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Ben Folds Five

30th Anniversary project press release

Jul 7th, 2026
by Frank.
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BEN FOLDS CELEBRATES THREE DECADES OF BEN FOLDS FIVE

WITH SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY EDITION

CLASSIC DEBUT ALBUM FROM ICONIC ALT-ROCK TRIO NEWLY REMASTERED AND EXPANDED WITH PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SHELVED FIRST ATTEMPT FEATURING EARLY, ALTERNATE VERSIONS AND RARE OUTTAKES

“UNDERGROUND (SHELVED FIRST ATTEMPT)” PREMIERES TODAY – LISTEN

BEN FOLDS FIVE (30TH ANNIVERSARY) ARRIVES SEPTEMBER 4 VIA CAPITOL/UMe AT ALL DSPS AND ON 2CD AND 2LP VINYL

PRE-ORDERS/PRE-SAVES AVAILABLE NOW

Ben Folds is celebrating three decades in the spotlight with a very special anniversary edition of Ben Folds Five, the now-classic debut album from his iconic alt-rock trio. Ben Folds Five (30th Anniversary) – which, technically speaking, arrives 31 years after its original August 8, 1995 release – sees the groundbreaking original LP newly remastered and joined by the long-awaited, fan-requested un-vaulting of the band’s mythical shelved first attempt, only recently rediscovered on digital audio tape by Folds in his own personal archives and specially remastered for this release. (more…)

Ben Folds Five album anniversary reissue

Jul 7th, 2026
by Frank.
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Ben Folds Five album

If you’re one of the legion of old-guard fans who’ve been longing for Ben Folds Five rarities,  your lucky day is here.

Leading off was the release of the 7-inch version of Jackson Cannery this week on the streaming services. It’s a fairly raw version of the song, almost demo quality. The release was teased by an Instagram post over the weekend. And although we’ve passed the 30th anniversary of the 1994 release of the self-titled album on Caroline Records, Universal Music Group is re-releasing both the original album and an alternate version that was previously shelved on both CD and vinyl as a two-disc set. It’s scheduled to be out September 4th. The project includes a remaster of the original album with new liner notes and previously unseen photos along with the “shelved first attempt”. In addition, the guys will be signing a thousand copies which will be available on uDiscover Music. Preorders are open and you can reserve your copy now.

And another bonus: The earlier version of Underground will be out on the streaming services today. Hand me my nose ring!

Majosha, then and now

Apr 21st, 2017
by Frank.
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If the names Eddie Walker, Evan Olson, Snüzz Uzzell and Millard Powers aren’t as familiar as those of Darren Jessee or Sam Smith, you’ll want to take a look back in the musical history of Ben Folds to his early days bouncing around the North Carolina music scene.

A feature article, A Ben Folds Lovefest, in the Greensboro, N.C. weekly Triad City Beat this week has a great overview of how Ben got into the music business, the friends he involved and met along the way, and some of the crazy gigs they played.

Reading Brian Clarey’s feature helps to explain the origin of many of Folds’ iconic songs like Army, where Ben drops out of school and forms a band which he subsequently gets kicked out of. It goes into Ben’s multi-instrumental abilities, with onetime bandmate Evan Olson describing how quickly Ben could learn a new instrument. And Olson’s not surprised at how many times Folds’ musical career has evolved, having realized at the time that Majosha was an “ephemeral project” but that it was time to move on.

The article concludes with a wrapup on what Ben’s original bandmates are currently up to.

There’s more about Ben Folds Five and the early days in our original Ben Folds Five website, still available using the link in the column to the right.

The “Piano Men” in New York

Oct 31st, 2013
by Frank.
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Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster

Singer-songwriter Billy Joel is probably most famous for his frequently airplayed hit Piano Man, about a fellow who bemoans his life as a bar entertainer and the steady stream of characters that inhabit the typical tavern. The term has come to be associated not only with Joel but also in reference to Ben Folds in an edgier way (I doubt Joel would throw a piano bench at the keys, for instance). While Joel’s style is more along pop lines, Folds’ is anywhere from balladeer to irreverently raucous. Despite their differences in style, Ben still credits Billy for helping to blaze the piano-pop path.

If you’re still in doubt about the similarities and differences between the two, you’ll have a chance for a consecutive comparison on New Year’s Eve. (more…)

Related show

  • Artist: Ben Folds Five
  • Date: 31 Dec '13
  • Time: 6:30pm
  • Venue: Barclays Center
  • City: Brooklyn , N. Y.
  • Address: 620 Atlantic Ave.
  • Venue phone: +1 (917) 618-6700
  • Country: United States
  • Notes: Opening for Billy Joel

Five Live

Apr 18th, 2013
by Frank.
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bf5live_cover

Update: As expected, it’s out, available for listening online.

Ben did a live album, aptly titled Ben Folds Live, several years ago, comprising live material from his solo shows and teasing fans with the Five/Live similarity. Well, now there will be a Ben Folds Five Live album, gleaned from live performances as the band was touring in support of The Sound of the Life of the Mind.

Tracks and shows: (more…)

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