Listening to their body of work, one can hear the spiritual presence of Moondog, the sensibilities of Frank Zappa, the wit of Kurt Vonnegut, the otherworldly influence of Sun Ra, the ingenuity of Harry Partch, and maybe just a pinch of Elvis Presley’s rock & roll style.
laid down the mantra that The Residents would conceal their identities so that people could focus on the music, art, and visual presentation they created.
The Residents have continuously operated under what they dubbed “the theory of obscurity.” Under this idea, they could work on their art without worrying about anything getting in the way. Who they may be is irrelevant to the sweeping vision of their art and music. We should also point out that there will be no discussion here speculating on the band’s identities. The history of The Residents is shrouded in obscurity and aptly covered elsewhere (we recommend Ian Shirley’s definitive text and Don Hardy’s Theory of Obscurity as starting points). They also formed Ralph Records to sell the Residents’ albums and eventually sign other artists, including Fred Frith, Tuxedomoon, Snakefinger, Yello, and Reynaldo & the Loaf. Four of their friends formed a company called The Cryptic Corporation to act as a management/promotion agency. As Ian Shirley wrote in Never Known Questions, they shifted the focus to more music. The videotape format they used to shoot it couldn’t make the transfer to 35mm, either, so the film was relegated to becoming part of the vast Residents legend. It was on a shoestring budget, time-consuming, and eventually abandoned in 1976. It was supposed to be the first long-format music video. They shot the rest on ½ inch black and white videotape. In 1972, they shot some critical sequences of a film called Vileness Fats on 16mm film. The Residents first began making art in the early ’70s. From their early sound collages like Meet The Residents to fully formed stories like 2019’s Metal, Meat, and Bone: The Songs of Dying Dog, they’ve crafted many different and original multimedia projects, including plenty of DVDs, a few books, and music galore. San Francisco’s The Residents have always been at the forefront of technological innovations. (David Buck) The merging of art and obscurity David TediumĪ collection of discs by The Residents. Read to the end for something extremely residential. So, dust off your tuxedo and put in your favorite eyeball mask because today’s Tedium, we’re exploring The Residents’ blending of art, music, and technology, the Tedium way. Instead of being upset over what we cannot control, we’re channeling our excitement and energy about The Residents into our version of an art project: an issue of Tedium. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, the band ended up canceling the bulk of their North American tour dates.
It would’ve been the first concert I’ve attended since the last time I saw Weird Al. We were even going to film our own version of Heavy Metal Parking Lot for Tedium, Residents Parking Lot. Today in Tedium: After seeing The Residents perform updated versions of classic songs from their 1978 album Duck Stab! (Originally known as Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen) for Night Flight’s 40th anniversary, I was looking forward to seeing them perform those updated tracks in late August as the band finally went back out on tour. The Residents enjoyed a cult following and an uncompromised artistic vision, and this entertaining and thought-provoking documentary provides a long-deserved tribute to the band.Hey all, Ernie here with another one from David Buck, who follows through on the thread from his recent Sparks piece all the way to The Residents. In this remarkably psychedelic treatment for art eccentric's, "Theory of Obscurity: A Film about The Residents" manages to reveal the artistic side of the band as well as give us a detailed back story through energetic use of the band's archived performances and fan stories. They always perform wearing masks and costumes, which is part of their mystique. Many details surrounding the band are still secret, including the identities of its members. The story of the renegade sound and video art collective from San Francisco spans more than 40 years and is shrouded in mystery. The film is about the obscure underground band The Residents. Directed by Don Hardy Jr., "Theory of Obscurity: A Film about The Residents" will be screened as a part of the !f Istanbul Independent Film Festival.
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