Fear of Pop: Volume 1
Encyclopedia
Volume 1 is the name of the first album by the experimental band Fear of Pop
. The album was a project of Ben Folds
, John Mark Painter
, Fleming McWilliams, and others. It was released on November 17, 1998
on 550 Records (with distribution from Sony Records).
The cover of the album, a piece called Just Your Average Second On This Planet 1997-1998 created by David Bethell, features the silhouette of a running man being pursued by cowboys on horseback with lasso
es. The back of the album case shows the silhouette of a boy in a cowboy outfit sitting on a park bench with what appears to be an erect penis
in his hands. The inner cover depicts a woman being violently attacked on a TV seen in a city apartment.
At some stores, a limited edition 12" vinyl single for "In Love" was bundled for free with Volume 1. It featured a remix of the song by Thievery Corporation
, as well as a couple of cuts off of the album.
Although Folds, Southern and Painter were the primary contributors to the records, a large cast of other musicians were included as well. Perhaps most notably, William Shatner
provided vocals on "In Love" (as well as the reprise, "Still in Love"). Painter's wife, Fleming McWilliams sang on several tracks. Frally Hynes, Folds' then-girlfriend (and wife from 1999 to 2007) performed frantic lead vocals on "Root to This." Folds himself sang on a number of songs as well.
The track "Rubber Sled" is a humorous reference to Ben Folds Five bass player, Robert Sledge
. A clip of Brick
by Ben Folds Five is playing in the background at the beginning of this song, though played at twice its normal speed, and a sample of Folds yelling "Robert Sledge on the bass guitar!" can be heard approximately halfway through the song. "I Paid My Money" was at least almost a decade old at the time it was recorded in 1998. The original 1990 demo version featured Folds singing over an African-American choir.
Fear of Pop
Fear of Pop is the name of an experimental recording project by Ben Folds and Caleb Southern , along with John Mark Painter , William Shatner and others...
. The album was a project of Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
, John Mark Painter
John Mark Painter
John Mark Painter is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for his role, with his wife, singer Fleming McWilliams, in the rock and roll duo, Fleming and John....
, Fleming McWilliams, and others. It was released on November 17, 1998
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
on 550 Records (with distribution from Sony Records).
The cover of the album, a piece called Just Your Average Second On This Planet 1997-1998 created by David Bethell, features the silhouette of a running man being pursued by cowboys on horseback with lasso
Lasso
A lasso , also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata , is a loop of rope that is designed to be thrown around a target and tighten when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb; to lasso is to successfully throw the loop of rope around something...
es. The back of the album case shows the silhouette of a boy in a cowboy outfit sitting on a park bench with what appears to be an erect penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
in his hands. The inner cover depicts a woman being violently attacked on a TV seen in a city apartment.
At some stores, a limited edition 12" vinyl single for "In Love" was bundled for free with Volume 1. It featured a remix of the song by Thievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation is a Washington, D.C. based recording artist and DJ duo consisting of Rob Garza, Eric Hilton, and their supporting artists, including current drummer Jeff Franca...
, as well as a couple of cuts off of the album.
Although Folds, Southern and Painter were the primary contributors to the records, a large cast of other musicians were included as well. Perhaps most notably, William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
provided vocals on "In Love" (as well as the reprise, "Still in Love"). Painter's wife, Fleming McWilliams sang on several tracks. Frally Hynes, Folds' then-girlfriend (and wife from 1999 to 2007) performed frantic lead vocals on "Root to This." Folds himself sang on a number of songs as well.
The track "Rubber Sled" is a humorous reference to Ben Folds Five bass player, Robert Sledge
Robert Sledge
Robert Sledge is an American musician, best known for his work with Ben Folds Five.-Biography:Robert Sledge began playing bass guitar at the age of eleven. His brother was playing guitar at his house so he also learned how to play the guitar at the same time...
. A clip of Brick
Brick (song)
"Brick" is a song performed by Ben Folds Five released on their 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen and later on Ben Folds Live. The verses were written by Ben Folds about his high school girlfriend undergoing an abortion, and the chorus was written by the band's drummer, Darren Jessee...
by Ben Folds Five is playing in the background at the beginning of this song, though played at twice its normal speed, and a sample of Folds yelling "Robert Sledge on the bass guitar!" can be heard approximately halfway through the song. "I Paid My Money" was at least almost a decade old at the time it was recorded in 1998. The original 1990 demo version featured Folds singing over an African-American choir.
Track listing
- "Fear of Pop" (FoldsBen FoldsBenjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
, SouthernCaleb SouthernCaleb Southern is an American musician and record producer. He has worked with Ben Folds Five, Fear of Pop and Archers of Loaf. He currently lives in Downtown Durham, North Carolina, and is a member of Partners Against Crime, District 5.-References:...
) – 3:26 - "Kops" (Folds) – 6:07
- starring Jay Goin, Scott EdwardsScott EdwardsScott Edwards is an Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Dockers between 1995 and 1996. He was drafted from Claremont in the WAFL as a foundation selection in the 1994 AFL draft and played mainly as a wingman....
and Ben Goldman as "The Kops."
- starring Jay Goin, Scott Edwards
- "Slow Jam '98" (Folds) – 4:50
- "Blink" (Folds) – 1:23
- "In Love" (Folds) – 4:46
- starring William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
as "The Unrequited Lover," featuring David Davidson on violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
.
- starring William Shatner
- "Interlude" (Folds) – 0:21
- "Avery M. Powers Memorial Beltway" (Folds) – 5:58
- "I Paid My Money" (Folds) – 3:16
- "Rubber Sled" (Folds) – 4:55
- introducing Mike Flynn as "The Customer"
- "Root to This" (Folds) – 5:09
- starring Frally as "The Shouting Woman"
- "Still in Love" (Folds) – 1:26
- starring William Shatner with some closing thoughts
Personnel
- Ben FoldsBen FoldsBenjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocals, other instruments - David Davidson - violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Mike Flynn - organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
- Fleming McWilliams - vocals
- John Mark PainterJohn Mark PainterJohn Mark Painter is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for his role, with his wife, singer Fleming McWilliams, in the rock and roll duo, Fleming and John....
- acoustic guitar, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
, djembeDjembeA djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....
, chamberlain, vocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder... - William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
- vocals - Frally Hynes - vocals
Production
- Producers: Ben Folds, John Mark Painter, Caleb Southern
- Engineers: Ben Folds, Caleb Southern
- Mixing: John Mark Painter, Caleb Southern
- Mastering: Howie Weinberg
- Art direction: Josh Cheuse
- Packaging Art: David Bethell http://www.myspace.com/davidjbethell