Manual of Errors

Manual of Errors
Artist	Snakefinger
Released	March 1982
Recorded	November 1981 - January 1982
Length	37:21
Label	Ralph Records
Producer	Snakefinger & Eric Drew Feldman
Snakefinger chronology
Previous	The Tunes of Two Cities (with The Residents) (1982)
Next	Fun Terminal (with Mutants) (1982)

Manual of Errors is the third solo album by frequent Residents collaborator, Snakefinger. It was released on Ralph Records in March 1982.

Although the group wrote two of the album's songs, it is Snakefinger's first album without The Residents as a backing band.

Background

Following his first two albums, Snakefinger was looking for a way to appear less dependent on The Residents, who had acted as writers, producers, and even as the backing band on his two previous releases. The Residents themselves were also concerned with this and sought out to find a new collaborator to help Lithman's process. Luckily, they had just met with Eric Drew Feldman, who sought to collaborate with The Residents after being impressed by the 1978 compilation album, Nibbles. The Residents immediately introduced him to Snakefinger, and he became part of Snakefinger's live band in July of 1981. This live band would form much of the Manual of Errors backing group, and included Eric Drew Feldman (Synths), Miguel Bertel (Guitar), George B. George (Bass), and Johnny B. Ryan (Drums).

Production of the album likely started around this time, as the live setlist began to include more and more tracks from the upcoming album.

The Residents' contributions to the album include Bring Back Reality, and Eva's Warning, the latter of which was adapted from a Mark of The Mole outtake entitled 'Now It Is Too Late'. It has been theorised that Bring Back Reality could also be an adaptation from Mole material.

The album was released in late March, 1982. It would be Snakefinger's final studio album as a solo artist, before forming The Vestal Virgins, largely based on his Manual Of Errors backing band.

Track Listing

1. Yeti: What Are You? _{(Snakefinger)} (4:01)
2. Beatnik Party - Ft. Eric Drew Feldman _{(Snakefinger/Feldman)} (3:42)
3. The Garden Of Earthly Delights _{(J. Byrd/D. Moskowitz)} (3:00)
4. You Sliced Up My Wife _{(Snakefinger)} (1:59)
5. I Followed George's Dream _{(Snakefinger)} (5:16)
6. Bring Back Reality _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (5:06)
7. Shining Faces ("I Am Nino") _(Rota) (2:19)
8. Eva's Warning _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (4:33)
9. Private Universe / The Life On Nebulov _{(Snakefinger)} (7:25)

1990 TEC Tones CD Track Listing

1. Yeti: What Are You? _{(Snakefinger)} (4:10)
2. Beatnik Party - Ft. Eric Drew Feldman _{(Snakefinger/Feldman)} (3:42)
3. The Garden Of Earthly Delights _{(J. Byrd/D. Moskowitz)} (3:02)
4. You Sliced Up My Wife _{(Snakefinger)} (2:01)
5. I Followed George's Dream _{(Snakefinger)} (5:24)
6. Bring Back Reality _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (5:07)
7. Shining Faces ("I Am Nino") _(Rota) (2:22)
8. Eva's Warning _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (4:37)
9. Private Universe / The Life On Nebulov _{(Snakefinger)} (7:35)
10. I Love You Too Much To Respect You _{(Snakefinger)} (3:37)
11. The Vivian Girls _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (2:09)
12. Talking In The Town _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (2:36)
13. Womb To Worm _{(Snakefinger)} (3:17)
14. The Jungle Princess _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (3:47)

The 1990 TEC Tones re-issue included several rare, including singles, compilation only songs, as well as tracks from Snakefinger's first two then out of print albums.

35th Anniversary Track Listing

1. Yeti: What Are You? _{(Snakefinger)} (4:10)
2. Beatnik Party - Ft. Eric Drew Feldman _{(Snakefinger/Feldman)} (3:43)
3. The Garden Of Earthly Delights _{(J. Byrd/D. Moskowitz)} (3:03)
4. You Sliced Up My Wife _{(Snakefinger)} (2:01)
5. I Followed George's Dream _{(Snakefinger)} (5:20)
6. Bring Back Reality _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (5:08)
7. Shining Faces ("I Am Nino") _(Rota) (2:22)
8. Eva's Warning _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (4:37)
9. Private Universe / The Life On Nebulov _{(Snakefinger)} (7:35)
10. I Love You Too Much To Respect You _{(Snakefinger)} (3:37)
11. The Vivian Girls _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (2:09)
12. Womb To Worm _{(Snakefinger)} (3:17)
13. The Jungle Princess _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (3:47)
14. Trashing All The Loves Of History _{(Snakefinger)} (3:09)
15. Don't Lie _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (2:58)
16. Living In Vain _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (3:12)
17. Golden Goat _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (4:14)
18. Corrupted Man _{(Snakefinger)} (2:15)
19. The Man In The Dark Sedan _{(Snakefinger/Residents)} (3:44)

The 35th Anniversary CD, released by Klangallerie, included the bonus tracks released on the 1990 CD, as well as six tracks from the Snakefinger Live In Melbourne Album. Snakefinger is credited as the writer on Corrupted Man, but, it was in fact written by Pablo Moses.

Tour

• January 15th, 1982 - San Francisco, CA, USA
• April 16th, 1982 - The Starship, Milwaukee, WI, USA
• April 25th, 1982 - Nickelodeon, Toronto, Canada
• May 2nd, 1982 - CBGBs, New York, NY, USA
• May 5th, 1982 - Mudd Club, New York, NY, USA
• May 8th, 1982 - The Rat, Boston, MA, USA
• May 9th, 1982 - Danceteria, New York, NY, USA
• May 11th, 1982 - The Marble Bar, Baltimore, MD, USA
• May 22nd, 1982 - Hot Klub, Dallas, TX, USA

Concerts in BOLD exists as Bootleg Recordings

Credits

• Snakefinger: Guitar, Sing
• George B. George: Bass, Sing
• Eric Drew Feldman: Keyboards, Synthesizers
• Miguel Bertel: Guitar, Sing
• Jonny B. Ryan: Drums

Technical

• Produced by: Snakefinger & Eric Drew Feldman
• Sound Tec: Jonathon Formula
• Engineer: Richard Van Dorn
• Ast. Engineer: Baby Minehoff Wedonit
• Cover Art: Mark Beyer

Release history

Year	Label	Format	Region
1982	Ralph Records	LP	US
1985
1987	Torso		NL
	Virgin		GR
1990	T.E.C. Tones	CD	US
2017	Klanggalerie		AT