Ben Folds

1. Ben Folds Biography Jon Dykstra

2. I chose Ben Folds because I, like him am a pianist and have always admired his work and talent. • “I spent maybe six months just running scales with a metronome like a freak. I suppose that did something. ”That’s Ben Folds explaining what he filled his time with after dropping out of the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, with only one credit left to graduate. He was always a bit of an oddball, as I imagine most skilled musicians are. He got his start playing music early, after his father brought home an aged upright piano as barter from a man who couldn’t pay a debt. As a young kid in the late70’s, he would listen to his parents’ Billy Joel and Elton John records and would learn to play them by ear.

3. A lot of Ben’s songs are influenced by his love of these musicians as well as his hometown. He was born on a beautiful September day in 1966, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He describes the autumn season back East as something to be grateful for. Growing up he always had some musical project going on. He was part of several bands from middle school through college. Interestingly enough he was often the drummer or bassist of the group. It’s hard to imagine given the fact that he has been named one of the greatest piano players of his era. • Trying to make a name for himself on the music scene, he started a band with his best friends, Millard Powers and Dave Rich. With Ben on bass, Millard on guitar, and Dave Rich on drums, they played and won the Battle of the Bands under the name Mojosha in 1998. After that, they went on to make an EP titled, “Party Night: Five Songs about Jesus.” Surprisingly, none were actually about Jesus. Soon, Mojosha became a recognized name and they began playing bigger and better paying gigs. Not long after that EP was released, the put out an album called, “Shut Up and Listen to Mojosha.” This included a few songs from “Party Night” which they chose to remix. “Emaline” made its debut at this time, which is still a very popular song that Ben Folds does solo.

4. In 1990 the band broke up and Ben went on the form Pots and Pans with Evan Olson on bass, Britt Uzzell as guitar and vocals, and Ben on drums. They only lasted about a month, with Uzzell and Ben’s brother, Chuck forming a new band with a different name. This inspired Ben to write a song about the failures and miseries of life called “Army”. It became one of his biggest hits, even making it to mainstream radio. After years of performing and doing everything he could to exploit himself, Ben finally got a break. Nashville music executive, Scott Siman gave him a record deal after hearing him play the drums in a house band. Ben began playing drums for different bands all over Nashville and was quoted as saying, “In Nashville I was running 8 miles away, hanging out with my friends, walking around eating chocolate-chip cookies and playing a lot of drums, which I enjoyed. Life was easy. I was never frustrated- even though I wasn’t fulfilling my contract obligations. If you are failing in Nashville, at least your standard of living is nice. Nashville is a nice way to fail.” • After his stint in Tennessee he went on to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music on a percussion scholarship. He did very well, received high marks, and his teachers appreciated his talent. It wasn’t until after a night of partying and a fight which injured his hand, did he start to go downhill. That day he showed up at school and was expected to play in front of a jury, which would determine his final grade for the semester. After he failed, he lost his scholarship, and proceeded to throw his drum kit into the campus lake.

5. His real success came after a short time in New Jersey where he studied acting and abandoned music altogether. A friend asked him to move back to North Carolina where they could start a band. He agreed and headed to Chapel Hill to form Ben Folds Five with Ben on piano, Darren Jesse on drums, and Robert Sledge on bass. This was the beginning of something truly magical. Only one year after they started, they released a major album titled, “Whatever and Ever, Amen” which did very well in the alternative music scene. Hits like “Brick” and “Song for the Dumped” were huge among college kids and young professional adults. The lyrics were often noted to contain “nuances of depression, melancholy, self-confidence, and humorous sarcasm”. Their songs eventually made the Billboard Charts, but never the top 100. The band released several more albums and EPs but eventually broke up. Ben started a solo career. • After he decided to take the leap and do his own music, he released a very successful album called “Rocking’ the Suburbs” in 2001. He played almost all the instruments on each track and added the guitar, which was not on the other Ben Folds Five albums. He also released a series of very successful EPs which included “Speed Graphic” and“Sunny16”. Ben was on his way to superstardom and began having songs hit mainstream alternative radio stations across the nation. He even found huge success in Japan, Australia, and England. Most recently he released an album which turned out to be the highest charting album of his career in the U.S. Topping at #11 on the Billboard 200; he knew he had finally gotten somewhere. • Success started to come easily as he toured with big names like The Fray, Rufus Wainwright, Ben Lee, and John Mayer. He started performing with symphonies all over the world including W. Australian Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Sydney Orchestra, and Queensland Orchestra. Ben enjoyed the richness of all the instruments and remained humbled and flattered that any beautiful orchestra would want to be a part of his music.

6. He continues to tour and amaze as he shares his talent with the world. I have seen him perform live all over the country and will continue to follow his shows. The reason why I chose Ben Folds is because his music truly moves me. It’s not the rock that I love, it’s his lyrics and the effect his piano playing can have on someone. He is remarkably talented individual and I can only hope he has the desire to keep making music for me. • The first song is titled “Mess”. It was composed by and lyrics written by Ben. He was quoted on his iTunes Original album as saying, “Mess was a song about a loss of innocence. It’s a song about having so much baggage that now you are unable to completely explain your history; you’ve made a mess. It’s like at this point, there’s really-the next person I meet I can no longer completely explain my history. I have enough baggage to where that’s not possible any more, and they’re just gonna have to take it from, this is a new clean slate.”, When I listen to this song, those are precisely the feelings he conveys. The music has a desperate quality about it. You will be able to understand the feeling he is trying to create; you’ll notice it is in minor mode. There are several little gems within the music if you listen closely. Ben adds strings when he wants to create a heavy feel, a depressing and lost feel. You’ll also notice the tempo is very quick and he does this simply to emulate a very confused, chaotic, and out of control emotion. Pay close attention to his variances in wording throughout the chorus, it helps to explain his confusion.

7. The next song is called “Magic”. It was written and composed by band mate, Darren Jesse. It’s hard to find a definite explanation of this song because Darren is a person who doesn’t like to dish on exact meaning. After reading several interviews, the consensus seems to include his grandfather’s death, a best lady friend’s suicide, and love. All of these are certainly subjects I can hear within the song. When Ben plays a small part on the tack piano, it paints a very specific image. Whomever they are referring to at this point, you get the image that the band wants to keep this person as a very special memory. The innocence of the high notes on the tack piano tells me that it’s almost a dreamer vision in which they’re seeing this special person again. At a time where there was no pain, only love and understanding. This is a precious song and the fact that I don’t have a specific story allows me to use my own life to paint their ambiguous canvas.

8. The last song I chose is called “Don’t Change Your Plans”. Written and composed by Ben Folds in A major, it gives you a pleasant feeling. This is another song without a definitive history. Ben has said, “It was supposed to be just a long instrumental passage- after it was edited down to its final product, a producer just cut it and all of a sudden it was this pop song! And then I was like, oh, okay, I see what you’re talking about. “I love this song; I love all the variety you get. You hear happiness and excitement in the beginning, you hear the joy of love and commitment, and you hear real life thoughts and emotions. He does a special little variance in the choruses, after the first chorus he starts playing the chords as triplets and that simple change completely alters the song. This is the small variety I love that he does. Just when you think you understand what he is trying to convey, he throw you curveball and it’s up to you to interpret it as you wish. He incorporates an array of instruments; featuring wire brush on drums, trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. He also adds some style with syncopation when his back- up singers do their part. It’s really an exciting piece. I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I have, throughout the years in all different moods and contexts.

9. “MESS” • • “Mess” Music and Lyrics by Ben Folds- G Minor• 0:00 Introduction- Piano makes its debut with drums entering shortly after. Main theme repeats 6 times• 0:15 Verse 1 begins, “There was a time when I had nothing to explain of this mess I had made”. You can hear cymbals accentuate certain parts of this music• 0:29 Second part of verse 1, after you will hear the main them repeated without lyrics before the chorus• 0:43 Chorus: Take note of the variation in wording during the choruses. The first time he says, “But I don’t believe in God, so I can’t be saved”• 1:08 Instrumental break- Solo piano with some effects, you’ll begin to hear the viola, violins, and bass come in. You’ll also hear back-up vocals that add depth to the music.• 1:22 Pace and intensity pick up, creating dissonance- you can hear blocks, strings, and a painful scratching sound. Strings raise pitch to add to the chaos, and vocals are alongside a shaker.• 1:35 Break comes to a halt and introduces us to verse 2. This time you’ll notice there in significantly more energy and instrumentation than the first verse. “All the untested virtue of things I said I’d never do, least of all to you”• 2:00 Chorus: “But I don’t believe in love so I can’t be tamed”. You see the difference in chorus lyrics here. You also hear back- up vocals this time. • 2:19 Chorus comes to a close as you start to hear things slowing and calming. It almost feels like a tired section. He adds lyrics to the end of the chorus that weren’t previously sung. “I have made the same mistake over and over again.” The word “again” is said with no instrumentals. • 2:37 A light organ note is held and drums come back in to reintroduce the main theme. • 2:55 Verse 3, “There are rooms in this house that I don’t open anymore, misty books and pictures on the floor”. After the word “floor” the piano makes a grand statement and all instruments are back. • 3:10 Chorus- Begins with a heightened tone than the last couple times. The wording is now back to the first chorus, though the back-up singers echo the second chorus wording.• 3:33 There is still chaos but it’s slower, and you start to sense a little more darkness in the tone.• Coda- He adds a series of “aloha’s” here instead of how the last bridge ended. The closing statement only includes some dissonant piano and a few drum beats.

10. “Magic” • • “Magic” Music and Lyrics by Darren Jesse F Major• 0:00 Introduction- You hear simple piano that offers and slow and unidentified emotion.• 0:22 Verse 1, “From the back of your big brown eyes” you only hear piano and vocals.• 0:44 Verse 2, Same theme with the piano’s tempo getting slower and softer than the previous verse.• 1:06 Variation of second verse that extends longer, but it comes to a halt.• 1:11 I don’t know what you’d call this part, it’s not necessarily a bridge, and it’s not the chorus- “Saw you last night dance by the light of the moon” starts to bring a memory into play and paints an innocent picture.• 1:29 Drum hits and breaks concentration. It’s highlighted with a light tambourine. This is the simplest chorus I’ve heard in my life. Simply a series of “shallailailai’s” and a few heavy drum beats and bright tambourine. • 1:52 Second half of chorus is only the piano and the viola. Shortly after you begin to hear the violins which play as if they’re meant to add sensitivity or longing. • 2:12 Verse 3 “You’re the magic that holds the sky up” start with piano and voice, but strings come back in.• 2:43 Tempo has slowed significantly and Ben plays the tack piano which emulates a memory or a vision. It’s as if they’re portraying this special person as a beautiful and innocent being.• 3:15 Drums snap you back to reality and the chorus repeats. This chorus is much more lively than the previous ones.• Coda: The songs ends with one last “la lala” and a tap of the tambourine.

11. “Don’t Change Your plans” • • “Don’t Change Your Plans” Music and Lyrics by Ben Folds- A major• 0:00 Introduction- a single string instrument starts us out getting louder as it’s played. You hear the first piano chord slam.• 0:11 Strings make an entrance introducing the wire brush on drums and the first verse.• 0:33 Chorus “All I really wanna say, you’re the reason I wanna stay”.• 0:47 Piano stops but you still hear the brush on drums. Verse 2 begins, this time with more drum and a louder and more decorated piano.• 1:06 Break in piano that leads us to the bridge, “Don’t change your plans for me” with some soft strings.• 1:48 Drums return adding our familiar beat while painting a picture of the “leaves falling back East”• 1:57 Instrumental break- the piano and back-up vocals begin. The piano is now playing excited triplets while the back-up “Ah- ah-ah-ah-ah’s” are adding a bit of confusion. You’ll also begin to hear an electric guitar which is almost never employed by Ben Folds. It creates a bit of a dragging sound.• 2:22 Here comes the trumpet adding to the excitement of the scene, with all instruments coming together and drums quickening pace.• 2:35 Strings enter playing a soft yet essential part of the theme.• 2:49Everything starts slowing with strings making the closing statement• 2:57 Verse 3 “Beautifully we smile again, in fact I might be sore from it” has the piano and some sort of echo.• 3:14 Chorus- this time sounding more mellow. You will hear a very soft high hat as well as some soft strings and bells.• 3:40 Brush returns to the drums and bass guitar enters adding to the chorus• 3:50 Piano and bell rings on the downbeat highlighting the chords. Drums enter.• 3:57 Whistle- this is very simple but adds a lot of character to this section after all the chaos. It seems there is some relief.• 4:07 All instruments back together for chorus with a variation of the lyrics. “But destiny is calling”• 4:22 Back up “ah, ah, ah’s” with trumpets adding a little noise here• 4:37 Coda- “I love you, goodbye” tells you things are ending. Piano playing soft triplets and strings adding to it.

12. References • Wikipedia-Ben Folds. Wikipedia.com/benfolds. [Online]• 2. Ez-In-Articles. Ezinarticles.com• 3. The Shrubbery. The Shrubbery.com• 4. Ben Folds Five-Whatever and Ever Amen, Liner Notes• 5. Billboard Charts- Billboard.com• iTunes Originals album-Interview• Kepkanation.wordpress.com• Ben Folds Interview on benfolds.org