Members of the Residents wish to remain anonymous, not to preserve any mystery but to make sure the trappings of fame and celebrity do not interfere with their work. Which is why the people from The Cryptic Corporation, the company that handles their business, have been appointed as their spokespeople. So today we talk to Bubba Hodges from the Cryptic Corporation who is definitely not a member of the Residents, honest!
The band is coming back from a short tour, and we reviewed their Paris date HERE. Many thanks to Bubba Hodges from
Electric Eye: Were the dream sequences from the show inspired by actual dreams?
Bubba Hodges: The Residents swear that some of the videos and quite a few of the songs were indeed inspired by real dreams. One of THEM once went to clown school and that's where he had the dream about being a cowboy.
Electric Eye: There are references to Watergate in the show, was there ever any temptation to get overtly topical given the current political climate?
Bubba Hodges: In terms of the current political situation, The Residents say they never go for easy targets... fish in a barrel and all that.
Electric Eye: A longtime associate of yours has passed away recently. Can it still be business as usual?
Bubba Hodges: Most people are unaware that Hardy Fox actually retired from participation with the group over three years ago, so while his passing was both unexpected and greatly disturbing, The Residents made their adjustments to his absence some time ago.
Electric Eye: Which comes first for the Residents: style or substance? The presentation or the music? Can one exist without the other?
Bubba Hodges: The real answer is that one can't exist without the other but the ideas usually run a little ahead and the window dressing follows.
Electric Eye: Do you see any of the Residents' influence in today’s art and music? Start naming names!
Bubba Hodges: While The Residents stopped following pop music some time ago, there are still some people they like - Tara Fuki, Alamaailman Vasarat, Takenobu and Wim Mertens to name a few.