I Am A Resident! is a collaborative remix album by The Residents, featuring cover versions of songs from the Residents catalog which The Residents commissioned from their community of fans through a crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMusic in 2017. The album was first released to campaign contributors in May 2018, and entered wide release through Cherry Red Records and MVD Audio on August 24th 2018.
The album was released in two editions, each featuring completely different content: a two-disc CD edition containing The Residents' "mash-up" suites composed from the fans' covers with a bonus disc containing a selection of covers; and a limited vinyl edition containing a different selection of covers.
Further I Am A Resident! campaigns have been held in the years since the album's release; the 2019 pREServed vinyl collection Eskimo Deconstructed was intended as an extension of sorts of the I Am A Resident! concept, and the group again commissioned contributions from fans for the video for "Constantinople" featured in their 2021 streaming TV special Duck Stab! Alive!.
History[]
I Am A Resident! is composed mainly from cover versions of songs from The Residents' catalog of music, contributed by fans of the group through a PledgeMusic campaign which the group undertook throughout the second half of 2017.
After struggling to decide on a final track listing showcasing the individual artists, The Residents opted instead to mix the contributions together and overdub them with their own additional lyrics and instrumentation, in a manner similar to their 1976 album The Third Reich 'n Roll.
Despite the group's decision, the vinyl edition does not feature the remixed edition, instead featuring a unique track list showcasing a selection of individual cover versions. A larger selection of tracks was also included on a bonus disc with some pressings of the CD version of the album.
Release[]
I Am A Resident! was completed in the first half of 2018 and released via MVD Audio and Cherry Red Records on August 24th 2018 (though it was released earlier, in May 2018, to people who contributed to the PledgeMusic campaign).
The CD edition features The Residents' remixed edition of the album, and some pressings also include a bonus disc featuring selections from pool of submissions in their complete original versions. The vinyl edition consists entirely of a different selection of submissions, and does not include The Residents' remix (although it closes with "We Are The Residents Theme", previously heard on a limited edition single only available to PledgeMusic contributors).
The complete list of submissions was made available in alphabetical order as an eleven-and-a-half hour long YouTube video titled "Eye Am A Resident", on January 17th 2018. Intriguingly, artist NifNar (whose cover of "Tragic Bells" is featured on the vinyl edition of the album) was not listed among the other artists and tracks on either the original list of submissions or on the corresponding YouTube video.
Track listing[]
CD edition[]
I Am A Resident![]
- Intro (1:52)
- Lingering Illusions (13:22)
- Hanging By His Habit (12:59)
- Elmer's Song
- Hanging by His Hair / Elmer's Song
- On the Way to Oklahoma
- The Dark Man
- The Bunny Boy / On the Way to Oklahoma
- Make Me Moo / I'm Not Crazy
- The Bunny Boy
- Hard & Tenderly
- Hanging by his Hair / Firefall
- Rabbit Habit / It's a Shame
- Elmer's Song / Hanging by his Hair
- The Weatherman / On The Way To Oklahoma
- Freaky Wake (10:36)
- Here Come The Bums
- Mr. Wonderful
- Fire / Mr. Wonderful
- Harry The Head / Jack The Boneless Boy / Teddy
- The Old Woman
- Jack The Boneless Boy / Theme From An American TV Show / The Confused Transexual / Here Come The Bums / The Old Woman
- Death In Barstow
- Mr. Wonderful / Six More Miles
- The Confused Transexual / Boy In Love / The Old Woman / Here Come The Bums
- Hello Duck Stab (10:29)
- Commercial Bells Toll (8:50)
- Tragic Bells
- Easter Woman / End of Home
- Simple Song
- Easter Woman
- Moisture
- Easter Woman / Simple Song
- Moisture
- Suburban Bathers
- When We Were Young / Amber
- Outro (5:25)
- Theme From An American TV Show / Would We Be Alive? /
- Tourniquet of Roses
- Swatikas on Parade
- I Am A Resident Theme
And So Are We... (Exclusive Bonus Versions)[]
- The Meet Cafe - Kick A Picnic (4:31)
- The Zverstvo - Smelly Tongues (1:32)
- OK Glass - Moisture (1:27)
- Dr. Fritz Rotwang - Picnic Boy (1:03)
- Cult With No Name - Boo Who? (4:29)
- Wizards of Boat - Hanging By His Hair (3:40)
- Danny Spiteri and Jason Hallyburton - Loss: The Weatherman (3:09)
- Cake Boy and the Caker Street Boys - Death In Barstow (2:49)
- Skull In The Crow's Eye - Six Things To A Red Bicycle (3:37)
- Utrom - Hard and Tenderly (3:39)
- Point A Pistol At The Sun - Forty Four (2:05)
- Couvercie - Rest Aria (7:23)
- Philip Stranger - Constantinople (3:13)
- The Beaches - Picnic Boy (1:09)
- Uni - Boo Who? @Fivethingspercycle (4:03)
- Gretnold - Would We Be Alive? (3:58)
- The 180 Gs - Margaret Freeman (1:02)
- Ark - Floyd (4:00)
- Philip Stranger - Tribal Teddy (4:10)
- Thebizarreone - Burn My Bones (4:16)
- Halfcutiemon - Hello Skinny (2:13)
- Tom-Erik Løe - Smelly Tongues (2:13)
- Chesty Vulva - Hanging By His Hair (2:51)
- Jeremy Maloney - The Aging Musician (3:05)
Vinyl edition[]
The vinyl features none of the Residents remixes, instead choosing to highlight selected submissions.
Side 1[]
- Emerald Suspension - Smelly Tongues (2:30)
- Deaf Panda - Here Come The Bums (2:13)
- NifNar - Tragic Bells (2:15)
- (the) baby born massacre - The Weatherman (3:16)
- Ovalematic - Hello Skinny (3:00)
- Ranchstyle Chickenpants - Mahogany Wood (4:19)
- Freek Kinkelaar - Boy In Love (3:47)
Side 2[]
- Lucas Marti - Boo Who (3:00)
- Avionic - On The Way To Oklahoma (3:16)
- shidt! - Blue Rosebuds (3:22)
- Palo Alto - Theme From An American TV Show (3:35)
- Ben Folkwein - Death In Barstow (3:32)
- Jake Gonnella - When We Were Young (2:30)
- We Are The Residents Theme (2:16)
Legacy[]
Eskimo Deconstructed[]
The Residents returned to the I Am A Resident! concept in 2019 with the release of the double vinyl and CD set Eskimo Deconstructed, featuring stems and original session recordings for their 1979 album Eskimo, with the group intending for fans to create new mixes of the work from the individual elements.
#IAmAResident2021[]
The group returned to the concept again in late April 2021 with a new campaign, #IAmAResident2021, commissioning fans to create and submit self-made videos of themselves dancing to a new version of "Constantinople" for the TV special Duck Stab! Alive!.
Submissions closed May 10th 2021, and the special aired as part of the 40th anniversary special of the music program Night Flight on June 5th. It is expected to be released in a DVD and 2x 10" vinyl package later in 2021 by Grand Chess Records.
Press releases[]
PledgeMusic[]
The Residents, long known as one of the most mysterious and reclusive bands of all time, are pleased to announce a new chapter in their lengthy and legendary career. A new door is opening and the name on that door is YOU!
Teaming up with PledgeMusic, the group is not just releasing a new album – not just TWO NEW ALBUMS – but by inviting their fans to participate, they’re introducing a completely new idea: I AM A RESIDENT!.
After joining the I AM A RESIDENT! PledgeMusic campaign, fans will cross the line between passive consumption and active participation. Choose any song from The Residents’ vast catalog, record your own version and submit it. The Residents and their fans will then vote on their favorites which will be included on the I AM A RESIDENT! album to be released in the Spring of 2018.
Oh yeah, not to be outdone, the HARD CORE FOUR, the Eyeball Originals, are also releasing a new album of all original songs – INTRUDERS – also due out early in 2018.
Meanwhile, the door is open – come on in.
Cherry Red Records[]
The Residents, long known as the world’s most mysterious and reclusive band, announce a new chapter in their lengthy and legendary career – not just a new album but a completely new concept: I AM A RESIDENT!
Having invited fans to record cover versions of their songs via PledgeMusic, the group have reworked that material into the ultimate Residents mashup, editing, looping and over-dubbing to create something entirely new.
Hear The Residents reinterpret their fans’ interpretations, creating layer upon layer of music that is both hauntingly familiar and achingly wrong at the same time.
I AM A RESIDENT! is both original and completely unexpected.
Is this revenge for ‘The Third Reich ‘n Roll’? Or Is it The Real Residents?
Credits[]
- The Players: Emerald Suspension, Tom-Erik Løe, AUOH, Sebb Sollenhag, Zindel, Buck Tardley, Al Kamykowski, Ray LeBray, Mikey Hemphill, MOLI, Lucas Martí, The Zverstvo, Chesty Vulva, Laser Pig, Avionic, Nicholas Pangakos, Sleeping Man, This Is Past, George Zafiriadis, Mr. Mute, Mieze Residents, Wolfboy, Enemy From Space, Late Frequencies, Cezary Ostrowski, WAK IV, Philip Stranger, Utrom, Daniel Riggins, Moony Moon, Danny Spiteri, Jason Hallyburton, (the) baby born massacre, Krafty Cheese, Germaine Scalp, L'Orchestre Inharmonique De Nice, ARK, Aaron Dylan Kearns, Agrimorfee, Allen P. Williams, Amōbel Audio, Andor, Arthur Soyer, B & E, Ben Folkwein, Ben Gibeson, Brett's Milk, Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys, Cemantic Blockage, Chance, Charles Klee, Christian Panetta, Cult With No Name, Darkly, Deaf Panda, Des Clous, Donald Shrimp, Dr. Fritz Rotwang, El Douche (And His Sister), Fan Guilt, Folkloration, Freek Kinkelaar, Frenesi Gates, GK Machine, Gaw Nihc, George Zafiriadis, HalfCutLemon, Ham Face, Henry Karrot, Imitando al ojo, Ingmar Svenson, Isaac P. Anderson, Itch Princess, Jake Gonnella, Jeremy Maloney, Johan Devorak, Josh Brown, Lambamannen, Leo Nightingale, Loopii, Malcolm Tent, Misterie Box, Mr. Sterile, Mystery Ted, Neponim Eye, NifNar, Noise Bleed, OBAA, OK Glass, Ovalematic, Palo Alto, Permanent Summer, Phil Roden, Pupaum, Ranchstyle Chickenpants, Rita, Santa, Skating Dicks, Skull In The Crow's Eye, Smallbridge, Snakes Of Christ, Spoon Blind Williams*, Hardin Keane*, Still Life, Substance W, Tantamount Plus, The 180 Gs, The Black Lodgers, The Knod, The Meet Café, The New Born Years, Twisted Richie, Wizards Of Boat, Wormcrack, X&X, Yankee Doodle Randy, Yuna Yune, Yvan & Lendl*, moldie13, shidt!, slotorque
- Written By: The Residents
- Produced By: You?
- Executive Producer: Dustin York
- Under the all-seeing eye of The Cryptic Corporation