The Residents - Moisture (1980)

[laromande]

their best song

[TheCardiacShakespear]

This just isn't the same without being featured sporadically alongside Laibach, Einsturzende Neubauten and half of some creepy John Waters' film on a static-ridden VHS picked up for free at a yard sale.

[nadionadianona]

I feel disturbed

[yelton7]

WTF?

[12161euclid]

caution:the residents can be highly addictive!

[n66178]

I detect a hint of The Residents in Primus

[joralebedev]

Rockin'



[pianoman930]

That was awesome.

[slnd666]

the mystery of her death is this: she was raped on a wet lawn & then killed.

[FatAmericaProduction]

That is the best solo i've ever heard.

[CalebHarrisComedy]

This song sums up every residents song from every era. Simply put, this song also got me into the residents.

[rodrigocs666]

maybe they're aliens who liked it here and stayed. By the way they're awesome

[FatAmericaProduction]

@rodrigocs666 exactly what i thought



[Diego783681]

A primeira vez que ouvi foi de um cd-rom intrerativo chamado "Freak Show". Achei estranho mas, interessante. O forte deles é o audiovisual. Preciso pesquisar mais.

[PaandaSpeaks]

This is only song by the residents that I actually find tasteful.

[c0al]

@PaandaSpeaks thank god it's up to people who wear what appear to be fedoras to decide what is "tasteful"

[centralscrutinizer66]

scorching lead! the last 7 notes he didn't even have to touch the stings! I was eating in a mexican restaurant and heard the song the lead was a parody of. Snakefinger, jewish guy from England who looked like a young Harrison Ford.

[belongin]

Residents should be in RNR Hall of Fame.

Or maybe not RNR.

They should build a Hall of Fame just for them.

[BluJean6692]

I want to lick this song

[kevtruth]

This here's some ass kickin' rock. Like Skynyrd

[Aidanloveskeyboards]

The length of the song and the semi-nonsensical lyrics make me laugh!

-aidan

[cecilliful]

epic solo

[CalebHarrisComedy]

Man this song got me into the Residents, its so pure, so subtle, so... Residents

[7Beyonder]

you gotta be on heroin...or meth to even approach this crap.

[YouGotWoodRolled]

@7Beyonder

....Yet you still found a way of approaching it and commenting on the video.

[7Beyonder]

@YouGotWoodRolled

always do.

[howmer001]

Back in 1980/81, there used to be a show called "Videowest", sort of a West Coast precursor to MTV showcasing mostly California (esp. San Francisco) bands, that I used to watch at my home in Monterey, CA when I was in high school. One night, the show was devoted entirely to Residents videos. I was stunned and fascinated, seeing videos for "The Simple Song", "Satisfaction", "The Act Of Being Polite", and this song, among others. Very weird, very disturbing and totally original. Great stuff.

[jeanclaude4]

@howmer001 i was a huge fan of Videowest" We had a Sony Betamax and I used to record the very late night show every Saturday Night/Sunday morning..loved it

[howmer001]

@jeanclaude4 Videowest absolutely rocked! I'd just moved to California from Massachusetts, where stuff was nowhere near as cool and with-it as it was out west! It's a shame that there is practically no reference to Videowest on the web, nor can you find any clips of it online. Great show. Glad to meet a fellow fan!

[GirMittens]

Can anybody recommend me a song with a guitar solo like this?

It's addictive but short.

Ha.

[YouGotWoodRolled]

@GirMittens

Django Reinhardt maybe.

[nondescriptman]

funny how homer poses as the guitar player in this vid which was surely played by Snakefinger although Fred Frith is also credited on this track.

Fred Frith, Chris Cutler, Snakefinger + The Residents.... that's a lot of people for a one minute track!

[bendesmond66]

i kindof wonder what will happen wen the residents die, will theyre identities be revealed?

[kara65louky]

snakefinger kicks ass. i heart me some residents and this song is red-hot flamin genius!!!

[enwitmol]

I remember listining to this back in the 80's on the Dr. Demento Show. good post.

[ephemerealfox]

Reminds me of Earthbound.

[Bumbumawangis]

Weird,weirweirweirweirweird,ve­ry weird,how weird.

[Bumbumawangis]

Weird weirweirweirweirweird,veryweir­d,how weird.

[SpaceRitual]

I know he's on the record, does Fred Frith play this solo? It sounds more like him than snakefinger to me for some reason.

[otacon17x]

@SpaceRitual pretty sure its fred frith, not 100%, but 95%

[blefusku]

@otacon17x it's fred frith. i asked the man himself in 1997, he also played bass and violin on many other tracks fron that album (picnic boy, japanese watercolor, fingertips, margaret freeman, the coming of the crow, less not more, troubled man, the namelss souls, etc)

[tatunkha]

Great to hear the guitar solo from this song again. I don't hear enough musicians extend their talents to these levels.

[flowerdoodle]

The Residents' sound seem too cold, sterile and "art project-y" for me. They seem like a more existential version of Blue Man Group! Too post modern for post modern sake and this coming from a guy who likes Beefheart, Zappa, Devo, a bit of Kraftwerk, etc

[CJAnonymous]

I'm guessing there's no deep reason they shot the solo "on the moon."

I'm guessing they had a cool poster of the moon that lit up, so they figured why the hell not use it there?

[vaf88]

@CJAnonymous this is pop-music from another world

[Jigsauce]

snakefinger is a courage the cowardly dog character come to life. I wouldn't be surprised if j. dilworth was a residents fan!

[ronalpollo]

me kago vienen a mexicoo ahuevoo putosss!!!!



[InfantStrange]

no mames en serio?!!?! :O

[ronalpollo]

@InfantStrange sii mannnn el 15 de marzo en el lunariooo

[explosionsfrommybutt]

Oh man i love this so much

[techno4beer]

like Pat's solo.

[todek12345]

guitar solo in the right place :] on the moon bcs it sounds like from the moon :]

[BennyGaberMusic]

Amazing guitar solo!!

[wwlink1]

The Residents use to creep me out, and when I first heard this song, I knew that this was the greatest band ever.

[azharkamal]

now that is a good solo!!!

[thehattaman]

i like how they expect us to believe that flynn wasn't in the band when he spoke for them, appeared in their videos, and well, kinda looks a lot like the bunny boy.

pretty sure Mr. Skull = Homer Flynn but at the same time i don't really want to know, you know? i just wished they could be alittle more secretive. almost ruins it.

fantastic fucking solo though.

[MikuMech]

@thehattaman

Not to be rude, but sticking the fact wide out there for Resident virgins kind of almost ruins it too =/

[abrahm714]

this is a fucking cool piece of brain snack!

[Agalloch999]

I want to be their psychiatrist.

[BudStrong]

Residents videos make me chuckle with confused delight. 

[essay87]

A purse is no place for a snail to be!

[J040Z1NH0]

eye like it.

[FredMalm]

I always thought the guitarist was Snakefinger, yet I then started thinking, maybe it's Fred Frith? After all, he did play on the album and he's also a great guitarist. But, it's probably Snakefinger, sounds more Snakefinger-y.

[LONGBEACHPUNKROCK]

@FredMalm That I Guess (?) Answers Our/My Question All These Years!

[ApplesAreFairlyGood]

the concept behind the editing is a farse on 'pop' music videos:

where the dominant clips losely coincide with the song's lyrics are intirrupted by clips of the abnoxios guitar player during his solo and clips of the artist(s) dancing/jamming to the music

the fact that he is on the moon emphasizes that the clip is 'out of place' from the rest of the music vedio

the fact that he is in a studio emphasizes that the clip is simply for show

sorry for being 'that guy'

[Vmiroshnikov]

took me 2 nights to learn the guitar solo, its fun

[Phreekoid]

Yo Snakefinger, guitar God.....

[genglemt]

I've always loved this song. But the whole commercial album is great... to me it represents the Residents at their best.

[kontarkorz]

this track is so beautiful that I get angry for having such a short duration!

[RaymondJing]

This is a favorite from my favorite album of theirs. Pure genius!

[TheMaxlow]

that guitar solo is just perfect, who plays it? it looks a bit like homer flynn.

[pazzensutra]

@TheMaxlow Probably Snakefinger.

[CJAnonymous]

My favorite part is how the guitarist keeps a totally straight face throughout the whole solo.

[csycica]

Just realeyesed the greatness of this band.

[MoffeAnimal]

The video is moist to and superfreaky, but the song is even more wierd, its like from outerspace. never gets tired of this hellish film! The solo is the most bizarre of it all!

[raph021690]

i just cant get enough of this..

[Snoogans6669689]

Hmmm... I can't not love them. My father introduced me to the Residents when I was just a little girl, and though the videos gave me ample night mares...I love them still. Always have and always will.

[josebali4348]

WTF!!!!!!!!!

[UndeniableTrue1]

Hey you, you yeah, do you know that when your singing that crap somebody is preparing its car to do something else?

[aleskyblue]

wtf!

[dopefishman08]

I love this guitar solo

[nuke97]

I dont know what was going on in San Fran way back then but out of it we got....Snake Finger,The Residents,Primus,plus Buck Naked and The Barrel Bottom Boys...and others!!....this is an awesome video.

[ronalpollo]

100% undergraund

[zacsmart]

minimalist pop music awesome.

[theo9952]

hehe, not that it matters at all, but i wonder, why my  comment about fred frith playing the guitar in this song, was downvoted !!!

i mean, why would anyone be offended by it ? any suggestions someone ? i'm just curious...

[hirofan]

It sure sounds like him. Very similar to Frith's playing on "Step Across the Border."

[theo9952]

@hirofan

hehe, well, that makes two of us, then !

cheers mate !

[AirplaneRadio]

@theo9952 I would never downplay anyone for their theories. I haven't heard enough Firth to say it wasn't him. Sorry that happened though.

[theo9952]

@AirplaneRadio

no no, i didn't suggest it would be you...

i just thought it was so funny that someone would find my opinion insulting.

it isn't such big deal anyway, hahaha !

[freeform83]

Was this shown on MTV?

[theo9952]

@freeform83

could be, who knows? once they showed frank zappa on mtv too. it was on a beavis & butt-head show. i think beavis & butt-head

didn't like it much...

[totopatter]

this is pretty awesome

[Jaalde]

Best guitar solo in history

[TheOneAndOnlyMe1009]

R.I.P Snakefinger

[xxICEOLATORxx]

SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cttxlv]

Remember Fred Firth and the Art Bears?

[theo9952]

the ART BEARS ! oh yes ! WINTER SONGS, my favorite album of the trio, and an all time favorite too ! great music, very creative.

[Merzbowxnoise]

Whos the guitarist?^^

My favourite song of residents^^

[kekevil]

Snakefinger

[ShermanVanilla]

The love child of Sean Lock and Quentin Tarantino.

[theo9952]

the guitar solo in this song is played most probably by Fred Frith, who  participated in the recording of the album, but the guy with the guitar you see in the video, i am sure is HOMER FLYNN the lead vocalist of the residents.

[AirplaneRadio]

@theo9952 I know its Flynn (that is very obvious) but why do you think the soloist is Frith and not Snakefinger?

[theo9952]

@AirplaneRadio

well, Frith participated in the recording of the commercial album, his name is the credits and he is refered to as a "hard-working musician". It is my opinion that it may be him playing here, by the sound of it, but of course i can't tell with certainty...

[Big19Ben77]

now you`ve come to mention it...it really transports a kind of meaning.....i like it

[drumjunkie10]

best guitar solo ever. steve vai and slash and all those dorks should watch this a million times

[eroloran]

@drumjunkie10 So true. Always loved the solo in this song. DEVO had some great, short solos. Just what is needed, nothing more.

[yourmom416]

@drumjunkie10 Mothers Of Invention could possibly be compared to The Residents, but probably not. Guns 'n' Roses could never be anywhere near as great as The Residents. :D

[LONGBEACHPUNKROCK]

@drumjunkie10

Is The Guitarist "Snake Finger Or Fred Firth???"

[GolumTR]

@LONGBEACHPUNKROCK I think it's Frith on the record, but in the video it's definitely Homer Flynn of the Cryptic Corporation.

[staunchy]

@LONGBEACHPUNKROCK  it is snake finger

[LONGBEACHPUNKROCK]

@staunchy

Okay!

That's What (Only a FEW) People Seem to Be Saying!

Thanks!

[blefusku]

@LONGBEACHPUNKROCK fred frith

[WaxHeadroom]

@drumjunkie10 This is awesome but Steve Vai rules.

[YouGotWoodRolled]

@drumjunkie10

Steve Vai ain't so bad. He was Zappa's main guitarist for years. That should get him a lifetime pass out of doucheville.

[fmbighair]

@drumjunkie10 all those dorks, lol.... ;)

[Talloweed]

This would actually be a great set-up for a horror story. This songs whets my appetite with a curious premise, then leaves me hanging! Such intentional rudeness!

[hahagerm]

So damn strange

[alernativ]

hehe einfach nur genial

[Spirosaur]

From the corporate Album, big thanks to the Humanities Teacher that showed his students this

[zamboni5000]

The Commercial Album.

[Spirosaur]

Damn, youre right ...

[VladtheEmailer]

.....and when they opened up her purse they found a snail inside! LOL That's the greatest line! LOL

[c0al]

lol so fanny lol

[urmominacan]

It's amazing.

[1ShotWin]

WTF is that ?

I mean seriously...what's that ?

[cue1cole]

its fucked up is that mate and i found an album in my attic last month from 1980 from this group.. now explain why the fuck id buy that lol

[analogpro7]

i love questions like that! it makes me like The Residents all the more =]

[oliverwaker456]

gotta love the Shakey Solo lol.

[KoivuTheHab]

Awesome...

[borntolose77]

actually the "singing resident" came out on stage unmasked a recent show, debunking all the "homer is the singing one" myths.

[JesustheLizard]

right... probably just a juke or distraction, someone could easily mime the style, but HF is the bunny boy and the singer from a lot of other shows were you catch a glimpse of him...not like it matters, but look up Cry For the Fire

[Crudblud89]

Homer is so obviously the Singing Resident and artistic lead.

[dubbedcrazy]

the much music interview is what convinced me. homers voice gave it away.

[Vondur]

I was at one of the Chicago shows and I felt that seeing him unmasked actually confirmed that it was Homer, with a fake beard of course.

[Numelsaince]

I'll video response the solo, it's FUN!

[JesustheLizard]

where is it ? i guess you can't do it?

[Refrescospepito]

Never tired of hearing this song.

The guitar solo is one of the greatest of all time.

[SheedyDoo]

fred frith di the solo here, i think

[blefusku]

certainly, as in many other tracks from thecommercial album, golden years...

[PhishPhan89]

the singer is definately homer...they have such a similar voice when it doesn't have any effects on it

[Distractinator]

The man playing the guitar isn't actually part of the band, he's their representative from The Cryptic Corporation. They would never show their faces.

[LONGBEACHPUNKROCK]

The guitarist (I think) is "Snake Finger" or Frank Firth!!! Is there any Olde people in the house who know trippy, new wave muzik, history!!??

[blefusku]

is fred frith, but the guy miming the solo is home flynn of the residents

[outrobrasil]

Guys this music and images are stuck in my memory since 1980, when I was 13 and saw it on a crazy french TV program. Great to see it again, my memory just had accelerated the pitch a bit but not much... Thanks, keep it high, love from Paris!

[synestheticmusic]

love it

[rossarooney]

For anyone still wondering if Homer is a Rez, check out the guitar solo shot where he can be seen clearly. No effort to really disguise himself here, out of sync to Snakefinger's playing.

[dawnofthered]

I think the fact that that's him doesn't necessarily mean he is a resident as he could have been in the video without being in the band, the fact that you can hear his exact voice on (almost) all of the residents' albums is a bit more of a giveaway :)

[LockedPig]

woah, conceptual art...

and the best "pop-song" of all time, of course =))

[eyethesuicide]

"When they opened up her purse, they found a snail inside" Hmm... this must be a clue to how she died!

[D4v1ddd]

that guitar solo is incredible

[500SquareFeet]

ooooooooookay.

[tedcantu1]

the guitarist is TOTAL BABE AKA CHICK MAGNET.. TRUE GLITTER BITCH BAIT... TOTAL CHARISMA MACHINE EXTROADINAIRE... pure magic

[marcyvom]

lol... thats some funny s#*+

[YogurtYard]

amazing guitar

[later0903]

Snakefinger is the freakin' man! For those of you who haven't already looked at it, you might be interested in Snakefinger's "The Man in the Dark Sedan". He was a really talented musician.

[FrozenStormrider]

Isn't that a Frith solo?

[tincan3d]

...

[tincan3d]

FunkyLama.. I never connected that before, but I agree. He does sound a lot like Les.. or I should say Les sounds like him.. since they formed first. I volunteered for KQED to make backdrops for this group back in 1979-80 (81?) when they moved out to SF and were some of the first to start the music video craze that would kill rock n roll as we knew it :(. Still I enjoyed hanging out in the SoMa off of Harrison and watching them film.

[Steveco]

Guitar is by Fred Frith but that is HF in the video.

[GolumTR]

I knew that Fred Frith was on the album, but not which song! Thank you for the information.

[SantaDog]

Which HF? Lol

[Steveco]

Why it's Homer of course!

[funkylama]

the singer of the band sounds exactly like Les Claypool oO, scary

[mmowoa]

nope, claypool sounds like residents

[erixoff]

Nice great short solo; it does'nt have to be long, it's perfect like this; essential.

Thanx for the video.

I just discovered the Residents few days ago.

[centralscrutinizer66]

thanks for the nightmares guys! lol always loved the guitar solo and the hands off technique. This is an actual jazz solo, slightly altered.

[daggereyes1]

Is that Homer Flynn with the guitar?

[LordSluk]

he's holding it, but it's not him playing it. It sounds like Snakefinger

[humboldtmyche]

Nice quality mate .^)