Residue of The Residents

Residue of The Residents is a compilation album by The Residents, released April 12th 1983 by Ralph Records. As its name implies, this album doesn't have material from their most well known albums, and instead focuses on rarities, private tapes, unfinished tracks and alternate takes. 
== History ==
Made out of rare and, up to that moment, unreleased tracks by the band, Residue of The Residents was put together after digging through a number of their "MOP tapes" - studio recordings which never found homes on any studio albums proper. They were either considered for inclusion on an album at one point, but ultimately cut; released in obscure EPs or singles; or not even ever really intended for a public release.
The Residents themselves hand-picked what songs would be included in the LP, although the staff of Ralph Records did have some imput during the decision making. While not related to each other, all the selected tracks in Residue give the listener a good taste of what The Residents were all about at the time. Most of the tracks were left in their original form, but a few of them had to be remixed. And in the case of "Shut Up Shut Up", which is a song from Commercial Album, an alternative, longer and unreleased recording was used instead of the original.
== Release==
Residue was the first Residents record to be released under the "New Ralph" era of Ralph Records, and one of the first releases altogether in that phase of the label's history. The album's artwork was designed by Pour No Graphics, who felt the drawings represented The Residents' personalities.The Cryptic Guide to The Residents (Pg. 11)
=== Reissues ===
In 1998, the compilation received an expanded version under the name Residue Deux, along with new cover art. This CD reiusse was published by East Side Digital in North America, and by Bomba Records in Japan. Among the new additions were two complete suites: The Replacement, from the split album Subterranean Modern; and Safety is a Cootie Wootie, from Tra Special Comics. While most of the original Residue lineup was mantained, "Walter Westinghouse" was removed, and "Jailhouse Rock" was replaced with an outtake recorded after the release of the original album.
The compilation was reissued again in vinyl under its original title and cover art in 2014 by Superior Viaduct, now as a double LP. This has the most comprehensive track listing of all versions, including all the songs from the previous two releases (although including only the Deux version of "Jailhouse Rock") while adding three new tracks. 
==Reception==
===Retrospective===
In a positive review, freelance music reviewer Mark Prindle noted that "none of [the] songs" on Residue of The Residents "should have been toss-asides - nearly every one of them is gorgeously fumpted up and catchy".Mark Prindle, "Residue Of The Residents", Mark's Record Reviews In a 2010 review for the expanded CD reissue Residue Deux,Mark Prindle, "The 'What's New?' Page", Mark's Record Reviews, March 26th 2010 (archived via archive.org) Prindle highlighted "The Sleeper", "Boy In Love" and "Shut Up! Shut Up!" as stand-out tracks.Mark Prindle, "Residue Deux", Mark's Record Reviews, March 26th 2010
==Track listing==
All tracks composed by The Residents unless otherwise noted.
=== Original release (1983) ===
==== Side A (19:36) ====
#The Sleeper (3:02)
#Whoopy Snorp (3:44)
#Kamakazi Lady (1:42)
#Boy In Love (2:57)
#Shut Up! Shut Up! (1:13)
# Anvil Forest (2:22)
#Diskomo (4:37)
==== Side B (19:09) ====
#Jailhouse Rock (Leiber/Stoller) (3:10)
#Ups & Downs (3:08)
#Walter Westinghouse (8:02)
#Saint Nix (2:33)
#Open Up (2:17)
=== Residue Deux (1998) ===
#The Sleeper (2:57)
#Whoopy Snorp (3:44)
#Kamakazi Lady (1:39)
# Boy In Love (2:56)
#Shut Up! Shut Up! (1:11)
#Anvil Forest (2:21)
#Diskomo (4:32)
#Jailhouse Rock (Leiber/Stoller) (3:07)
# Ups & Downs (3:04)
#Scent Of Mint (2:25)
#Saint Nix (2:30)
#Open Up (2:16)
#From The Plains To Mexico (3:27)
#The Replacement: In San Francisco (2:02)
#The Replacement: Dumbo The Clown (2:08)
#The Replacement: Is He Really Bringing Roses? (2:35)
#The Replacement: Time's Up (2:55)
#Daydream Believer (2:56)
#Safety Is A Cootie Wootie Part 1 - Prelude For A Toddler (3:40)
#Safety Is A Cootie Wootie Part 2 - Toddler's Lullaby (2:38)
#Safety Is A Cootie Wootie Part 3 - Safety Is A Cootie Wootie (4:03)
#Daydream In Space (5:13)
=== Superior Viaduct reissue (2014) ===
==== Side A ====
#The Sleeper (2:57)
#Whoopy Snorp (3:44)
#Kamakazi Lady (1:39)
# Boy In Love (2:56)
#Shut Up! Shut Up! (1:11)
#Anvil Forest (2:21)
#Diskomo (4:32)
==== Side B ====
#Jailhouse Rock (Leiber/Stoller) (3:07)
#Ups & Downs (3:04)
#Walter Westinghouse (8:02)
# Scent Of Mint (2:25)
#Saint Nix (2:30)
#Open Up (2:16)
#From The Plains To Mexico (3:27)
==== Side C ====
#Loser ≅ Weed (2:09)
#Death In Barstow
#Melon Collie Lassie
#The Replacement: In San Francisco (2:02)
#The Replacement: Dumbo The Clown (2:08)
#The Replacement: Is He Really Bringing Roses? (2:35)
#The Replacement: Time's Up (2:55)
==== Side D ====
#Daydream Believer (2:56)
#Safety Is A Cootie Wootie Part 1 - Prelude For A Toddler (3:40)
#Safety Is A Cootie Wootie Part 2 - Toddler's Lullaby (2:38)
#Safety Is A Cootie Wootie Part 3 - Safety Is A Cootie Wootie (4:03)
#Daydream In Space (5:13)
==Liner notes==
===Original release (1983) ===
By far, The Residents greatest interest in recording music takes the form of the concept album. This is clearly seen in such universally acclaimed masterpieces as The Third Reich 'n Roll, Eskimo, and the discs that make up The Mole Trilogy. However, when The Residents compose new music, what comes out is not always exactly in line with the restrictions that a conceptual work has placed on it. Hence, the oddball song that never finds a home on an LP.
With this in mind, Ralph Records has undertaken to dig into what The Residents call "the MOP tapes." The reference is to "mopping up" after an LP is completed, collecting unused material onto one tape. 
Of the twelve songs on this collection, four were selected from the MOP tapes. 
* "The Sleeper" was written in 1979 and is said to have been inspired by Ennio Morriconi's "Magic and Ecstasy". The Residents had become fascinated by the layering of rhythmic patterns found in this particular tune.
*At the time that Mark of the Mole was being recorded, a strange love song showed up, "Boy in Love". While it is musically similar to Mark, the lyrics and delicate handling sets it apart.
*"Jailhouse Rock" was recorded in the summer of 1982 as a break from rehearsal on The Mole Show.
*Shortly after the resignation of President Nixon, "Saint Nix" was put on tape. The original vocal proved to be unsuitable and was re-recorded for inclusion here.
In addition to the four oddballs, Ralph Records selected five rare recordings. 
*"Whoopy Snorp" is one of these. It was released in 1977 on Blorp Essette, a compilation of songs released by a Los Angeles based free music society.
*Before the existence of Ralph Records, The Residents were recording album length tapes. None of these tapes have ever been released. A decision was made to include an excerpt from one of these, "Kamakazi Lady". This was recorded in 1971.
*"Shut Up, Shut Up" was an extra one-minute song that, while not on The Commercial Album, was released in England and France on singles. The Residents excluded it from Commercial because they thought it sounded too trendy. Fred Frith carries this song with his "heavy" guitar.
* When critics started making such a fuss over Eskimo, The Residents responded by setting themes from the acclaimed album to a disco beat and releasing Diskomo in early 1980. San Francisco's largest disco was taken over for a release party that featured a night of dancing to "weird" and "new" music. While it wasn't too pappular with the regular disco crowd, in less than a year new wave disco had become popular. In two years it dominated the dance clubs. This version of "Diskomo" has been remixed and edited to approximately half of its original length.
*"Walter Westinghouse" also has been remixed, though the length is still the same. "Walter" was on the EP Babyfingers, the third side of Fingerprince. This was released through The Residents fan club. "Walter" can also be found in its original form on the "Recommended Records Sampler" in England.
*"Anvil Forest" and "Open Up" were both wirtten for The Tunes of Two Cities LP. But there was no room to put them on. "Open Up" features a fine guitar solo by Snakefinger.
*"Ups and Downs" is a good example of a song being adapted for an album. This is the original recording, lasting some 3:04. Since The Residents were recording The Commercial Album at this time, only one-minute songs were acceptable. "Ups and Downs" was re-recorded and opens side two of Commercial. Its length? One minute, of course.
Residue! And what else does one call twelve hand-picked left-over Resident tunes anyway?
===Residue Deux (1998)===
In 1983, twelve tunes were gathered up and released as Residue. With only minor changes, this album is represented by tracks 1-12. Fifteen years have passed since the original Residue was released, and many new oprhan songs have made appearances. Tracks 13-22 serve up another album's worth of these tunes. Together they form the newly remastered Residue Deux. 
==Credits==
*Guitar on 'Shut Up! Shut Up!': Fred Frith
*Guitar on 'Open Up: Snakefinger
*Written & Produced by: The Residents
*'Jailhouse Rock' Written by: Leiber-Stoller
*Cover by: Pour No Graphics
==Release history==
Year	Label 	Format	Region
1983	Ralph Records 	LP 	US
1998	East Side Digital	CD 	US
1998	Bomba Records 	CD 	JP
2014	Superior Viaduct 	LP 	US
==See also==
*MOP tapes
*Leftovers Again?!
==External links and references==
* Residue of The Residents at The Residents Historical
* Residue Deux at The Residents Historical
* Residue of The Residents and Residue Deux at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)
Category:Compilations
Category:Residue of The Residents
Category:1983
Category:The Mole Show
Category:The Tunes of Two Cities
Category:Out Of Print Releases
Category:Albums
Category:Outtakes / Rarities Albums