The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner is the third and final studio album by Ben Folds Five, released April 27, 1999.

The band reunited to play the album in its entirety in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 18, 2008.The Suburbs.co.uk: The show was streamed live online as a part of MySpace's Front to Back series, with a repeat airing to occur sometime in October.

Origins of the album title

The title of the album refers to a name used, as teenagers, by the band's drummer Darren Jessee and his friends, on fake IDs. The band were unaware of the existence of the real Reinhold Messner, the first man to climb Mount Everest without the aid of bottled oxygen, until work on the album had already progressed; they were informed of his existence in 1999 during an interview with DJ Bruce Warren of WXPN radio.http In the record's liner notes, Messner is thanked for his understanding and cooperation. He later contacted the band to let them know that he was highly pleased with the album.

Song information

Originally, "Don't Change Your Plans" was preceded by a long instrumental passage; Folds credits producer Caleb Southern for helping edit down the song to its final product, and told an interviewer that Southern, "just cut it away and then all of a sudden it was this pop song. And then it was like ‘Oh okay. I see what you’re talking about.’ Cause I didn’t hear it like that at all. I just heard it as this little masterpiece thing.” On the Ben Folds iTunes Originals, Folds explains that the song "Mess" is "loss of innocence song" about having so much baggage that now you are unable to completely explain your history; "you've made a mess."

The hospital referred to in "Hospital Song" is a real hospital: Forsyth Medical Center, located on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The vocal portion of "Your Most Valuable Possession" consists of message left on Folds' answering machine by his father, Dean Folds, while he was partially asleep.

Outtakes

The band recorded the songs "Leather Jacket" (written by Jessee) and "Birds" (an instrumental written by bassist Robert Sledge) during the Reinhold Messner sessions; the songs were not included on the album, but were released as b-sides on the "Army" and "Don't Change Your Plans" singles. "Leather Jacket" would also later appear on the charity compilation No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees.

At least two songs, "Break Up at Food Court" and "Carrying Cathy", were recorded during these sessions, but were neither released nor played live by the band.MTV News article: "." Folds would later re-record "Carrying Cathy" for his debut solo release, Rockin' The Suburbs.

Reviews

The record was given generally positive reviews, with AllMusic saying that it's the band's willingness "to forge a unique sound that makes The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner such an interesting album to listen to. There is care to these songs and, what's even more significant and fresh, there is also intelligence."AllMusic: Review of The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

Personnel

Ben Folds Five

*Ben Folds - vocals, piano and other keyboards

*Robert Sledge - bass, background vocals

*Darren Jessee - drums, background vocals

Additional personnel

*Antoine Silverman - violin

*Mark Feldman - violin

*Lorenza Ponce - violin

*Jane Scarpantoni - cello

*Ken Mosher - alto saxophone, baritone saxophone

*Tom Maxwell - tenor saxophone

*Paul Shapiro - tenor saxophone

*Frank London - trumpet

*John Mark Painter - flugelhorn, valve trombone

*Dean Folds - answering machine message on "Your Most Valuable Possession"

Production

*Producer: Caleb Southern

*Mixing: Andy Wallace

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)

References

Category:1999 albums

Category:Ben Folds albums

Category:Albums produced by Caleb Southern

it:The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

sv:The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

Artist/Band Information

Ben Folds Five was an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprised Ben Folds (vocals, piano, and principal songwriting), Robert Sledge (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Darren Jessee (drums, backing vocals and co-writer for some songs). The group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie and pop music scenes. The band is best known for the hit single "Brick" from their 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen, which gained airplay on many mainstream radio stations.

Much of Ben Folds Five's work was influenced by jazz, evident in frequent improv-styled passages through bridge and/or ending. During their seven years together, the band released three proper studio records, one retrospective album of B-sides and outtakes, and eight singles. They also contributed to a number of soundtracks and compilations. Ben Folds Five disbanded in October 2000, apparently under amicable circumstances.

The group reunited for a one-off concert on September 18, 2008, where they played their final album, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in its entirety.

History

Ben Folds Five was formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill by Ben Folds. They were, in fact, a trio in spite of their name, and the primary motivation behind the name, apart from the band's well-known use of humor, was simple preference, according to Ben: "I think it sounds better than Ben Folds Three."

Folds once described their music as "punk rock for sissies," a reaction to the angst prevalent in '90s rock.

Their first radio single was "Underground" from their self-titled debut album, released in 1995 on Caroline records. The band's biggest success was the single "Brick" from their second album, Whatever and Ever Amen, released in 1997. It was followed by the more somber and jazz-based 1999 album, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner. The group contributed an outtake from the Reinhold Messner sessions, titled "Leather Jacket," to the 1999 benefit album, No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees.

The band's final released recording was a cover of Steely Dan's "Barrytown" for the Me, Myself & Irene soundtrack. The band had begun work on a fourth studio album, however following the worldwide tour in support of The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, the band "amicably" broke up in October 2000. Tracks from the sessions would later emerge on subsequent solo projects.

Post-break up

Folds went on to pursue a successful solo career, releasing Rockin the Suburbs in 2001, Songs for Silverman in 2005, and Way to Normal in 2008. Jessee formed acclaimed indie band Hotel Lights, releasing Hotel Lights in 2005, Goodnightgoodmorning in 2006, and Firecracker People in 2008. Robert Sledge soon after took up singing, shared song-writing and bass playing duties with International Orange, but the group disbanded in 2005. He subsequently formed The Bob Sledge Band, which plays locally in North Carolina.

Reunion

Ben Folds Five made a one-off concert appearance in September 2008 at the UNC Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill as part of the MySpace "Front to Back" series, in which artists play an entire album live. The band played its final album, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner," and were briefly joined on stage by Ben's father, Dean Folds, who read a transcript of his voice mail message that is used in the album song "Your Most Valuable Possession," encoring with some of the songs from their first two albums.http "Ben Folds Five delights in reunion"

Discography

Albums

*Ben Folds Five (1995) - Passenger/Caroline Records

*Whatever and Ever Amen (1997, digitally remastered in 2005) - 550 RIAA: Platinum

*Naked Baby Photos (1998) - Passenger/Caroline

*The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999) - 550

Singles

DVDs

*Ben Folds Five - The Complete Sessions at West 54th (1999) - Epic Music Video

Soundtracks & compilations

* Mr. Wrong soundtrack (1996) - Contributed "Song for the Dumped"

* The Truth About Cats & Dogs soundtrack (1996) - Contributed "Bad Idea"

* KCRW Rare On Air, Volume 3 (1997) - Contributed "Alice Childress"

* Lounge-a-palooza (1997) - Contributed "She Don't Use Jelly"

* MegaHits Dance Party, Volume 2 (1998) - Contributed "Brick (3AM Dance Remix)"

* Triple J Hottest 100, Volume 5 (1998) - Contributed "One Angry Dwarf & 200 Solemn Faces"

* Sabrina the Teenage Witch soundtrack (1998) - Contributed "Kate"

* Godzilla soundtrack (1998) - Contributed "Air"

* Burt Bacharach: One Amazing Night (1998) - Contributed "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"

* Teleconned, Volume 1: We Want The Airwaves (1998) - Contributed "Theme From Dr. Pyser"

* Me, Myself & Irene (2000) - Contributed "Barrytown"

* Songs for Summer (2000) - Contributed "Where's Summer B.?"

* Non Stop '90s Rock (2001) - Contributed "Brick"

* "Over The Hedge" (2006)

References