The Residents: 1969-1982?

I've been a huge fan of The Residents since I first heard them when I was 16, but I always hated their material after 1982. "Mark of the Mole" seems like the album where they lost an interesting 'concept' direction... the lyrics seemed downright stupid or simple... the story isn't even an interesting metaphor, just a straightforward, cliche-type story about moles and immigration issues. The music, however, is still very cool, sonically excellent analog synthesizers. The show is also excellent.

"Tunes of Two Cities" sounds transitional; the music isn't as good, especially with the blocky EMU sound. All the albums following I cannot stomach; it sounds like the band changed dramatically & lost focus on their original vision imho. I think it's a mixture of natural band decay (10 years is a long time to stay excellent!) and some original members departing, plus their absorption into the mainstream business/marketing world, and touring. Plus, manager (& Resident?) Jay Clem left, along with financier (& Resident?) John Kennedy (who also took their studio deed).

Sorry if this has come up before, wanted to see how people felt.

Dex

Originally posted by penguindf12 I've been a huge fan of The Residents since I first heard them when I was 16, but I always hated their material after 1982. "Mark of the Mole" seems like the album where they lost an interesting 'concept' direction... the lyrics seemed downright stupid or simple... the story isn't even an interesting metaphor, just a straightforward, cliche-type story about moles and immigration issues. The music, however, is still very cool, sonically excellent analog synthesizers. The show is also excellent. "Tunes of Two Cities" sounds transitional; the music isn't as good, especially with the blocky EMU sound. All the albums following I cannot stomach;

I also love the Residents' early work. I like Mark of the Mole and Tunes of Two Cities and think both albums work well. The only album I have heard of theirs after that period is Freak Show, which I think is terrible, so yes, I'm inclined to agree with you.

As far as their identities go, everyone knows that they are really the Beatles in disguise, and so once John Lennon died, a lot of the creativity left the group.

I agree with most of the statement above.  However, I liked the American Composers series.  "Stars & Hank Forever" is brilliant.

Originally posted by Saperlipopette! Imo they should retire ASAP and never reveal their identity. Who on earth would want to see The Residents as human beings? Not me. I think they should have stuck to their eyeballs too.

I think it's pretty important to see them as humans. The anonymity thing was a cool idea back when it was four (?) weird dudes making collectively bizarre statements. Nowadays I feel like the 'mystery' is more 'hype' and they are a pretty artistically uninteresting group, run by roughly half of the original members. Not saying they should haul off & die, or retire, but I also think it's silly and disingenuous.

It's like if Peter Gabriel Genesis became Phil Collins Genesis, but they still pretended as if there were no personnel change. (Phil Collins Genesis is better than post-82 Residents for what it's worth )




Edited by penguindf12 - August 20 2012 at 20:26

Originally posted by penguindf12 Originally posted by Saperlipopette! Imo they should retire ASAP and never reveal their identity. Who on earth would want to see The Residents as human beings? Not me. I think they should have stuck to their eyeballs too. I think it's pretty important to see them as humans.

I was a big Residents fan in the 80s, but stopped buying their albums after God In 3 Persons.  Singing the albums credits was a nice idea, but otherwise it wasn't anything special. 

Although, on second thought....

Edited by penguindf12 - August 21 2012 at 11:15

I can dig it. :)

Originally posted by historian9 O there's lots of good stuff after 1982 for sure. I don't know, maybe because ProgArchives are a music site, the most of story albums, videos, radio play albums, PC games and such won't get much appreciation here. If the playful avantgarde music is your thing then yeah, that early Residents sound would maybe be the best. I personally enjoy quite a lot of stuff afterwards, be it because of nice lyrics, morbid as hell ghost story videos and whatever that Bunny Boy thing was about, I still didn't get quite a hold of it. Someone said that they like the idea of Residents more than their music, which I kind of get, I just like that somewhere out there is someone who makes albums about sexually deviant clowns.