Fingerprince

The Residents fourth album, began life as Tourniquet Of Roses. It was intended to be a three-sided album*, the first of its kind. However, due to technical difficulties, and lack of funds this idea was scrapped. Monty Python ended up beating The Residents to the punch with their Matching Tie and Handkerchief album. The songs recorded for the third side of the album were released separately as an EP, titled Babyfingers.

Fingerprinces catches The Residents in the middle of a transition between the avant-garde weirdness of Meet The Residents and Not Available, and the twisted pop sensiblity of Duck Stab/Buster & Glen. Side one of the album consists of short pieces. The instrumentation is the same as the first three albums: acoustic guitar, saxophone, bass, drums, and an upright piano. Snakefinger also lends his electric guitar to the opening track You yesyesyes.

The second side of the album is devoted to the massive epic, Six Things To A Cycle. Six Things To A Cycle, originally intended as a ballet, draws on many influences, mostly world music, and the work of Harry Partch. It also points in the direction that The Residents would take in on their album Eskimo. Matt Howarth has recommended Six Things To A Cycle as the soundtrack to his The Brinski Papers comic.

Fingerprince has had a rather convouted series of releases. It was originally released on vinyl, with the first pressing in a brown paper sleve, with the cover art in a dark brown ink. Subsequent pressings used a full color, cardboard cover. A twenty-five disc, limited release of Fingerprince included the Babyfingers EP as well. On CD, the Fingerprince saga becomes more complex. The Residents first CD distributor in the US, East Side Digital, combined tracks from Fingerprince and Babyfingers to release a Tourniquet Of Roses CD. This album also split Six Things To A Cycle into six tracks. This is thankfully out of print. In Europe, EuroRalph released Fingerprince with the original LP tracklist on a standard CD, packaged with a 3" CD of Babyfingers.

Tracklisting for Fingerprince:

1. You yesyesyes
2. Home Age Conversation
3. Godsong
4. March de la Winni
5. Bossy
6. Boo Who?
7. Tourniquet Of Roses
8. You yesyesyes Again
9. Six Things To A Cycle

ESD Tourniquet Of Roses CD Tracklist:

1. You yesyesyes
2. Home Age Conversation
3. Godsong
4. March de la Winni
5. Bossy
6. Boo Who?
7. Tourniquet Of Roses
8. Death In Barstow
9. Melon Collie Lassie
10. Flight Of The Bumble Roach (real name: Flight Of The Bumble Roach (Roaches That Fly)
11. Walter Westinghouse
    Six Things To A Cycle
12. Part 1
13. Part 2
14. Part 3
15. Part 4
16. Part 5
17. Part 6
18. You yesyesyes Again