FM could take a cue from Ben Folds!

[dissention]

The Piano Man
Ben Folds rages against the machine and discovers a more honorable method to making records

by Chris Harris - June 19, 2003 ~ The Valley Advocate (Western Mass.)


Piano-pop troubadour Ben Folds is tired of business as usual, and he's about to do something that's almost unheard of in the record biz: He plans to release three new collections of his solo material in a way that will make it very hard for his label, Epic Records, to make a big profit. And believe it or not, Folds has Epic's support on this idea. "It's just not worth it for me to work at feeding the current machine, which is just about dead," Folds said, referring to the music business. "I don't feel like I should have to do the same exact things J. Lo does, for instance. In this business, as an artist, it doesn't matter who you are -- you'll find yourself collaborating with WalMart on an album cover. It happens to me every time."

It happened last spring, in fact, with the release of Folds' live album, Ben Folds Live, which featured an audience shot from one of his live shows as its cover image -- in that crowd snapshot, you can see a Folds fan, giving the official salute of all Manhattan taxi drivers. WalMart refused to stock the album on its shelves because of the offensive image.

"And the label tells me, 'WalMart won't sell the record because there's someone giving the middle finger on it,' and I'm like, 'Well, what do they want me to do about it?'" Folds said "'Well, they're going to call us and tell us what's acceptable.' That kind of **** will drive you crazy."

Folds spoke from his recording studio in Chapel Hill, N.C., where he's spent the last five weeks writing and recording a batch of new songs for the forthcoming releases, all of which will be EPs. The first, tentatively titled Speed Graphic , is scheduled for release at the end of July.

Folds plans to release the EPs on vinyl; they'll be available in CD form at his shows. Fans will also be able to order them through various websites, like Amazon.com.

"The internet is where people are discovering music, not in the stores," he said. "If people want to buy it, let them buy it online. In this business, you've got to make such a big deal about every record. The hype behind a record release is so oppressive for anything that's going to resemble art -- begging every outlet and retail chain and radio station and magazine to please, please, please help us make this ****ing so-called masterpiece the summer's greatest thing.

"It's ****ing ridiculous," he continued. "At some point, we'd forgotten what we're selling in the first place -- music. And believe me -- I'd put 'em in cereal boxes if [Epic] would let me. I'm just so fed up with the bull**** that I'd be happy to put them in a Wheaties box."

Folds has been in the game a long time now. Back in the 1990s, an era dominated by grunge and hard rock, Folds made the piano cool again with his band, Ben Folds Five. In 2000, the Five -- Folds, kitman Darren Jessee and bassist Robert Sledge -- called it quits.

"It was just over," Folds explained. "It was like, 'Oh, the car's not running anymore. It's out of gas. Let's get out and walk.' That's what it was."

The band's infectious, three-part harmonies and piano-driven style of rock-infused pop earned the Five a solid following -- one Folds inherited when he branched out as a solo artist. Folds proved he'd been the creative balls behind the band with the 2001 release of the solo album Rockin' The Suburbs. On it, he turned his trademark sarcasm up a notch, pulling no punches on songs like the title track, which takes light-hearted jabs at Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, the poster boy for hollow "white boy" aggression. Folds mocked Durst and his followers, most of them whining, pampered suburbanite teens, pissed but with nothing to be pissed about.

Folds' digs weren't just pot shots from a musician getting on in age. At 37, Folds doesn't feel too old to be relevant in today's musical climate. "I've always felt like a dinosaur," he said. "I've always clung to a discipline of music that hasn't been valued since I've been making a living at it. But I think that because rock 'n' roll is still a young form, that we're still trying to define the age at which it's still cool to be doing it. I don't feel that 'white people' rock has progressed much, so I don't feel like an old man when the cutting edge is supposed to be the Strokes. It just makes me feel white."

Folds' music is personal -- something, he said, he's unable to avoid. "I write songs from the music first, and then I try to decide what those songs are about," he said. "And I've always figured that half of the songs were about some other mother****er. But I find out they're all about me later on. That's just the way it works out. If I'm not creative at the end of the day, I tend to make up a story about some guy who's a musician, who has to go get his teeth drilled in 10 minutes."

And with that, Folds said goodbye and headed out to the dentist.

---------------------------------------------

What do you all think? He certainly has a point about artists who feed the machine. A very smart man, that one.

[k115810]

I love Ben Folds and this really hits home for me. I feel that Lindsey has compromised a little of his vision in return for a wider audience. I wish he would take this approach and get those solo songs out that have been sitting on his shelf forever.

-Matt

[dissention]

You know, Matt, I've been thinking about that lately. If Lindsey thought his GOS work was the best he had ever done, he could've gotten the music out, regardless of Warner Bros. Just look at people like Aimee Mann. She didn't like the treatment she was getting from her label, so she walked away and formed her own one. Now, she's released two fabulous, successful albums. Granted, they weren't smash hits, but they recouped costs. Lindsey has loads of dough at his disposal, he could've gotten his stuff out. However, I don't think he was ever planning on releasing another solo album, so...

[deribish]

I just like to say that behind Stevie and the Mac, Ben is my favorite artist. To me he's always been like Christine on speed. His songs are VERY similar to Chirs's (expecially her older songs.) In fact - on tour - he PROVES that just one artist and a piano can be VERY entertaining...without ever sounding or looking Billy-Joel-trite. I'd recommend all of his CD and live shows to any fan of Chirstine's.

-Derek

[GardenStateGirlie]

You know, I've always loved Ben Folds Five and I really like him solo as well....now I like him even more. Good for you Ben. And yes, I agree, Lindsey could have gotten his album out if he wanted to. He'd been sitting on that album for how many years?? And he uses the regime change as an excuse?? Not that i'm saying it didn't have something to do with it but i'm certain he could have found a way IF he truly wanted to get his art out there. However, he's not going to make a profit as Lindsey Buckingham and he knows it. He's going to make a profit as Fleetwood Mac. Lindsey is a bit of a walking contradiction. He'll bitch about the corporate machine but he sells out and says, yea, lets make this into Fleetwood Mac. I absolutely LOVE Lindsey and I LOVE the new album and I respect him A LOT as a performer and an artist but there is a lot that doesn't add up. Just adding my two cents.

[seeknpeace]

Now, if Ben Folds and Tom Petty could sire a child together, it would be the damn top of the lot!! I love what he says. Why can't artists have this vision? Prince does this too. It makes sense. You either get in the know and lead the pack, or you are always following a step behind and Ben is in the lead, imo!! Kudos to him and his fearlessness...

[macmar71]

Lindsey should consider doing something like this. He definitely has the funds to develop his own label and he knows lots of people that he could also have as co-conspiritors so to speak. His production and royalties fees have kept him quite comfortable. As much as I adore him, he has spent some grand cash in recent years with getting married, having kids and upgrading to a new home. I am not saying don't buy anything but I am sure the Bel Air home of prior had lots of rooms maybe some bad memories he just wanted to leave behind. Recent article mentions a very expensive necklace for the wife for Mother's Day and how the interviewer got her into needing the matching earrings. And yet again I have read that while in Worcester, Mass., they travelled out of the city to stay in Boston for both days and not all of them stayed in the same place or travelled in the same limos. Very reminiscent of the good old days. I also read this quote in Rolling Stone this week that Lindsey was asked about travel mode and he said they don't do buses as they have their own 727 plane.
I can see where lots of the cash goes. I admire Ben Folds, he has played at the local club and he has also played on a joint bill at the Oakdale theatre so he plays both ends. I also admire Dave Matthews keeping his concert tickets at a certain level and not going above $60 dollars. Lindsey was awesome to see in a club setting back in 1993 but he states he did not sell well in that format and that he lost money during that tour but he definitely has the moments in the Mac to make up for it. I wish he would go back to his old sentiments of making the music because he wants to for himself and the fans and not for the system, the companies or the big bucks.
I admire the Mac/Lindsey for their accomplishments in music and their staying power but I just wish they would pay more attention to their fans wants and not the almighty dollar. JMO

[wondergirl9847]

For the love of PETE, Lindsey, CREATE YOUR OWN LABEL, produce other artists, which will bring in a crapload of $$$$, work on your solo stuff AND work with FM...it CAN be done, by gawsh!!!!!

DO IT!!!!!!!

Yay to Ben Folds for doin' his own thang.

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
For the love of PETE, Lindsey, CREATE YOUR OWN LABEL, produce other artists, which will bring in a crapload of $$$$, work on your solo stuff AND work with FM...it CAN be done, by gawsh!!!!!

Yeah, I just don't get it. If I were this successful and respected guitarist/singer/songwriter & my label refused to release an album I knew fans were waiting for, I'd be walking, or at least dropping hints for fans to organize a letter-writing campaign.
Lindsey is no wimp. Was his self-esteem just low or something? Why did he just stick with WB, wait years for an FM record, and just write a song in protest on an album that will bring the WB money?

- Jake

[CarneVaca]

Lindsey is probably one of these people who has a vision of what he wants when it comes to his music. If it's not turning out just right, he'll sit on it, procrastinate, do something else, then go back to it and work meticulously at it until it becomes acceptable to him or he makes a decision to cut his losses and discard it.

I find myself doing that on some projects of my own. I'm a perfectionist, but I'm too lazy to be a good perfectionist.

Now, his label excuse has some validity. But if he had released the damn album right after The Dance, he could have gotten it out there while people were still thinking about him. He had plenty of songs. He could have used Bleed to Love Her as a first single even.

If he's looking at the "computers," then read this thread Lindsey: Get the music out soon. You got plenty of it ready to go. Pluck everything else about reaching a wide audience and dealing with the label. Take advantage of all the attention you've gotten from the guitar geek magazines. Call those guys; they'd be only too happy to give you more column inches on a solo effort.

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
. . . I find myself doing that on some projects of my own. I'm a perfectionist, but I'm too lazy to be a good perfectionist.

me too

Originally posted by CarneVaca
. . . But if he had released the damn album right after The Dance, he could have gotten it out there while people were still thinking about him. He had plenty of songs. He could have used Bleed to Love Her as a first single even.

I agree, esp. considering that was one of the main reasons he said he did The Dance in the first place. Remember, although OOTC was a well-deserved critical success, LB had had little nationwide exposure on a significant scale since TITN.

Also, if they/he (or any artist for that matter) are not bound by a contract that will take a horrendous amount of money to break (and believe me many are and/or they owe tons of $$$ in advances to the record companies), they/he should release the next record on the net, possibly using the new music downloading service from Apple. Or, they perhaps easily could create their own downloading site, although I admit I know little of the parameters of such things. Also, I think it is only a matter fo time before Amazon and its ilk have a download service. It would be interesting to see the numbers sold to profit margin using this scheme. I mean, other than the production costs of the music itself and the payment to what ever downloading service(s) used (which presumably take(s) a cut of each download) what other cost is there? I guess advertising, but how much could that be, esp, if they do the late night talk show, etc., circuit to promote it, which certainly a band of this stature could do. The only drawback I see is not everyone has a computer or at least a computer that can burn a disc. But they could still also sell discs directly from them via mail order. In any event, I think this is the way the world is going so the music industry better keep up with it instead of fighting it tooth and nail.

My $0.02

[cliffdweller]

Originally posted by GardenStateGirlie
You know, I've always loved Ben Folds Five and I really like him solo as well....now I like him even more. Good for you Ben. And yes, I agree, Lindsey could have gotten his album out if he wanted to. He'd been sitting on that album for how many years?? And he uses the regime change as an excuse?? Not that i'm saying it didn't have something to do with it but i'm certain he could have found a way IF he truly wanted to get his art out there. However, he's not going to make a profit as Lindsey Buckingham and he knows it. He's going to make a profit as Fleetwood Mac. Lindsey is a bit of a walking contradiction. He'll bitch about the corporate machine but he sells out and says, yea, lets make this into Fleetwood Mac. I absolutely LOVE Lindsey and I LOVE the new album and I respect him A LOT as a performer and an artist but there is a lot that doesn't add up. Just adding my two cents.

There's a ring of truth to this, especially thinking back to something Stevie said about how Lindsey wouldn't have joined in the reuniting of the band without being offered a ton of money. I think this was back during the Clinton inauguration when they were asked to perform "Don't Stop." I wonder if he got his ton...

[wetcamelfood]

I guess they've ALL got their ton.

This is the bottom line for me as far as all of this goes, if they're going to say "we want to reach out to the fans and we care about them (etc.)" then putting out the music themselves is the way to do it, not many of us here seem to differ in this way of thinking (which is good).

I realize they're not going to just come out and say "we only care about the money" but they shouldn't expect to "get off lightly" when they say they "care about the music first and foremost" stuff, they can't have it both ways!

As for the "gesture cover" thing, Hmm, well, I can't see Stevie, Lindsey, John & Mick hanging moons on the next FM album cover but who knows.

John

[Gypsy]

Funny, I just pulled out and listed to my Ben Folds Five "Whatever & Ever Amen" CD yesterday!
(I Wanna Be Kate! Kate! Kate!- sorry I've got that song stuck in my head )
I really love and respect Ben Folds for his musicianship and his ethics. This article makes me love him even more (and wish I was his Aussie wife, *sigh* )
And yes, Lindsey needs to start his own label! Right on!