SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/482077
3 4 S X S W o r l d | M U S I C M A R C H 2 0 1 5 | S X S W. C O M They're not very nostalgic," documentarian Don Hardy says of The Residents, the seminal underground musical/multimedia outfit that is the subject of his feature Theory of Obscurity: a film about The Residents (a SXSW 2015 World Premiere). "They've been approached many times in the past, but I think I caught them at a point where they were starting to feel a bit more reflective." For more than four decades, these industrious iconoclasts have built a massive and unique body of work on their own fiercely eccen- tric terms. They've also made early, innovative use of music video, CD-ROM, LaserDisc, animation and web content, while pioneering home recording and mounting elaborate stage extravaganzas that embody the same eccentric humor and conceptual flights as their music. Yet The Residents remain shrouded in mystery, with the members—who perform in a variety of elaborate masks and cos- tumes—having never been officially identified. Incorporating a wealth of archival footage, live performances and testimonials from various collaborators and such acolytes as Matt Groening, Penn Jillette and members of DEVO, Primus, Ween and Talking Heads, Theory of Obscurity surveys The Residents' long and influential career with an appropriate mix of insight and absurdity. While The Residents have amassed a large and fiercely loyal fan base, Hardy was not among them when he decided to document the band's story. The filmmaker—who like The Residents is based in San Francisco—first became intrigued after learning about the band from Theory of Obscurity's co-producers, Barton John Bishoff and Josh Keppel. "When we started, I didn't know a thing about them," Hardy says. "So I listened to them on Spotify on the drive home, and I was imme- diately captivated." Despite The Residents' longstanding penchant for preserving their anonymity, they eventually consented to cooperate, granting the filmmakers access to their archives and allowing Hardy and his crew to shoot their 40th anniversary "Wonder of Weird" tour. "There was definitely some convincing involved, and they did vet me before they agreed," Hardy says. Theory of Obscurity addresses—and dispenses with—the ques- tion of The Residents' individual identities in its opening moments, focusing instead on the group's creative achievements. Longtime spokesmen Homer Flynn and Hardy Fox, who represent the Cryptic Corporation, the band's management company, but deny being mem- bers of the group, are interviewed extensively throughout the film. Hardy notes, "Very early on, when I told people about this project, they'd say, 'Oh, so you're gonna reveal who they are, right?' and I was like, 'No.' But it did create an interesting situation, and what I hit on was the realization that The Residents isn't a specific group of people. It's a collective approach to doing things, and 'The Residents' is the name that gets put over the top of it." Flynn acknowledges, "The idea of losing control of their narrative after 40 years certainly created some discomfort at times, but I have to compliment Don and the filmmakers on having done a great job. More than anything else, they created a feeling of trust that allowed The Residents to feel com- fortable with the process. "People always have differing opinions," Flynn continues. "But in general, The Residents are quite happy with the film. For me, and I think I can safely speak for the group here, the main impact was, 'Wow! We really did all that!' " Theory of Obscurity's release coincides with a recent wave of high- profile respect for The Residents. Perhaps most notably, last year the Museum of Modern Art in New York added to its permanent col- lection the group's "Ultimate Box Set"—a refrigerator housing the band's complete catalogue as well as one of its trademark top hats and giant-eyeball masks. The loading of the fridge provides one of Theory of Obscurity's most memorable scenes. "Some people in the group," Flynn asserts, "are completely happy with living their lives in total obscurity and being 'discovered' long after they're dead, if ever. There is a romantic attachment to that idea within the group. But there are also others who are more than happy to see a lifetime of work, work in which they take great pride, get some of the recognition that it has obviously earned." While The Residents themselves may be divided over the issue of public recognition, Hardy is hoping that Theory of Obscurity will raise the group's profile and expose its work to new eyes and ears. "My goal from the beginning" he says, "was to create something that would be accessible to people who aren't already fans, while still having enough revelations for fans who thought they knew everything." Still, Flynn pledges that the current wave of mainstream recogni- tion won't divert The Residents from their creative mission. "The idea of moving forward is still strong," he states. "The Residents are happy with what they have accomplished, but don't feel they have any laurels worth resting on at this point." Th e Res i d e n t s p e r fo rm to m o rrow ni g h t ( Fri d ay , M a rch 20) a t t h e Pa r a - m ou n t Th e a t re (8 13 C o n g res s Ave.). The ory of O bscu rity: a f il m a b out The Res i de nt s s cre e n s to d ay ( Thur s d ay , M a rch 1 9) a t t h e Sta tes i d e Th e a t re ( 7 1 9 C o n g res s Ave) a t 4:4 p m a n d to m o rrow a t t h e S a tel l ite Ve nu e: M a rch es a (6226 M i d d le Fi s k v il le Rd .) a t 1: 3 0 p m . Obscurity Knocks: Avant-garde Icons The Residents at SXSW by Scott Schinder " Th e Res i d e n t s i n t h ei r ey e b a l l m a s k s , ci rca 1 9 8 0