Ben Folds Five are an American
alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group's members are
Ben Folds (
lead vocals,
piano, keyboards, melodica, principal songwriting),
Robert Sledge (
bass, contrabass, synthesizer, backing vocals), and
Darren Jessee (
drums, percussion, backing vocals, songwriter). The group achieved mainstream success in the
alternative,
indie and
pop music scenes. Their single "
Brick" from the 1997 album
Whatever and Ever Amen gained airplay on many mainstream radio stations. 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. They reunited in 2011 and released their fourth album
The Sound of the Life of the Mind in 2012.