News Machine




Ralph Records Retrospective Compilation

Releasing November 22nd, The Residents present BUY OR DIE! Ralph Records 1972-1982, a 3CD set of hand-picked singles, album cuts, rarities, and unreleased tracks, with insider sleevenotes from The Residents' Mysterious Archivist.

Get info from the Cherry Red Records site here: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/the-residents-present-buy-or-die-ralph-records-1972-1982-various-artists-3cd

And of course this will be carried by MVD and pretty much all shops that know good music when they hear it.


New EP: Dookietown

In acknowledgement of the 2024 US election and the increasingly pressing question "Where do clowns go when the show is over?" The Residents present a brand new six track EP.

Produced in secret during a pause in recording their next magnum opus album, the Dookietown concept originates way back in the 1990s. The group were recently reminded of the project, and quickly revisited and recorded those songs as best they could remember them.

Rush released for November 1st at The Residents' instruction, and complete with lyrics and introductory notes from Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation, one thing is for certain...

THIS IS NOT PART ONE OF THE DR DARK PROJECT.

More info here: https://cherryred.co/Dookietown


MVD Summer Sale

Hubba! MVD Entertainment Group, The Residents pals and partners in the US, are offering a summer sale on countless of the band's classic albums and other releases, with up to 60% off and free shipping on orders over $75! Everything from the stone cold classics and pREServed releases to the weird stuff like 'The Ughs' and 'Mush-Room'. Check it all out at mvdshop.com/collections/residents and dive right in.


New Release Roundup

Things you can buy soon, soon-ish, and later than that...

The Faceless Forever Boutique will be offering some one-off items from the Cryptic Archives next week. These are fairly rare items, and only one of each will be made available for sale at this time. All items will go live at 9am PST (Los Angeles Time) on Tuesday, April 16th. Check out this announcement video:


https://youtu.be/_vU0Ku5FD6w


In slightly less limited fashion, Record Store Day is coming up, and this year's Cryptic offering is Leftovers Again!? Again!?!?!, which features more previously unheard tracks. This is an RSD First release, so if you want to grab the vinyl you'll need to brave the crowds on Saturday, April 20th. But if you are not a vinyl junkie or are scared of people, rest assured that "RSD First" means that it will probably be released more widely in the future (based on the previous Leftovers compilation, it will probably show up as a digital release next year).


And in broad release, Cherry Red Records has announced the latest in the pREServed series: Demons Dance Alone. This will be a 3-CD edition with plenty of unreleased demos and live tracks as well as the wonderful essays we've come to know and love. Also the album will see its first release on vinyl, a double-disc set. Both versions are due to be released on June 28th wherever good music is sold.


Hardy Party 2024

Today, March 29th, is Hardy Fox's birthday. And to commemorate this remarkable person, the Faceless Forever Boutique is holding the first Hardy Party.

Details can be found at: https://www.residents.com/hardyparty/


THE RESIDENTS playing ESKIMO at the San Francisco Public Library?
YOU BET! And it was a BLAST! As part of the amazing NIGHT OF IDEAS, the Fearless Foursome were thrilled to close the evening with one of their CLASSICS! Too bad if you missed it because it might not ever happen again! (Photo courtesy of Josh Keppel - Many Thanks!)


ESKIMO? NIGHT OF IDEAS? HUH!

Yes, The Residents will be performing a condensed version of their classic Eskimo album this Saturday, March 2, as part of A Night of Ideas at the San Francisco Public Library.

Check out this link for more info: https://nightofideas.org/san-francisco/

The event is FREE!!! but... you need to register in order to get in. Registration here: https://events.kqed.org/790/813

Events start at 4PM on Saturday. The Faceless Wonders will be the closing act.


A NIGHT OF IDEAS and THE RESIDENTS?

HUH?

Yes, The Residents will be performing at Night of Ideas at the SF PUBLIC LIBRARY (?).

How weird is that?

Check it out: https://nightofideas.org/san-francisco/

Saturday, March 2


A MESSAGE FROM THE CRYPTIC CORPORATION
The Residents recently came to me with an unusual and specific request. The group, as most of you know, is an ongoing partnership, with collaboration being their most cherished value. As they prepared to begin a new project, they reluctantly came to the conclusion that Nolan Cook, one of their longtime associates, no longer fit into their future plans. Fearful of the negative impact this decision might have on the musician, they asked me to break the news.

With sadness and regret, I informed Nolan of the group's decision. Forever stoic, he took the news with grace, saying he had several other projects he now felt free to pursue and conveyed his appreciation for the nurturing and support the band had provided during their twenty-five year long relationship.

Thanking him again, I wished Nolan well, while expressing a sincere desire that his next pizza delivery job proves more satisfying than the last.

Homer Flynn
President of the Cryptic Corporation


The Commercial Book

A few years ago, award-nominated writer Andrew Hook wrote O For Obscurity, Or, The Story Of N, the definitive biography of The Mysterious N Senada, the Bavarian musician who influenced the early music of The Residents, drawn from material discovered in the band's archives long after Senada's death. Now - with the full approval of the band - Hook's eleventh published short story collection, "Commercial Book," will shortly be available from Psychofon Records.

As most people reading this will be fully aware, in 1980 The Residents released Commercial Album, a collection of 40 songs each of exactly one minute in duration. Using these songs as the springboard for fiction, Andrew Hook's Commercial Book presents 40 stories each of exactly 1000 words in length, therefore emulating the restriction which The Residents placed on their songwriting. With each story taking its title from each song and inspired by the music and lyrics, "Commercial Book" is a weird, alter-trip into the depths of the original record, a collaboration wholly in the spirit of The Residents and fully endorsed by them.

The first hundred hand-numbered books come in special Psychofon packaging with the complete Commercial Album Radio Ads CD that was intended for Ralph Records promotion in 1980 as a bonus. You can then read Andrew's stories while listening to the corresponding tracks. Cool!

The book will be available both as a special edition with the CD and also individually from the Psychofon website. The pre-sale starts Wednesday 2/21/24. The official release date is not yet fixed, probably at the end of March.

This is an Eyeball Museum / Psychofon Records Production.

With little to no exception, The Residents found the stories to be absolutely delightful.
- Homer Flynn, President, The Cryptic Corporation

They may be miniatures, but Andrew Hook's globe-spanning, genre-hopping tales conjure entire worlds within 1000 words. His lonely, haunted characters are immersed in dreams and steeped in film and music. 'Commercial Book' is another essential collection from one of our most gifted storytellers.
- Tim Major, author of Jekyll & Hyde: Consulting Detectives

A dissonance of the near sinister thrums inside each beautiful tale.
- Eugen Bacon, twice World Fantasy Award finalist and British Fantasy Award winner


God In Three Persons UK/Europe Tour Cancelled

From The Office of The Cryptic Corporation:

It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that due to circumstances beyond our control, we have had to call off bringing the God In Three Persons show to the UK and Europe. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.

Tickets can be refunded from point of purchase.


Star Stunted II from Melodic Virtue pre-order

Star Stunted II "Mahogany Wood" -- a limited edition, 10" black vinyl record out March 8th. PRE-ORDER NOW!

https://www.melodicvirtue.com/products/star-stunted-ii-mahogany-wood-10-single

Created by Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Rob Crow (Pinback), Roy Mayorga (Ministry), Dren McDonald, Neil Burke (Men's Recovery Project), and Aaron Tanner to celebrate the release of The Residents: A Sight for Sore Eyes, Vol. 2! Also features a mix by GRAMMY Award Winner, Joshua Blair (Paul McCartney, Mark Ronson)!