Ben Folds Five

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Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States (1994 – 2000)

Ben Folds Five (1994-2000) was a three-member band formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 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.

The members of the band were: Ben Folds, the lead singer and pianist, who also wrote most of the songs; Robert Sledge on bass and Darren Jessee on drums. The group enjoyed the success of the single Brick in 1997, a ballad written by Folds (with a chorus by Jessee) about his high school girlfriend getting an abortion. This song has, to a large degree, misrepresented the band to fans who aren’t familiar with their other work; “Brick” is a serious ballad, whereas most of their music is characterised by jazz inflections and witty, humorous lyrics.

After the band’s not -so amicable breakup in October 2000 over Ben’s over shadowing of Sledge and Jessee, Folds began a solo career. Robert Sledge’s subsequent band International Orange has broken up, while Darren Jessee is the frontman for the band Hotel Lights.

Folds once described their music as “punk rock for pussies” - a reaction to the angst prevalent in 90s rock. When asked about his band’s name he jokingly responded “you mean a trio isn’t five?”. In other interviews the band said that the name was simply because Ben Folds Five sounded better than Ben Folds Three.

Ben Folds has continued with producing music on his own, striking a subtler tone than Ben Folds Five’s earlier recordings.

Tagged as:

alternative, rock, indie, piano rock, piano
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15	Mess full track	587

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ChudleyCannons wrote:
Thursday morning

evidence?

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whitecollarboy_ wrote:
last month

Ben Folds is a FUCKIN' ASSHOOOOOOOLE.

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Range341 wrote:
last month

Gigantic is an understatement!

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ChudleyCannons wrote:
last month

hahahah. yeah. i have a gigantic review of the show on my profile. hahahah.

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Range341 wrote:
last month

@cereal4life, the setlist can be found in the huge reviews: http://www.last.fm/event/751515/reviews I cannot stop watching the reunion, counting on that dvd!

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youscareme wrote:
last month

lmao redmosquito1

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cereal4life wrote:
last month

Man, I would have loved to seen them live! A reunion show would have been dope. Chudleycannons, do you have a setlist of what they played or some highlights? That would be appreciated.

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RedMosquito1 wrote:
October 2008

ben folds five. he really does. he's just strong like that.

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davepriz wrote:
October 2008

she dont use jelly

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ChudleyCannons wrote:
October 2008

There was a one-time-only reunion show in Chapel Hill, NC on September 18, 2008. Basically the best day of my life. If you live outside the USA you can't stream video for some stupid reason. But you can watch it in parts at http://www.youtube.com/coldandcomposed or full stream at http://www.thesuburbs.org.uk

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AnnaIstRad wrote:
October 2008

reunion? what?

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ChudleyCannons wrote:
October 2008

http://www.myspace.com/fronttoback to watch the reunion gig. (seems to not work for non-USA people)

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ChudleyCannons wrote:
October 2008

Well. It does surprise me that Cigarette is in the top 15, cause the track is so short, but it's probably due to the success of WAEA.

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JammyJulian wrote:
October 2008

Ah - but tbh we could be here all day saying that song should be in the top 15. All of their songs are splendidly awesome, and have enough meat behind them to be in the top 15. Although lack of Stephens last night in town is bad ;P

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ChudleyCannons wrote:
October 2008

You know what surprises me is not in the top 15 songs? Jackson Cannery.

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Malvadizko wrote:
October 2008

just downloaded sports & wine, it turned into my fave bf5 song :3, got any more ben folds 5 song recommendations?

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CortanasK1N wrote:
October 2008

hell yes qxan. wonderful wonderful song ;]

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qxan wrote:
October 2008

Sports & Wine needs more love.

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3fingeredben wrote:
October 2008

fuck you, cortana

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CortanasK1N wrote:
October 2008

im really stoked for their reunion video to be posted on myspace :]

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