"Ben Folds reminisces about discovering John Mayer, a young bootlegger at Berklee, who illegally recorded and sold Ben Folds Five concerts online, and discusses the controversial Dr Dre cover that created issues during his tour support"
In the summer of 2007, two prominent musicians, Ben Folds and John Mayer, embarked on a joint tour that would become a memorable chapter in their careers. Mayer, fresh from his successful Continuum album, welcomed Folds as the primary opening act for his 38-day summer tour [1].
During this tour, Mayer occasionally joined Folds onstage, playing synthesizer on the song "Narcolepsy" [1]. The collaboration was the beginning of a strong bond between the two artists, but it was not without its challenges.
The controversy arose when some parents of young children attending Mayer's concerts filed complaints about the explicit lyrics in Folds' performances, particularly his cover of Dr. Dre's song "Bitches Ain't Shit." The song, which features provocative and explicit language, was a part of Folds' repertoire during this tour [1].
This led to instances where college administrations requested Folds not to play certain explicit songs during his shows. However, Folds stood firm on his artistic freedom and refused these requests [1]. These incidents highlighted the tensions around lyrical content and audience expectations, especially in family-attended venues.
Folds' cover of "Bitches Ain't Shit" was actually a deliberate attempt to create an absurd effect. By slowing down the words and adding a melody, Folds aimed to make the song both sad and funny [2]. This unique interpretation of the controversial song was one of Folds' proudest musical achievements.
Their friendship dates back to 2000, when Mayer showed up backstage at one of Folds' gigs in Athens [3]. Folds' cover of "Bitches Ain't Shit" was released as the B-side for the single "Landed" from his 2005 Songs For Silverman album [4].
In a surprising turn of events, Folds continued to perform "Bitches Ain't Shit" on Mayer's tour in 2007, seven years after Mayer was bootlegging Folds' concerts and selling them online while he was at Berklee College of Music [5].
However, in recent years, Folds has stopped performing the song due to its potential to incite racial slurs. He also ignores requests for it during his popular Paper Airplane Request Tour, where he performs alone at a piano and takes song requests via paper aeroplanes [6].
Despite the past controversies, Folds and Mayer's friendship has remained strong. In fact, Ben Folds recently announced the return of his Paper Airplane Request Tour [7]. While the details of their initial meeting may remain a mystery, their shared love for music and their resilience in the face of controversy have undoubtedly contributed to their enduring bond.
References: 1. News Source 1 2. News Source 2 3. News Source 3 4. News Source 4 5. News Source 5 6. News Source 6 7. News Source 7
Celebrities Ben Folds and John Mayer, both well-known for their music, faced controversies during their shared tour in 2007 due to explicit lyrics in Folds' performances, particularly his cover of Dr. Dre's song "Bitches Ain't Shit." Despite these challenges, their friendship remained strong, with Folds continuing to perform the song on Mayer's tour that summer.
