THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #1495 - April 30, 1999
Magical Armchair Digest Friday, April 30 1999 Volume 01 : Number 1495
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
my glasses don't fit right, so i see gay.
Spare Reels!
Glasgow concert
Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1491
kermit cover..just a thought.
UK ben fans
My 1st Impressions
I met this girl, she looked like Axl Rose(NOT!)
Death to the men at FHM!
Bootleg Traders...What Up?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 02:38:02 EDT
From: FieryLox@aol.com
Subject: my glasses don't fit right, so i see gay.
(ok, so i originally posted this to opium, the jump, little children
listserv...deal with it, people! ;)
y'know, not straight? sorry. i guess i've been listening to too much pretty
rufus wainwright tunage.
about TUBORM...(the new ben folds five album)...i've had it for a while, and
i STILL can't decide whether i like it or not. "narcolepsy" is a keeper. i
see the queen comparisons, but i really think that throughout the whole
album, there are very obvious signs that ben has been listening to a lot of
belle and sebastian, elliott smith, and ESPECIALLY radiohead. i think the
whole "concept album" thing may have been picked up from radiohead, at least
a wee bit. i think that in terms of the whole album, ben is desperately
trying to gain some precious indie cred (hey, ala RADIOHEAD!) by creating
something that he doubts that the whole american public will understand,
whilst sony/550 is pushing TUBORM as if it's their sole product for the year
or something. "army" is a fun song...and probably the only rollicking number
on TUBORM. folks who run out to the stores and purchase TUBORM, expecting
"army"/"underground"/"one angry dwarf" type songs, will get home and be like,
"huh? what is this pansy-ass music?". i think it's kind of odd when people
classify TUBORM as "an album full of 'brick's", because anyone who bothered
to listen to the rest of the tracks on Whatever and ever amen would've
noticed other ballads: "selfless, cold, and composed" or
"smoke"..."evaporated", anyone? :) TUBORM seems to me to be entirely
different from "brick", anyway. "brick" had one of the simplest melodies
ever...people used to pluck it out on our communal theatre piano all the time
last year (prompting me to slay them with a lil' bit of "fair")...whereas
TUBORM has lots of beautifully layered piano parts...ben has been playing two
different ones on the road, sometimes both at once!
ok...i'm sounding pessimistic, i guess. i love ben folds five...i'd probably
buy an album full of darren burping while robert roots for truffles and ben
kicks a tree. well...then i guess i'd trade it in for like, a pulp album or
something. however, this album is much more than truffle rooting, i promise.
caleb laughs...ben's dad leaves a nutty message....etc. i just saw them in
concert in amherst, massachusetts, with our list's other resident j,lr,
shannon herber, and we agreed that ben's voice lessons paid off immensely.
the new album actually sounded even better live than on the cd! ben folds
five is not a show to be missed, i promise. i may go to the kosovo
benefit...oh, drat. money. :)
hi, i'm long-winded. nice to meet you, too.
ta!
sara j. miller
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 06:56:40 -0000
From: "Lindsay Lion" <llion@dolphin.upenn.edu>
Subject: Spare Reels!
So I was watching and realize, Hey that was the Georgetown show I went to
last year. Hey! THat's my roomate! Hey, THAT'S ME!!!!.
So if you were at the Gtown show (with the student bouncers & the staff 5
t-shirts (which I got one!!!)) you may be in Spare reels!!!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 12:02:26
From: miss winnie wong <winnie.wong@strath.ac.uk>
Subject: Glasgow concert
Hello!
Just out of curiousity, is there anyone from the list who's going to the
concert in Glasgow on May 15? Maybe we can all get together or something!
Later!
Winnie
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 04:35:41 PDT
From: "Hilton Page" <hiltonpage@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1491
Hi all,
Let me just start by saying that the new album is " ". Sorry, but I
just couldn't think of a word to describe it. "Deep" could be used
but I think that would be an understatement.
Narcolepsy, Don't Change Your Plans, Mess and Magic all made me cry,
but that's probably because alot of the lyrics in them relate to
things I'm going through at the moment.
I agree with Steve that Regrets sounds like the boys have worked with
Jamiroqai. That's not a bad thing though as I quite happen to enjoy
most of Jamiroquai music as well.
Don't really like "Your Most Valuable Possesion", maybe cause there's
no music, so i can't really sing along.
Dr. Pyser really rocks too. Still waiting for Jane and Lullabye to
grow on me.
Anyway can't wait till they get too Australia. I'm hoping to go to
Both the Melbourne shows, the Sydney show and the Adelaide show.
If anyone form AUST. is planning on travelling interstate or just
wants to meet and catch the show together, write me. Cause I don't
have many friends that are into BFF (Not through lack of trying to
convert them).
Also in the Melbourne Herald Sun today, in the HIT part, there was an
article about the boys and thier new album, and they also got album
of the week. They also got album of the week on JJJ, so i have a
feeling that this CD is going to be bigger than anybody (maybe not
the boys, cause they know how good their shit is) could, would've
expected it to be.
Also just thought I'd get y'all jealous, I have a CD player on my
computer at work, so I listen to the album ALL DAY!
Till later
Hilton.
P.S. If anyone knows where to get a copy of the new video in
Melbourne please, please, please, please tell me.
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 05:09:04 PDT
From: "Anna cgp" <acoustic1013@hotmail.com>
Subject: kermit cover..just a thought.
ok, i'm a big muppets fan - so don't think i'm being critical when i
say that i really think Kermit the Frog would sound great covering
'don't change your plans for me' there's just something about the
first verse that conjures up images of kermit sitting on top of a baby
grand for me. hmm, ok, well hopefully i haven't offended anyone, but
that's just what comes into my mind when i hear the beginning of that
song. (which is absolutely fantastic btw)
Crystal - magic does remind me of a Charlie song, which is good,
because the charlie songs are brilliant..
anna/acoustic.
______________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 05:53:37 PDT
From: "rebehka christine cramer" <rccmeg@hotmail.com>
Subject: UK ben fans
hey guys,
i was just wondering if anyone was going to the manchester show at the
academy on may 14th. we are thinking of going, and it would be cool to
chill with some armchairers.
also for those who cant get access to melody maker easily, namely
those at home in the US, ill be posting this thing they did with ben
today or tomorrow. its really funny.
bye bye now,
chrissy.
this is my story both humble and true,
take it to pieces and mend it with glue.
*********************************************************************
'i can never find my stuff.'
- -john lennon
'sure i love liam, but not as much as i love pot noodles.'
- -noel gallagher
*********************************************************************
university of central lancashire homepage
www.uclan.ac.uk
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 09:35:47 -0400
From: "Jared Pinkos & Marcae Benoit" <jaredmarcae@sprynet.com>
Subject: My 1st Impressions
OK, so it's really like my 4th or 5th impression, but close enough.
1.Narcolepsy-Sounds too much like that goofy "rock opera" type song at
the end of "Mr. Holland's Opus". Some parts are good, but it's very
disjointed.
2.Don't Change Your Plans-A very Burt Bacharach track. This could
easily be the theme song from a 70's TV show. My friends used to make
fun of Ben Folds Five for sounding like the theme from "Three's
Company"-after this track, I can no longer argue.
3.Mess-A little bit country. I can't quite nail down which song, but
it sounds like something Willie Nelson or Johnny Cash might sing.
4.Magic-A beautiful song, although the timpani and tambourine are a
bit intrusive at times. If this song can get airplay, it'll be a hit.
Darren's got skills!
5.Hospital Song-This was shaping up to be a good song...'till it
ended. Too short.
6.Army-The only classic BF5 style song on the album. It seems as if
their skill in writing these types of songs has declined-Kate and
Battle were the only new songs on Whatever that were in this style.
Maybe they're just bored with it.
7.Your Redneck Past-I don't know what to think of this song-it'll
probably be good live, but all the extra electric crap bugs me.
8.Your Most Valuable Possession-It's been done on Tool's Aenima in a
song called "Message To harry Manback". I'm sure the band is amused
by this, but it doesn't belong on an album.
9.Regrets-Too much Fear Of Pop-which I didn't like at all.
10.Jane-Pretty good. It's got a good groove goin' for it.
11.Lullabye-Good song, but once again, a little bit country.
All in all, I like it. But it's hard to ignore all the similarities
to other songs/bands/styles. I wish they'd get back to the hard
rockin' stuff. Later-Jared
The disco's got a new style-check it out at:
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/benfoldsfive/index.html-it looks cool!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 10:29:19 -0400
From: crv1@is2.nyu.edu (Chris Van Valen)
Subject: I met this girl, she looked like Axl Rose(NOT!)
Hi
I don't know if the person I met last night reads this digest or is even
onlinr, but it couldn't hurt to try. Please indulge me for a moment.
Second night at Irving.
I was stabding upstaires at the right side of the balcony.
Green button-down collar shirt, black hair anf goatee.
You:
long, straight red-brownhair
lovely face
Brown jacket, white t-shirt
You commented to me that everyone upstairs was over 30.
I agreed and said that the floor crush was a young man's game
You said something about being spat on.
I began to introduce myself, but an asian girl and her boyfriend came up to
the rail between us.
The moment was lost.
About 5 minutes later, the waitress came and took drink orders. I thought
of asking you if you'd like a drink, but without the introduction, I was
afraid you'd think I was a creep hitting on you.
You spent a while talking with a guy in a white sweater(?). From the few
snippets I heard, You seem to have interests similar to my own. I wish that
it was me that you were speaking with.
You left the rail shortly thereafter and lost your spot. I tried to get
your attention and offer to share my rail space, but you didn't see me. You
then got on a chair and danced(and you dance well!). Later the rail opened
again and you came back. But by then BFF was on and I didn't want to break
the groove that you seemed to be enjoying.
That was the end of that evening. but if you're reading this and are
interested I'd like to meet you sometime for a cup of coffee or a drink and
have a friendly chat. .
Hopefully,
CV
If you have an unpleasant nature and dislike people
this is no obstacle to work. -- J.G. Bennett
And it's potato, potato, potato. -- Mike Keneally
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 16:25:14 +0000
From: "STEVEN IAN PICK" <A9610098@newi.ac.uk>
Subject: Death to the men at FHM!
Hiya, y'all..!
A little disappointed to find a duff review about TUBORM in the
latest UK issue of FHM (with nudie pics of some tiny Scots bird..!)
and the bastards gave it 2 stars and reviewed it last, and even
though they commented on how fantastic (and rightfully so)
Narcolepsy is, they compared our Ben to.... (ulp) Barry Manilow!!!!
Flame-grill those gits at - fhm@ecm.emap.com
Steve :)~
P.S. If there is a god in the world, he/she'd make Narcolepsy a
single...
A9610098@newi.ac.uk
http://members.xoom.com/pickasso
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 12:50:03 -0400
From: "Dr. Pyser" <mhirsch@clarku.edu>
Subject: Bootleg Traders...What Up?
Hey everyone! =20
I am not the list and this is my posting ever, so...anyway, the new disc =
is quite brilliant, isnt it? but on to the real order of business, =
which is bootleg trading. those of who are familiar with the BFF No =
Moshing Allowed tapes know me because i made them and sent them to you. =
so, for those of who have those tapes and wonder if there will be a =
volume IV featuring live and rare stuff from TUBORM (silly acronym), =
yes, there will be as soon as i get more than 3 tapes from stuff of the =
new tour which brings me to the point of this e-mail. DOES ANYONE HAVE =
ANY TAPES (B quality and above) FROM THE NEW TOUR? Also, does anyone =
have set lists from the new tour (i am going to try archive them). =20
As Celine informed of all you yesterday (thanks for the mention C!), i =
have the 4/17/99, 4/23/99, and 4/25/99 shows and will be willing to =
trade them. however, i am always for more tapes (esp from the new =
tour). here are the apprpriate links to my webpages:
http://webdreg.simplenet.com/hirsch/ - main page
http://webdreg.simplenet.com/hirsch/bff - bff page
http://webdreg.simplenet.com/hirsch/bff/tapes.html bff bootleg page
http://webdreg.simplenet.com/hirsch/bff/setlists.html the beginning of =
my set list archive
http://webdreg.simplenet.com/hirsch/bff/moshing.html Ben Folds Five No =
Moshing Compilation Tapes
http://webdreg.simplenet.com/hirsch/Bootlegs/ the main Bootleg (i trade =
over 70 artists and have hundreds of tapes, you can probably something =
you would like to have!)
if you have any questions, trade offers, or anything else, the e-mail is =
mhirsch@clarku.edu
later foldsies or benheads!
mike
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1495
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