The as-yet unnamed upcoming album by the reunited Ben Folds Five, due out in late summer or early fall, is seeking subscription support from fans for distribution via Pledge Music. Through the Pledge Music system, one makes a “pledge” or payment of financial support and, depending on the amount chosen, can receive a variety of rewards ranging from a digital download of the finished project to signed CDs, tour t-shirts and a vinyl pressing. For the Ben Folds Five project, a basic download is $10, and other premiums range upward to $62. Though the project reached its monetary goal less than a day after being launched, one can still enroll and claim one of the premiums. (more…)
Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five to crowdsource distribution and promotion of new album
New track from upcoming Ben Folds Five album released
Updated below
Do It Anyway is the first new track to be released from the upcoming album by the reunited Ben Folds Five. It’s the product of the writing and recording the trio did starting last December. The album, as Ben has mentioned, is an ongoing project that hasn’t fully come together, but he’s hoping for an early fall release and some touring (they’ve already announced UK dates for November and December). Download the track here.
Update: Tom Bisset, the Scottish musician and video artist known as Pianoshizzle, has produced and posted on YouTube a video of the new track.
Ben Folds Five touring the UK this fall
It’s been announced that the reunited and reconstituted Ben Folds Five (Ben, Darren, Robert) will do an eight-show tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland later this fall.
The tour kicks off in Bournemouth on November 23, and visits Nottingham, Dublin, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, and wraps up in London December 4.
Details and ticket links are on the tour dates page.
News on the reunited Ben Folds Five project
Ben Folds Five back in the studio
As you know, Ben Folds has reunited with his old bandmates Darren Jessee and Robert Sledge for a recording session, with the intention of releasing an album if things go well. Apparently, as you can see from the photo, things are going well – enough so, in fact, that not only is an album in the offing, but a tour as well. Dates and locations are being booked and firmed up, but expect to see an announcement shortly. They plan to continue recording into March, and then we’ll see what happens!
Update: The official schedule isn’t out yet but already one festival is announcing booking the reunited trio. Mountain Jam 2012, held in Hunter, N.Y. May 31-June 3, is promoting Ben Folds Five as one of its many acts. Tickets are already on sale.
More press on a Five reunion
More on the news we broke to you over a month ago (with thanks to the Boston Globe), there’s increasing chatter about the expected reunion of the former Ben Folds Five. Ben’s talking more about getting back together with Darren and Robert for a recording session and maybe more, no doubt fueled by the nostalgia as he dug through years of archives and eventually reuniting for three songs on the upcoming Best Imitation of Myself compilation. Recently, there have been stories in Digital Spy, 7News, Contact Music, and Spinner, and probably more to come as the details develop. Update: Billboard.com has a story today, including mention that there’s not a lot of pressure to get it right the first time (“If it’s not great, we can check out and come back later”), but now that the cat’s out of the bag, they’ll “feel a need to make it really great.” (27 Sept 2011) Update: The interactive magazine Zimbio has an item as well. (30 Sept 2011)
