1988

The year of 1988 was a fresh one for The Residents with the release of their album God in Three Persons, the first new Residents project to be released on Compact Disc as well as their first release on a label different than Ralph Records (Rykodisc).

No longer owners of Ralph, the band would continue to work with other labels for their future projects. But the relationship between both parties was still cordial, as Ralph would auxiliate Uncle Willie in managing UWEB, a new official Residents fan club founded later in the year, and would work closely with the band for the release of exclusive material and news.

Throughout 1988, several other releases related to God in Three Persons would come out in various formats. Aditionally, plans for a live show based on the album were put on track; but they would not materialize until several decades later. The seeds for a much more profitable live show were planted later in the year with a private performance for their European distributor Torso.

Timeline

March

• 21st: God in Three Persons is released on CD by Rykodisc (US) and Torso (Europe).

April

• 25th: The "Double Shot" single is released by Rykodisc and Torso, on 3" CD. A 7" vinyl version is also released by Torso.
• Buy or Die catalog no.15 is issued. Uncle Willie mentions plans for a God in Three Persons live performance in the Summer.
• This month's issue of Reflex magazine included a flexi disc of The Residents' "Diskomo", recorded live in their studio the previous year.

May

• 23rd: God in Three Persons is released on 2xLP by Ryko Analogue and Torso.

June

• 27th: The God in Three Persons Soundtrack is released on CD by Rykodisc and Torso.
• The Snakefinger compilation CD A Collection of Songs Written and Produced with The Residents is released by East Side Digital (US) and Torso.

July

• 24th: Cheap Trick release their cover of "Don't Be Cruel", a song that The Residents themselves would cover the following year.
• 25th: The God in Three Persons Soundtrack is released on vinyl by Ryko and Torso.

August

• 22nd: The "Holy Kiss of Flesh" CD single is released on Rykodisc.

September

• 24th: Pee-wee's Playhouse: "To Tell the Tooth" airs, with musical score by The Residents.

October

• 9th: The Residents' "Moisture" is played on the Dr. Demento show.
• Buy or Die catalog no.15½ is issued, announcing the merging of Ralph Records into T.E.C. Tones, and hinting at the founding of a new venture by Uncle Willie.

November

• 18th: The Residents give a private performance at the Boudisque record store in Amsterdam for its twentieth anniversary. (Boudisque were founders of The Residents' European label Torso.) They debut their new suite "Buckaroo Blues" alongside some other material; studio versions of most of the setlist were collected on the UWEB Buckaroo Blues CD.

December

• Around this time the very first edition of the UWEB newsletter is issued to subscribers. Santa Dog '88 is presented as a free gift to every new subscriber, and a studio rendition of The Snakey Wake is also offered. The God in Three Persons live show is declared cancelled, and a "dance remix" of "Land of a Thousand Dances" is mentioned (this is probably, though not confirmed to be, the remix heard on disc two of The Third Reich 'n' Roll pREServed set).

Releases

• God In Three Persons (CD, Rykodisc, RCD 20044)
• God In Three Persons Soundtrack (CD, Rykodisc, RCD 10045)
• Double Shot (3" Mini CD, Rykodisc, RCD3-1003)
• Holy Kiss Of Flesh (3'' Mini CD, Rykodisc, RCD3-1007)
• Santa Dog '88 (CD, UWEB, UWEB 001, fan club exclusive)
• The Snakey Wake (CD, UWEB, UWEB 002, fan club exclusive)
• Diskomo - Live In San Francisco (6'' Flexi-disc, The Cryptic Corporation, included for free in the April 1988 issue of Reflex Magazine)

Re-releases

• Not Available (CD, East Side Digital, ESD 80192)
  • Includes six tracks from Title In Limbo as additional material.
• Commercial Album (CD, East Side Digital, ESD 80202)
  • Includes ten tracks as additional material.
• Meet The Residents (CD, East Side Digital, ESD 80222)
  • Includes Santa Dog as additional material.
• Kaw-Liga (3'' Mini CD, Torso, CD 322)
  • Includes the single version of the track as a bonus.

Collaborations

• A Collection Of Songs Written And Produced With The Residents (CD, East Side Digital, ESD 80212, Compilation)
  • Compilation of Snakefinger songs.
  • As its name indicates, all tracks were co-written and co-produced by him and The Residents.

Compilation appearances

• Here It Is, The Music (CD, Rykodisc, CDK 00099)
  • Includes "Serenade For Missy".
• Steal This Disc 2 (CD, Rykodisc, RCD 00076)
  • Includes "The Thing About Them".
• Boudisque Compilation (Cassette, Boudisque, 08-024239-30, Promo)
  • Includes "Kaw-Liga (Prairie Mix)".
• Balearic Beats (CD, FFRR, 828 118-1)
  • Includes Kaw-Liga (Prairie Mix)