Meet The Residents Wiki

## Welcome

> *"An invaluable source for filling in the gaps in The Residents' collective hive memory with occasional nuggets of information it turns out everybody has forgotten over the past fifty years."*
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> The Cryptic Corporation, *Faceless Forever - A Residents Encyclopaedia*, 2022
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Welcome to **Meet The Residents Wiki**, an unofficial (but officially acknowledged!) fan-sourced guide and resource dedicated to North Louisiana's Phenomenal Pop Combo! For 50 years and counting, The Residents have existed at the forefront of virtually every new technology in sound, video, performance and interactive media - all while operating under a veil of obscurity and anonymity.

Since January 29th 2017, this wiki, founded and maintained by members of the fan group The Mysterious Spanish Ladies, has aimed to build a free and comprehensive hypertext encyclopedia and reference point on The Residents, sourced by and for fans, while also aiming to include details on The Cryptic Corporation, Ralph Records and other related entities.

Meet The Residents Wiki has been derived largely from the online resources (both official and unofficial) listed below, as well as other reference texts, many more of which we hope to transcribe and preserve for Residents fans and historians for decades or even centuries to come.

You can begin your journey through the wiki either by typing phrases or words into the search bar to the upper right hand side of the page, using the quick links in the "explore", "contents" and "recent projects" tabs in the drop-down navigation menu at the top of the screen, or the links under the "navigation" heading below.

## Navigation

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## Recent and upcoming releases

#### pREServed

##### CD series

   * The next expected instalment in the pREServed CD reissue series is an expanded edition of *Demons Dance Alone*, featuring as-yet-unconfirmed supplementary material. It is being prepared for release in 2024. An expanded edition of *Animal Lover* is also being prepared for a 2024 release, with Brian Poole of former Ralph stablemates Renaldo & The Loaf said to be assisting the group in sorting through material from the era.
* The long-delayed multi-disc box set *The American Composers Box*, featuring the two American Composers albums and other contemporary material, is said to be "almost ready to roll", and as of September 2023, is expected for release after the pREServed editions of *Demons Dance Alone* and *Animal Lover*.
* Other expected instalments in the pREServed series include the complete *Icky Flix* soundtrack (the latter of which was previously issued on vinyl for Record Store Day 2020), and an expanded *Bunny Boy* reissue; no release date has yet been announced.
##### Vinyl series

* The most recent entry in the deluxe pREServed vinyl reissue series, a two LP edition of *Commercial Album*, was released July 7th 2023. The first LP contains the remastered original album, with the previously unreleased "COMS 1-3 RDX Suite" in two parts on the second disc. An "extremely limited" number of copies sold via the Cherry Red Records website include a bonus white label 7" single titled *The Commercial Single Commercials (In Mono)*.
* The Residents have announced a new compilation, *Leftovers Again?! AGAIN?!?*, for Record Store Day on April 20th 2024. Further details of the album (presumably a follow-up to the 2021 RSD release *Leftovers Again?!*) are yet to be announced.
#### Faceless Forever/50th Anniversary

    * *Secret Show Live in San Francisco*, a live album featuring a recording of The Residents' 50th Anniversary secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on January 14th 2023, has been announced for release as a CD/DVD set and a double LP vinyl edition via Cherry Red Records, MVD Audio and New Ralph Too on February 16th 2024. The DVD included with the CD edition of the album features a concert film of the performance directed by John Sanborn.
#### Psychofon Records

* The sixth instalment in Psychofon Records' collector vinyl "Classic Series", a deluxe *Eskimo* box set, was released in early October 2023 via the Psychofon website. The edition of only 50 hand-numbered copies includes two variants (of 25 hand-numbered copies each); the first variant is on transparent vinyl filled with blue liquid, and includes a paper cut-out "iceberg". The second variant is pressed on transparent blue and white two-color liquid filled vinyl, with a unique "snow globe" album cover. Both editions sold out within seconds of becoming available for pre-sale; they are housed within a light blue "Classic Series" branded tote bag.
* The seventh instalment in Psychofon Records' collector vinyl "Classic Series", a special pop-up gatefold edition of *Commercial Album*, was released in October 2023 via the Psychofon website. The edition of 200 copies on transparent, rainbow splatter vinyl features a gatefold cover with a pop-up design in the center, housed within a green "Classic Series" branded tote bag.
#### Klanggalerie

    * Klanggalerie have released *Sam's Enchanted Evening*, a two disc live album featuring the Randy Rose solo cabaret show of the same name, recorded October 20th 2011 at The Marsh in Berkeley, California. The album contains the full performance, with an additional rehearsal recording of the song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". The album was released October 4th 2023.
* On December 21st 2023, Klanggalerie released a compilation of material by Italian musician Alieno de Bootes, *Unconventional Residents - Alternates & Outtakes*, featuring previously unheard alternate versions and unreleased material from the sessions for Alieno de Bootes' two previous Residents cover albums, *Unconventional Residents* and *Unconventional Residents II*. The album is exclusively available for download from Klanggalerie's Bandcamp page.
* A compilation of unreleased Hardy Fox material entitled *Fragments & Failures* was originally scheduled to be released on Klanggalerie in early 2021, but was delayed by the label in favor of the Charles Bobuck compilation *Oddities 2013-2015*. *Fragments & Failures* is still expected for release, but no date has been announced.
#### Miscellaneous releases

* *Shadow Stories*, an EP featuring the soundtracks to video clips featured in The Residents' Shadowland live show, was released to streaming platforms in September 2023. It had previously been released as a limited edition CD-R (of which only eighty copies were made), which were given away to attendees at a show at the Rio Theater in March 2015.
* On October 20th 2023, The Residents announced that they have teamed up with Californian hot sauce manufacturer El Enojado to create an official hot sauce, named after The Residents' 1985 song "Cry For The Fire". The bottle's label features a unique artwork by Porneaux Graphics, in black-and-white and color variations. The black-and-white label edition is sold through the official El Enojado website, whereas the color label edition is sold through The Residents' Faceless Forever online store, where it is also available in a bundle with a t-shirt featuring the label art.
#### Future projects

    * Filmmaker Marie Losier is currently filming a new feature-length documentary on The Residents, following the band "from Bourges to Brussels, from Paris to Essen and to San Francisco" during (and after) their 50th Anniversary tour Faceless Forever. The film, titled *Behind The Mask*, has been in development since 2020, and began production in late January 2023. The project is co-produced by Barberousse Films, and supported by ZDF and the Centre National du Cinema in partnership with ARTE and Villa Albertine. Further details (such as a release date) are yet to be announced.
* The Residents are currently recording a new studio album in collaboration with conductor Edwin Outwater and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The album is said to be a "modern opera" inspired by the life of euthanasia advocate Jack Kevorkian; this is thought to be the previously mentioned *Doctor Dark*, which is also said to have been inspired by the 1990 Judas Priest subliminal message trial. The album is currently expected for release in summer 2024, with a planned theatrical adaptation to follow.
* A long-in-development series of "uber niche" limited CD releases, to be sold via mail order and aimed primarily at specialist collectors, is expected at an unknown time in the future, possibly under the long-defunct UWEB branding.
* The Residents are said to be preparing "at least" two books for future release; one of the two books is said to be a collection of unproduced screenplays and treatments for film and television.
* Homer Flynn and The Residents are currently seeking financial backing to produce their 2004 screenplay *Loveland*, described by Flynn as "a classic tale of Southern Gothic dysfunctionality, revolving around three generations of the Dupree family, anonymous nobodies in nowhere, Mississippi". A full-page treatment is said to be available; interested parties should contact The Cryptic Corporation for further information.

## Upcoming live shows

### God In 3 Persons Live

    On September 27th 2023 The Residents announced a new mini-tour of their theatrical production God In 3 Persons Live, taking place across the United Kingdom in April 2024. Tickets went on sale on September 29th 2023. An additional performance in Athens was announced in January 2024; "rumors persist" of further live dates to be announced in the future.

The following tour dates are current as of November 28th 2023:

* April 2nd 2024 - City Halls, Glasgow, Scotland
* April 3rd 2024 - Albert Hall, Manchester, England
* April 5th 2024 - Town Hall, Birmingham, England
* April 6th 2024 - De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, England
* April 8th 2024 - Barbican Centre, London, England
* April 10th 2024 - Pallas, Athens, Greece

## Comix

Updated: January 29th 2024
**HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY**
**MEET THE RESIDENTS WIKI!**
Archive | Submit your comic
## External links and references

### Official

* The Residents Official Website
* The Residents Historical
* The Cryptic Corporation Official Website
* The Residents on Facebook
* The Residents on YouTube
* The Residents on Instagram
* The Residents on Twitter
* The Residents on TikTok
* Ralph America Official Website (defunct 2011)
* Euro Ralph Official Website (defunct 2006)
* Hacienda Bridge (Hardy Fox / Charles Bobuck) (defunct 2018)

### Unofficial

* The Talk of Creatures forum
* The Residents unofficial Facebook group
* Ralph Records unofficial Facebook group
* Mr. Riggsy's ResTube on YouTube
* The Residents on Wikipedia
* The Residents on AllMusic
* RZWeb (semi-official; defunct 2004)
* Smelly Tongues - The Unofficial Residents Fan Club (defunct 2005)
* Giant Eyeballs - A Tribute To The Residents (defunct 2009)
* The Moles' Bach Is Dead Discography and Virtual Museum (defunct 2011)
* RRROAR - The Residents and Ralph Records Online Audio-Visual Resource (defunct 2015)
* Grandpa Gio and The Residents (defunct 2016)

### Buy Or Die!

* Buy Or Die! The Official Residents Online Shop
* The Residents' Faceless Forever - Official Merchandise Store (US)
* The Residents' Faceless Forever - Official Merchandise Store (UK/EU)
* The Residents on Cherry Red Records
* The Residents on Psychofon Records
* Secret Records on Bandcamp
* Klanggalerie on Bandcamp
* The Residents on Amazon (see also The Residents Amazon author page)
* The Residents on Discogs
* Ralph Records on Discogs
* Ralphlet Outlet on Bandcamp

#### Listen online

* The Residents on Apple Music
* The Residents on Spotify

## Something missing?

**Meet The Residents Wiki** is compiled and maintained by members of the fan group The Mysterious Spanish Ladies for the education and information of other fans, and has not been officially endorsed by The Residents, The Cryptic Corporation, or their record labels past or present. Although we have attempted to derive as much of our information as possible from official sources, some information seen in these pages may nevertheless be missing, incorrect, outdated, or apocryphal.

You can help The Ladies by signing up as a Fandom user and helping to create and edit our articles. You can also drop into our Discord server, Mysterious Spanish, Uninc. to chat with The Mysterious Spanish Ladies and other wiki contributors. If you are intending to contribute to the wiki, please first take the time to read our user rules and style manual.

### Missing articles

Feel like lending The Ladies a hand? The following is a selection of articles which need to be created. We are currently attempting to expand our pages relating to *Vileness Fats*, *Not Available* and The Mole Trilogy, so missing articles related to those projects have been highlighted.

#### *Vileness Fats*

* Scene 34 (Vileness Fats): Also known as "The Knife Fight"; the penultimate scene planned for The Residents' unfinished feature film *Vileness Fats*. It depicts the dramatic (and deadly) knife fight between the twin wrestlers Arf and Omega Berry on the dance floor of Uncle Willy's nightclub, followed by a closing benediction delivered by a ventriloquist. As the film's closing sequence was never completed, this scene closes both the 1984 VHS featurette *Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats?* and the 2001 "concentrate" edit on the *Icky Flix* DVD. Excerpts are also included in The Residents' 2022 feature film *Triple Trouble*; a remastered version of the scene is featured in the special features of the DVD and Blu-ray editions of the film.
	+ ***Resources:*** *Mole Show/Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats? VHS, Icky Flix DVD, Triple Trouble DVD/Blu-ray, Vileness Fats at The Residents Historical, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, a Mysterious Spanish Lady interviews Peter Conheim*
* Weenie: Character from The Residents' unfinished feature film *Vileness Fats*, portrayed by Danny Williams (who also portrays the character Ninnie). Weenie is the rebel Lonesome Jack's right hand man, and the only member of the Bell Boys to know about Jack's dual identity as Saint Steven, the religious leader of Vileness Flats.
	+ ***Resources:*** *Mole Show/Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats? VHS, Icky Flix DVD, Vileness Fats at The Residents Historical, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS*
* Abraham Lincoln: American lawyer and politician born in February 1809 who served as the 16th President of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Portrayed by Jay Clem in *Vileness Fats* as a previous incarnation of the film's protagonist Saint Steven and former love interest of the enchanted Native American priestess Weescoosa. In the film, Lincoln is said to be much shorter in real life, with his height being hidden by a tall hat (mirroring both Steve and his other prior incarnation, Napoleon). Lincoln is also mentioned in the liner notes of The Residents' album *Intruders* as having seen a ghostly doppelganger prior to his death.
	+ ***Resources:*** *Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum official website, Abraham Lincoln at Wikipedia, Mole Show/Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats? VHS, Vileness Fats at The Residents Historical, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, Intruders liner notes, "Lincoln's Doppelganger" at JonahWorld!*
#### *Not Available*

* The Making of a Soul: The third part of The Residents' 1978 album *Not Available*; it closes the first side of the album. A supposedly "hidden" spoken monologue by Hardy Fox is buried in the mix of one of the instrumental sections of the song; this originates from the recording "Where To Begin", later heard on the 2019 pREServed expanded CD edition of the album. An excerpt of "The Making of a Soul" was included on the 1979 promotional compilation *Please Do Not Steal It!* (also released as *Nibbles*). A section of the song was later adapted as "Mourning Glories" for the group's tour Shadowland in 2016.
	+ ***Resources:** Not Available at The Residents Historical, Not Available at RZWeb, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, "The Making of a Soul" at Discogs, the "hidden monologue"*
* Where To Begin: A recording by The Residents featuring vocals by Hardy Fox which would later become incorporated into "The Making of a Soul" on the group's 1978 album *Not Available*. The song features a spoken monologue by Fox, traces of which remain embedded in the finished mix of "The Making of a Soul"; a section of the monologue was extracted from the song by a fan in the early 2000s. The clip was posted on The Residents' Official News BOG in 2004, giving rise to the legend of a so-called "hidden monologue" within the track. The original recording was released in its entirety in 2019 on the pREServed CD reissue of *Not Available*.
	+ ***Resources:** The "hidden monologue", Official News BOG, March 10th 2004, Not Available pREServed CD edition at Discogs*
#### The Mole Trilogy

* Kula Bocca: A leading figure in the fictional Zinkenite movement in parts three and four of The Residents' Mole Trilogy, responsible for controlling much of the success of the Mohelmot band The Big Bubble. The character is mentioned in the song "Kula Bocca Says So", the final track on Part Four of The Mole Trilogy, *The Big Bubble*.
	+ ***Resources:*** *The Big Bubble at The Residents Historical*
* Praise for the Curse: The sixth track from The Residents' 1982 album *The Tunes of Two Cities*. Within the context of The Residents' Mole Trilogy, the song is intended to represent the music of the Mole culture.
	+ ***Resources:*** *The Tunes of Two Cities at The Residents Historical, The Tunes of Two Cities at RZWeb*
* Song of the Wild: Track ten from The Residents' 1982 album *The Tunes of Two Cities*, also referred to as "Call of the Wild," this is a Chub song, played live by The Residents during The Mole Show between the construction of "The New Machine" and the epic battle of "Final Confrontation." What the song actually represents is left ambiguous as to showcase the show's falling apart. It is described in the Mole Show's script as being "Moody, Quiet serious coming next." Live and rehearsal recordings of the songs appear on the *Mole Show*, *Assorted Secrets, Mole Show (Live In Holland)* and *Mole Dance 82* albums.
	+ ***Resources:*** *The Tunes of Two Cities at The Residents Historical, The Tunes of Two Cities at RZWeb, "...Of the Wild" on Discogs, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS*
#### Miscellaneous

* Spotted Pinto Bean: A song by The Residents, released as the ninth track on their debut album *Meet The Residents* on April 1st 1974; the closing track of Side A of the album. It features vocals from the group's early collaborator Pamela Zeibak. At the time of the album's release, the song was described by "Harvey Sox" as "Sun Ra with opera and honky-tonk after-hours piano during a thunderstorm backed by a Motown horn section." The 1977 stereo mix of the song is more than a minute shorter than the original mono release. A 2014 demo version by the group's composer Charles Bobuck was released on the EP *Clank Clank Clank* in 2017.
	+ ***Resources:*** *Meet The Residents at The Residents Historical*, *Meet The Residents at RZWeb*, *Meet The Residents at Discogs*, *"Spotted Pinto Bean" at Discogs*, *Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS*
* Tom Timony: Residents fan since 1975, employee of Ralph Records beginning in 1980, and operator of New Ralph from 1983 to 1988, and then T.E.C. Tones from 1989 to 1999.
	+ ***Resources:** Ralph Records on The Residents Historical, Ralph Records on RZWeb, T.E.C. Tones on Discogs, The Vinyl Guide episode 137: Ralph Records with Tom Timony, 23rd Century Giants: The Story of Renaldo & The Loaf*
* The Stone: A novella by Hardy Fox, serialized in his Hacienda Bridge email newsletter between March and October 2017. The novella marks the end of Fox's use of the Charles Bobuck persona, and is most well known for being the medium by which Fox chose to announce Bobuck's true identity. It is also related to the posthumous Fox album *Ibbur*.
	+ ***Resources:** Hacienda Bridge newsletter #12 through #25, Ibbur at Klanggalerie, "Behind The Eye Of Hardy Fox, Composer For America's Weirdest Band" at NPR*