Showing posts with label Snakefinger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snakefinger. Show all posts

June 6, 2019

45 RPM 32: The Residents ~ (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

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On June 6, 1965, the single (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones was released in the U.S. and as they say, the rest is history.        
            

45 RPM record sleeve (front)
design by Pore-No Graphics 
photo by Styrous®


The song has been covered by many artists; a few of them are Mary Wells, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Strangeloves and even an instrumental jazz version by Oscar Peterson and Milt Jackson. There is an amazing array of many more listed in the links below.  

The earliest version was by Otis Redding for his album Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul, released on September 15, 1965, by Volt Records (link below).       

The latest was a very sexed up version by Britney Spears who recorded the song with producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins for her second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again, on February 24, 2000, at Pacifique Recording Studios in Hollywood (link below).            


45 RPM record sleeve (back)
design by Pore-No Graphics
photo by Styrous®


The most famous cover has to be by the American new wave group Devo who released their rendition of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction as a single in 1977. It was re-recorded with Brian Eno as producer for their first album, and that version was also released as a single in 1978, this time by Warner Brothers Records, after it was approved by Mick Jagger. I love this cover! (link below)      

Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that the Devo version "reworks the original's alienation into a spastic freak-out that's nearly unrecognizable". It was featured in the 1995 Martin Scorsese epic crime film, Casino.         

The quirky music video for the song and several others from this album received significant airplay on early MTV. A notable feature of the video is dancer Craig Allen Rothwell, known as Spazz Attack, whose signature dance move, a forward flip onto his back, drew him significant attention.  


45 RPM record sleeve (back) detail
design by Pore-No Graphics
photo by Styrous®


But the quirkiest version of Satisfaction absolutely has to be by the San Francisco New Wave, avant-garde/experimental collective, The Residents released in 1976. Originally released in an edition of only 200 copies, their cover became a cult sensation, thanks in part to the success of the afore mentioned cover by Devo the following year, necessitating a re-press in 1978 of 30,000 copies (link below).      

It is moderately paced with drums and a VERY weird vocal. Dissonant and dysfunctional is putting it mildly. A guitar played by Snakefinger soars over the tune from time to time.    
         
Brad Laner, writing for Dangerous Minds, states the cover "is nearly everything the better known version by Devo from a year later is not: Loose, belligerent, violent, truly fucked-up. A real stick in the eye of everything conventionally tasteful in 1976 America."            

In addition to the music and graphics, one of the cool things about this recording is the medium itself; transparent, yellow vinyl.        



The Residents ~ Loser ≅ Weed  
45 RPM record label (side 1)
photo by Styrous®


The "song" on the flip side of the record, Loser ≅ Weed (link below), is much faster and is just as weird as Satisfaction. The intro to it puts me in mind of the intro to Heart of Glass by Blondie.           


The Residents ~ Loser ≅ Weed
45 RPM record (side 2)
photo by Styrous®


The Residents ~ Loser ≅ Weed
45 RPM record label (side 2)
photo by Styrous®


Tracklist:

A - Satisfaction, written by Jagger-Richard - 4:30

B - Loser ≅ Weed, written by The Residents - 2:09

Companies, etc.

    Manufactured By – Cryptic Corporation
    Copyright (c) – Cryptic Corporation
    Phonographic Copyright (p) – Cryptic Corporation
    Published By – Pale Pachyderm Publishing
    Published By – Immediate
    Lacquer Cut At – Sonic Arts

Credits:

    Backing Vocals [Backing Stylists] – The Pointless Sisters
    Design [Cover Art] – Pore-No Graphics*
    Lacquer Cut By – LK*
    Lead Guitar – Snakefinger
    Percussion – D. Jackovich*
    Producer – The Residents

Notes:

"This record was previously released with a different cover.
The Residents present a rehash of their 1976 classic Satisfaction b/w Loser ≅ Weed.
Previously released in 1976".

©1978, The Cryptic Corp.

Side A: Immediate, BMI
Side B: ℗ 1978 The Cryptic Corp. Published by Pale Pachyderm Pub.(BMI)

This 1978 re-release of the rare 1976 original was an edition of 30,000 copies pressed on transparent yellow vinyl and in a slightly redesigned two color sleeve. The original release was a limited edition of 200 copies, each hand-screened in three colors, and then hand-inked with three more colors.
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched): RR7803/A LK
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched): RR7803B/ LK
    Rights Society (Sides A & B runout, stamped): ⊏◯⊐
    Rights Society: BMI

The Residents ‎– Satisfaction
Label: Ralph Records ‎– RR7803
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Reissue, Yellow
Country: US
Released: Aug 1978
Genre: Electronic
Style: Experimental

The Cryptic Corporation
524 San Anselmo AV #109
San Anselmo, CA 94960 - USA
info@crypticorp.com
415.578.4646
    
         
   
Viewfinder links:     
         
Devo        
Aretha Franklin         
Mick Jagger         
Oscar Peterson          
Otis Redding          
The Residents      
The Rolling Stones        
     
Net links:     
      
Dangerous Minds ~ 

    ‘Satisfaction’ shootout: DEVO VS the Residents VS the Rolling Stones   
Everetttrue ~ 15 versions of ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’    
Pop Culture Experiment ~  
        “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”: Cover Songs Uncovered        
Stereo Gum ~ The Number Ones: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”   
VH1 ~ 50 greatest covers of (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction   

     
YouTube links:     
         
The Rolling Stones ~ (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (live)    
Otis Redding - Satisfaction (Monterey '67)       

The Strangeloves ~ [I Can't Get No] Satisfaction      
Oscar Peterson & Milt Jackson ~ Satisfaction (Remastered)   
Devo ~ [I Can't Get No] Satisfaction (Video)              
Britney Spears ~ Satisfaction VMA 2000     

The Residents ~ Satisfaction (1976)         
The Residents ~ Loser ≅ Weed         
The Residents ~ Loser ≅ Weed (live)              
         
          
        
      
    
Styrous® ~ Friday, July 13, 2018                    




          









February 9, 2017

Ralph Records ~ the inner sleeve

 



 the
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






Thanks for the great music, Ralph!


Styrous® ~ Thursday, February 9, 2017