When?

The timeline of events in Ben's life is another source of confusion.  Many of these writers could be accused of not bothering to check their facts, but with the discrepancy of information reported, it's a wonder anybody ever gets it right.

• Pre-Ben Folds Five (Update Jan 2003)

• Ben Folds Five's Beginning

• Ben Folds Five's Ending

• Ben's Marriage, Move, Fatherhood

• Rockin' the Suburbs Release Date

• September 11, 2001

• Bowery Ballroom

• Ben Folds and a Piano Tour

Pre-Ben Folds Five

Ben's musical history goes a long way back prior to the forming of Ben Folds Five.  One of his more commonly sited ventures is a band called Majosha:

While in high school, Folds played bass in North Caroline sensations Majsha.
- Exclaim

According to the BFF FAQ, Majosha formed in early 1988.  As Ben was born in 1966, it is highly unlikely that he was still in high school. Additionally, it's worth noting that there is an O in Majosha.  (Oddly enough, AMG Music Guide spells it "Majsha" as well.)

UPDATE >> Despite Ben's claims that the only formal piano training he had was about a year of lessons when he was nine or ten years old, it is often stated in print that Ben was "classically trained."  The example below not only claims that he spent his formative years taking piano lessons, it further assumes Ben was embarrassed by said lessons.

The only difference between him and any girl's best guy friend from high school is that he appears to have learned how to cash in on the piano lessons that embarrassed him through junior high.
– Pioneer Log <<

 

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Ben Folds Five's Beginning

When did Ben Folds Five form? Well, Pete Crethary of The Blurb wants to tell you, but he can't be bothered to look it up.

For those not in the know, Ben, along with bass guitarist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessie formed Ben Folds Five around 1995.
- The Blurb

I'd be more forgiving of Pete if he had just said they formed in 1995, which was when their first album was released.  (His spelling of Darren Jessee leaves something to be desired as well.)  Actually, the band formed in 1994, sometime prior to the recording of their first single on March 25, 1994, though The Denver Post reports it as 1993. 

Six years after bursting on to the music scene with the melancholy ballad "Brick," Ben Folds is back in the rotation with a new album, new band and new hit, "Rockin' The Suburbs."
- UNC Daily Tar Heel

Well, Ben Folds Five came into existence roughly seven years before Ben launched his solo career, and while some would argue they burst on to the music scene with their first album, their hit "Brick" wasn't released until 1997, at best only four years before this article was written.

 

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Ben Folds Five's Ending

When exactly did Ben Folds Five break up?

"Rockin' The Suburbs" is Folds' first solo foray since disbanding the Five... in 1999.
- MoreTV32.com

But the trio was no longer when Folds announced in early 2000 that the band was breaking up and he was moving to Australia with his wife.
- MU Student News

Now he's in the UK for three gigs prior to the launch of Rockin' the Suburbs, his first solo album under his own name and the first production since the band split up two years ago.
- The Guardian, Aug 26, 2001

...the members of Ben Folds Five decided they'd had a great run and disbanded in March 2000.
- The Tennessean

October 31, 2000 was the day Ben Folds Five broke up. It was also Halloween.

- Spin

In March 2001, the Five decided to call it quits, and Folds began work on his solo effort, now hitting record stores and MTV.

- Foghorn

It's the Ben Folds One these days as the witty and erudite singer-songwriter, who last fall put to rest his original Ben Folds Five band, graced Los Angeles with his presence in the first of a two-night stand.
– Hollywood Reporter, March 2002

So when was it?  Well since Ben Folds Five toured into the early summer of 2000, we know it can not be "1999," "early 2000," "March 2000," or "two years" prior to August 2001.

Halloween 2000 is probably most accurate of the dates provided above, despite giving the impression that there was some sort of break-up incident on this date.  Fans subscribing the Magical Armchair Digest first happened upon the rumor via an October 29th message from a fellow fan whose brother worked for Epic Records.  Met by a sea of accusatory and critical responses, the grave news was confirmed by list owner, Frank Maynard, on October 30th.  Frank wrote, "About a month ago, Sony/550 was given notice that the band was very amicably splitting up."

So where does March 2001, as several sources stated, fit in?  According to The Globe and Mail, this is when the label claims the band parted.  Interesting.  It's possible we have our most correct answer of all from Ben, below.

Although the label claims Ben Folds Five folded in March, according to Folds they broke up last August.
- The Globe and Mail, Aug 2001

UPDATE >>My how time flies... less than a year after the release of Rockin' the Suburbs, and already...

For the past few years, Folds has been recording and touring as a solo artist and has been quite successful.
– Detroit News << UPDATE

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Ben's Marriage, Move, and Introduction to Fatherhood

Ben married Frally Hynes in May of 1999, and their twins were born in July 1999.  I'm uncertain exactly when he moved to Adelaide, Australia, but it either coincided with or preceded these events.  All three events happened before Ben Folds Five broke up.  Nonetheless, these and many other accounts are wrong:

But the trio was no longer when Folds announced in early 2000 that the band was breaking up and he was moving to Australia with his wife.
- MU Student News

Since Ben Folds Five broke up, Folds has married and become a father of twins.
- University Daily Kansan

Following the same theme, our authors can't seem to figure out when Ben and Frally's children were born.  Based on the ages given in articles printed in 2001, they ranged in age from a few months to three years when they were approximately two years old.

Here's another double-whammy from Metropolis:

Following the breakup, Folds moved to Adelaide, Australia, where he recorded his solo album and lives with his wife and one-year-old twins.
- Metropolis, Sept 2001

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Rockin' the Suburbs Release Date

Various articles written in 2001 state the release of Rockin' the Suburbs to be expected in springtime, late spring, May, early summer, and early June. Entertainment Weekly had it on their release calendar as July 24th.  This can be attributed to the label pushing back the impending release several times, finally resulting in a release date of September 11, 2001.  (Ouch.)

The following example is questionable in its estimation of when the album was recorded:

The band went their separate ways in March.  Over the summer, Ben Folds hit the studio, this time with producer Ben Grosse (known for producing Fuel and Filter). Folds decided to play the entire album by himself.
 - Kentucky Kernel

Interesting that the album was mysteriously available on the internet in late May or early June, making it unlikely that Ben logged much studio time over the summer.

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In Hindsight: September 11, 2001

One can hardly blame the journalists for their pre-release date vernacular, stating that Rockin' the Suburbs will "hit," "drop," or be "unleashed" on September 11, 2001.  However, after the fact, these quotes have quite an eerie effect:

Ben Folds fans will want to circle September 11th on their calendars.
- Rolling Stone

 And although it can't make up for the breakup, September 11 will be a joyous day for Ben Folds fans...
- Spin

 "Rockin' the Suburbs" (Epic) hits stores on Sept. 11. According to a press release, Folds' debut solo effort couples his "kamikaze" piano playing with melodic "Broadway-style bravado."
- Live Daily

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Bowery Ballroom

On December 9, 2001, Ben played his first completely solo show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York.  It turned out to be a magical event, according to attendees, tour manager Doug Goodman, Ben himself, and the many fans with the coveted bootleg... and it was instrumental in the decision for the 2002 "Ben Folds and a Piano" tour. 

Toward the end of Ben Folds' tour last fall in support of his Epic solo debut, "Rockin' the Suburbs," the jumpy piano player decided to take the stage solo for a few dates at New York's Bowery Ballroom.
– Billboard

The Bowery show was many things, but it was only ONE night.  It may have seemed like a few dates, we may have wished it was a few dates, but alas, it was only one.

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"Ben Folds and a Piano" Tour

The two Los Angeles dates were incorrectly listed in a press release, leading to publications such as Launch.com, Billboard, and Live Daily printing the following:

March 26-27 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater

The actual dates were March 27 and March 28, 2002.  Launch.com also printed the following:

The trek, aptly titled Ben Folds And A Piano, will kick off February 25 on the campus of the University Of Iowa in Iowa City and include 17 shows overall, culminating in a two-night stand at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles.
– Launch.com

The above information, while true at the time of printing, wasn't true for very long.  The tour eventually came to consist of 27 shows; additionally, three dates were added following the Los Angeles shows, the leg coming to a close on March 31, 2002.

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