Song:Brick
Album:Whatever and Ever Amen
Ben Folds has had a lot of success recently as a solo artist. But he had his first taste of success when the Ben Folds Five hit the top twenty with Brick in 1997. BTW, there were only three members. He was born Sept. 12, 1966 in Winston-Salem, NC. After playing piano in several local bands, he formed the group Majosha in 1988 with guitarist Millard Powers. Powers is probably better known as a Grammy nominated recording engineer. Majosha recorded an EP but split up in 1990. Folds then signed a publishing deal with RPM Music Group in Nashville. He eventually wound up back in North Carolina and formed Ben Folds Five with bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee. They got a record deal with Columbia through Folds friendship with Jeff Buckley. Brick is from the 1997 CD Whatever and Ever Amen and it reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 but the CD reached #42 on the Billboard Hot 200 and was certified Platinum. According to Folds, Brick is about his own experience as a teen when his girlfriend was pregnant and had to get an abortion. The song seems a little whiny but Folds said he just wanted to tell the story. He credits Jessee for writing the chorus and providing the hook that made it a hit. Whatever and Ever Amen is available as a budget CD. The Ben Folds Five recorded one more CD and then split up in 2000. Folds has had a very successful solo career since 2001. He's bigger as a solo artist then when he had the band. Jessee has the successful band Hotel Lights. Sledge had a band called International Orange but currently plays local gigs in North Carolina as the Bob Sledge Band. The Ben Folds Five reunited once in 2008. Here's the video for Brick by the Ben Folds Five.
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