Ben Folds Five--My Heroes I Confess

Last Updated 3/17/99

These guys found themselves in Chapel Hill, NC, got together and put out their debut self-titled album "Ben Folds Five" in 1995. Ever since then they've been touring, hit it big in Japan, and put out their second album "Whatever and Ever Amen" in 1997. Their hit single "Brick" has just boosted them into the mainstream and their third full-length album release, "Naked Baby Photos" has just come out.

Ben Folds plays the piano. Robert Sledge plays the bass. Darren Jessee plays the drums. And they are Ben Folds Five because it sounds better than Ben Folds Three.

I listened to them a couple of years ago and that was it. They blew me away. Some say they have hints of Todd Rundgren, Elton John, Billy Joel, Joe Jackson, and Queen. This is what I say: "They're a jazz-influenced alternative piano band with three-part vocal harmonies." There you go.

They make up songs from letters people throw on stage and tell stories about meeting Dweezil Zappa in Germany. One does a trademark butt dance and another likes to pretend he's a disco diva. They torture pianos, make capes out of towels and hang out with fans after shows.

You may know them from such radio singles as Underground, Battle Of Who Could Care Less, One Angry Dwarf & 200 Solemn Faces, and of course Brick which received LARGE amounts of airplay, but is now slowly dying down.

Here it is.