Ben Folds Biography

Ben Folds is a musician famous for forming the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five which gave hits like ‘Brick’ and ‘Battle of Who Could Care Less’. He was the lead vocalist and pianist of the band for seven years before the members broke up and went their separate ways. The band’s love for humour was reflected in their very name; they were a group of three, not five. As a child Ben was a fan of Elton John and Billy Joel, and played the piano, bass and drums for several bands while in high school. He formed the band Majosha in collaboration with a friend and performed at bars and parties. The band soon broke up; so did another band he formed. But such short term failures did not deter the youngster and he eventually got a music publishing deal with music executive Scott Simon and opened for Marc Silvey and played bass for his band. He spent many months working as a session musician before meeting aspiring musicians Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee with whom he formed the band Ben Folds Five. The band soon became known for its quirky humour, sarcasm combined with melancholy and profanity. Ben also pursued a solo career along with his work with the band.