Petting Zoo is a band compiled 'taster' which would be a good intro for anyone unfamiliar.

I started from the top, chronologically I mean. Meet the Residents is their debut and the only album I knew about beforehand (through Simon Reynolds' Rip It Up and Start Again book), and I'd recommend it as a starting point. Mark Of the Mole and Third Reich 'n' Roll are the other two I've got, both terrific albums as well.

But, yeah, Jackhammer's idea seems best as a starting point. Might have to hunt that one down myself sometime.

Shameless self promotion alert :D

*GASP*. How dare you accuse me of such pretentiousness! I'm trying to help the poor guy out selflessly!!! :laughing:

ADORE the The Residents! Every single album is completely different from the rest, and they keep releasing more and more. I've got 20 of their albums, but I feel I barely scratched the surface LOL!

I also had the pleasure to see them live a couple of months ago and it was one of the most memorable gigs I've ever been to!

It's the same with me, although I have about 12, so that makes it an even tinier scratch :) I mostly have the albums from the 70's and early 80's. The first one I've heard was Meet The Residents and then Not Available and Eskimo. It's very hard to recommend to someone what to listen first, because they're all very interesting. Although many posters in this thread have pointed out the diversity and big differences between albums, I would say that at the same time The Residents have a very distinct style and aesthetic. I mean, I can always recognize when I'm hearing a Residents 'song' although I am hearing it for the first time.

Lately, I've been listening to those more or less obscure bands/music from their label Ralph Records, namely, Renaldo and the Loaf, Snakefinger (their friend, contributor and very often a member), MX-80 Sound, etc. There are a few Ralph compilations, but I only heard Ralph Records presents Frank Johnson's Favorites (1976-81). From what I've listened to Renaldo and the Loaf and Snakefinger are the closest to The Residents aesthetic and sense of absurdity. They've inspired me to get back to The Residents themselves and try to find all those interesting albums that I haven't heard before.

Definitely a favorite of mine.

I personally believe that the Residents are the closest thing to true Art Rock there may be. Seemingly consistently keeping their creative edge as musicians without the interruption of the commercial market's influence, or falling into the stigma of having to rely on character worship. Visuals AND Music that seem to often push the boundaries of art in music.

I've been listening to them obsessively lately and have made it a goal of mine to try to listen through the entire discography. Personal favorites would definitely be Duck Stab/Buster Glen, God in Three Persons, Not Available, and Wormwood.

I believe their 70s work is definitely the best, and I think very underrated for how ahead of it's time it was. Especially with the usage of early digital instruments(Which, apart form Sun Ra, I know very few who were making such strides in the field of exploiting the technology at the time). Avant garde in the truest sense.

This is most certainly where I belong.

Me too! But I agree, Eskimo is by far the best album, then Duck Stab, then Commercial Album, then Not Available. But I also love Animal Lover