Ben Folds Five
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Ben Folds Five (1994–2000) was a three-member band formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina who, until their breakup in 2000, were a mainstay of piano rock. Much of their work was influenced by jazz, evident in frequent improv-styled passages through bridge and/or ending.
Ben Folds was lead singer, pianist, and main composer; Robert Sledge played bass, and Darren Jessee played drums. The group enjoyed the success of the single "Brick" in 1998, a ballad which Folds later revealed was written about an experience with a high school girlfriend getting an abortion.
After the band's supposedly amicable breakup in October 2000, Folds began a moderately successful solo career, Robert Sledge took up singing and bass playing duties with International Orange (which broke up in 2005), and Darren Jessee now fronts the band Hotel Lights.
Folds once described their music as "punk rock for sissies", a reaction to the angst prevalent in 90s rock [link]. When asked about his band's name he jokingly responded "you mean a trio isn't five?"[link].
Discography
Albums- Ben Folds Five (1995) - Passenger/Caroline Records
- Whatever and Ever Amen (1997) - 550
- Naked Baby Photos (1998) - Passenger/Caroline
- The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999) - 550
- Whatever and Ever Amen (Digitally Remastered) (2005)
- "Underground" (1996) #37 UK
- "Battle Of Who Could Care Less" (1997) #26 UK
- "Kate" (1997) #39 UK
- "Brick" (1998) #26 UK; #11 on US adult contemporary charts
- "Army" (1999) #28 UK
- Live at Sessions at West 54th (1999) - Epic Music Video
External links
- [Official Site]
- [Official site of International Orange]
- [Official site of Hotel Lights]
- [Fan site by Frank Maynard], the very first BF5 fansite
- [Fan site by Michael Bluejay]
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