Remember record stores? You younger fans may not have ever seen one, much less been in one. Some were in the mall, owned by large corporations, and stocked with all the latest pop music, t-shirts, stickers, and other non-music-related items. The more interesting ones were locally owned, often by aging hippies or classical-music experts, and were stand-alone, usually with wobbly floors, and had rows of old plywood bins full of large dusty cardboard sleeves displaying elaborate artwork and containing strange-looking Frisbee-like disks, only they were flat, black, and had grooves in them, which magically made music when you put them on a thing called a “turntable”, or “record player” as your grandparents may have called it. Most every college town had at least one. Interesting music, something you’d probably never heard, selected by the clerk behind the counter, was playing loudly over an old pair of Dynaco speakers up on the shelf. In the days before Teh Internets, music fans would congregate there at all hours, browsing the bins and exchanging new-artist discoveries with each other. Some shops would even have one of those turntable thingies hooked up to a pair of headphones, and if you could get the clerk’s attention, he’d put one of those records on so you could sample it before you made the decision to buy. (cf: “World War Noises in Four” by Monty Python.) Well, at the risk of turning this item into a Wikipedia article, I’ll move along and announce that here’s your chance to visit an actual record store and meet Ben at the same time. Ben, who remembers record stores well, even though he’s not that old, will be at Columbus’s Magnolia Thunderpussy Records on Saturday, April 17, for an event called Record Store Day, an annual effort by independent music retailers to survive and stay relevant in an age of instant music downloads. Ben tweeted that he’ll be working the counter, taking out the trash, alphabetizing those strange plastic discs, and just hanging out with fans, so come on down and give a shout. Other artists, such as Alice in Chains, are appearing at indie shops elsewhere. (By the way, it was in fact a record store that launched Ben’s career in Japan. Its owner had heard Ben Folds Five while visiting the States, and decided to import his records and feature them in his stores, the kids started listening, and the rest is history.)
“The Sing-Off” renewed
The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed is reporting that, as anticipated, NBC Television is renewing the a cappella competition show The Sing-Off for a second season. The first season starred Ben Folds as one of the panel of three judges who critiqued and ranked eight a cappella groups from around the country. No confirmation yet as to whether Ben will judge the second season but he was open to it as long as his schedule permits and the details could be worked out.
Look out Gemini, here comes Big Bang Boom
Ben’s brother Chuck Folds and his kids’ band, Big Bang Boom, have released a video in support of their latest effort, Why Can’t I Have Ice Cream?. It’s lively music that the kids are boppin’ to, but the parents can enjoy as well (and no salty language, unlike his little brother). Chuck (bass) is joined by longtime Folds family collaborators Snüzz doing vocals and electronics, drummer Eddie Walker, and guitarist/vocalist Steve Williard, along with Merritt Partridge, John Seagle, Tiger Butler and Scott Manring on banjo (what would a kids’ band be without a banjo?). Chuck is the guy in the orange shirt that kinda looks like Merton, er, Ben.
Who’s that mysterious piano player?
For a week or so now, there has been speculation that none other than Ben himself has been on the random one-on-one chat service Chatroulette, making up songs at the piano in response to suggestions by random participants. The guy looks a bit like Ben, plays the piano sort of like him, and actually sounds somewhat like him too. But, as Ben confirms, he’s not the one calling himself ‘Merton’ serenading random strangers. Drummer Sam Smith points out that in a post on Drowned in Sound as well as on The Huffington Post, Ben is featured in a video clip from the Charlotte show paying tribute to ‘Merton’ in an improv tune of his own. Watch the original Chatroulette clip on YouTube. Salon.com has an interview with the real Merton about the whole affair and what’s been happening. And Ben’s about to move along past the Chatroulette fad, posting the Chatroulette Endmost Piano Ode, recorded at the Charlottesville and Richmond shows.
Folds/Hornby project update
Recording is finished for the Ben Folds/Nick Hornby collaboration and the tracks have been sequenced. Ben plans to finish mastering it after the tour. The album name has yet to be determined also, but the track names are:
- Working Day
- Picture Window
- Levi Johnston’s Blues
- Your Dogs
- Doc Pomus
- Practical Amanda
- Claire’s Ninth
- Password
- From Above
- Saskia Hamilton
- Belinda
- Belindaaaaaaaah
