Ben Folds Five

Surge Tracks

• Underground
• Brick
• Battle Of Who Could Care Less
• Air

Artist Biography

Ben Folds Five (1994-2000) was a three-member band formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who until their breakup in 2000 were a mainstay of Piano rock. Much of their work was influenced by jazz, evident in frequent improv-styled passages through bridge and/or ending.

The members of the band were: 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 1998, 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 amicable breakup in October 2000, 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.

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Artist Discography

Albums

Ben Folds Five (1995-12-13)
Naked Baby Photos (1997-01-13)
The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999-04-27)
Whatever and Ever Amen (2005-03-22)

EPs

Brick (1994-09-05)
Summer EP

Singles

Air
Army (1999)
Battle of Who Could Care Less (1997)
Brick
Don't Change Your Plans (1999-11-30)
Kate
Song for the Dumped (1998)
Underground (1996)
Where's Summer B? (1996-06-10)

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