Ultimate Box Set

The Residents' Ultimate Box Set (or UBS) is a "box set" collection of the first editions of all releases by The Residents up to 2012, housed in a 28 cubic foot refrigerator. 
First announced in December 2012 in a YouTube infomercial starring the group's lead singer Randy Rose, the box set was aimed at the high art market and priced at $100,000. To date, only two Ultimate Box Sets are known to have been produced; one which was donated to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and another for a wealthy fan in Indiana (who ultimately paid less than 25% of the $100,000). 
When asked in December 2020 if the Ultimate Box Set would still be available for anyone who was able to pay for it, Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation said "let's talk".Anomany Podcast Episode 67: The Residents
== History ==
"The plain and simple truth is that this box set, it's so huge, that it takes a refrigerator to hold it all!" - Randy Rose 
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut release, The Residents conceived what may be their most ambitious product ever: The Residents' Ultimate Box Set, a 28 cubic foot refrigerator (labelled with a special "UBS" fridge magnet)Post by Randy Rose, Maurice and Me, ca. 2014 containing first editions of every release by The Residents up to that point as well as additional merchandise (including an original eyeball mask, or optional skull). 
The UBS was announced via a YouTube infomercial video in December of 2012, featuring The Residents' lead singer Randy Rose in a Santa Claus suit (the same he would later wear during the Wonder of Weird tour) offering the box for sale for $100,000 (plus shipping, handling and insurance).
The group originally considered delivering the Ultimate Box Set in a "handcart", along with a banquet and special performance for the buyer by The Residents, however this plan ultimately did not come to fruition.
== Sales ==
As one might imagine, the $100,000 price tag severely limited sales of the Ultimate Box Set. Many fans assumed it was a joke, or an artistic comment on consumerism. The Cryptic Corporation insisted that the UBS was intended as a legitimate product, aimed towards a high art market. It was to be limited to only ten copies, with the sets themselves only being created after orders were received for them."Only one UBS has sold. And The Residents were ripped off because the guy paid less than 25% of the $100,000. The other was donated to Museum of Modern Art... 8 are still left "in stock" but they won't actually be made until orders come in..." - Frenesi Gates, The Residents Facebook group, August 29th 2018 
To date, only two sets have been produced. One was donated to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City (which included the original "Mr. Brown" eyeball mask), and the other (which included the "Mr. Green" mask) was purchased by a fan in Indiana known as "Tripmonster".Josh Keppel, "The Residents' $100,000 'Ultimate Box Set' Sold and Delivered", NBC Bay Area News, October 22nd 2013 The fan, whose wife was somehow related to the Eli Lilley pharmaceutical fortune, made a $10,000 deposit towards the set, with the remaining $90,000 to be paid in future instalments.
Homer Flynn of Cryptic and Don Hardy (director of the documentary film Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents) travelled to Indiana to personally deliver the set, filming the proceedings for a 10 minute short film to accompany the documentary ("a very nice piece", according to Flynn, which remains unreleased and in the possession of Don Hardy). The fan's marching band performed for the short film, which also featured his wife and children. 
Unfortunately the fan's marriage came to an end, and afterwards (according to Flynn) "Tripmonster" stopped making payments and became "very strange" and "very abusive" towards Flynn in a series of text messages, claiming that The Residents and the Ultimate Box Set were instrumental in the break-up of his marriage. Contact ceased between "Tripmonster" and the Cryptic Corporation at this point.
As of December 2020, Flynn had not heard from "Tripmonster" in around four or five years. Flynn said at a reading of The Brick-Eaters in August 2018 that the fan had paid less than 25% of the total $100,000 value of the Ultimate Box Set. Flynn later said he considered both "Tripmonster" and his wife to be very interesting people, and that shooting the unreleased short film allowed Flynn and Hardy to gain a great deal of insight into the family's lives.
== Contents ==
The Ultimate Box Set contains over one hundred first editions of virtually all of The Residents' albums, singles, DVDs, box sets, books and CD-ROMs released up to 2012, as well as a real eyeball mask (with the option of a skull on a first come, first served basis) and additional merchandise, all housed in a 28 cubic foot, two-door refrigerator.
=== Vinyl albums ===
* Meet The Residents (1974) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing of 1000 with Beatles cover
* Meet The Residents (1974) - Ralph Records LP, 1985 "13th Anniversary" picture disc
* The Third Reich 'n Roll (1976) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing of 1000
* The Third Reich 'n Roll (1976) - Ralph Records LP, reprint with censored cover art
* Fingerprince (1977) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing of 1000
* Not Available (1978) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing with purple labels
* Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen (1978) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing with green boxes on back cover
* Please Do Not Steal It! (1979) - Ralph Records LP, promotional pressing
* Subterranean Modern (1979) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
* Eskimo (1979) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing on white vinyl
* Eskimo (1979) - Ralph Records LP, 1983 picture disc
* Commercial Album (1980) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
* Frank Johnson's Favorites (1981) - Ralph Records LP
* Mark of the Mole (1981) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
* The Tunes of Two Cities (1982) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
* Ralph Records 10th Anniversary Radio Special! (1982) - Ralph Records LP, promotional pressing
* Best Of Ralph (1982) - Ralph Records 2xLP, first pressing
* Residue of The Residents (1983) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
* Mole Show (1983) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
* Title In Limbo (1983) - Ralph Records LP
* Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats? (1984) - Ralph Records LP
* The Census Taker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985) - Episode Records LP, first pressing on red vinyl
* The Big Bubble (1985) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing on pink vinyl
* Memorial Hits (1985) - Wave Records LP
* The Eyeball Show (1986) - Wave Records LP, Japanese edition of The 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Japan
* The 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Japan (1986) - Ralph Records LP
* Stars & Hank Forever! (1986) - Ralph Records LP
* God In Three Persons (1988) - Rykodisc 2xLP, first pressing on clear vinyl in gatefold cover
* The King & Eye (1989) - Enigma Records LP, promotional pressing
* Cube-E - Live In Holland (1990) - Enigma Records 2xLP, first pressing
* Stranger Than Supper (1990) - UWEB LP
* Freak Show (1990) - The Cryptic Corporation LP, promotional pressing
* Roadworms: The Berlin Sessions (2000) - Euro Ralph 2xLP, blue vinyl
* WB:RMX (2004) - Euro Ralph LP
* The King & Eye: RMX (2004) - Euro Ralph LP
=== 12" vinyl singles/EPs ===
* Diskomo / Goosebump (1980) - Ralph Records 12" EP, first pressing
* Intermission (1982) - Ralph Records 12" EP, first pressing
* For Elsie (1987) - The Cryptic Corporation 12" single-sided silk-screened EP
=== 7" vinyl singles/EPs ===
* Santa Dog (1972) - Ralph Records 2x7" EP
* "Satisfaction" (1976) - Ralph Records 7" single, first pressing
* The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles (1977) - Ralph Records 7" single, artist proof
* Duck Stab! (1978) - Ralph Records 7" EP, first pressing
* "Santa Dog '78" (1978) - Ralph Records 7" single
* Babyfingers (1979) - Ralph Records 7" EP, first pressing with white label
* Buy Or Die 1980 (1980) - Ralph Records 7" EP, promotional sampler
* Commercial Single (1980) - PRE Records 7" EP, UK release
* "The White Single" (1984) - Ralph Records 7" single, white vinyl with reverse label error
* "Kaw-Liga" (1986) - Ralph Records 7" single, with picture cover
* Buy Or Die #14 (1987) - Ralph Records 7" EP, promotional sampler
* "Hit The Road Jack" (1987) - Ralph Records 7" single, first pressing
* "Double Shot" (1988) - Torso 7" single
* Don't Be Cruel (1990) - Torso 7" EP
=== Cassettes ===
* The Residents Radio Special (1977) - Ralph Records promotional cassette
* Assorted Secrets (1984) - Ralph Records cassette, limited edition
=== CDs ===
* "Double Shot" (1988) - Rykodisc 3" CD single
* "Holy Kiss Of Flesh" (1988) - Euro Ralph 3" CD single
* The Snakey Wake (1988) - UWEB CD EP
* Santa Dog 88 (1988) - UWEB CD EP
* Buckaroo Blues (1989) - UWEB CD
* The King & Eye (1989) - Enigma Records CD, longbox edition
* Mole Show: Live In Holland (1989) - East Side Digital CD
* Liver Music (1990) - UWEB CD
* Stranger Than Supper (1990) - UWEB CD
* Freak Show (1990) - East Side Digital CD, first printing
* Daydream B-Liver (1991) - UWEB CD
* Our Finest Flowers (1992) - Ralph Records/East Side Digital CD
* "Santa Dog '92" (1993) - UWEB CD single
* Prelude To "The Teds" (1993) - Hello Recording Club CD EP, limited edition
* Gingerbread Man (1994) - East Side Digital CD
* Hunters: The World of Predators and Prey - Original Soundtrack Recording (1995) - Milan Records CD
* Louisiana's Lick (1995) - East Side Digital promotional CD
* Have A Bad Day (1996) - East Side Digital CD
* Pollex Christi (1997) - Ralph America CD EP, hand-numbered first edition of 400
* Live At The Fillmore (1998) - Ralph America 2xCD
*I Hate Heaven (1998) - Euro Ralph promotional CD EP, limited edition of 1500
* Wormwood: Curious Stories From The Bible (1998) - Euro Ralph CD, first printing
* Residue Deux (1998) - East Side Digital 20-bit CD
* It Came From Shreveport-Bossier: The Music of Northwest Louisiana (1998) - BGB Records promotional CD
* In Between Screams (1999) - Euro Ralph CD EP
* Land Of Mystery (1999) - Ralph America CD
* Wormwood Live 1999 (1999) - Ralph America 2xCD
* Refused (1999) - Ralph America CD, limited hand-numbered edition of 1333
* The 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Tokyo (1999) - East Side Digital CD, reissue of The 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Japan
* dot.com (2000) - Ralph America CD, limited edition of 1200
* Roadworms: The Berlin Sessions (2000) - Euro Ralph CD
* High Horses by The Residents' Combo de Mecanico (2001) - Ralph America CD EP
* Petting Zoo (2002) - East Side Digital CD
* Demons Dance Alone (2002) - Euro Ralph/Ralph America 2xCD, special edition
* Freak Show (Special Edition) (2002) - Ralph America 2xCD with hardbound book cover, limited numbered edition of 1000
* Eat Exuding Oinks! Ralph Records' 1977 Radio Special (2002) - Ralph America CD, limited edition
* WB:RMX (2004) - The Cryptic Corporation CD, first printing
* The King & Eye: RMX (2004) - Euro Ralph CD
* The 12 Days of Brumalia (2004) - Ralph America CD, first printing with misprint cover art
* The 12 Days of Brumalia (2004) - Ralph America CD, second printing with corrected cover art
* I Murdered Mommy! (2004) - Ralph America CD in digipak with booklet, limited numbered edition of 1000
* Animal Lover (2005) - Mute Records 2xCD
* The Way We Were (2005) - Ralph America CD, limited hand-numbered edition of 1000
* Tweedles! (2006) - Mute Records CD
* The River of Crime (2006) - Cordless Recordings 2xCD
* Best Left Unspoken... Volume One (2006) - Ralph America CD, limited numbered edition of 1000
* Best Left Unspoken... Volume Two (2007) - Ralph America CD, limited numbered edition of 1000
* Best Left Unspoken... Volume Three (2007) - Ralph America CD, limited numbered edition of 1000
* Night of the Hunters (2007) - Ralph America 2xCD
* The Voice of Midnight (2007) - Mute Records CD, in hardbound book cover
* Smell My Picture (2008) - Ralph America CD
* The Bunny Boy (2008) - MVD Audio CD
* Lonely Teenager (2011) - The Cryptic Corporation CD
*Dolor Generar - Una Noche Lost En Van Horn, Texas (2011) - The Cryptic Corporation CD, reissue of Dollar General with two bonus tracks
* Talking Light Bimbo's (2011) - The Cryptic Corporation 2xCD
* Coochie Brake (2011) - The Cryptic Corporation 2xCD, limited numbered edition with bonus EP Lying Horse Rock
* The Rivers of Hades (2011) - The Cryptic Corporation CD-R, liimted edition
* Codgers on the Moon by Charles Bobuck (2012) - Invisible Recordings CD
* Demonic! Demons Dance Alone Live In Oslo (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation 2xCD
* Lying Horse Rock by Charles Bobuck (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation CD
* Heaven?/Hell! (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation 2xCD, limited edition of 250
=== DVDs ===
* Icky Flix (2001) - East Side Digital DVD, first printing
* Eskimo (2002) - Euro Ralph DVD
* Demons Dance Alone (2003) - Euro Ralph DVD, retail version
* Commercial DVD (2004) - Mute Film DVD
* Disfigured Night (2004) - Ralph America DVD, deluxe numbered edition
* The Residents Play Wormwood (2005) - Euro Ralph DVD
* Is Anybody Out There? (2009) - MVD Visual DVD
* Randy's Ghost Stories (2010) - The Cryptic Corporation DVD
* Talking Light: Bimbo's (2011) - MVD Visual DVD
=== Box sets ===
* Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses (1997) - Rykodisc/Euro Ralph 4CD box set
* Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town (2003) - Euro Ralph 3xCD and DVD box set
* Cube-E (2006) - Ralph America 2xCD and DVD box set, includes book and scarf
=== CD-ROMs ===
* Freak Show (1994) - Voyager CD-ROM
* Gingerbread Man (1994) - ION Enhanced CD/CD-ROM
* Bad Day on the Midway (1996) - Inscape CD-ROM
=== Books ===
* The Cryptic Guide To The Residents (1986) - Bach's Decay book, with "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers" one-sided 7" single
* Freak Show (1992) - Dark Horse Comics graphic novel, with "Blowoff" CD single
* Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide To The Residents (1993) - The Cryptic Corporation book, with sampler CD of the same name
* Night Train To Nowhere! (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation book, with CD of the same name
* Bad Day on the Midway (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation book, with Music From The Game Reconsidered CD
=== Miscellaneous items ===
*Duck Stab! combo pack - t-shirt, original 7" EP and poster
*Steven Cerio figurines
*An eyeball mask (or optional skull)
== Mystery Box ==
Announced in the infomercial alongside the Ultimate Box Set was a "Mystery Box", available for a much larger sum of $5,000,000 (plus shipping, handling and insurance). The Mystery Box was also available for purchase at the merchandise stand during the group's Wonder of Weird live tour priced at $4,999,999.99. 
The Mystery Box was never purchased. During a reading of The Brick-Eaters in August 2018, Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation confirmed that the Mystery Box contained the complete publishing rights to all of The Residents' music. He also explained that the Mystery Box had been something of a joke/publicity stunt and that they did not expect anyone to buy it."Homer confirmed last night that the $5 million Mystery Box consisted of the publishing rights to all The Residents' music. He also said that the item itself was a bit of a joke/gimmick/marketing tool, and they naturally didn't expect anyone to buy it." - Frenesi Gates, The Residents Facebook group, August 28th 2018 
Given that the publishing rights to The Residents' music are now partly owned by Cherry Red Records and MVD Audio, the Mystery Box is no longer available for sale.
== See also ==
* Mystery Box
* Museum of Modern Art
* The Residents discography
== External links and references ==
* Ultimate Box Set at The Residents Historical
* Randy Rose infomercial video at YouTube
Category:Box sets‏‎
Category:Christmas‏‎
Category:Compilations
Category:Randy Rose‏‎
Category:Randy, Chuck and Bob‏‎
Category:Ultimate Box Set