Ben Folds Five 202000 219859637 2008-06-17T04:55:42Z Petone 7323352 /* Discography */ {{Infobox musical artist | Name = Ben Folds Five | Img = | Img_capt = | Background = group_or_band | Origin = [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill]], [[North Carolina]] | Genre = [[Piano rock]] | Years_active = 1993 - 2000 | Label = [[Passenger Records|Passenger]]<br>[[Caroline Records (U.S.)|Caroline]] <br/> [[550 Music|550]] | Associated_acts = [[Ben Folds]] <br/> [[Fear of Pop]] <br/> [[Hotel Lights]] <br/> [[International Orange (band)|International Orange]] <br/> [[Caleb Southern]] <br> [[Fleming and John]] | URL = [http://www.benfoldsfive.com benfoldsfive.com] | Past_members = [[Ben Folds]] <br/> [[Robert Sledge]] <br/> [[Darren Jessee]] }} '''Ben Folds Five''' (1993&ndash;2000) was a trio formed in [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill]], [[North Carolina]] who were a mainstay of [[piano rock]] until their breakup in 2000. Much of their work was influenced by [[jazz]], evident in frequent [[musical improvisation|improv]]-styled passages through bridge and/or ending. [[Ben Folds]] was the lead singer, pianist, and main composer, [[Robert Sledge]] played [[Bass guitar|bass]], and [[Darren Jessee]] played [[Drum kit|drums]] and co-wrote some of the songs, most notably the chorus to "Brick". Sledge and Jessee also delivered backup vocals. ==History== Ben Folds Five was formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill by Ben Folds. They were, in fact, a trio in spite of their name, and the primary motivation behind the name, apart from the band's well-known use of humor, was simple preference, according to Ben: "I think it sounds better than Ben Folds Three".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dropd.com/issue/46/BenFoldsFive/ |title=Waist Deep in Pianos and Buses |accessdate=2006-09-02 |last=Hofmann |first=Pieter |date=1997-03-10 |publisher=Drop-D Magazine }}</ref> Their first radio single was "Underground" from their self-titled debut album, but their biggest success was the single "[[Brick (song)|Brick]]" from their second album, ''[[Whatever and Ever Amen]]'', released in 1997. Folds once described their music as "punk rock for sissies", a reaction to the angst prevalent in 90s rock.<ref>{{cite news|last = Thomas |first = Sarah |title = Ben Folds with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra |publisher = Sydney Morning Herald |date = [[2006-08-25]] |url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/gig-reviews/ben-folds-with-the-sydney-symphony/2006/08/25/1156012707758.html |accessdate = 2006-09-23 }}</ref> The group also contributed an unreleased studio song, "Leather Jacket", to the 1999 benefit album, ''[[No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees]]''. After the band's reportedly amicable break-up in October 2000,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Ben-with-the-breeze/2005/03/31/1111862476057.html|title=Ben with the Breeze|accessdate=2006-11-27|publisher=The Breeze}}</ref> Folds began a successful solo career, Robert Sledge took up singing and bass playing duties with [[International Orange (band)|International Orange]] (which broke up in 2005), and Darren Jessee now fronts the band [[Hotel Lights]]. According to Australian Radio Host [[Andy Lee (comedian)|Andy Lee]], the band announced its decision to break up after their performance on ''[[The Late Show with David Letterman]]'' on July 19, 2000. It was apparently [[Will Ferrell]] who broke the awkward silence after the decision was made (Ferrell was a guest on the show that night).{{Clarifyme|date=April 2008}}{{Fact|date=April 2008}} ==Discography== ===Albums=== *''[[Ben Folds Five (album)|Ben Folds Five]]'' (1995) - [[Passenger Records|Passenger]]/[[Caroline Records (U.S.)|Caroline Records]] *''[[Whatever and Ever Amen]]'' (1997, digitally remastered in 2005) - [[550 Music|550]] *''[[Naked Baby Photos]]'' (1998) - Passenger/Caroline *''[[The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner]]'' (1999) - [[550 Music|550]] ===Singles=== * "[[Underground (Ben Folds Five song)|Underground]]" (1996) #37 UK * "Where's Summer, B?" (1996) * "[[Battle of Who Could Care Less (song)|Battle of Who Could Care Less]]" (1997) #26 UK * "[[Kate (song)|Kate]]" (1997) #39 UK * "[[Brick (song)|Brick]]" (1998) #26 UK; #11 US AC, #6 US Modern Rock * "Song for the Dumped" (1998) * "[[Army (song)|Army]]" (1999) #28 UK * "Don't Change Your Plans" (1999) ===DVDs=== *''[[Ben Folds Five- Live at Sessions at West 54th]]'' (1999) - [[Epic Records|Epic]] Music Video ===Others=== * ''[[Godzilla]] OST'' (1998) (Contributed track "Air") ==See also== * [[Ben Folds]] * [[Hotel Lights]] * [[International Orange (band)|International Orange]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.benfoldsfive.com Official site] * [http://www.benfolds.com Official Fan Club Site] {{Ben Folds Five}} [[Category:American indie rock groups]] [[Category:Musical instrument destruction]] [[Category:North Carolina musical groups]] [[Category:Rock trios]] [[Category:Chapel Hill-Carrboro, North Carolina]] [[da:Ben Folds Five]] [[de:Ben Folds Five]] [[es:Ben Folds Five]] [[fr:Ben Folds Five]] [[it:Ben Folds Five]] [[ja:ベン・フォールズ・ファイヴ]] [[pt:Ben Folds Five]]