Residents

The Residents

The Residents
Pays d’origine	États-Unis
Genre(s)	Avant-garde Post-punk musique expérimentale
Années actives	depuis 1969
Label(s)	Ralph Records Cordless Recordings Mute Records
Site Web	www.residents.com
Membres	inconnus

The Residents est un groupe de musique d'avant-garde américain. Très peu de choses sont connues à leur sujet : les membres du groupe ont réussi à préserver leur anonymat durant toute leur carrière, et le mystère qui entoure l'histoire du groupe est presque total. Leur costume de marque (depuis les années 1980) consiste en smokings, hauts-de-forme et masques représentant des globes oculaires.

Le groupe a également produit plusieurs courts-métrages, CD-ROM et DVD.

Histoire

Les Residents seraient originaires de Shreveport, en Louisiane, où ils se seraient rencontrés dans les années 1960. En 1966, ils se seraient rendus en Californie, se livrant à diverses expériences plus ou moins liées à « l'art ». Ils auraient alors acquis une certaine renommée, qui aurait incité le guitariste Phil Lithman, surnommé par la suite « Snakefinger », et le mystérieux N. Senada (dont l'existence n'est même pas certaine) à les rejoindre.

Les premières bandes inédites des Residents dateraient de 1969. Deux ans plus tard, ils envoient une bande à Hal Halverstadt, de la Warner, mais celui-ci, guère impressionné, les rejette, tout en reconnaissant leur originalité. Aucune adresse de retour n'ayant été communiquée pour la bande, la note indiquant son rejet est simplement adressée aux « Residents », un nom qu'adopte le groupe. L'année suivante, ils partent pour San Francisco et fondent Ralph Records.

Le single Santa Dog, considéré par les fans et les Residents eux-mêmes comme le début de leur discographie « officielle », sort en décembre 1972, bientôt suivi par leur premier album, Meet the Residents, dont la pochette est un pastiche du second album américain des Beatles, Meet the Beatles!. La plupart des radios de la côte ouest refusent de le promouvoir, et seul Bill Reinhardt, directeur des programmes d'une station de Portland, diffuse le single et participe à la promotion de l'album.

Les Residents traversent une mauvaise passe et décident, en 1974, d'enregistrer le futur Not Available, qui illustre la théorie de l'obscurité de N. Senada : une fois enregistré, l'album est placé en lieu sûr, pour n'être rendu public que lorsque tout le monde l'aura oublié. Toutefois, des obligations contractuelles forcent sa sortie en 1978.

Le deuxième album des Residents, peut-être leur plus connu, sort en 1976. The Third Reich 'n' Roll pastiche le rock des années 1960 : ses deux longs titres se basent sur des enregistrements de classiques du rock 'n' roll (Beatles, Cream, Doors, Rolling Stones...) découpés, doublés, aux paroles et aux instrumentations modifiées. Les chansons originales ont ensuite été retirées des bandes, laissant les seules performances nouvelles. L'album est surtout connu pour sa pochette, qui représente le présentateur Dick Clark en uniforme nazi, entouré de svastikas et de petits Hitler.

Les Residents sortent encore quatre albums jusqu'en 1980 : Fingerprince (1976), Duck Stab/Buster and Glen (1978), Eskimo (1979) et The Commercial Album (1980). Chacun, à sa façon, poursuit la recherche de formes non conventionnelles de musique : Eskimo se compose de simples sons, de percussions et de voix, The Commercial Album contient quarante chansons qui ne durent qu'une minute. Étant l'un des groupes pionniers dans le domaine du clip vidéo, ils sont parmi les plus diffusés par la chaîne MTV à ses débuts.

En 1981 sort Mark of the Mole, premier album d'une trilogie d'albums-concept, suivi de The Tunes of Two Cities l'année suivante. Mark of the Mole s'accompagne d'une tournée de promotion qui voit la première apparition du costume emblématique des Residents. Cette tournée est suivie du 13th Anniversary Tour au Japon et aux États-Unis, durant laquelle le masque de Mr. Red Eye est dérobé. Il est par la suite remplacé par un masque représentant un crâne noir. D'autres tournées s'ensuivent : Cube E, une histoire de la musique américaine, de la country (Buckaroo Blues) à Elvis Presley (The King & Eye), Wormwood, à la thématique biblique...

Les Residents commencent à s'intéresser à l'informatique au début des années 1990, avec leur projet Freak Show, qui regroupe un album, essentiellement conçu à partir de divers procédés MIDI, un CD-ROM, des représentations théâtrales et une bande dessinée. Les Residents sortent par la suite les albums Demons Dance Alone (2002) et Animal Lover (2005), sur lesquels ils s'appuient particulièrement sur la voix de la chanteuse Molly Harvey. D'autres artistes ont fréquemment travaillé avec les Residents durant les dernières années.

En 2006, les Residents lancent un projet de téléchargement sur Internet, River of Crime, puis un projet vidéo sur YouTube, Timmy, en 2007.

Discographie

Pochette du vinyle Commercial album, et platine tourne-disques

1974 : Meet the Residents Boots – 0:53 (Lee Hazlewood) Numb Erone – 1:07 Guylum Bardot – 1:21 Breath and Length – 1:42 Consuelo's Departure – 0:59 Smelly Tongues – 1:47 Rest Aria – 5:09 Skratz – 1:42 Spotted Pinto Bean – 5:27 Infant Tango – 5:27 Seasoned Greetings – 5:13 N-er-gee (Crisis Blues) – 7:16 Bonus Tracks (1988 CD release only) Fire Lightning Explosion Aircraft Damage

1976 : The Third Reich 'n' Roll "Swastikas on Parade" – 17:30 "Hitler Was a Vegetarian" – 18:27 Bonus Tracks (1988 CD release only) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - 4:30 (mono) "Loser (is congruent to) Weed" - 2:09 (mono) "Beyond the Valley of a Day in the Life " - 3:56 "Flying" - 3:22

1977 : Fingerprince Original vinyl releases You Yesyesyes – 3:00 Home Age Conversation – 2:03 Godsong – 3:41 March de la Winni – 0:58 Bossy – 1:00 Boo Who? – 2:48 Tourniquet of Roses – 3:15 You Yesyesyes Again – 2:38 Six Things to a Cycle – 17:16 CD releases, 1988 and forward "You yesyesyes" – 3:00 "Home Age Conversation" – 2:03 "Godsong" – 3:41 "March de la Winni" – 0:58 "Bossy" – 1:00 "Boo Who?" – 2:48 "Tourniquet of Roses" – 3:15 "Death in Barstow" – 2:05 "Melon Collie Lassie" – 2:51 "Flight of the Bumble Roach" – 2:55 "Walter Westinghouse" – 8:02 "Six Things to a Cycle: Part 1." – 2:47 "Six Things to a Cycle: Part 2." – 1:38 "Six Things to a Cycle: Part 3." – 2:26 "Six Things to a Cycle: Part 4." – 3:49 "Six Things to a Cycle: Part 5." – 4:50 "Six Things to a Cycle: Part 6." – 2:17 "You yesyesyes Again" – 2:38 1977 Remix

1978 : Not Available Part One: Edweena Part Two: The Making of a Soul Part Three: Ship's a'Going Down Part Four: Never Known Questions Epilogue Intro: Version The Shoe Salesman Crashing Monkey and Bunny Mahogany Wood The Sailor Song

1978 : Duck Stab/Buster & Glen "Constantinople" "Sinister Exaggerator" "The Booker Tease" "Blue Rosebuds" "Laughing Song" "Bach Is Dead" "Elvis and His Boss" "Lizard Lady" "Semolina" "Birthday Boy" "Weight Lifting Lulu" "Krafty Cheese" "Hello Skinny" "The Electrocutioner" Bonus tracks (1987 CD release only) Disaster Plants Farmers Twinkle

1979 : Eskimo The Walrus Hunt – 4:01 Birth – 4:33 Arctic Hysteria – 5:57 The Angry Angakok – 5:20 A Spirit Steals a Child – 8:44 The Festival of Death – 10:26 Bonus Tracks (1987 CD release only) I Left My Heart in San Francisco Dumbo the Clown (Who Loved Christmas) Is He Really Bringing Roses? (The Replacement) Time's Up

1980 : The Commercial Album "Easter Woman" "Perfect Love" "Picnic Boy" "End of Home" "Amber" "Japanese Watercolor" "Secrets" "Die in Terror" "Red Rider" "My Second Wife" "Floyd" "Suburban Bathers" "Dimples and Toes" "The Nameless Souls" "Love Leaks Out" "Act of Being Polite" "Medicine Man" "Tragic Bells" "Loss of Innocence" "The Simple Song" "Ups and Downs" "Possessions" "Give It to Someone Else" "Phantom" "Less Not More" "My Work Is So Behind" "Birds in the Trees" "Handful of Desire" "Moisture" "Love Is..." "Troubled Man" "La La" "Loneliness" "Nice Old Man" "The Talk of Creatures" "Fingertips" "In Between Dreams" "Margaret Freeman" "The Coming of the Crow" "When We Were Young" Bonus Tracks (1988 CD release only) "Shut Up Shut Up" "And I Was Alone" "Theme for an American TV Show" "We're a Happy Family/Bali Ha'i" "The Sleeper" "Boy in Love" "Diskomo (Remix)" "Jailhouse Rock" "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" "Hit the Road Jack"

1981 : Mark of the Mole "Voices of the Air" "The Ultimate Disaster" "Won't You Keep Us Working? Working Down Below?" "First Warning" "Back to Normality?" "The Sky Falls!" "Why Are We Crying?" "The Tunnels Are Filling" "It Never Stops" "Migration" "March to the Sea" "The Observer" "Hole-Worker's New Hymn" "Another Land" "Rumors" "Arrival" "Deployment" "Saturation" "The New Machine" "Idea" "Construction" "Failture/Reconstruction" "Success" "Final Confrontation" "Driving the Moles Away" "Don't Tread on Me" "The Short War" "Resolution?" Bonus Tracks (1987 CD release only) "Lights Out" (Prelude) "Shorty's Lament" (Intermission) "The Moles Are Coming" (Intermission) "Would We Be Alive?" (Intermission) "The New Hymn" (Recessional)

1982 : The Tunes of Two Cities "Serenade for Missy" "A Maze of Jigsaws" "Mousetrap" "God of Darkness" "Smack Your Lips (Clap Your Teeth)" "Praise for the Curse" "The Secret Seed" "Smokebeams" "Mourning the Undead" "Song of the Wild" "The Evil Disposer" "Happy Home" (Excerpt from Act II of "Innisfree") Bonus Tracks (1988 CD release only) "Open Up" "Anvil Forest" "Scent of Mint"

1982 : Intermission: Extraneous Music from the Residents' Mole Show "Lights Out" (Prelude) "Shorty's Lament" (Intermission) "The Moles Are Coming" (Intermission) "Would We Be Alive?" (Intermission) "The New Hymn" (Recessional)

1984 : George & James "Rhapsody in Blue" "I Got Rhythm" "Summertime" Live at the Apollo "I'll Go Crazy" "Try Me" ""5" Royales song" "I Don't Mind" "Lost Someone" "Please, Please, Please" "Night Train"

1984 : Residue of the Residents Residue Tracks: The Sleeper Whoopy Snorp Kamakazi Lady Boy in Love Shut Up! Shut Up! Anvil Forest Diskomo Jailhouse Rock Ups and Downs Walter Westinghouse Saint Nix Open Up Residue Deux Tracks: The Sleeper Whoopy Snorp Kamikazi Lady Boy in Love Shut Up! Shut Up! Anvil Forest Diskomo Jailhouse Rock (different version than original; from a 1987 single) Ups and Downs Saint Nix Open Up The Replacement In San Francisco Dumbo the Clown Is He Really Bringing Roses? Time's Up Daydream Believer Safety Is a Cootie Wootie Part 1 - Prelude for a Toddler Part 2 - Toddler's Lullaby Part 3 - Safety Is a Cootie Wootie Daydream in Space

1984 : Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats? "Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats?" "Atomic Shopping Carts" "Adventures of a Troubled Heart" "Search for the Short Man" "The Importance of Evergreen" "Broccoli and Saxophone" "Disguised As Meat" "Thoughts Busily Betraying" "Lord, It's Lonely" "The Knife Fight"

1985 : Census Taker "Creeping Dread" "The Census Taker" "Talk" "End of Home" "Emotional Music" "Secret Seed" "Easter Woman/Simple Song" "Hellno" "Where Is She" "Innocence Decayed" "Romanian/Nice Old Man" "Margaret Freeman" "Lights Out/Where Is She" "Passing the Bottle" "The Census Taker Returns"

1985 : The Big Bubble: Part Four of the Mole Trilogy "Sorry" "Hop a Little" "Go Where Ya Wanna Go" "Gotta Gotta Get" "Cry for the Fire" "Die-Stay-Go" "Vinegar" "Firefly" "The Big Bubble" "Fear for the Future" "Kula Bocca Says So" Bonus Tracks (1989 CD release only) "Prelude for Toddler" "Toddler Lullaby" "Safety Is a Cootie Wootie"

1986 : Stars & Hank Forever "Hey Good Lookin'" "Six More Miles (To the Graveyard)" "Kaw-Liga" "Ramblin' Man" "Jambalaya" "Sousaside" "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine" "Stars and Stripes Forever" "El Capitan" "The Liberty Bell" "Semper Fidelis" "The Washington Post"

1988 : God in Three Persons "Main Title from 'God in 3 Persons'" - 3:52 "Hard & Tenderly" - 4:36 "Devotion?" - 3:36 "The Thing About Them" - 4:05 "Their Early Years" - 4:39 "Loss of Loved One" - 4:50 "The Touch" - 3:30 "The Service" - 5:02 "Confused (By What I Felt Inside)" - 4:37 "Fine Fat Flies" - 4:26 "Time" - 1:18 "Silver, Sharp and Could Not Care" - 3:03 "Kiss of Flesh" - 9:39 "Pain and Pleasure" - 4:35 Soundtrack Tracks: "Main Titles (God in Three Persons)" - 3:38 "Hard and Tenderly" - 3:44 "The Thing About Them" - 3:25 "Their Early Years" - 2:43 "Loss of a Loved One" - 3:10 "The Touch" - 2:08 "The Service (Part 1)" - 2:51 "The Service (Part 2)" - 1:28 "Confused by What I Felt Inside" - 5:37 "Kiss of Flesh" - 9:25 "Pain and Pleasure" - 2:00

1988 : Buckaroo Blues Buckaroo Blues Theme from Buckaroo Blues Stampede Trail Dance Bury Me Not Cowboy Waltz Saddle Sores Theme from Buckaroo Blues (Reprise) Land of a Thousand Dances/Double Shot God in Three Persons' Over

1989 : The King & Eye "Blue Suede Shoes" "The Baby King Part 1" "Don't Be Cruel" "Heartbreak Hotel" "All Shook Up" "Return to Sender" "The Baby King Part 2" "Teddy Bear" "Devil in Disguise" "Stuck on You" "Big Hunk o' Love" "A Fool Such As I" "The Baby King Part 3" "Little Sister" "His Latest Flame" "Burning Love" "Viva Las Vegas' "The Baby King Part 4" "Love Me Tender" "The Baby King Part 5" "Hound Dog"

1991 : Freak Show "Everyone Comes to the Freak Show" "Harry the Head" "Herman the Human Mole" "Wanda the Worm Woman" "Jack the Boneless Boy" "Benny the Bouncing Bump" "Mickey the Mumbling Midget" "Lillie" "Nobody Laughs When They Leave"

1992 : Our Finest Flowers "Gone Again" "The Sour Song" "Six Amber Things" "Mr. Lonely" "Perfect Goat" "Blue Tongues" "Jungle Bunny" "I'm Dreaming of a White Sailor" "Or Maybe a Marine" "Kick a Picnic" "Dead Wood" "Baby Sister" "Forty-Four No More" "He Also Serves" "Ship of Fools" "Be Kind to U-WEB Footed Friends"

1994 : Gingerbread Man The Weaver: The fool and the death-maker die alone The Dying Oilman: Blinded by the hostages of fortune The Confused Transsexual: Stamen and pistillate together again The Sold-Out Artist: Black are the legs inside the white sepulchre The Ascetic: Shadows doubt the strength of the sun The Old Soldier: Safety sells, but war always wins The Aging Musician: Narcissus knows no one naked The Butcher: The flesh of animals angers anew… and moos The Old Woman: Kissless are the isolated, rootless are their tongues Ginger's Lament

1996 : Have a Bad Day "Bad Day on the Midway" "Dagmar, the Dog Woman" "I Ain't Seen No Rats" "Tears of the Taxman" "God's Teardrops" "The Seven Tattoos" "The Marvels of Mayhem" "Lottie the Human Log" "Ugly Liberation" "Daddy's Poems" "The Red Head of Death" "Timmy"

1998 : Wormwood "In the Beginning" - (2:57) is about the creation of the Earth and is entirely instrumental. "Fire Fall" - (3:34) is about Lot escaping from Sodom and watching his wife turn to salt. "They Are The Meat" - (2:40) is about Ezekiel's visions whilst he is forced to eat only bread and sleep on his side. "Melancholy Clumps" - (1:48) is about Noah building the Ark. "How To Get A Head" - (4:05) tells us the tale of Salome requesting the head of John the Baptist. "Cain And Abel" - (3:34) tells us the story of the jealous Cain killing his brother. "Mr. Misery" - (2:19) is about Jeremiah and his suffering. "Tent Peg In the Temple" - (2:54) is about the killing of Sisera. "God's Magic Finger" - (2:41) is about the story of King Belshazzar. "Spilling The Seed" - (2:44) is about the story of Onan. "Dinah and the Unclean Skin" - (2:52) is about the story of Dinah. "Bathsheba Bathes" - (2:52) is about King David and Bathsheba. "Bridegroom of Blood" - (4:57) is about Moses being attacked by God and the wife of Moses intervening by performing circumcision on their baby. "Hanging by His Hair" - (2:33) tells us the story of Absalom and his death. "The Seven Ugly Cows" - (2:34) is about Joseph and his visions. "Burn Baby Burn" - (2:59) tells us the story of Jephthah sacrificing his daughter. "KILL HIM!" - (2:39) is the story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son and gives us an insight into his possible thoughts. "I Hate Heaven" - (2:50) is based on the Song of Solomon. "Judas Saves" - (3:55) is told from the point of view of Judas Iscariot. This song proposes that Judas's betrayal of Jesus was necessary so that people could have their sins forgiven. It also proposes that Judas had been told by God to do so. "Revelation" - (5:38) is an instrumental about the passages Revelations of John 4-22.

2002 : Demons Dance Alone "Tongue" – 1:11 "Loss: Life Would Be Wonderful" – 3:50 Occasionally listed as "Mr. Wonderful" "Loss: The Weatherman" – 3:06 "Loss: Ghost Child" – 2:56 "Loss: Caring" – 3:50 "Loss: Honey Bear" – 4:14 "Loss: The Car Thief" – 3:59 "Loss: Neediness" – 4:08 – 0:25¤ – 0:44¤ – 0:06¤ "Denial: Thundering Skies" – 2:54 "Denial: Mickey Macaroni" – 2:44 "Denial: Betty's Body" – 3:31 "Denial: My Brother Paul" – 3:07 – 0:17¤ "Denial: Baja" – 2:29 – 0:27¤ – 0:32¤ – 0:04¤ "Three Metaphors: Beekeeper's Daughter" – 2:53 – 0:08¤ "Three Metaphors: Wolverines" – 2:58 – 0:04¤ "Three Metaphors: Make Me Moo" – 2:41 – 0:35¤ – 1:03¤ "Demons Dance Alone" – 3:43 The 2002 Limited Edition CD Version Features A Bonus CD Which Features The Tracks "Sleepwalker" - 2:55 "Hidden Hand (Instrumental)" - 1:44 "Black Cats" - 1:18 Early Scratch Recordings From Demons Dance Alone "Weatherman" - 2:02 "Make Me Moo" - 2:15 "The Car Thief" - 1:32 "The Brother Paul" - 1:25 "Caring" - 1:11 "Honey Bear" - 1:39 "Wolverines" - 1:33 "Mickey Macaroni" - 2:03 "Demons Dance Alone" - 1:08 "Happy Thanksgiving" - 2:22 "Hidden Hand (Vocal)" - 2:23 "Vampire" - 3:07 "Tortured" - 3:12

2004 : The 12 Days Of Brumalia ¤Not listed.

2005 : Animal Lover "On the Way (to Oklahoma)" - 4:06 "Olive and Gray" - 4:07 "What Have My Chickens Done Now?" - 4:24 "Two Lips" - 2:43 "Mr. Bee's Bumble" - 3:28 "Inner Space" - 4:15 "Dead Men" - 3:25 "My Window" - 5:20 "Ingrid's Oily Tongue" - 1:55 "Mother No More" - 3:19 "Dreaming of an Anthill (Teeming)" -2:23 "Elmer's Song" - 4:34 "The Monkey Man" - 4:01 "The Whispering Boys" - 4:27 "Burn My Bones" - 6:19

2006 : The River of Crime Disk 1 "The Kid Who Collected Crimes!" - 16:23 "Gator Hater!" - 14:55 "Misdelivered Mummy!" - 15:14 "The Beards!" - 17:07 "Termites from Formosa!" - 16:13 [Bonus] Disk 2 "The Kid Who Collected Crimes!" [instrumental] - 9:58 "Gator Hater!" [instrumental] - 9:13 "Misdelivered Mummy!" [instrumental] - 8:29 "The Beards!" [instrumental] - 9:52 "Termites from Formosa!" [instrumental]

2006 : Tweedles "Dreams" - 3:50 "Almost Perfect" - 4:04 "Mark of the Male" - 2:14 "Life" - 3:35 "Isolation" - 4:17 "Stop Signs" - 6:04 "Elevation" - 4:51 "Forgiveness" - 1:29 "Insincere" - 2:06 "The Perfect Lover" - 3:30 "Brown Cow" - 5:18 "Sometimes" - 3:07 "Ugly (at the End)" - 3:19 "Keep Talkin'" - 3:47 "Shame on Me" - 6:45 "Susie Smiles" - 2:36

2008 : The Bunny Boy Boxes of Armageddon Rabbit Habit I'm Not Crazy Pictures from a Little Girl What If It's True? Fever Dreams Butcher Shop I Like Black Secret Room My Nigerian Friend It Was Me Golden Guy The Bunny Boy Blood on the Bunny I Killed Him The Dark Man Secret Message Patmos The Black Behind

Images

• 1992 : Freak Show, jeu sur CD-ROM.
• 1995 : Bad Day on the Midway, jeu sur CD-ROM.
• 2001 : Icky Flix, DVD.
• 2002 : Demons Dance Alone, DVD.
• 2006 : Cube E Show Tour, DVD.

Annexes

Bibliographie

• Reynolds, Simon, Rip it up and start again, éditions Allia, Paris, 2007.[1] (ISBN 978-2-84485-232-8)
• Shirley, Ian, Meet the Residents - America's most eccentric band!, SAF Publishing, Wembley, 1998, (ISBN 0 946719 12 8)

Liens externes

• Site officiel
• Rétrospective vidéo au MoMA

Ce document provient de « The Residents ».