[douglasdickel]

"The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner": The title of this Ben Folds Five album refers to a name used by the band's drummer Darren Jessee and his friends on fake IDs as teenagers. The band was unaware of the existence of the real Reinhold Messner, the first man to climb Mount Everest solo, and the first to do so without the aid of bottled oxygen, until work on the album had already progressed. They were informed of his existence in 1999 during an interview with DJ Bruce Warren of WXPN radio.[1] In the record's liner notes, Messner is thanked for his understanding and cooperation. He later contacted the band to let them know that he was highly pleased with the album.