Residents - The Wow Demos 1 (CD)

Release Date: 01/14/22

Studio demos recorded for the 40th Anniversary Tour Wonder of Weird including songs not performed in the show

The Residents are an American art collective best known for their over 60 studio albums that were recorded over a period of over forty years. They also created some outstanding multimedia works, mainly three CD ROM projects and ten DVDs. Working as an anonymous collective, their identitites were kept secret until in 2017 Hardy Fox revealed himself as their primary composer. Hardy died in October 2018, but the group continue to record and perform. Recently, several new albums have been released, among them the brilliant Intruders and Ghost of Hope. Early in 2020, the group was invited to perform their seminal album God in 3 Persons at the MOMA in New York. The Wonder of Weird tour was the second part of The Residents' Randy, Chuck and Bob Trilogy of live tours (following 2010's Talking Light tour), The Wonder of Weird focuses on the theme of sex, with its lead character Randy further detailing the story of his life, now ruined by a sex addiction. Like Talking Light before it, The Wonder of Weird featured a stripped down trio line-up of Randy Rose (vocals), Charles Bobuck (keyboards/electronics), and Lionel Bob (guitar). The group wear variations of the same masks previously featured in Talking Light, with the addition of Santa outfits and classic Residents t-shirts. Despite the Christmas theme in the costumes and set designs, the show began at the end of January (and ended in May). A running gag in the show is that despite being subtitled 'The 40th Anniversary Tour', it actually ended up taking place on the group's 41st anniversary. Before the band took to the road, demo versions of the songs were recorded - first in stripped down version, later with added vocals and guitar. Many of the songs made into the final show, some didn't. We are happy to present the minimalist electronic versions for the first time ever on a 2-CD set.