OFF: The Residents

[Nick Medford]

In message <200102132254.RAA28029 at listserv.spc.edu>, Douglas Pearson
<ceres at SIRIUS.COM> writes

>I remember I picked up a copy of the 'Subterranean Modern' LP at the show,
>with (as-of-then) otherwise-unreleased tracks by the Residents, MX-80
>Sound, Tuxedomoon and Chrome (with one of their best-ever songs, "Meet You
>In The Subway").

I've got that album too- a real obscurity nowadays- in fact I thought mine
might be the only copy :-)

>
>>On the cassette release of Planet Gong "Floating Anarchy '91" (note: '91
>>not '77),
>
>Hmm ... I've never heard (or heard of) this one ...

It was a GAS tape release, although apparently it's also been released on CD
with extra tracks and cleaned-up sound. I can post track details etc. if you're
interested.

>
>>Daevid Allen says at one point- "now you may have heard about
>>this band called the Residents, well we've had our connections with them
>>over the years, and we're ready to be influenced by them.." - the band then
>>play a song called "Teeth" which I think may be a cover of a song off "Mark
>>of the Mole" (one of the few Residents albums I've never heard).  I'd like
>>to know if this really is a Residents song,
>
>Probably "Smack Your Lips (Clap your Teeth)" from the second album of
>the "Mole" trilogy, 'Tunes of Two Cities'.

Yeah, sorry, that's the one I meant. I've seen the track listing but never
heard the album.
>
>>but what I REALLY want to know
>>is: what are the 'connections' that D.A. refers to?
>
>I'm sure there are many.  One thing about the Residents is that half the
>original lineup left the band after the "Mole" tour in the early 80's

That's if you believe the Cryptic Corporation guys were actually the
Residents, which I do, but not everyone does.

> I could probably arrange
>to ask Daevid next time he's in SF

Yes please!

>>Also: a further mystery- on the inside back cover of the "Our Poor, Our
>>Tired, Our Huddled Masses" CD booklet, there's a small pic of the eye-guys,
>>plus a bearded man who's sporting an impressive pair of breasts (really). I
>>recognise this hermaphrodite image: it's taken from the Aphex Twin's
>>"Windowlicker" video. Which implies there's some connection there as well.
>>Any ideas?
>
>Could be, but I've seen plenty of instances of the same graphic
>coincidentally being used for album art by different, completely unrelated
>bands.

Yeah but the bearded guy in question is actually Richard James (with
digitally-enhanced chest region).

>  But I'd be pretty surprised if mr. James isn't well aware of the
>Residents.

Likewise.

--
Nick Medford