Volume #10 | Embracing Not Feeling Cool with Ben Folds.

My most favourite pianist, ever.

Oct 28, 2024

Classically Trained: Ben Folds | WDAV: Of Note

‘The songs you wrote got me through a lot. Just wanna tell you that.’

There’s something therapeutic about diving deep into my music memory vault and focusing on one act. So many artists come to mind, but only the ones that have truly made their mark on me end up in draft mode and eventually get published here.

It's fitting that my 10th issue of Mixtape shines a light on Ben Folds. There’s no better choice for this milestone; his music has been a part of my life for decades, and all I hope is that you get to enjoy his music as much as I have.

It’s 2004 and I’m a teenager in my nerd era. It was cool to be uncool.

There was me and my violin, my musical theatre bestie, my soccer obsessed boyfriend and our cohort of hilarious friends. We’d geek out on niche music, console games and MSN messenger. We passed notes around in class full of dry humour and banter - the kind we were picking up from Lano & Woodley and Kath & Kim.

I leant into this friendship group because we laughed all the time, and I could show up as my authentic self. Did I feel uncool? Yep. There’s always been a part of me that has. When I was amongst a group of “popular” girls who were judging each other by their branded surf wear (which I loathed) and competing for attention - it never felt right to me. Hanging out with my little pack of friends, some of whom went on to become besties for life, was where I felt most like myself.

Reflecting on these years of my life has allowed me to recognise the positive influence they had on my love of music, as there was a particular style I was exposed to through these friendships known as…

Piano-led rock.

Only a few legends come to mind with this genre. Elton John, Freddie Mercury & Queen - both positioned as the greatest piano playing showmen ever. Their musical talent spans decades and their fame and fortune lives on.

The Piano Man himself, Elton John, snapped by me in Adelaide in 2019.

But there's one other piano man: the totally underrated, quirky, nerdy singer-songwriter, composer, and storyteller…

Ben Folds.

I was lucky enough to see Ben Folds perform in Adelaide in 2004 at Thebarton Theatre—and yes, Folds fans, he did sing ‘Adelaide’. He brought a kind of energy to that piano I've never seen since: one foot firmly planted on a pedal, the other knee bent and leaning into the stool, his whole body arched over the keys. His hands stretched wide as he played, pouring himself into every rolling chord. He went all in, and every ounce of his sublime songcraft reverberated through me. In that moment, he owned that instrument.

My memory of this teen era is a bit foggy. I’ve had moments where I doubted my adoration for Ben Folds, perhaps because listening to his music was originally linked to one of my first boyfriends. Fortunately, my love for his music has outlasted that relationship.

I am, without a doubt, a self-confessed, well-oiled Ben Folds fan, which includes Ben Folds Five, the successful group formed prior to his solo career. From ‘Song for the Dumped’ and ‘Brick’ to ‘Rockin’ The Suburbs’ (the single and the album). I’m hooked for eternity.

Ben Folds Five: albums, songs, playlists | Listen on Deezer — Ben Folds Five

In 2005, he released new music, and I bought the deluxe ‘Songs For Silverman’ album on CD and - wait for it- the entire album in sheet music form. Of course! Truly obsessed. I loved every single song and played them on the keyboard endlessly.

‘Bastard’ is a quirky masterpiece with lyrics open to interpretation.

“Why you gotta act like you know when you don’t know? It’s okay if you don’t know everything.”

‘Jesusland’ boasts a beautiful melody and ‘Landed’ is the insanely good piano-ballad I longed to master (and I did pretty well for an untrained pianist!)

‘Late’ I’ve cried to more times than I can count. It gets me every time! The piano section at the 2:25 mark is worth closing your eyes to. It’s like watching a beautiful sunset. Let it sink in.

‘You To Thank’ is about couples who get married too fast, as he explains in the below documentary The Making of Songs For Silverman.

This album captivated me, and I’ve kept coming back to it over the years. It feels like home with its introspective songwriting and symbolic piano at the forefront of each track.

The early years of Ben Folds’ career laid the foundation for an enduring, creative future. He has collaborated with artists Regina Spektor and Weird Al Yankovic, composed arrangements in front of live audiences with the backing of a symphony orchestra (you read that right - see below), become a published author, written songs for major movie soundtracks and he continues to tour and mentor others around the world. Ben Folds is the gift that keeps on giving.

Speaking of gift giving, he’s released his very own Christmas album titled ‘Sleigher’.

It’s a stunning collection, featuring seven original merry tunes and three classic covers. Give it a listen or save it for Christmas morning. Who knew we needed festive Folds? His discography is now tied in a big, red bow.

I’ve got you to thank, Ben Folds, for music that speaks to every version of me: my uncool teenage self, my piano-playing self, and my Christmas-hosting self.