THE RESIDENTS - THE THIRD REICH 'N' ROLL @ 45

 

 

In February of 1976, 45 years ago this month, The Residents released their 2nd official LP, The Third Reich 'n' Roll. While it was actually the third album they recorded, it was the second released as their prior LP was originally intended to be withheld form release as a conceptual exercise based on its title, Not Available. Thus Third Reich 'n' Roll became album 2 and NA was release a few years later.  

 

The origins of the album began back in 1972 with the filming of a short featuring the band on a set and in costumes made entirely of newspaper, which was eventually used to create the short "music video" version of Swastikas on Parade in 1974, the full version of which was also recorded that year. The second half of the album, Hitler Was a Vegetarian, was recorded in 1975. 

 

The concept for the album grew from an idea to do a collection of cover versions of pop songs from the 50s & 60s. As the group delved into this idea more, they began to understand the fascistic nature of popular music and the way in which it was designed, promoted and sold. Record labels imposed strict control over product and artists, manipulating and restricting their creative expressions in order to maximize commercial potential and also reinforce cultural stereotypes and norms as a means of maintaining the status quo within the civilization. To reflect this, the group made the controversial decision to incorporate Nazi symbols and iconography into the packaging and promotional materials, which included a bizarre swastika filled display window at a local San Francisco record shop that garnered much criticism and outrage. At this point in their career, they were barely a blip on the alternative music radar, but the record's achievements were enough to garner them some press. In the 31st of December 1977 issue of Sounds Magazine, Jon Savage described the album as "Funny – and frightening" and Peter Silverton described it as The Residents "One unqualified masterpiece", and the best party game of the 70s. 

 

Since its release, it has remained one of The Residents most iconic and eccentric releases, seeing numerous reissues in a multitude of occasionally elaborate and excessive packages. Personally, it's always been one of my all-time favorite albums from the group as it takes the hooks and accessibility of pop music and twists them into forms so exceptionally weird, one's sense of reality begins to unravel. It truly stands alone as one of the greatest experimental albums ever released.