Roadworms: The Berlin Sessions

Roadworms: The Berlin Sessions is a live album by The Residents, consisting of an abridged new arrangement of their 1998 studio album, Wormwood: Curious Stories From The Bible.
== History ==
Following their 1998 biblical concept album Wormwood, The Residents began adapting the hour-long song cycle for the stage, starting with a performance at The Fillmore on Halloween of 1998 and evolving into a world tour lasting throughout 1999. 
Whilst on this tour, between shows in Munich and Mainz, The Residents found themselves with a day off and were, naturally, bored. The group booked out the SFB Sendesaal recording studio in Berlin to record selections from the live show to cure this boredom. The Residents were pleased with this studio recording and decided to save it for later. Flash forward seven months to February of 2000, and The Residents returned to Berlin to complete the recordings, which the group planned to feature on their next album. The Residents completed the album in March of 2000.
Tony Janssen, who had been working as their sound engineer on stage throughout the tour, recorded the sessions, and Molly Harvey performs co-lead vocals with Mr. Skull in his first credited vocal performance.
Nine out of the eleven tracks featured on the album are re-recordings of Wormwood songs, with the other two being "Un-American Band" and 'Abramam'. Un-American Band originated from a Grand Funk Railroad song performed live by The Residents around the time they were writing Wormwood in 1997. Abraham was a song exclusive to the stage show and here features an unlisted version of Kill Him.
== Release ==
Ralph America announced Roadworms on May 10th 2000.https://web.archive.org/web/20000510092351/http://www.ralphamerica.com:80/ralph.html The album was released June 25thhttps://www.discogs.com/The-Residents-Roadworms-The-Berlin-Sessions/release/3400935on CD and as a double LP edition, by East Side Digital in the US, and Bomba Records in Japan. The album was released on CD as well as on a 2xLP. The LP version fulfilled a long time goal of The Residents, as it was pressed on three sides. 
After its initial release, Roadworms remained out of print for 20 years and became something of a rarity. A new remaster of the album was first reissued as part of the pREServed Wormwood Box set in 2022.
== Reception ==
=== Contemporary ===
Reviewing Roadworms over a year after its release,Mark Prindle, "What's new at the Prindle site", Mark's Record Reviews, February 27th 2002 (archived via archive.org) freelance music reviewer Mark Prindle felt that "not every song is improved, but many are, and ALL are fascinatingly altered enough to interest any fan of the original album", noting that the new versions of the songs are "very, very dark" compared to the original versions.Mark Prindle, "Roadworms (The Berlin Sessions)", Mark's Record Reviews, February 27th 2002
==Track listing==
#Un-American Band (2:59)
#How to Get a Head. Road (5:20)
#Hanging by His Hair. Road (3:28)
#God's Magic Finger. Road (3:20)
#Tent Peg in the Temple. Road (4:09)
#Fire Fall. Road (5:34)
#Cain and Abel. Road (4:15)
#Dinah and the Unclean Skin. Road (4:04)
#Abraham. Road (6:44)
##Abraham
##Kill Him!
#Burn Baby, Burn. Road (3:42)
#Judas Saves. Road (8:46)
==Credits==
* Produced by: The Cryptic Corporation & Euro Ralph
* Written & Performed by: The Residents
* Percussion, guitar, keyboards, treated vocals & bass: The Residents
* Vocals: Mr. Skull & Molly Harvey
* Recorded By: Tony Janssen
* Mastered By: Master & Servant, Hamburg, Germany
* Cover by: Pore No Graphics
== Release History ==
Year	Label 	Format	Region 	Notes
2000	Euro Ralph 	CD 	Europe 	
2000	Euro Ralph 	LP 	Europe 	2xLP in blue.
2000	East Side Digital 	CD 	USA 	
2000	Bomba Records 	CD 	Japan 	
2022	Cherry Red, MVDaudio, New Ralph Too	CD 	USA, Europe	As part of the Wormwood Box.
== Cover Art Gallery ==
===== Euro Ralph =====
File:Wormwood Outer Cover HQ.jpg|Outer cover
File:Wormwood Inner Cover.jpg|Inner cover
File:Wormwood Outer Booklet.jpg|Outside of booklet
File:Wormwood Inner Booklet.jpg|Inside of booklet
File:Wormwood CD.jpg|Disc art
===== ESD, 2000 =====
File:Roadworms Outer Booklet.jpg|Outside of booklet
File:Roadworms Inner Booklet.jpg|Inside of booklet
File:Roadworms disc tray.jpg|Disc tray art
File:Roadworms back art.jpg|Back cover art
File:Roadworms disc.jpg|Disc art
== See Also ==
* Wormwood
* Wormwood Live
* In Between Screams
== Buy Or Die ==
* Wormwood Box at MVDshop (USA)
* Wormwood Box at Cherry Red Records (Europe)
==External links and references==
Category:2000
Category:Albums‏‎
Category:Albums Produced By The Cryptic Corporation‏‎
Category:Wormwood‏‎
Category:Self Cover Albums