Based in San Francisco, The Residents initially unleashed their daring attempts at self-promotion on an unreceptive world, producing music that seemed doomed to the furthermost outpost of anonymity. With titles like Third Reich and Roll and Duck Stab their records were some of the strangest and most uncompromising ever made, in part discordant and disturbing, whilst humorous and addictive.

In this updated edition, Ian Shirley takes an outsider's view of their operations, exposing a world where nothing is quite as it seems. Meet The Residents is a fascinating tale of the musical anarchy and cartoon wackiness that has driven this unique bunch of artistic mavericks forward.

MEET THE RESIDENTS AMERICA'S MOST ECCENTRIC BAND

Ian Shirley

"That's the thing about The Residents: at that time, they operated as a kind of distorting-mirror version of the real rock and roll world, right down to the supposed tiffs with their record company, and their anonymity allowed - encouraged even - whatever apocryphal biographical details writers might want to add to their story. The result is an excellent account of how a small independent operation struggled to maintain a public profile for 20 years without having profiles as such to market." Mojo

"This is the nearest to an official history you're ever likely to get, slighly abetted by the bug-eyed beans from Venus themselves." Vox

"It's a highly informative, immensely readable account of one of the most elusive of groups" TOP

"The Residents have been on the rubber-walled edge of popular culture for 21 years and this expose follows their complex marketing strategy." Q

"Few enthusiasts will want to put this book down once they start reading."
Record Collector

£11.95 plus postage