Jay Clem

Clem in the 2021 documentary 23rd Century Giants

### Occupation

Former managing director of Ralph Records and treasurer of The Cryptic Corporation, licensed realtor

### Associated acts

The Delta Nudes, The Residents, The Cryptic Corporation

**Jay Clem** is a former collaborator of The Residents, best known for his roles as treasurer of The Cryptic Corporation and managing director of Ralph Records from 1976 until 1982.

As business manager for Ralph, Clem effectively acted as the first spokesperson for The Residents, conducting the majority of the Cryptics' early interviews with the media. He also appeared in the lead role of Saint Steven (and his alter-ego Lonesome Jack) in the unfinished feature film *Vileness Fats*.

Clem resigned from Ralph and Cryptic in July 1982; he now operates as an independent real estate professional in the San Francisco Bay area.

## Association with The Residents

### Delta Nu

Jay Clem met the group who would eventually become The Residents in the 1950s at C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he studied with Homer Flynn and John Kennedy.

Clem continued to associate with the group after they graduated high school and moved to Ruston to study at Louisiana Tech. Here, they made the acquaintance of fellow student Hardy Fox, and the loose group of eccentrics and artists formed an "anti-fraternity fraternity" named Delta Nu.  After college, the group splintered and went their separate ways.

In July of 1970, Clem moved to San Francisco and reconnected with the group, who had been operating out of a small apartment in San Mateo for the past year. He was present at their October 1971 performance at The Boarding House with The Mysterious N. Senada.

### Ralph Records and The Cryptic Corporation

   Clem continued to work with the group, now named Residents Uninc., following their relocation to a two-story former print-works (nicknamed "El Ralpho") on Sycamore Street in San Francisco in 1972. Here, Clem starred as Steve in The Residents' unfinished feature film *Vileness Fats*, shooting nineteen hours of footage with the group for the project before it was eventually abandoned in 1976.

Clem also assisted the group informally with the launch of their independent record label Ralph Records in 1972, which released their debut EP *Santa Dog* and album *Meet The Residents*.

Shortly after the abandonment of *Vileness Fats* in early 1976, Clem, along with Homer Flynn, Hardy Fox, and John Kennedy, co-founded The Cryptic Corporation, took over the operations of Ralph Records, hiring more employees and signing more artists to the roster. Clem took the role of treasurer in the new company, although his function was more as a business manager.

Throughout much of the early 1970s, Clem would occasionally record with The Residents in the studio, most notably contributing lead vocals for the non-album track "Whoopy Snorp" in 1976. Clem's last recording work with the group may have been during later sessions for their 1978 album *Not Available*. As Clem settled into his role as marketing director of Ralph Records, he became less interested in collaborating with the group musically.

In 1977 he appeared in *The Residents Radio Special* as the primary spokesperson for The Cryptic Corporation (and by extension, The Residents), a role he would continue to perform for the group in interviews and media appearances until his departure.

### Departure

In July 1982, after a decade of working with The Residents, Clem became the first of the founding members of The Cryptic Corporation and Ralph Records to resign from the company, due in part to the companies' worsening financial troubles, and hesitation about The Residents' impending debut touring performance, The Mole Show (which ultimately lost a great deal of money for the group).

Clem remained with Ralph until October, tying up some loose ends, and ultimately bowing out completely shortly after the release of Ralph Records' 10th Anniversary promotional package. He established a new management company, taking the American distribution rights to Yello and their first two albums with him as he left.

Clem's departure is directly referenced in the lyrics of "Shorty's Lament", released on the group's *Intermission* EP later that year. Clem's resignation was shortly followed by that of John Kennedy, who left the following year, leaving Homer Flynn and Hardy Fox as the sole remaining Cryptics.

### After The Cryptic Corporation

Clem returned to college in 1982, and completed his studies at Golden Gate University in 1986. After finishing college he became a licensed realtor in the San Francisco Bay area where he continues to operate.

In 2015 he was interviewed for the documentary film *Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents.* In the film he declines to elaborate on the reasons for his departure from The Cryptic Corporation. Clem's voice was sampled on Uni's version of "Boo Who?", which was featured on the collaborative cover album *I Am A Resident!* in 2018.

Most recently, Clem appeared as an interviewee in the 2021 documentary film, *23rd Century Giants*, discussing his impressions of Renaldo & The Loaf during his time at Ralph Records.

## Legacy

Californian band The Young Penguins released a song dedicated to Clem in 2013; simply entitled "Jay Clem", the song refers to the group sending him tapes and speaking to him on the telephone during his time at Ralph, as well as describing his departure, and being told by Clem that the label are "not signing anyone new".

## Credits on Residents releases

* *The Delta Nudes' Greatest Hiss* (2013)
* *The Residents Present The Delta Nudes* (2016)
* *Theory Of Obscurity - A Film About The Residents* (2016)

## See also

* Ralph Records
* The Cryptic Corporation
* *Vileness Fats*
* "Shorty's Lament"
* Saint Steven

## External links and references

* Jay Clem at Discogs

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ian Shirley, *Never Known Questions: Five Decades of The Residents*, 2015
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jim Knipfel, "Somethin' Devilish: The Untold (And Finally True) Pre-History of The Residents 1963-1971"
3. ↑ Nathan Tucker, "Rock Is Dead, Long Live The Residents", Antigravity Magazine, 2018
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hardy Fox, "Ask Hardy Shit", Hacienda Bridge no. 20, July 15th 2017
5. ↑ "Jay Clem" on The Young Penguins' Bandcamp page

**Major works**
*Rusty Coathangers for the Doctor* (1970) · *The Ballad of Stuffed Trigger* (1970) · *The W\*\*\*\*\* B\*\*\* Album* (1971) · *B.S.* (1971) · *Santa Dog* (1972)
**Other recordings**
"I Hear Ya Got Religion" / "Moonman" (1969) · *1-10 (With A Touch of 11)* (1972)
**Compilation albums**
*ERA B474* (2012) · *The Delta Nudes' Greatest Hiss* (2013) · *The Residents Present The Delta Nudes* (2016) · *A Nickle If Your Dick's This Big* (2019) · *Warning: Uninc.* (2022)
**Live shows**
The Boarding House, October 18th 1971 · Philip's Wedding, October 31st 1971 · Chris' Party, February 12th 1972
**Collaborators**
Randy Rose · Charles Bobuck · Hardy Fox · Homer Flynn · Palmer Eiland · Roger "Bunny" Hartley · **Jay Clem** · John Kennedy · Roland Sheehan · Bob Tangney · Jim Whitaker · N. Senada · Philip "Snakefinger" Lithman · Peggy Honeydew (Margaret Swaton) · The Singing Lawn Chairs (Pamela Zeibak)
**Related articles**
San Mateo apartment · Hal Halverstadt · Porno Graphics · Sycamore St. studio · Ralph Records · The Residents · *Vileness Fats* · *Meet The Residents* · *The Third Reich 'n Roll* · "Satisfaction" · "Aphids In The Hall" · The Cryptic Corporation · *WB:RMX*‎‎‏‏‎

**Scene by scene**
1: Arf and Omega · 2: Bellboys & Townspeople Battle 1 · 3: Town 1 · 4: Mother's House 1 · 5: Weescoosa & Ninnie 1 · 6: Cave 1 · 7: Weescoosa & Ninnie 2 · 8: Weescoosa's Flashback · 9: Weescoosa & Ninnie 3 · 10: Bellboys & Townspeople Battle 2 · 11: Town 2 · 12: Desert 2 · 13: Lonesome Jack & Peggy · 14: Desert 1 · 15: Mother's House 2 · 16: Town 3 · 17: Banquet Hall · 18: Cave 2 · 19: Bridge 1 · 20: The Master Plan · 21: Cave 3 · 22: Desert 3 · 23: Night Club 1 · 24: Desert 4 · 25: Night Club 2 · 26: Desert 5 · 27: Cave 4 · 28: Night Club 3 · 29: Desert 6 · 30: Night Club 4 · 31: Cave 5 · 32: Night Club 5 · 33: Mother's House 3 · 34: Night Club 6 · 35: The Window of Never
**Cast and characters**
Saint Steven / Lonesome Jack (**Jay Clem**) · Weescoosa (Sally Lewis) · Arf and Omega Berry (Palmer Eiland and George Ewart) · Ninnie (Danny Williams) · Steve's Mother (Marge Howard) · Peggy Honeydew (Margaret Smyk) · Weenie (Danny Williams) · Uncle Willy (Hardy Fox)
with
Irene Dogmatic · J. Raoul Brody · Barry "Schwump" Schwam · Hugo Olson · Bill Dewalt · Diane Flynn · Homer Flynn · Tony Logan · Dennis Sealy · The Mysterious N. Senada as himself

**Crew**
The Residents: direction, screenplay, music, sets, costumes · Graeme Whifler: lighting, sets, second unit direction · Diane Flynn: costumes · John Kennedy: editing
**Settings**
Vileness Flats (Mother's House · Ninnie's House · Banquet Hall · Willy's Hot Spot) · Motel · The Cave · The Desert · The Window of Never
**Soundtrack music**
"Aircraft Damage" · "The Importance of Evergreen" · "Eloise" · "Kamikaze Lady" · "Lonely At The Top" · "Fever" · "Russian Love Song" · *X Is For Xtra* ("Theme From X" · "Slow Texture" · "Asonarose" · "Soundtrack Music Piece 17")
**Related works**
The Boarding House performance · *Santa Dog* · *Meet The Residents* · *Not Available* (*X Is For Xtra*) · *The Third Reich 'n Roll* (video) · "March de la Winni" · Oh Mummy! Oh Daddy! performance · *Fingerprince* · *Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats?* (soundtrack · *PAL TV LP*) · *Video Voodoo* · *Twenty Twisted Questions* · *Icky Flix* (soundtrack · "The Knife Fight" · *RZ VF*) · *Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents* · *Double Trouble* ("Junior's Double Trouble Nightmare" · trailer) · *Triple Trouble* (soundtrack)
**Related articles**
Atomic Shopping Carts · The Bell Boys · Residents, Uninc. · "My Mammy"· Sycamore St. studio · Ralph Records · The Cryptic Corporation · The Ugly Grey Theater