Renaldo and the Loaf
Renaldo and the Loaf | |
---|---|
Origin | United Kingdom |
Genres | Avant-garde Experimental music |
Years active | 1975–1988 2006–present |
Labels | Ralph T.E.C. Tones Elemental Music Some Bizarre |
Associated acts | The Residents |
Website | Renaldo and the Loaf: The Official Site |
Renaldo and the Loaf was an English musical duo active in the late 1970s and most of the 1980s, consisting of a pathologist (David Janssen or "Ted the Loaf") and an architect (Brian Poole or "Renaldo Malpractice", most often simply "Renaldo M").
By their own assertion, they achieved their unique sound in part by striving to get unnatural synthesizer-like sounds using only what instruments they had available (acoustic ones). To that end they routinely used muffled and de-tuned instruments, and, often to striking effect, tape loops / manipulation. The two released four full-length albums, one collection, various songs on compilation albums, and several self-produced demos. They were "discovered" by The Residents when Brian dropped off a tape at their Ralph Records headquarters in San Francisco, during a visit to the U.S. After being signed to Ralph, they collaborated with The Residents on Title in Limbo.
Although not actually their first album, Songs for Swinging Larvae was released in 1981 on Ralph Records. Aside from its unusual and instrumental arrangements, lyrics were take from disparate sources such as Sherlock Holmes stories and Samuel Beckett's play, Endgame. This was followed by Arabic Yodelling in 1983. Renaldo and the Loaf had already recorded Struvé and Sneff in 1979, and had been distributing it, on demand, on home-made cassette tapes ever since; Ralph Records finally re-issued a remastered version in 1984.
As the 1980s advanced, the duo found it increasingly difficult to complete projects, and they both had demanding day jobs and family lives. Some Bizzare Records' involvement injected enough motivation for the completion of The Elbow is Taboo in 1987, with a shift to a more refined electronic sound, but the process had been less than rewarding.
By 1988, the collaboration had lost its steam, and the duo disbanded after recording a sea shanty, "Haul on the Bowline," which appeared only on a Ralph various artists release. Brian/Renaldo contributed to sporadic recordings in the 1990s. In 2006, upon the launch of the new Renaldo and the Loaf web site, the duo were reunited for the first time in the better part of two decades.
In 1981, Graeme Whifler directed a short video, Songs for Swinging Larvae,[1] accompanied by a medley of music from the album, and produced by The Residents' managers, the Cryptic Corporation. The film, based on a true story, concerns a kidnapped child, and "poses ancient questions regarding home and heart".[2] The film was banned from television and film festivals due to its controversial nature. "Larvae" was premiered at an art museum. It was included first in The Residents' Video Voodoo video collection, and later on the comprehensive Icky Flix DVD.[3]
Discography
Full length albums
- Renaldo and the Loaf play "Struvé and Sneff" (1979 home-made cassette; 1984 re-issued Ralph Records)
- Songs for Swinging Larvae (1981 Ralph Records)
- Arabic Yodelling (1983 Ralph Records)
- Title in Limbo (1983 Ralph Records) (with The Residents)
- Olleh Olleh Rotcod (1985) (rarities compilation)
- The Elbow is Taboo (1987 Some Bizzare Records)
EPs
- Tap Dancing In Slush / Behind Closed Curtains (1978, unreleased)
- Renaldo And The Loaf Play Songs From The Surgery (1980)
- Hats Off, Gentlemen (1980)
- Hambu Hodo (1986)
References
- ↑ Songs for Swinging Larvae on YouTube
- ↑ Icky Flix DVD booklet
- ↑ The Residents' Videography