Miniatures (A Sequence Of Fifty-One Tiny Masterpieces Edited By Morgan Fisher) is an album released by Pipe in 1980. The Residents contributed "We're A Happy Family / Bali Ha'i" to the album.
Background[]
Miniatures began as an idea by Morgan Fisher in 1979 after listening to The Goofing Off Suite by Pete Seeger. He wanted to make an album in which artists contributed a 1 minute long song.
When 1980 began he sent out invitations to several artists asking for contributions to this project, along with advance fee of £1. The Residents, who unaware to Fisher, were working on a Similar Project, were also invited. Jay Clem, from The Cryptic Corporation, sent a letter back confirming The Residents' participation. Their submission to the project was "We're A Happy Family / Bali Ha'i".
Artists that had previously collaborated with The Residents, like Fred Frith, Andy Partridge, Jad Fair, & Chris Cutler, also made contributions to the album.
Track Listing[]
Side One (26:00)
- Ollie Halsall & John Halsey - Bum Love (1:00)
- The Residents - We're A Happy Family / Bali Ha'i (1:00)
- Roger McGough - The Wreck Of The Hesp (1:00)
- Morgan-Fisher - Green And Pleasant (1;00)
- John Otway - Mine Tonight (1:00)
- Pete Challis & Phil Diplock - My Way (1:00)
- Robert Wyatt - Rangers In The Night (1:00)
- Stinky Winkles - Opus (1:00)
- Mary Longford - Body Language (1:00)
- Andy Newman - Andy The Dentist (1:00)
- David Bedford - Wagner's Ring In One Minute (1:00)
- Fred Frith - The Entire Works Of Henry Cow (1:00)
- Maggie Nicols - Look Beneath The Surface (1:00)
- Joseph Racaille - Week-End (1:00)
- The Work - With Wings Pressed Back (1:00)
- Neil Innes & Son - Cum On Feel The Noize (1:00)
- Herbert Distel - Toscany In Blue (Last Minute) (1:00)
- Lol Coxhill - An End To The Matter (1:00)
- Ken Ellis - One Minute In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich (1:00)
- Steve Miller - Alice (1:00)
- Norman Lovett - John Peel Sings The Blues Badly (1:00)
- Patrick Portella - Serrons Nous Les Coudes (1:00)
- George Melly - Sounds That Saved My Life (Homage To K.S.) (1:00)
- Robert Fripp - Miniature (1:00)
- Andy Partridge - The History Of Rock 'N' Roll (1:00)
- Phantom Captain - Breather (1:00)
Side Two (25:00)
- Ron Geesin - Enterbrain Exit (1:00)
- Alejandro Viñao - An Imaginary Orchestrina (1:00)
- Quentin Crisp - Stop The Music For A Minute (1:00)
- Simon Desorgher - Tetrad (1:00)
- Ralph Steadman - Sweetest Love (Lament After A Broken Sashcord On A Theme Of John Donne) (1:00)
- R.D. Laing & Son - Tipperary (1:00)
- Trevor Wishart - Beach Double (1:00)
- John White - Scene De Ballet (1:00)
- Ivor Cutler - Brooch Boat (1:00)
- Hector Zazou - Do Tell Us (1:00)
- Michael Bass & Ellen Tenenbaum - A Miniaturisation Of Bartok's Sonata For 2 Pianos & Percussion (3rd Movement) (1:00)
- Martin Chambers - A Swift One (1:00)
- Bob Cobbing & Henri Chopin - Refreshment Break (1:00)
- Dave Vanian - Night Touch (1:00)
- Metabolist - Raging Poodles (1:00)
- Gavin Bryars - After Mendelssohn (137 Years) (1:00)
- 1/2 Japanese - Paint It Black (1:00)
- Simon Jeffes - Arthur's Treat (1:00)
- Mark Perry - Talking World War III Blues (1:00)
- Michael Nyman - 89-90-91-92 (1:00)
- David Cunningham - Index Of Ends (1:00)
- Kevin Coyne - James, Mark & Me (In The Manner Of Tom Waits) (1:00)
- Etron Fou Leloublan - Hep! (1:00)
- Neil Oram & Ken Campbell & Science Fiction Theatre Of Liverpool - The Minute Warp (1:00)
- Pete Seeger - Chorale From Beethoven's 9th Symphony (1:00)
Legacy[]
A Miniatures microcassette, included in The Miniatures Micropack
"We're A Happy Family" would be included as a bonus on future releases of Commercial Album, due to it's similarity in concept with the rest of its tracks. It is a slightly slower version of the song, and doesn't mention "Bali Ha'i" on it's title, nor does it credit Richard Rodgers as one of the song's original writers.
Continuing with the concept of small items, in 1981, The Miniatures Micropack was released. It was a special limited edition of the album that consisted in a box with a hand-assembled microcassette tape containing the full album, as well as various miniature objects. Only 100 of them were made. While not a release by The Reisdents themselves, this is the only time they have been officially featured in a microcassette format.
The album received two proper sequels, both of them still following the format of a collection of artists contributing a 1-minute track: Miniatures 2 and Miniatures 2020. The Residents made a contribution to the latter, submitting the track "Irish Wife".
Liner Notes[]
The Residents[]
A cult band based in 'Frisco, nobody knows who The Residents are. Is their anonimity based on a genuine desire for privacy or on a shrewd awareness of how to achieve cult status? Either way, they have achieved remarkable success with their uncompromising music, which includes disturbingly hybrid reworkings of 60's pap hits. They had started on an album of one-minute pieces at the same time as this one. We were not aware of this until I sent them their invitation. They found time to squeeze a medley into their minute - a Ramones song followed by a delightful hit from 'South Pacific'.
Release History[]
| Year | Label | Format | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Pipe | LP | UK |
| 1981 | Edigsa | LP | SP |
| 1982 | Japan Record | LP | JP |
| 1986 | Supporti Fonografici | LP | IT |
| 1994 | Voiceprint | CD | UK |
| Blueprint | EU | ||
| MSI | JP | ||
| 2014 | Megaphone & Knock'em Dead Records | LP | US |