Frank Maynard doesn’t look at the recent Ben Folds Five breakup as a tragedy, but more as an opportunity for each member to shine.
“From what I understand, they decided they had done their course of what they wanted to do as a trio,” the Novi resident said. “They really weren’t developing any new stage presence or any new live material.”
After forming their group in 1994 in Chapel Hill, N.C., the piano-based trio released three studio albums and an album with a number of B-sides and live tracks. The group announced its separation Tuesday.
Maynard created the band’s first Web site and also began an Internet mailing list called “The Magical Armchair,” named after a lyric from one of the band’s songs. He said there are about 1,300 subscribers to the list, many of whom are college students.
“The last few live shows they did were basically rehashes of the same act they’ve been doing for the past five years, and they decided they had run out of joint creativity,” Maynard said. “They’re all friends and will continue to be friends, and they are willing to split up and do their own things.”
Lead vocalist and pianist Ben Folds has a solo project called “Fear of Pop” and has written, recorded and produced songs for upcoming movie soundtracks including “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “100 Girls.”
“Right now he’s at home in Australia making music in his home studio, just having a good time,” Maynard said. “He’s quite relaxed and happy with the decision to break up because it frees him up musically and he’s not tied to the image of what the band had become.”
Folds is recording an album for release on Epic Records in the spring.
Drummer Darren Jessee is assembling a band and has been playing his own new material on the New York club circuit for the past year.
Bassist Robert Sledge is putting together a new group and producing in his Chapel Hill studio. Sledge has also been touring with ex-Squirrel Nut Zipper Tom Maxwell and his band, The Minor Drag.
Music therapy junior Marie Dysangco knew Ben Folds Five as a big inspiration to a lot of underground groups.
“They did whatever they wanted without regard to what was cool on the radio,” she said. “They did music for the sake of playing music, not for anyone else.”
Dysangco knew the group wasn’t going to last forever.
“They all had their own independent things going,” she said. “The bassist has been working with other groups and when things like that come into play you can’t tour forever.”
Dick Rosemont, co-owner of Flat, Black and Circular, 541 E. Grand River Ave., doesn’t see the breakup as dramatic as the breakup of a band that has been together for 20 or 30 years.
“Bands break up all the time and if you’ve been around music for any length of time, you see how bands come and go,” he said.
“There is a long history of group members going on to do worthwhile things beyond the band itself.”
Rosemont said even though the group broke up, its music will still be popular.
“There are plenty of bands who haven’t existed for decades who broke up and their music continues to be popular,” he said.
“What it comes down to is that you can’t see them live.”
Scott Serilla, a James Madison no-preference freshman, saw the band perform only once, but he is optimistic about its breakup.
“It’s going to be like there’s potential for them to get back together, and I don’t know if this is going to be permanent,” he said. “If there’s no apparent ideological break or something, maybe there’s always that potential for them to get back together.”
Maynard is excited for what the future holds for the band.
“Instead of being one talent, we’re going to see each in solo efforts,” he said. “Ben’s got the name and the repertoire so he’ll probably have greater success, but you’re gonna hear from all three of them one way or another, as a leader or side man.”
