The Residents
The Residents are an American avant-garde band from San Francisco . The exact year the band was founded and the identity of the members is unknown. The musicians have appeared in different masks since their beginnings. Further trademarks of the band are their idiosyncratic compositions and the bizarre interpretation of foreign material. Repeatedly they edited material from Elvis Presley , George Gershwin , James Brown , Prince , The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as well as from other musicians, often beyond recognition.
Band history
The establishment of the residents probably dates back to the late 1960s. In 1971 the first appearance followed, in 1972 the founding of his own record label, Ralph Records , on which the first single Santa Dog was released in the year it was founded. Recordings were made before 1972, but they can be assigned to private enjoyment and the study of sound manipulation, an important aspect of the band's work.
In the years that followed, the Residents always oriented band anniversaries to the first release on Ralph Records or the year 1972 (for example the 33rd Anniversary Tour in 2005).
In 1974, the first album, Meet the Residents , was released, the graphic design of the album cover being a Dadaist parody of the Beatles' album With The Beatles . The bizarre mix of blues, jazz, rock and classical music ensures that her cover versions of well-known songs such as Nancy Sinatra's These Boots were made for walking are barely recognizable.
To this day, the band members appear anonymously . At their live concerts, the group always appears masked, whereby a special disguise with tailcoat , cylinder and eyeball-shaped head mask has become one of the band's visual trademarks.
From 1972 to 1976 the film Vileness Fats was made , which contains unusual animation techniques and a bizarre cubist design. However, the film was not completed due to the advancing technology. In the 1980s, a fragment with a soundtrack composed for it was published.
In 1976 the second album, Third Reich 'n' Roll , was released, the cover of which caricatured the American television presenter Dick Clark in a Nazi uniform with a carrot, around which several small Hitler and Eva Braun figures are draped. In Germany, where the publishing of Nazi symbols is prohibited, such as the were swastikas on the album cover provided with a "Censored" banner. Musically, alienated set pieces from well-known hits of the 1960s were strung together; The main motif is the chorus from Land of a Thousand Dances .
From 1976, the residents' management team named Cryptic Corporation appeared as the band's spokesperson, which consisted of Homer Flynn, Hardy Fox († 2018), Jay Clem and John Kennedy. Clem and Kennedy, who always denied being members of the Residents, were to disappear again in 1983 after a financially ruinous first tour of the Residents, the Mole Show and subsequent restructuring of Ralph Records to (New Ralph!) . Music journalists therefore assume that Flynn (as a singer) and Fox (as a composer) are the main figures behind the residents, although the group has not given any confirmation of this assumption. One of the few musicians who revealed his identity from the beginning was the guitarist Philip Lithman, who also released solo albums under his pseudonym " Snakefinger " . Lithman was, although continuously involved in projects since 1969, mostly only listed as a "guest artist" . He died of heart failure in 1987.
In the English-speaking world, the term "Rezsinger" was developed for the resident singer, who is relatively easy to recognize due to his distinctive singing technique and voice.
Since the inception of the Residents, the group has released over 60 albums. Many of them are based on overall artistic concepts. The 1978 album Not Available is said to have been recorded as early as 1974 with the intention of not releasing it until the musicians had forgotten the album. The 1979 album Eskimo was only recorded with percussion, scraps of voice and noises. The 1980 commercial album contains 40 jingle- like pieces, each running exactly one minute. Half of the George & James album from 1984 contains songs by George Gershwin, the other half is a dubbing of the first page of the James Brown album Live at the Apollo . The 1989 album The King & Eye is an Elvis Presley-themed concept album .
The residents have continued to work consistently on film material and are among the pioneers of the video clip format. When MTV was founded, avant-garde cartoons were initially part of the station's standard repertoire. Due to the bizarre music and the small number of singles released compared to the numerous albums, the group was denied a major hit. Only Kaw-Liga , a Hank Williams cover version, became an early classic on the house music scene in the mid-1980s . The package is based on the rhythm of Michael Jackson 's Billie Jean on.
In 1991 the band released the multimedia CD-ROM Freak Show , which once again made them one of the pioneers of a medium. In 1994 the multimedia album Gingerbread Man followed . In 1995 , a resident adventure game called Bad Day on the Midway came out, the setting of which is a run-down fair called Midway . In addition to other new albums, seven DVDs with old and new video material by the busy group have followed since 2001.
In the last few years the band founded the Make the Fans Rich project. The residents thank their fans for their loyalty over the decades with special publications in very small editions, which almost challenge the rapid rise in prices among collectors . The WB Remix double LP was only released 333 times in 2003, the album Brumalia was released in 2004 with an edition of 1,000.
In 2005, the 33rd Anniversary Tour under the motto "The Way We Were" led to Australia, among others . The band appeared there in the usual eyeball mask with three instrumentalists (guitarist and two electronic musicians), singer and singer as well as a stage actor acting in pantomime . In Germany, the Residents could be seen in 1999, where they had a highly acclaimed appearance in the Bonn Art and Exhibition Hall , which was broadcast worldwide on the Internet via live stream. On September 11, 2001 they gave a concert on the Icky Flix tour in the Hamburg cultural center Fabrik , in 2003 and 2010 one each in Düsseldorf.
On September 1, 2008 the album The Bunny Boy was released . The album is based on early works by the residents such as Duck Stab and The Commercial Album .
In 2013 the residents toured in a three-man cast consisting of Charles "Chuck" Bobuck (keyb) (probably identical to Hardy Fox), Randy Rose (voc) (probably identical to Homer Flynn alias Mr. Skull) and Bob (g) through the USA and Europe . The former also released several solo albums under the name Charles Bobuck, but was no longer part of the tour line-up from March 2015 and officially said goodbye to the band in 2016, claiming to have been one of the founders. Fox died of cancer in 2018.
Myths
The total work of the band includes numerous myths, most of which were brought into the world by the band itself during interviews with the Cryptic Corporation .
Origin of the group name
In 1970 or 1971, the then unnamed band allegedly produced studio recordings with which the media group Warner Brothers wanted to apply for a recording contract. Warner was selected as a possible contract partner because there was also Captain Beefheart under contract, who is said to have influenced the work of the band. Since the group had only given a reply address, but no sender, in the usual anonymous way, the (negative) reply from the record company was sent to the “residents” of the address given. These are said to have used this trivial designation as group names in the future.
N. Senada
The band claims that a Bavarian poet, thinker and musician by the name of N. Senada (the N is supposed to stand for Nigel ) brought them onto their "crooked musical path". Senada was born between 1895 and 1910. He is the developer of the "Theory of Obscurity" , which exerted a significant influence on her artistic concept. This theory says: "an artist does their purest work when they're the most obscure, with a minimum of feedback from any kind of audience." (German: "Artists work most authentically when they remain as hidden as possible; with a minimum of feedback of any kind from the audience.")
In 1937 Senada composed the piece for automatic instruments Pollex Christi , which was recorded by the residents in 1997 and published in a small edition. Possibly the name goes back to a visit to Ensenada , Mexico . Pollex Christi contains melody fragments that are much younger than the stated date of creation - so you can hear, among other things, the basic elements of the Star Trek theme song .
Senada did not return from a polar expedition in connection with her LP production Eskimo around 1977/78 and died in 1993. It is almost certainly a fictional person.
The Residents - The Beatles?
There is a high degree of artistic continuity in the band's work to date, but it is doubtful that the costumes of the live performances hide the same musicians as when the group was founded over 40 years ago. In March 2006, the band's official website named the band members as "John, Paul, George and Reingold" , reviving speculation from the 1970s that the Beatles were hiding behind the residents.
reception
The cover version of the Rolling Stones song " (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction " by the Residents was added to The Wire's "100 Records That Set The World On Fire (While No One Was Listening)" .
Discography
Regular studio albums
- Meet the Residents - 1974
- Not Available - 1974 (published 1978)
- Third Reich & Roll - 1976
- Finger Prince - 1977
- Duck Stab / Buster & Glen - 1978
- Eskimo - 1979
- The Commercial Album - 1980
- Mark of the Mole (Part One of the Mole Trilogy) - 1981
- The Tunes of Two Cities (Part Two of the Mole Trilogy) - 1982
- George & James (The American Composers Series, Vol. 1) - 1984
- The Big Bubble (Part Four of the Mole Trilogy) - 1985
- Stars & Hank Forever (The American Composers Series, Vol. 2) - 1986
- God in Three Persons - 1988
- God in Three Persons Soundtrack - 1988
- The King & Eye - 1989
- Freak Show - 1990
- Our Finest Flowers - 1992
- Gingerbread Man - 1994
- Wormwood: Curious Stories from the Bible - 1998
- God in Three Persons / God in Three Persons Soundtrack - 2000
- Freak Show, 13th Anniversary Special Edition - 2002 (2 CDs)
- Demons Dance Alone - 2002
- Animal Lover - 2005 (CD / MCD)
- Tweedles! - 2006
- Freak Show - 2006 (CD / DVD)
- The Voice Of Midnight - 2007
- The Bunny Boy - 2008
- Postcards From Patmos - 2008
- Anganok - 2009
- Hades - 2009
- The Ughs! - 2009
- Arkansas - 2009
- Ozan - 2010
- Strange Culture / Haeckel's Tale - 2010
- Dollar General - 2010
- Talking Light Rehearsal - 2010
- Chuck's Ghost Music - 2011
- Coochie Brake - 2011
- Lonely Teenager (a Talking Light presents project) - 2011
- Mush Room - 2013
- The Ghost of Hope - 2017
- Intruders - 2018
- Eskimo Deconstructed - 2019
- Metal, Meat & Bone - 2020
Live albums
- The Mole Show Live at The Roxy - 1983
- The 13Th Anniversary Show, Live in Japan / The Eyeball Show - 1986 (LP)
- The 13th Anniversary Show: Live in Holland - 1987
- The Mole Show - Live in Holland 1989
- Cube E: Live in Holland - 1990
- Live at the Fillmore - 1998 (2 CDs)
- Wormwood Live 1999 - 1999 (2 CDs)
- The 13th Anniversary Show, Live in Tokyo - 1999
- Roadworms - 2000
- Kettles of Fish on the Outskirts of Town - 2003 (3CDs + 1DVD)
- The Way We Were - 2005 (CD / DVD)
- Cube E: Live in Holland - 2006 (2CDs + 1DVD)
- In Between Dreams Live - 2019 (CD or double LP vinyl)
Irregular albums
- Roosevelt 2.0 - 2000 (CD in a wooden cigar box)
- Dot.Com - 2000 ( excerpts from songs published on the Internet)
Soundtracks
- Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats - 1984
- Census Taker - 1985 (LP)
- Hunters - 1995
- Have a Bad Day - 1996
- Icky Flix - 2001
- I Murdered Mommy - 2004 (never completed CD-ROM project. Only this audio soundtrack exists. Supplied with extensive information on the planned project)
- The 12 Days of Brumalia - 2004
MCDs
- Intermission (is NOT Part Three of the Mole Trilogy) - 1983
- Double Shot - 1988
- Holy Kiss of Flesh - 1988 - (Ryko Version)
- For Elsie - 1990
- From the Plains to Mexico - 1989
- Don't Be Cruel - 1990
- Blowoff - 1992
- Prelude to “The Teds” - 1993
- Pollex Christi - 1997
- I Hate Heaven - 1998
- In Between Screams - 1999
- High Horses - 2001
CD3s
- Babyfingers - 1979
- Duck Stab / Buster & Glen - 1978 (2 CD3 )
- Kaw – Liga Prairie Mix - 1986
CDs from UWEB (only for members)
(UWEB was "Uncle Willie's Eyeball Buddies" , the official fan club.)
- Santa Dog '88--1988 (MCD)
- The Snakey Wake - 1988 (MCD)
- Buckaroo Blues - 1989 (MCD)
- Liver Music - 1990
- Stranger than Supper - 1990
- Daydream B-Liver - 1991
- Live in the USA / The 13th Anniversary Tour (2 CDs)
- Santa Dog 92 - 1992 (MCD)
- Philip Charles Lithman aka Snakefinger - 1992
- Land Of Mystery - 1999 (CD)
Remixes
- Holy Kiss of Flesh (Euro Ralph Remix) - 1993
- WB: RMX - 2004
- The King & Eye: RMX (Remixed by Paralyzer) - 2004
- RMX - 2007 (download only)
- Bunny Boy Intermission Music (A Tribute to Past Tours) - 2008 (download only)
Podcasts
- The River of Crime! - 2006
Compilations
- Please do not steal it! - 1979 (LP)
- Nibbles - 1979 (LP)
- Subterranean Modern - 1979 (LP)
- Residual - 1983 (LP)
- Ralph Before '84 - Volume 1, The Residents - 1984 (LP)
- Memorial Hits - 1985 (LP)
- The PAL TV LP - 1985 (LP)
- Heaven? - 1986
- Bright! - 1986
- Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide to the Residents - 1993
- Poor Kaw-Liga's Pain - 1994
- Louisiana's Lick - 1995
- Our tired, our poor, our huddled Masses - 1997 (4 CDs, Euro Ralph Version)
- Our tired, our poor, our huddled Masses - 1997 (2 CDs, Ryko Version)
- Residue Deux - 1998
- Twenty-five Years of Eyeball Excellence - 1998
- Refused (Santa Dog '99) - 1999
- Land of Mystery - 1999 (UWEB compilation by Ralph America)
- Assorted Secrets - 2000
- Diskomo 2000-2000
- The Residents Radio Special / Eat Exuding Oinks - 2002
- Petting Zoo - 2002
- Best left unspoken, Vol. 1 - 2006
- Best left unspoken, Vol. 2 - 2007
- Best left unspoken, Vol. 3 - 2007
- Ten Little Piggies - 2009
- Chicken Scratching With The Residents - 2010
- Dot.Com - 2017 (Sound Gallery)
- 80 Aching Orphans - 45 Years of the Residents Hardback Book Anthology Set - 2017 (4 CDs)
7-inch
- Santa Dog - 1972
- Satisfaction - 1976
- The Beatles play the Residents and the Residents play the Beatles - 1977
- Santa Dog '78 - 1978
- Commercial single - 1980
- Shut Up, Shut Up - 1980
- The White Single - 1984
- It's a Man's Man's Man's World / Jailhouse Rock - 1986
- Kaw League - 1986
- Earth vs. The Flying Saucers - 1986
- Hit the Road Jack - 1987
- Double Shot - 1988
- From The Plains To Mexico - 1989
- Don't Be Cruel - 1990
- Rushing Like A Banshee - 2016
- Santa Dog 17-2017
- The Intruder - 2018
Flexi-7-inch
- Meet the Residents Sampler - 1974
- Diskomo - Live in San Francisco - 1988
Audio cassettes
- The Residents Radio Special / Eat Exuding Oinks - 1977
- Assorted Secrets - 1984
- Buckaroo Blues & Black Barry - 1989
12-inch
- Diskomo / Goosebump - 1980
- Commercial single - 1980
- Hit the Road Jack (Special Almost Dance Mix) - 1987
- For Elsie - 1987
- Kaw-Liga Housey Mix - 1989
EP only
- Duck Rod - 1978
DVDs
- Icky Flix - 2001
- Live! ... on the Outskirts - 2002
- Eskimo - 2002
- Kettles of Fish on the Outskirts of Town - 2003
- Golden Goat - 2003
- Demons dance alone - 2003
- Disfigured Night - 2004
- Commercial DVD - 2004
- Wormwood Live - 2005
- The Way We Were - 2005
- Cube E - 2006
- Freak Show - 2006
- Icky Flix Live - 2009
Videos
- Ralph Volume One - 1984
- The Mole Show / Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats? - 1984
- Video Voodoo - 1987
- The Eyes Scream - 1991
- Freak Show Video Press Release - 1991
- Freak Show Video / NEC - 1991
- Twenty Twisted Questions - 1992
- Freak Show CD-ROM Video Tour - 1995
- Disfigured Night - 1997
- Hunters: Rulers of the Deep - 1999
CD-ROMs
- Freak Show - 1994
- Gingerbread Man - 1995
- Bad Day on the Midway - 1995
DAT
- God in Three Persons - 1988
comics
- Freak show
- The Comix of two Cities 1–12 (1982–?)
Working together
- with Gary Panter - Tornader to the Tater - 1981 (7 ")
- with Schwump - Aphids in the Hall - 1976 (7 ")
- Snakefinger - The Spot - 1978 (7 ")
- Snakefinger - Chewing Hides the Sound - 1979
- Snakefinger - The Model - 1980 (7 ")
- Snakefinger - The Man in the Dark Sedan - 1980 (7 ")
- Snakefinger - Greener Postures - 1980
- Snakefinger - Manual of Errors - 1982
- Snakefinger - Against the Grain - 1983 (LP)
- The Residents & Renaldo and the Loaf - Title in Limbo - 1983
- Snakefinger - A Collection of Songs Written and Produced With The Residents 1978-1988 - 1988
Web links
- The Residents Official News Blog and Website Wrapper (English)
- The Residents / Wormwood - Curious Stories from the Bible - Photographs by Gerhard Zerbes
- The Residents, the whole residents, and nothing but the Residents (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ residents.com ( Memento of the original from May 25, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ united-mutations.blogspot.de
- ↑ bluefat.com
- ↑ discogs.com
