Electric Lounge, Sunday, February 11
It’s soooooo crucial to have a favorite new band. In a world that’s
rife with undependable boys and fickle friends, a favorite new band is a
rapturous new lover that simply can’t let you down. The record always plays the
same way, and the more time you spend with it, the closer you two get.
Ben Folds Five couldn’t be a more perfect crush. The boys of BFF, three at
various stages of 20, are reminiscent of the goofy, normal guys you ran with in
college. The beautiful fantasy of this trio is that they don’t watch Monday
Night football, rather they make pop perfection, complete with three-part
harmony story songs, and a rarely found but greatly appreciated musical
astuteness. Oh, and better still, there’s no guitar player in the band. Ben
Folds is a piano man.
“Yeah, there’s the Billy Joel camp,” says Folds about the comparisons that
invariably come up because he sits behind a baby grand. “There’s the people who
are convinced we’re Jellyfish or Queen. Then, there’s the Squeeze people who
usually travel in the same boat as the Joe Jackson people. And then there’s the
whole other area, which is, like, Todd Rundgren.”
Like a lot of artists who are accused of sounding too much like other
you-know-whos, Folds only owns a couple of records by these supposed
“influences.” But the cadre is pretty limited when you’re a kid looking for
rock & roll piano mentors. So when did Folds decide he was allowed to play
piano and be a rock dude?
“Rock dude? asks Folds. “I gave myself rock dude privileges when I was about
10. I loved Little Richard and Elton John when I was that age.”
Aha! So how many Elton John Records do you have?
“Oh. A lot. All of them up until fat Elton.”
But the cool police allow early Elton, don’t they?
“Ab-so-lute-ly. And if they want to cuff you and take you downtown for that,
then they’re sadly misinformed.”
Yes, my newest, truest love. And how I need you to save my life tonight. — Mindy LaBernz
This article appears in February 9 • 1996 and February 9 • 1996 (Cover).