We have an exclusive at the Nerdist Channel today, a HUGE one, and here it is, the world premiere of the new Ben Folds Five video for “Do It Anyway,” the first video from their upcoming album “The Sound of the Life of the Mind.” It has the following:
Ben Folds Five, together again for the first time in 13 years.
Fraggles. FRAGGLES!!!
Anna Kendrick, blowing bubbles.
Rob Corddry, emoting at the mixing board.
Chris Hardwick in the role of a lifetime, with a tattoo.
Every video would have Fraggles if they could, but they can’t. And this one can. And does. Lots of Fraggles. FRAGGLES!!! Plus, when the song is over, there’s a little extra sing-along, so don’t click away too fast.
(Don’t forget to click here to pre-order “The Sound of the Life of the Mind” on iTunes)
Subscribe to the Nerdist Channel because, as this one proves, you never know what we’re gonna throw at you next.
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Oh, and here’s the official press release explaining everything:
BEN FOLDS FIVE GOES FRAGGLE ROCK IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR
“DO IT ANYWAY†FROM THE NERDIST CHANNEL
Available Exclusively Online September 17th at youtube.com/nerdist
LOS ANGELES, CA – September 17, 2012: Groundbreaking alternative rock innovators Ben Folds Five have reunited and on September 17th, the Nerdist Channel (youtube.com/nerdist) will exclusively premiere the video for “Do It Anyway,†the first track from the band’s much anticipated album The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind (ImaVeePee Records/Sony Music) due out September 18th. A production of Nerdist Industries, the video features the Fraggles, stars of The Jim Henson Company’s perennial fan-favorite “Fraggle Rock.†Ben Folds, along with returning band mates Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee, are joined by Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, Red and Uncle Traveling Matt. Also making cameo appearances are Academy Award-nominated actress Anna Kendrick (“Up in the Airâ€), comedian Rob Corddry (“Children’s Hospitalâ€) and Nerdist Industries’ Founder and Chief Creative Officer Chris Hardwick.
Hardwick describes how this cluster of awesomeness happened: “In a meeting with Lisa [Henson, CEO, The Jim Henson Company], she casually said, ‘Next year is the 30th anniversary of ‘Fraggle Rock.’ Would you want to do anything with the Fraggles?’ ‘WHAT THE [expletive]?? That’s an OPTION?!’ I loudly replied. I think I scared her a little. I knew Ben had a new album releasing in September so I threw his name out. Lisa said ‘that would be amazing’ without hesitation. It was beautifully serendipitous. It seemed like a no-brainer to me, but I still cautiously pitched it to Ben, not really knowing his relationship with the show. I think I just spit words out, ‘YOU. VIDEO. FRAGGLES. ME PAY FOR!’â€
Folds was VERY interested, it turns out, and had the perfect song in mind. “When Ben sent me ‘Do it Anyway,’ I knew within the first five seconds that the song was perfect—the bouncy piano… the dancing bass …it actually sounded like it was intentionally written for the Fraggles. I can never fully express the amount of nerdy joy that I felt on set seeing Red Fraggle jump around on Ben’s piano,†said Hardwick. “And the fact that I was able to weasel my way into the video was a dream come true.â€
Formed in 1993, Ben Folds Five changed the course of indie rock in the mid-1990s before amicably parting ways in 2000 to pursue different artistic ventures. Now, after twelve years, the indie pop trio has returned to bring their unique pop sensibility to both Fraggle Rock and the Nerdist Channel.
Red Fraggle said, “We had a great adventure in Outer Space! Ben, Robert and Darren love music as much as Fraggles do, so we had lots of fun. It would be wonderful to have them come play more music in the caves with us, but I am not sure they can fit through the hole in the floor!â€
Totally made my day. I’ll be smiling the whole day now….
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Woo Hoo…the video’s got over 260,000 hits so far in its first day!!
Look out Psy (Gangnam Style dude)…Chris, Ben, and a bunch of Fraggles are comming for you!
3ToF
Watching my 4yo’s face light up with shock and amazement then name every one of the fraggles…. its a good day in Momdom.
Now I have to meet his request for an encore. 🙂
@Mandy W.: They actually have all of Fraggle Rock now on Netflix instant streaming. So you can show him on a TV now instead of a tiny computer monitor!
Anna Kendrick ! awesome. as was everything else too 😉
Wow. Best Thing Ever. Thank you!
Holy shit that was a fucking crazy awesome mashup of delightful awesomeness!! My favorite web presence smashed all over my favorite band ahhhhhhh yeah. I just enjoyed my burrito all over my pants!
Thanks Nerds
love,
todd
So it is my birthday and this was one of the best birthday surprises ever!
Is that actually Karen Prell doing Red? It sure sounds like it and Red is my favorite. (I even made a Red costume about 6 years ago. I got to meet Ms. Prell last year along with Brian Henson at a muppet event in NYC and my husband had to be a go between because I was so star struck I could not talk. (And I never that never happens!)
AHHHH!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
A monday morning combo of Ben Folds Five new tune, Nerdist, and Fraggle Rock!?!? As soon as my goosebumps go down i’ll ponder the amazitude of this moment.
Chris…this one’s a game changer…to have nerdist help create a wonderful music video means y’all have greated a nice “legacy moment” that will be around for a looooong looong time. GREAT JOB.
Peace & Someday we’ll find it…the rainbow connection…the lovers, the dreams, annd mee…laaaa daaa dee daaa daa dum.
3ToF, cosplayin as Beaker at age 5.
This is so great you guys! Ben Folds Five is fantastic! Fraggle Rock was such a part of my childhood, thank you PBS. I stream old episodes on youtube (thank you youtubers!) for my 5 year old son so he can enjoy them as well. But now Mr. Hardwick, the requests for you and your channel to bring back Fraggle Rock begins! (Please?) Help a new generation of little nerds enjoy Gobo, Mokey, Red, Wembley, Boober and all the others. 🙂
Started the day with 3 hours of sleep, flat tire, dead battery. Then three of my favorite things of all time melt together to form a Patty Melt of delight. There is good in this world.
This made me so happy. Like it reached into my central nervous system and squeezed. Hard! Thank you so much for creating such a thing.
I was just talking with someone Friday night about Ben Folds Five. I’ll be damn sure to forward this page to them and everyone else I know who’s a Ben Folds fan.
Another catchy tune featuring The Muppets is “Keep Fishin'” by Weezer: http://goo.gl/bGfjh
I had a crappy weekend and come back in to work to this – THANK YOU!!!!!
This is SO AWESOME. A wonderful crossover between so many things I love!!
Nerdist, Fraggles and Ben Folds Five you just MADE MY MONDAY!!!!!!!!!
The amount of love I’m feeling for all ya’ll right now can’t be measured.
Gonna ‘splode from it all!!
#lovesplosion
I’ve had that song in my head for months!!! (Delightfully so!) The rest of the album is awesome as well!
And now I’ll have this bouncy tune in my head for the rest of the day. Beats the crap out of the Journey one in there earlier…
Give me a Boy Gorg shirt POST HASTE!!! Pre haste even!