Ben Folds: A music icon

Ben Folds, who was a rising star in 1990s, was often compared to Elton John. He hit the jackpot with his album Underground.

If there's one thing pianist-singer Ben Folds detests, it's poseurs in the music industry who care more about how they look on television than about honing their craft.

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"I hate a performance that is about the performer," said Folds, who was a rising star in the 1990s and often compared to Elton John and Billy Joel. "I think it's a disease of my generation, it's all about the cameras."

"I'm a stickler for technique and craft and that's been my rebellion, to a certain extent, against the other people in my generation," he said.

Ironically, the iconoclastic Folds rocketed to fame in the mid-90s through appearances on that bastion of the pop music establishment, MTV, with his humorous anthem Underground, which poked fun at the punk/alternative scene.

And after touring with Dave Matthews Band and 1997's critically acclaimed album "Whatever and Ever Amen", Folds was one of the hottest rock acts in America.

Ben Folds, who was a rising star in 1990s, was often compared to Elton John and Billy Joel. He hit the jackpot with his humorous album Underground.

But in 2001, after four albums, three as Ben Folds Five and one solo, he dropped out, stepping back from a music world where intelligent piano licks and incisive commentary are barely heard above the rappers, heavy rock or teen queens.

As a thoughtful musician who cares about his art, he had become cynical about a music industry that increasingly places more value on image over substance.

After his 2001 album Rockin' the Suburbs Folds was content to make discs for the Internet only. He was happy to top the download charts "to make myself right with the music gods," touring in a van and playing small gigs.

"No offence to the business, publicity and stuff, but I realised when you take that out of the equation and go back to when I was 9 years old and music was my discipline ... I just had a great four years," he told Reuters.

But, at the age of 38 and the father of twins, he realised he had to come back. "It was necessary for me to jump back on the horse again and put a full-length album out," he said. That album is Songs for Silverman, which came out last month and features Folds's voice and piano with just bass and drums.