Ben Folds Five

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Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States (1994 – 2000, 2011 – present)

Ben Folds Five is a trio formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States in 1994, who until their breakup in 2000 were a mainstay of . Much of their work was influenced by , evident in frequent -styled passages through bridge and/or ending.

The members of the band are Ben Folds, the lead singer and pianist, who also wrote most of the songs; Robert Sledge on bass; and Darren Jessee on drums. The group enjoyed the success of the single Brick in 1997, a ballad written by Folds (with a chorus by Jessee) about his high school girlfriend getting an abortion. This song has, to a large degree, misrepresented the band to fans who aren’t familiar with their other work; “Brick” is a serious ballad, whereas most of their music is characterised by jazz inflections and witty, humorous lyrics.

After the band’s not-so amicable breakup in October 2000 over Ben’s over shadowing of Sledge and Jessee, Folds began a solo career. Robert Sledge’s subsequent band International Orange has broken up, while Darren Jessee is the frontman for the band Hotel Lights.

Folds once described their music as “punk rock for pussies” - a reaction to the angst prevalent in 90s rock. When asked about his band’s name he jokingly responded “you mean a trio isn’t five?”. In other interviews the band said that the name was simply because Ben Folds Five sounded better than Ben Folds Three.

Ben Folds has continued with producing music on his own, striking a subtler tone than Ben Folds Five’s earlier recordings.
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  • Midgetto52

    New track is fantastic. Can't wait for the album.

    19 days ago
  • ChudleyCannons

    @Phlunked I love the pictures with ben to the side just for that reason. to each their own, i suppose.

    20 days ago
  • Sturmverweht

    New Ben Folds Five Song "Do it Anyway" for free: http://www.thesuburbs.org.uk/ :)

    20 days ago
  • szabOW

    never thought they would reform, better tour Oz!

    last month
  • turtlesRmyFrenz

    bensy foldsy <3

    February 2012
  • Nobodylikesyou

    New album. Eep.

    February 2012
  • Nagsworth

    "the most hipsterious hipster band" - the hell you talkin' 'bout, man? Ben Folds Five aren't hiding anything behind any hipster facades. They are a straight-up honest-to-betsy awesome rock band. I just got their 'Sessions At West 54th' DVD today, can't wait to get stuck in to it!

    January 2012
  • Sturmverweht

    I'm so looking forward to the new album!

    January 2012
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