am wrong, or if someone else happened to see
them last time they were in SF, and can tell me that my friends heard right,
or they were mistaken then go ahead, please.  Like I said, I didn't hear him
say this, but that's what my friends are swearing they heard, and it makes
sense.  Thanks.

- - Dave

"I guess you're as real as me, maybe I can live with that" =w=
"I know it's not your thing to care, I know it's cool to be so bored" -BFF

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 00:11:02 -0500 (EST)
From: Frank Maynard <maynard@mail.oeonline.com>
Subject: 10 Spot??? Not yet, anyway

Even though the show at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC is on a Friday, I am 
told the band has not yet been offered to participate in MTV's Live at 
the 10 Spot.

Also, watch your mailbox in a couple weeks if you're on the postal 
mailing list, as a mailer with tour info and the full merchandise line 
will be sent out next week.

Philip, and other Detroit-area folks, I don't know whether the Feb. 16 
show at Clutch Cargo's is all-ages. If I get a chance next week I'll call 
the club unless someone else finds out first.

Finally, as this goes out just after midnight (at the server site, 
anyway), the band passes along a Happy New Year to all on the Armchair 
and thanks for everyone's support over the past year!

 -fjm
                       So think about your masterpiece

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 00:12:33 EST
From: Swinger979 <Swinger979@aol.com>
Subject: Best Of Sessions at West 54th

Well I got the "Best Of Sessions at West 54th" DVD for Christmas...let me just
say this DVD kicks major ass.  There are the best performances from the first
of the show on this DVD. Ben Folds Five is on it with there performance of
"Smoke".
If you have a DVD player I am telling you get this DVD! It has some great
Artists with Great Performances (Ani Defranco, Wynton Marsalis, Keb 'Mo,
Sinead O'Connor, Shawn Colvin, etc.) Check out the Sessions at West 54th site
for information on the DVD.   

And yes...I am a first time poster. I stumbled upon BFF because of my father.
I had never heard of them until about 6 months ago. My father (47 years old)
told me that next time I go to a CD store to pick up a CD by a group called
Ben Folds Five, He heard the end of one of there songs and really liked it.
So next time i went to the CD store i picked up "Whatever And Ever Amen" got
home gave it to my dad and about 15 minutes later he called me to his room and
gave me the CD and said "Well, This was a waste of money!"  I figured if my
dad didnt like it I wouldnt like it. So i threw  the CD in my closet and never
say it again...Until it came time to move to a new city. After the move I was
unpacking one of the boxes and looked at the CD and wondered what it sounded
like. I put it in and pressed play..."HOLY SHIT THIS ROCKS" I thought to
myself, "How could I have ever treated this CD so poorly." SO it was back in
late September that I started listening to BFF and I now have Both albums, a
few singles and a bunch of MP3's.  BFF have now kicked Pearl Jam's ass down to
second place when it comes to my favorite bands.  

ROCK ON!

Bill L.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 01:28:50 EST
From: Brad654 <Brad654@aol.com>
Subject: Please repost Dublin pics URL

Someone (I can't remember who) posted a URL for some pics of the Dublin show
(Dec 13?). Whoever you are, kind soul, would you repost that address or e-mail
it to me?

Thanks in advance.

Brad

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 23:57:55 -0800
From: brad crum <bcrum1@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: keith moerer article on Fiona Apple in Request 

Dear Keith--

While most of us share your enthusiasm at Fiona Apple's charms, 
uh...talents, and while we must acknowledge that she's the big thing of 
the moment, just-got-on-Rolling Stone, etc., I still can't understand 
why you thought it necessary to take a swipe at poor Ben Folds in the 
process of adding to her hype.  

Did he do something to you in a past life? Did you quit piano lessons in 
the 4th grade--so now you feel like you have to beat Ben up every day on 
his way to school?

Sure Fiona's a real talent.  But "Beat Ben Fold's Indie Geek ass?!"
on the 88's?   Somebody get this guy a copy of Ben's first album and 
make him listen to Uncle Walter, Philosophy, and/or Jackson Cannery
(my personal favorite--listen to the little Errol Garner riff at the 
end).

What's with you, and last week that vapid VJ-ette on MTV who dissed him? 
Please, let's not start having a Ben backlash before BEN gets on the 
cover of RS--an honor he richly deserves.  He's been at it a long time
(since Fiona was in grade school) and he really has earned a bit of 
respect.

Thanks, bc

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 08:22:03 -0500
From: Michael Hirsch <michaelh@awl.com>
Subject: BFF in Philly

Does anyone know more about the Philadelphia show?  Has a location
been announced, and is there any ticket info?  If you could e-mail me
directly at michaelh@aw.com, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks,
   -Michael

------------------------------

Date: 31 Dec 97 12:52 EDT
From: KLEVERING.KRISTIN@ANN-ARBOR.VA.GOV
Subject: Ben on desktop

We just got hooked up with the internet here at the nurse's station that I
work at.  I'm really pissed at one of my co-workers and am making it my
mission to irritate him as much as I can today.  I vow to be nicer to him
in the new year, though.
 
One of the things I did to irk him was to change the computer's desktop to
a bright yellow and put a picture of Ben right in the middle of it!  The
cool thing is that nobody I work with (including myself) is computer
literate, so I'm the only one who can change it!  
 
I don't know if anyone posted it, but WAEA was named the 4th best album of
the year by the music writer at the Detroit Free Press, with a good size
picture of the boys on top of the list.  Pretty cool...

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 15:09:16 EST
From: RgrManning <RgrManning@aol.com>
Subject: *When* is the SNL performance?

 Okay...don't bring out the artillery...but....Exactly ~WHEN~ is the Saturday
Night Live performance??? January...??

  Thanks!
   ~Lauren

------------------------------

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #730
**************************************


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