History

To date, Renaldo & The Loaf are the only group to have co-produced and recorded an album with The Residents.

“When we first went to San Francisco in 1981, there was this idea to record an album from scratch in four days [with the Residents]. So we spent a couple of sessions just jamming with the tape running and then started going through the material and looking for the best bits that we could work up into something. It was hopelessly optimistic and we quickly realised that we couldn’t do it in 4 days, so the project was shelved.”

Brian, “Day 1 was the jam and selection of bits to use. Day 2 we would split into two groups, one to write lyrics/devise singing (me and Rez’s) and the other to consider overdubs (Dave and Rez’s). Day 3 we would record the overdubs . Day 4, mixing. Needless to say this did not go to plan. It turned out the Rez’s and we were very similar in work methods and although we all thrived on the spontaneity of the improvisations, the processes that followed needed to be very carefully considered. For all it’s ‘anarchic’ quality , Rez and RatL music was/is extremely crafted (or at least a strict quality control). We ended our visit with a tape of selected sections of the improvisation with some limited overdubs, this tape exists and was given the working title of ‘4-Daze’. No plans were made to complete it.

“In 1983, after the London Mole Show, Dave and I met with the Rez’s backstage and we talked about that tape. The Rez’s had a space in their diary for us to get together again and they suggested we try and finish the project. A date of September 1983 was set. Unfortunately, Dave could not get the time off but I was lucky to be able to spare 3 weeks and so I went to San Francisco. Dave created some loop tapes for me to take and I took a bouzouki, rababa (one string Egyptian fiddle), and a mesmer (a reed instrument). The next 3 weeks were intensive and quite hard work (in the nicest way). The Rez’s instruments were still in transit from Europe so we had a limited selection to chose from. Mostly we used a Yamaha synth, a Resitar (an electric guitar with all strings tuned to E), drum machine, assorted percussion and voices…and of course the talents of Snakefinger and Nessie Lessons. I was disappointed not to get my hands on an Emulator.

The songs were all based around the jam session [from 1981]. One of the Residents had transferred selected bits (chosen by us all in 1981) onto a 16 track tape , these either acted as templates for songs and were completely written over or, in certain instances, parts of the original bleed through (‘Sailor Song’, ‘Womans Weapon’), sometimes chunks of the original feature heavily (‘Monkey and Bunny’). Mahogany Wood was the only new song, this featured one of Dave’s loops, I played the bouzouki bits and so I guess this one was the most RATL-like track. It is also the one where I got to sing almost with a Resident. Usually we took turns as our voices were so different and didn’t mix on top of each other. I had a lot of fun playing the Resitar which I used a lot, in fact just about all the guitar stuff that is not obviously Snakefinger. ‘Africa Tree’ was one I enjoyed the most. The mixing was completed just a couple of hours before I had to fly back.”

The original “4-Daze” tapes were issued as bonus tracks on the 2017 Klanggalerie reissue.

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