THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #1428 - March 8, 1999
Magical Armchair Digest Monday, March 8 1999 Volume 01 : Number 1428
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
smoke instrument...
western usa dates?
Covering a lot of topics
Smoke and Dawson's Creek
WAEA songbook
Re: Bass Parts
Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1427
instrument in smoke
interview and new single onJJJ!!!
Ben on JJJ tommorrow
mystery instrument
got ben folds on my radio
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 23:37:34 -0800
From: "evlbison" <evlbison@neo.rr.com>
Subject: smoke instrument...
The instrument in the begining of Smoke is Ben's piano. He is known to "scrape" (for lack of a better word)
the head of his microphone on the guts of his piano, producing the strumming sound heard there. He has also
done this during the brake in Song For The Dumped at their concerts. I'm sure you can find bootlegs of this
phenomenon, as it's one of his favorite tricks.
As far as the MP3's are concerned, I'll have the entire album and several singles in mp3 by tonight. E-mail
me for further info.
>
> Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 22:43:57 -0800
> From: Clare <oakes@box.net.au>
> Subject: Hidden track & talking in 'Whatever'
>
> Someone was asking a while ago about where they could find an mp3 of the
> between-track talking and the hidden track from Whatever. It's not an mp3
> (my computer's too old) but for those of you who have the second pressing
> of the cd and want to hear the talking and hiddern track, I've put a .wav
> file and a transcription on my trivia page. Oh yeah: does anyone know
> what sort of instrument is being strummed at the start of and
> during 'Smoke'? I'm sure it's not a guitar but then maybe I'm wrong.
> Anyhoo, check out the trivia page if you've always wanted to hear those
> sounds.
> -Clare
> Co:
> - --
> **********************Have a go at the trivia quiz!********************
> The In-Betweens... ...Clare's BEN FOLDS FIVE Page
> Co: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Vine/3381 Co:
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 21:44:01 PST
From: "Ashley Hill" <hc_mercury@hotmail.com>
Subject: western usa dates?
does anyone know if the boys are going to make it way out west on their
tour? thanks
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 00:37:11 -0600
From: bowie child <bowiechild@juno.com>
Subject: Covering a lot of topics
Ok, so I have a few responses to everyone.
People already have the tuborm (or something like that) because of a
little thing called "promos" You can easily get these by working for a
newspaper either with a city or college. Often times, if you review the
CD, you get to keep it; the editor gives it to you along with a check. I
don't know of another way to get them other than hooking up with someone
you may know in the journalism field. That, or possibly writing to a
newspaper or other publication that gave it a poor review.. maybe they
don't want the cd and could give it to you. By the way, we in the
journalism field also get neato press passes, and the best seats at the
concerts. Best of all we get to go backstage and shake hands with the man
himself, and I am so looking forard to this at the Park West show.
Regarding Ben Folds Five changing their style. Of course you like it the
way it is now, you're used to it. Just like when you were little and you
woke up and had to have your cheerios and a cup of milk in the green cup.
When mom put Wheaties in your bowl, you got a little upset. But now that
you're older, eating the same thing day in and day out is fun for awhile,
but then it gets old. So if you eat Pops for weeks on end, you may be
mildly excited by the cereal, but after awhile you may want to add some
sugar. Eating the same thing is boring, just like playing the same
[general] style repeatedly is boring. Change is good. (now excuse me
while i laugh at my pitiful and confusing analogies)
hill
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 05:13:42 -0800
From: Clare <oakes@box.net.au>
Subject: Smoke and Dawson's Creek
Hi!
Thanks to all the people who replied about the instrument at the start of
Smoke - for anyone who wants to know, it's Ben strumming the piano
strings. And, the episode of Dawson's Creek with Evaporated in it is on
this week (in South Australia, that is). Channel 10 is even using it in
the ad - I got such a shock when I heard it on tv. It made me happy :) .
-Clare-
Co:
- --
**********************Have a go at the trivia quiz!********************
The In-Betweens... ...Clare's BEN FOLDS FIVE Page
Co: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Vine/3381 Co:
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 01:21:20 PST
From: "Heather Kniert" <hkniert@hotmail.com>
Subject: WAEA songbook
the songbook for WAEA contains full scores. yes, that's right, it is
for all three instruments! i have it myself, and am trying to decipher
some of the notations (haven't taken lessons for years) but i can tell
you one thing - it's worth having. very well put together, and
articulately transcribed. whoever said that it only contains the piano
music was quite a silly person (No offense intended, of course)
~heather
Visit my homepage at http://home.talkcity.com/StudioDr/hcookie99
and don't forget to SIGN the guestbooks!
(Pics of me @ "My Photo Album")
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 22:16:12 +1030
From: Ben Williams <ben@tne.net.au>
Subject: Re: Bass Parts
Clare <oakes@box.net.au> wrote:
>Hey- those of you who have the weaea songbook, does it have parts for all
>instruments? Does it have good bass(guitar) parts? I'm prolly going to
>take up bass and I hope I can play along to my cd. Email me if you know!
Then "The Funky Dudes" <frenzal@emunet.com.au> responded:
>
> The songbook is only for piano, but it has the left hand, which is kinda
> bassy, so if you follow that for a rough idea.....best thing to do though is
> shut your eyes and just play.
First of all to Clare:
Do it! Bass rocks. i am a bass player too, and although i have not sat
down and learned many BFF songs, i can tell you (even tho u probably
already knew) the robert is a damn good player. if u r just beginning,
robert's lines/parts are probably pretty damn hard to get into straight
away - i can barely play some of the stuff he does (not that that says a
massive amount - i have been playing for 3 years or so, so not a huge
length of time). Oh yeah, and the fuzz thing Robert uses heaps can be
expensive, you'll need some kind of effects pedal, not just bass + amp.
Guitar effects don't really work well with bass, but you might be able
to get a cheap guitar distortion pedal that will kinda sound like it.
Then to Matt/"The Funky Dudes":
Dude! i am offended. at least you said "a rough idea" - very very rough.
in the case of BFF, incredibly rough, like 5% tops. Ben is good in that
he is not incredibly left-hand heavy, so he leaves room for Robert to
play what he wants. The stuff Robert plays is almost always (like, 95%
of the time) different to the left hand stuff Ben plays. Listen closely.
As for shut your eyes and play...you got that right. Feel it and enjoy
it.
>From Ben.
- --
Boycott shampoo! Demand the REAL poo!
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 10:39:12 -0500
From: Sean Kiely <seank@CYBERNEX.NET>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1427
I was wondering if someone who has the new album would be kind enough to
email me; I just rejoined the list and it seems I missed the
desriptions from people who have it, and I'd like to hear about it
without putting everyone through hearing it again. So if someone would
be kind enough to describe it for me, it would be much appreciated,
sean
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 15:04:18 -0500 (EST)
From: Ginger Nance <gnance@email.unc.edu>
Subject: instrument in smoke
Ben is playing the piano in smoke, not the guitar. :) He's strumming the
piano strings to produce that sound. He uses something to reach in and
strum them with, but I don't know what.
Saw Doug Goodman, my favorite tour manager and yours, last night.
Amazingly enough, he *wasn't* wearing spandex biker shorts--just normal
shorts! Plus the ponytail is still gone...what is the world coming to?!
:) Doug said he was getting ready for the new tour--he'll be leaving Jude
soon to go into rehearsals with BFF. I can't wait for April!
Ginger :)
Ginger Nance
gnance@email.unc.edu
http://www.unc.edu/~gnance
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 12:35:40 PST
From: "Alice Childress" <jbpastie2@hotmail.com>
Subject: interview and new single onJJJ!!!
hi all! JJJ stuff...
i just heard on the radio that there'll
be an interwiew with ben, and they'll
play the NEW SINGLE on JJJ tomorrow!!!
i rang adam spencer and he said that it'll
be just after 8:00 (EST).
so...get a tape ready. yeah!!!
(ohh, just in cast this post comes up late,
the "tomorrow" i'm talking about is the
australian 9th of march). wow! that's robert's
birthday! oh, but that's actually the 10th
here coz america's a day behind. anyway,
i'm blabbing. see ya!
JANET =)
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 18:43:28 -0800
From: Clare <oakes@box.net.au>
Subject: Ben on JJJ tommorrow
TOMMORROW ON THE BREAKFAST SHOE ON JJJ ADAM SPENCER IS GOING TO INTERVIEW
BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I thought that deserved all capital letters. I'm sooooo excited! Adam
said he'd be talking to him about working with WS, trashing the Midday
Show and he'll also PLAY THE NEW SINGLE! He also called Ben a 'special
effect in his own right' when introducing Fear Of Pop. K, I've gotta go
and have brekky now, C-ya!
-Clare
Co:
Oh yeah- non-aussies can listen to JJJ in real audio here
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej . It'll prolly be in the middle of the
night for you though. ;)
- --
**********************Have a go at the trivia quiz!********************
The In-Betweens... ...Clare's BEN FOLDS FIVE Page
Co: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Vine/3381 Co:
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 16:38:02 EST
From: Paul1681@aol.com
Subject: mystery instrument
<does anyone know
<what sort of instrument is being strummed at the start of and
<during 'Smoke'?
that harp-sounding instrument is....(drumroll)....a piano.
yes, ben takes a mic and runs it across the piano strings in some songs.
he does this in smoke and in the live versions of sftd usually.
if you have the official poster, you can see the mic and cord leading up to
the piano.
also, in the pottymouth vid portrait, did anyone else notice the "Big BEN"
model behind ben and the piano...i thought that was funny.
Paul
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Mar 1999 23:06:58 GMT
From: "tavia -" <taves@hotmail.com>
Subject: got ben folds on my radio
ok this is a double post to the ma and the rf to save time (bite me for
my double allegiance- as living colour said: everybody loves you when
you're...)
i expect this has been posted already: I dont care!
tomorrow morning beautiful australians (as in tuesday between 6-9)
we will have our one and only ben folds on the radio on jjj on adam
spencers morning show. I found out yesterday, but I've been busy...
they say it will also be the WORLD DEBUT of the new single. (for FOP one
guesses...)
I am sceptical on the world debut bit, but you never know...
anyways to a friend of mine I told something to: see I wasnt lying!!!
got elliot smith on my radio (well, cd player...) at the mo. and he
rocks in a very low key way. whattatalent.
also: I saw CUBE on the weekend. It's prolly on video in the states by
now, but in australia go to your local arthouse/independent cinema
(dendy in Brisbane) and check it out.
Avoid if you're claustrophobic.
some of the dialogue is cliched and a couple of the actors are sucky,
but david hewlitt is greeeeat.
Just proves that intelligent, restrained men are sexy as all hell. Good
looks dont matter, it's all that quiet, wise intensity that got me and
my friend, people. mmmmm.
anyways I love the way I can hear the good word on films, music and
whatever thru the net, cool place this.
and check out sinforosa's site- very beautiful.
am dressed very trendily in a renaissance come hipster style top/and
short jacket. plus I have my hair cut by one hayden (no longer an adult
hairstyle dan.... <g> .
actually on haircuts: there's nothing greater for the soul than being
pandered to by a couple sweetie attractive male hairdressers: love that
scalp massage. (my hair is soft, light and curly right now...)
no wonder my chi is good.
kisses and a scalp massage to y'all
tavia
'got ben folds on my radio'
'got adam duritz on my bedroom wall'
got one sexy hair cut, dammit <g>
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------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1428
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