The Residents Blog, August 2009
The Residents' Blog was a news blog maintained by Big Brother of The Cryptic Corporation beginning in August 2003 (originally titled The Residents' Official News Blog and Website Wrapper, then The Residents' Official News BOG and later Official News Blog).
The BOG became the Cryptics' (and thus, The Residents') main outlet for communication with their fans until the website's redesign early in this month. At this point (at least according to the website's header after the redesign) the blog was simply called The Residents Blog.
This page collects posts made to this news blog in August 2009, as archived on archive.org, transcribed to this wiki by a Mysterious Spanish Lady.
Blog entries
1997: the missing year
Aug/02/09 05:06 PM
- Over the years, The Residents have been so prolific that it's easy to see that a year could have simply vanished and gone unnoticed. And one did - 1997, THE MISSING YEAR!
- In the early to mid 90's, The Residents were quite active in the creation of CD-ROMs, releasing Freak Show, The GingerBread Man, and Bad Day on the Midway from 1992-95. With another CD-Rom, I Murdered Mommy, scheduled for 1996, the group expected to continue working in that direction for some time, but the CD-ROM market unexpectedly dried up and support for the project disappeared, leaving Mommy as yet another unfinished, semi-mythical masterpiece. So much time was devoted to writing and designing the CD-Rom that, other than some soundtrack music for the game and a short side project, Pollex Christie, no music was recorded in 1996.
- Having lost so much time on a dead concept, 1997 finally arrived, but the new year was not so happy. For the first time in decades, The Residents had absolutely nothing in the works. No CD-ROM, no album, no plans. 1997 was born dead. And truthfully, the year never got much better, but the group did begin moving in some interesting new directions.
- Creatively, The Residents saw Pollex Christie as a successful experiment, consequently they decided to follow it up with another highly experimental, classically styled piece. Moving quickly, in the spring of 1997, the group began work on a new 15 min work, Disfigured Night, and soon roughed out a MIDI arrangement. (1997: the missing year -The Original Disfigured Night arrangement) instrumental - 15 minutes.
- A few weeks later, The Cryptic Corporation received a call from long time lighting collaborator, Chris McGregor. Chris had accepted a job as technical director for a benefit helping the Tech Museum in San Jose and asked if The Residents were interested in participating in the fund-raiser. While this was not the kind of project the group normally became involved in, The Residents were looking for both stimulation and new directions, so they immediately accepted the invitation. With little time to prepare, they grabbed what they had: the Disfigured Night work, some scattered unfinished music sketches, and an epic version of We Are the World - and took off for San Jose. (1997: the missing year -Scattered unfinished music sketches and We Are the World) instrumental - 40 minutes.
- Inhabiting a position that normally would have been occupied by a string quartet, The Residents performed for a small, but wealthy crowd in San Jose. As the unsuspecting patrons entered the event, the group was seen perched 30 feet above the entrance to the cavernous lobby of software giant Adobe's world headquarters. Needless to say, The Residents hour long set was not quite what the rich nerds expected. Making sure no one missed it, the group performed the set, made up of a mix of prerecorded and live elements - some planned and some spontaneous - four times, and quickly left town. (1997: the missing year -Adobe Disfigured Night) music /vocals - 46 minutes.
- Also volunteering at the fund raiser was the house manager for the Fillmore in San Francisco. After seeing The Residents' performance, the promoter was so excited, he immediately invited the group to perform five shows at The Fillmore the following Halloween. Having never played this historic venue before, The Residents immediately accepted and began preparations.
- Soon another request came in, this time from the unlikely source of Marlboro cigarettes - in Germany. Searching for an event on which to focus their advertising at the Popkomm music trade show in Cologne, the tobacco giant suggested a short performance, 20-30 minutes in length, that could be video taped for television; it was to be performed 3 or 4 times with a changing audience. The small crowd was limited to people who won tickets in response to cigarette ads. (Leaving no opportunity for addiction unanswered, Marlboro also showered the audience with free smokes while waiting to take their turn as an audience member.) Aided by MTV producer and friend, John Payson, The Residents adapted a piece from the Adobe performance, transforming it into a 30 minute performance vehicle, Disfigured Night. The Residents performed Disfigured Night four times that evening; several months later, the piece was later broadcast on national television in Germany. (1997: the missing year -The Marlboro Eyeball Experience [Disfigured Night]). music/vocals - 30 minutes.
- By the time Halloween arrived, The Residents had reworked the Marlboro event into a tighter performance that would become the second act of the Fillmore show. For the first act they assembled a new set comprised of selections primarily made up of music from the CD-Rom era. (1997: the missing year -The Fillmore dress rehearsal [act one]). music/vocals - 60 minutes.
- The Fillmore shows were a great success and The Residents returned again to the Fillmore in 1998. But that is another story. (1997: the missing year -Live at The Fillmore). music/vocals - 108 minutes.
Mole-licious
Aug/03/09 06:17 AM
- Ralph is now selling a Deluxe Mole Show Package for $120:
- - CD of 70 minute radio special from 1982 just before the first Mole Show performance (not CDR)
- This recording from 2JJJ in Sydney, Australia gives in-depth looks at what life was like in 1982 at 444 Grove Street.
- - DVD of the first Mole Show (Kabuki theater) (single camera, in-camera sound) (not DVDR).
- The long requested only known existing complete Mole Show taping. It is kind of rough around the edges, but no one knew at the time that it was going to be a historic document.
- - 12 backdrop cards taken from the on-stage backdrops.
- - chipboard package with rubber stamped art
- - miniature shovel for digging down below, or digging The Residents.
- - Burlap drawstring bag
- - hand numbered edition of 400 - only 350 for sale
- Ralph has also made a Moleshow tee available in 2 colors.
Ten Little Piggies
Aug/12/09 07:34 AM
- Title: Ten Little Piggies
- Artist: The Residents
- Number of tracks: 14
- Medium: CD and download
- Territory: the world
- Release date: November 3, 2009
- What it is: A “futurist compilation” made up of tracks from incomplete projects scheduled to most likely be completed in the 2009-2010 release season.
- Why it is: To build interest in coming projects. To educate more people on the existence of RSD, the download store. Some of these projects will only be sold through the download store at www.residents.com.
- Why you should care: One way of looking at it is to not care. You can pick up the actual releases when they come out later. Though maybe not all the projects will get completed and these may be fleeting glimpses into projects that ultimately end up in the graveyard. Also some tracks will differ from the finished versions when they are released if that kind of thing matters to you. Or maybe get this and skip buying the ten projects they come from. Bargain shopping. Another point is that The Residents will be interested in seeing what projects are most interesting to the fans. Those projects they will immediately abandon.
- Why Ten Little Piggies: Ten projects, some will go to market, some will stay home, some will cry wee wee wee all the way home.
THE UGHS!
Aug/13/09 03:14 PM
- Title: THE UGHS!
- Artist: The Residents
- Number of tracks: 10
- Medium: CD and download
- Territory: the world
- Release date: November 3, 2009
- What it is: An album by The Residents.
- Why it is: Because once you go ugly you can never go back.
- Why you should care: When The Residents begin work on their 2007 opus to insanity, The Voice of Midnight, the group felt the need to shake things up, consequently they created an alter ego through which they could act out new roles. Proudly, The Residents christened this conceptual alter ego as THE UGHS! Utilizing this new persona,THE UGHS quickly became the perfect vehicle for exploring the conflicted emotions of Nate, the Voice of MIdnight's tormented protagonist. The group then fashioned "written music" from the raw, impulsive ideas created by The UGHS!, building the musical structure of The Voice of Midnight on these pieces. Two years later these original UGHS! recordings were rediscovered; freed from its previous role supporting The Voice of Midnight's narrative, the music suddenly sounded as fresh as when it was first recorded. The time had come to resurrect THE UGHS. Falling in the direction of a ritualized, primitive free jazz, The UGHS! is unlike anything ever created by The Residents.
- This is one of the 10 projects promoted by Ten Little Piggies for the 2009-2010 season.
Is Anybody Out There?
Aug/14/09 06:18 AM
- Artist: The Residents
- Medium: DVD, NTSC, color, widescreen letterbox, region all, bonus features
- Territory: the world
- Release date: November 17, 2009
- What it is: “The Bunny Boy” originally was an internet series that ran from September 2008-April 2009. This DVD collects, edits, and organizes the series into a kind of unique movie experience.
- Why it is: The internet series was designed to be watched over time, three a week. This time element is no longer a part of the experience so the story needed to be streamlined and archived in full widescreen glory so people who missed the series could appreciate the plight of poor Roger and the search for his missing brother.
- Why you should care: If you followed the series you will enjoy having this DVD in your collection. If you missed it then you MUST have it in your collection. The series is edited and streamlined so it is not exactly the same as the internet version.
The Last Word - Marshall McLuhan
Aug/25/09 02:35 PM
- The Residents are bringing out three physical products this fall. At first glance they seem rather varied in their content.
- A connection I see immediately is that they are all old. That is, they all spin from older projects. Even the "Futurist Compilation" is, with rare exception a collection of older work that has not been released.
- I understand that if you haven't heard it before then it is "new." But here... you have heard it. The Bunny Boy DVD is a bit different than the episodes, but you likely saw the episodes already. Most of The UGHS is buried but actively operational in The Voice of Midnight. Ten Little Piggies highlight projects that you have heard bits from already.
- I'm not saying that's bad. In fact, I think the three projects are all going to be terrific. The Ughs! is amazing and will probably go right to the top of favorite albums on the 2010 "What are your favorite 10 albums" listing. Seriously, I will not be surprised.
- Somehow this is more about the "group" than the releases in the group. We tend to look at the individual projects but that becomes missing the forest because we only see the trees. The place to look for answers in my opinion is Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980.)
- The medium is the message. The medium is the massage. The medium is the mass age.
- I know for certain that The Residents were followers of Mr. McLuhan when the group came into existence. McLuhan can explain the identity of The Residents better than anyone I have ever heard. The Residents response to the breakdown of CD-DVD mediums is to accept the lack of existence of linear time. We may never see a return to the album-a-year linear mentality of the last several decades.
- I'm not going to spend time explaining what McLuhan had to say. I will post a video that hits some points. If you are hungry for more I recommend http://www.ubu.com/sound/mcluhan.html. Listen to The Medium is the Massage - Side A and B from the 40 year old Columbia album. It is not dry philosophical meandering. You'll not only understand The Residents better, you may understand yourself and our culture better.
Santa Dog Records unplugged?
Aug/27/09 07:40 AM
- Apparently Santa Dog Records had a short life span even for a dog.
- Cryptic has pulled the one-release label name after one year. The new releases are set for a much blander Cryptic/MVD Audio branding.
- I asked why the change was made and only got some legal mumbo-jumbo about DBA problems (Doing Business As).
- I suspect that it is likely connected to the fact that the new releases are not distributed by EMI. Last year I was made to understand that SDR was created to be a sub-label of Mute. With no Mute involvement perhaps the SDR label must be shelved. Just guessing. But I do know that the new titles do not bear the familiar SD logo.
Header images
See also
External links and references
- The Residents Blog, archived August 6th 2009 by archive.org
- The Residents Blog, archived August 29th 2009 by archive.org
