Today, Ben Folds is celebrating three decades in the spotlight by sharing the new unreleased track, “Philosophy (Shelved First Attempt),” which is taken from the very special anniversary edition of Ben Folds Five, the now-classic debut album from his iconic alt-rock trio. Ben Folds Five (30th Anniversary) that is technically speaking, arrives 31 years after its original August 8, 1995, release and sees the groundbreaking original LP newly remastered and joined by the long-awaited, fan-requested un-vaulting of the band’s mythical shelved first attempt, only recently rediscovered on digital audio tape by Folds in his own personal archives and specially remastered for this release.
While talking about About the Shelved First Attempt, Folds writes: “The budget from Caroline Records, as I recall, was about $14k, all-in. We spent all of that in a proper three-week session in Philadelphia with a proper producer who had a few hits under his belt and who gave us a great deal. This version of the album was shelved and never saw the light of day. We had taken the time we needed and the advice of the very competent producer, but it resulted in an album that didn’t feel like us. I only recently happened to have found a cassette of this shelved album. It’s not bad, though I recall it being hideous… It’s just not crazy like the album we all know.”
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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