Ahead of the curve as ever, in 1972 The Residents turned their back on the mainstream music industry and established their own Ralph Records imprint, taking control of every aspect of the recording, design and manufacturing process of their records.
Over the next decade, Ralph would release numerous seminal singles and albums by a diverse range of artists from both the US and Europe, capturing the zeitgeist perfectly in the era of punk and new wave, when the DIY aesthetic went overground.
Featuring key singles, vital album tracks and a number of recordings appearing on CD for the first time, as well as previously unheard material from Schwump, Snakefinger, MX-80 Sound and Gary Panter, 'Buy Or Die!' is not only an insight into The Residents' world but also into the workings of their DIY mindset, with most of the tracks here being recorded in the group's own studio, and released in artwork produced by their own graphics department. From established names such as Yello and The Residents themselves, to lesser-known gems by Fred Frith, Tuxedomoon et al, this is a distinctive snapshot of that experimental and open-minded time and place, as seen through the lense of one of America's most adventurous artists.
Complete with a 7,500 word first hand account essay from The Residents' Mysterious Archivist, plenty of unusual and rare imagery and many tracks sourced directly from the Ralph tape archive, all overseen by The Residents (enabled by RA), 'Buy Or Die!' will entertain, enthral and infuriate in equal measure.
Track Listing
Disc 1:
Ivory And The Brain Eaters - Fire
The Residents - Smelly Tongues
The Residents - Satisfaction
Schwump - Aphids in the Hall
Schwump - You're A Martian / Home
Schwump - ‘maginary Dreams (Demo)*
The Residents - Beyond The Valley Of A Day In The Life
The Residents - Tourniquet Of Roses
The Residents - Constantinople
Snakefinger - The Spot
Snakefinger - Smelly Tongues
The Residents - Hello Skinny
The Residents - Not Available (A Brief Introduction)
The Residents - Santa Dog '78
Art Bears - Rats & Monkeys
Art Bears - Collapse
Art Bears - The Winter Wheel
Snakefinger - What Wilbur?
Snakefinger - Kill the Great Raven
Chrome - Meet You In The Subway
Disc 2:
Chrome - I Left My Heart In San Francisco
MX-80 Sound - I Left My Heart In San Francisco
The Residents - I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Tuxedomoon - I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Snakefinger - Picnic In The Jungle
MX-80 Sound - Someday You'll Be King
MX-80 Sound - White Night
Tuxedomoon - What Use?
Tuxedomoon - 7 Years
MX-80 Sound - It's Not My Fault
Snakefinger - The Model
The Residents - Diskomo
Snakefinger - The Man In The Dark Sedan
The Residents - Amber
The Residents - Shut Up, Shut Up RDX
Gary Panter - Tornader To The Tater
Gary Panter - Italian Sunglasses Movie
Gary Panter - Rozz Tox
Snakefinger - Golden Goat
MX-80 Sound - O Type
MX-80 Sound - Old Too Fast
Disc 3:
Fred Frith - Dancing In The Street
Fred Frith - What A Dilemma
Yello - Bimbo
Yello - IT Splash
Yello - Night Flanger
Yello - Bostich
Yello - Rock Stop
MX-80 Sound - Why Are We Here?
Tuxedomoon - Jinx
Tuxedomoon - Incubus (Blue Suit)
Fred Frith - A Spit in the Ocean
Fred Frith - Saving Grace
Renaldo And The Loaf - A Medical Man
Renaldo And The Loaf - Honest Joe's Indian Gets The Goat On The Way To The Cowboys' Conga
Renaldo And The Loaf - Ted's Reverie
Renaldo And The Loaf - Melvyn's Repose
Snakefinger - Breakfast In Baltimore (1981 EP Demo)
