Ralph Records ~ the inner sleeve

 

 the

    Ralph Records

inner sleeve

photos by Styrous®

  inner sleeve detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

Ralph Records was The Residents' original record label, the name coming from the slang phrase for vomiting, "calling Ralph on the porcelain telephone". The first release on Ralph was in December of 1972; Santa Dog (RR-1272). This is a two-disc single that was mailed out for free to about three hundred people, friends and radio stations. Richard Nixon and Frank Zappa were sent copies (though Zappa's was returned as he had moved).      

The Residents' first album, Meet the Residents (RR-0274), was recorded in 1973 and released in 1974 (article on this album in the future).    

 

The Ralph catalogue included other artists besides the Residents. The first was Schwump, from Portland, Oregon, who in 1976 released a single called, Aphids in the Hall (RRX-0776). The guitarist for The Residents, Snakefinger, released a single called The Spot (RR-7802) in 1978 and released four albums on the label.  Link below to artists represented on Ralph. 

In 1976, the Cryptic Corporation took over control of Ralph Records and maintained it until 1985, when it handed it over to sales manager Tom Timony. The Residents left the label in 1987, after which Timony ran it under license and folded it into his own label, TEC Tones, until reverting control to Ralph in 1992. Ralph Records has not really operated since 1987. Since 1992, it has operated as EuroRalphAmerica, the Residents' mail-order company.  

In August 2010 Ralph Records announced its closing "due to the general state of the music business and the expanding cost of creating physical products. It's been a great ride. Thanks for all your support over the past 11 years". Notices were sent on Twitter saying that it would sell out their stock of various limited Residents releases and have a sale on all the other items offered online.  

 

Ralph Records was at 444 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Fan Club was in LA: W.E.I.R.D. Box 4716, North Hollywood, CA 91607

Artists represented on Ralph        

Thanks for the great music, Ralph!

Styrous® ~ Thursday, February 9, 2017

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