THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #1507 - May 5, 1999
Magical Armchair Digest Wednesday, May 5 1999 Volume 01 : Number 1507
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 23:13:47 PDT
one other thingee
my first post
Re: ben should write a musical
TUBORM
Your Redneck Ass
So far, yet so near...
Musical
Seattle shows wanted!!!
Where the hell????
Re: Fluid Ounces compared to BF5
Some further thoughts on TUBORM
_TUBORM_ review on-line today...
Philip Lauri, where are you?
Atlanta show
Ben: a musical? I liiiike it!
bf5 at edge102
Magical Show at the Park West
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 23:13:47 PDT
From: "Stephen Jackson" <distilled_spirit@hotmail.com>
Subject: Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 23:13:47 PDT
Hi there, this is the first time I've written in to this thingee. I first
got into the band from brick... bla bla bla (one angry Dwarf is my fav
though) Anyways, I was wondering If Bff were planning to do an Australian
Tour sometime soon, because they never seem to come here. I missed them by
about two weeks (the waea tour). So anyway, if anyone knows about it, just
post it here. THANKS!!!!
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 23:17:41 PDT
From: "Stephen Jackson" <distilled_spirit@hotmail.com>
Subject: one other thingee
Also, I was thinking (i don't do enough of this by the way) and I realised
(like everyone else out there) that In regrets (best song on this album,
methinks) he said how there "must be thousands like me with the same
name..." Very clever, Thousands of Reinhold Messners.
B.t.w, Reinhold Messner wasn't ben, It was darren.
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 02:27:57 EDT
From: NedGump@aol.com
Subject: my first post
Hey y'all, this is my very first post to the armchair, i feel like such a
loser for not joining so long ago. I dont have much to say.
One thing that i found out today is that Ben went to University of Miami, and
so do I. wow. small world. He left, and i might leave. even smaller. cool
- -ned
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 02:39:40 EDT
From: NedGump@aol.com
Subject: Re: ben should write a musical
Hell yeah.. I've been thinking how theatrical his songs are. If he put his
mind twards a musical, it would work so well.
Aslo, anybody notice how "Dont change your plans" sounds like a voice over in
the beggining? lET ME CLARIFY - it is echo-y. like hes thinking what is
being sead, and we hear his mind? well, the second i heard that song, and
image poped into my mind: Charlie Brown. it reminded me of when in "Snoopy
come home" charlie brown was up late at night, fixing a bowl of ceral, and
was 'thinking/singing" and it was just so cool to hear that in ben's music.
Thats not the first time too. Listen to "Selfless, Cold, and Composed" i
get the same charlie brown feeling. Since Vince Guaraldi - the man who wrote
the peanuts cartoon music - died, there hasnt been a new peanuts cartoon.
Ben should take over!!! let him score a new peanuts special!!
anybody agree with me, or am i fucking crazy?
- -nedgump@aol.com
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 00:21:37 -0700
From: "Paul A. Carlson" <PaulCarlson@audiophile.com>
Subject: TUBORM
Hey all,
I'm new to the list and I would just like to add my 2 cents worth.
First, did anybody catch the webcast May 3 from Chicago? It was
awesome. Second, the new album totally kicks ass. I agree that it
isn't that much of a departure from their other stuff. The feeling I
get from the new album is kind of like late 70's early 80's TV theme
songs. Like CHiPs or something like that. I felt that near the end of
Regrets it sounds exactly like a Pink Floyd song. Lullabye sounds like
a definite R&B song from the likes of Ray Charles. Actually a lot of
songs on the album sound familiar but I just can't figure out where I've
heard them before. One more thing, how cool would a Ben Folds and Dave
Matthews duet be? They have voices that would go great together.
Peace.
- --
"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs.
Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others."
-John F. Kennedy
Paul Carlson
<pcarlson@scs.unr.edu>
<paul@carlson.reno.nv.us>
<PaulCarlson@audiophile.com>
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 09:50:49 +0000
From: "STEVEN IAN PICK" <A9610098@newi.ac.uk>
Subject: Your Redneck Ass
Hiya, y'all!
In response to Sarah Troupis's extremely long, but still very
entertaining post, she mentions that she changes the words on
"Your Redneck Past" to "your redneck ass". Actually, there IS a
bit where Ben actually does say "your redneck ass". I'm darn sure
of it..!
Still loving the album - I agree TOTALLY that music should be
diverse, as with the band's direction musically. Just think -
TUBORM could be the stepping stone to something really BIG!
Ta, ta
Steve ;)~
A9610098@newi.ac.uk
http://members.xoom.com/pickasso
P.S. Why do American sitcoms think us British all sound like Dick
Van Dyke in Mary Poppins, and all live in fog-bound, cobble-stoned
London..? Eh...?
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 12:46:09 +0200
From: "Janniek van Walsum" <vanwalsum@gelrevision.nl>
Subject: So far, yet so near...
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Hello!
The show in Chicago last night was a treat. I thought the boys were a =
bit subdued and Ben didn't 'hurt' a key on his piano(s), but it was =
wonderful. Thank god for the internet!=20
It nearly killed me to get up at 3:30 a.m. to watch the show, but it was =
definitely worth it. Just as Scott the tour manager shouted 'metal', the =
sun started to peek up over the tree tops outside my kitchen window. =
Magic!
Less fun was getting up this morning with my 3 young children, but =
that's the price to pay!
Tonight I'm going to see Fountains of Wayne in Nijmegen. Cool!
Frank, are they doing any European tour this year? No, England is not =
considered European! It's been 2 years since I saw them live...Boo.
Lisa Joy
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 22:11:25 +1000
From: "Csillag" <ac@tig.com.au>
Subject: Musical
Hey everyone :)
I totally agree with Joanne Walker- I've always thought, actually, since
the first time I heard Underground, that Ben's work resembles stuff from a
musical- and he's got everything down from the boppy crowd-liveners to the
heart-filled ballads and the whole story in every song kind of deal going
on- I"d love to see him write a whole musical and set a script around each
album- how classic would they be? he's obviously a talented writer, and you
can almost sculpt in your mind how you could go through waea and just
rearrange the order of the songs and pick a couple of characters and just
go for it. What do you think?
*lisa*
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 09:40:26 EDT
From: Emraldyze3@aol.com
Subject: Seattle shows wanted!!!
I have to admit, when I saw BFF at the Showbox last February, I'd never had a
better time- Front row (against the railing!), center- amazing...
Anyways- I WANT MORE! Honestly, we're Seattle- music and coffee capital of
the world! We must be added to the tour!
~jen
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 09:43:22 EDT
From: Emraldyze3@aol.com
Subject: Where the hell????
Ok- I have a really crappy stereo and all I keep hearing about is the hidden
track on Biography. Can someone please help me figure out how to access it?
~jen
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 09:55:50 -0700
From: Paul Rodriguez <mppr@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Fluid Ounces compared to BF5
YourPalCM@aol.com wrote:
> Below is a review of the latest Fluid Ounces CD. For those who have not
> gotten it yet, do it now! www.spongebath.net for only $10! If you love BF5,
> you will love this band!
>
> FL.OZ.-In the New Old Fashioned Way-And for those who want the "old" Ben
> Folds Five sound....Here ya go!!
Many thanks to the person who originally recommended this special. Just
got the CD this week. Definitely in the vein of "old" BFF. It's funny
to compare this to TUBORM. And as good as the Fuild Oz. record is, and
despite the slightly mixed quality of TUBORM, it does show why BFF shows
such great promise and is quite different from some other piano-based
bands that are similar.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 16:31:21 +0100
From: Edward Collier <colliere@techop.co.uk>
Subject: Some further thoughts on TUBORM
Narcolepsy - For anyone interested, a brilliant novel about (among
other things) narcolepsy and cataplexy is "House of Sleep" by
Jonathan Coe. Great song, too.
Don't Change Your Plans - delicious sound, timeless and cool.
Lovely production on the cymbals and use of tubular bells. One of
the many high spots on this record.
Mess - reminds me of that old hippy band Love - check out the
album "Forever Changes". (For anyone that thinks the summer
of love was about love and summer, this should disabuse them.)
The strings and vocal backing also have resonances of Lalo
Schifrin (composer of the music for many of Clint Eastwood's
"spaghetti" westerns, as well as the original music for Mission -
Impossible)
Magic - That extraordinary dissonance at 1' 07". Interesting choice
for Ben, a Baldwin piano. Is it treated in some way on this track a
la John Cage's prepared piano? Most modern musicians seem to
choose either the much brighter Steinway (the Rolls Royce of
pianos) or Yamaha (the Lexus - with the added bonus of providing
proper instruments with correct actions, soundboards and pedaling
but also built in microphones/pickups), or (my personal choice) the
Bosendorfer 9' concert grand as used by the incredible Tori Amos -
this is the Aston Martin of pianos. This is because it weighs more
than a ton, is a complete pleasure to drive, makes a fantastic noise
and costs a shedload of money. And that fake ending at 3' 14" with
the overhanging reverb reminiscent of Peter Gabriel.
Hospital Song - Not nearly long enough. And I love the middle
European sounding piano solo, and the seamless segue into . . .
Army - chug a chug a chug a chug. Great song but not surprised
that it bombed as a single. Very few single buyers can cope with
more than one change of tempo. And as I said in a previous post,
makes me think of Clinton; "in this time of introspection . . .
please spare me more rejection", "my redneck past is nipping at
my heels" (is Arkansas a redneck state? . . .
and, what is a chic-fil-a?)
Your Redneck Past - the worst track on the record by some
considerable margin. I like the lyrics, though. And thanks
to all those who told me who Kool Moe Dee is. I don't think
he had a hit in the UK though.
Your Most Valuable Possession - I wish my answering machine
had as good sound reproduction as this one.
Regrets - hmmmmmmmmmm ok Great bass playing. I think
Ben should get rid of that Moog, though. But then it goes into
that wonderful ending, like Floyd or even Queen, as some have
pointed out.
Jane - I really don't want to like this with its fuzzy old Fender
Rhodes thunking away but it's just sooooooooo good.
Lullabye - easily my favourite. Exquisite, poignant, charming.
For its extraordinary weirdness of lyrical content it is only
matched in my experience by Paul Simon's "Renee and
Georgette Magritte After the War" (on Hearts and Bones).
Well, thank you so much for your indulgence. I'll go back
to being (mainly) a lurker.
Edward
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 09:58:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jason Warburg <jasonburg@yahoo.com>
Subject: _TUBORM_ review on-line today...
There's a review of the boys' new album featured on
The Daily Vault today. Check it out at:
http://www.dailyvault.com
After today (May 4) it'll show up in the site's
"Archives" section. Enjoy...
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 10:59:29 PDT
From: "nice bug" <nicebug@hotmail.com>
Subject: Philip Lauri, where are you?
I'm looking for Philip Lauri - aplauri@juno.com. He was supposed to make a
tape for me; has anyone heard from him lately? Any information would be
appreciated. EMAIL PRIVATELY: nicebug@hotmail.com please!
Thanks a million, and when the hell are BFF coming to Texas this
tour!?!!!??? --katie
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------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 13:58:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Robert Stevie Berryman Jr." <gt5537b@prism.gatech.edu>
Subject: Atlanta show
does anyone know when these tickets go on sale?
- --
R. Stevie Berryman, Jr.
gt5537b@prism.gatech.edu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 15:29:22 EDT
From: AnchorJ@aol.com
Subject: Ben: a musical? I liiiike it!
To the person--and all other fans--who suggested that Ben write a musical:
Great Idea. We know that Ben has a natural knack for telling stories with
his music, as well as a sort of classic, old school feel to his melodies.
That, combined with the dominant piano, would make for a great,
humorous-in-the-way-that-only-Ben-Folds-Five-knows-how MUSICAL. rock on.
So our ideas so far are: a muscial, and a Kermie cover of a bff song (or vice
versa.) BFF should hire the armchair to think up these great marketing
ideas.... ;)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 17:00:59 -0400
From: wkmak@ica.net
Subject: bf5 at edge102
Hey there,
in addition to ben folds five being at muchmusic at 3:30 PM on thurs., they
are also going to be at toronto radio station edge 102 on the program "live
in toronto" from 6-8 on wed. may 5 .... address is the trailer at 1 Dundas
Street. i think it's cutting close to the concert, so i don't think i'll
go.... but if anyone does go though, let me know how it is!
Kitty
P.S. What are the names of the openers again? I've been looking everywhere
and no one has posted it anywhere.... something about F&J or something like
that? please email me privately at wkmak@ica.net
members.xoom.com/SeanLennon
shadows on the wall
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 17:39:26 EDT
From: Eze114@aol.com
Subject: Magical Show at the Park West
WOW!!!! This was my very first show and boy was I impressed!!!!! I was so
excited for the show and then i get there and am only standing 2 feet away
from the stage!! I was freakin out!! Fleming and John were awesome and they
were so nice too! We met them after the show---they're sweet!! I am thinking
about picking up their new cd. Anyways, I was about to go into a seizure when
the boys came on stage. Robert was right in front of me and I was dying!! We
saw the setlist before the show started and I saw that my 2 new favorites
were gonna be played (magic and lullabye). It was nice cuz not many people
seemed to know the new songs so it was quiter during those. Ben went nuts at
the end and started jumping over the piano and rolling on te floor----so
close to me!! It was just one thrill after another and it was the best
concert I have EVER been to!!! THose of you who went to the show e-mail me
about your thoughts!!!! -Erin
I was so pissed I didn't bring my camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Saw you last night dance by the light of the moon
Stars in your eyes free from the life that you knew"
- -Darren Jesse
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #1507
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