1985

1985 saw the release of The Big Bubble, the fourth part of The Mole Trilogy. A dividing album among fans, it was the first "original, full length LP" the group had done in a couple of years. This caught the attention of Wave, a Japanese record label, which lead to an agreement for the distribution rights of the album in its country. Aditionally, Wave offered to finance a few Residents performances in Japan.

While The Mole Show had been a terrible experience for the group, having a third party handle the financing of a small tour gave them the confidence to attempt doing live shows again, and taking into account that they had been celebrating their 13 years since officially forming, The Residents returned to touring with The 13th Anniversary Show.

Timeline

January

• The Census Taker soundtrack album is compiled for release.

February

• 16th: The Residents' soundtrack for The Census Taker is released on Episode Records.
• Around this time, T.D. Wade writes a novel adaptation of Mark of the Mole.
• Big Brother, the Ralph Records Bulletin Board System, is shut down after a year online.

March

• 7th: 'We are the World' is released. The Residents would go on to cover the song as part of their Disfigured Night series of live shows in 1997.
• Ralph Records announces the end of its "New Ralph" era.
• To celebrate its thirteenth anniversary, Meet the Residents is reissued in picture disc form.

July

• The Residents finish recording The Big Bubble.

September

• The Residents, using a clever alias, perform The History of Digital Music, a four-part presentation for a junior high school class.
• On a press release for The Big Bubble, The Residents announce their "13th Anniversary Retrospective Tour". Its first shows would take place in Japan a month later, after a deal was struck with Wave Records.
• 30th: The Big Bubble, The Residents' eleventh studio album and part four of The Mole Trilogy, is released by Ralph Records in the United States and by Wave in Japan.
• "Jingle Bells" is recorded.

October

• Doublevision releases PAL TV LP, a European soundtrack album for the Mole Show / Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats VHS.
• 21st: To promote the upcoming Eyeball Show, Wave releases Memorial Hits, a collection of Residents tracks recorded between 1976 and 1984.
• 27th: Touch Tapes releases Ritual: Magnetic North, a collection of songs based on Rituals. The Residents contribute "Theme for an American TV Show".
• 28th: The Residents give their first performance of The Eyeball Show, the Japanese leg of the 13th Anniversary Show, at the Silk Hall, in Kyoto, Japan.
• 29th: The Residents perform The Eyeball Show at Parco Space Part 3, in Tokyo, Japan.
• 30th: The Residents perform, for the second day in a row, The Eyeball Show at Parco Space Part 3.
  • This show is recorded and released as The Eyeball Show (Live in Japan) the following year.
• 31st: The Residents perform, for the third and final time, The Eyeball Show at Parco Space Part 3.
  • A television special with clips from this show and an interview with a spokesperson for The Residents was produced by Wave.
• Around this time, The Residents' Earth vs the Flying Saucers short film premieres.

December

• 10th: The first date of the second leg of The 13th Anniversary Show takes place at The Wolfgangs Theatre, in San Francisco, California.
• 11th: The Residents perform, for the second day in a row, The 13th Anniversary Show at The Wolfgangs Theatre, San Francisco, California.
• 12th: The Residents, for the third consecutive time, present The 13th Anniversary Show at The Wolfgangs Theatre, San Francisco, California.
• 13th: The Residents do their fourth and final performance of The 13th Anniversary Show at The Wolfgangs Theatre, San Francisco, California.
• 26th: The Residents perform The 13th Anniversary Show at The Palace Theatre, Los Angeles, California.
  • After this show, an eyeball was stolen, causing the tour to be halted ever so briefly as a replacement was found.

• The Residents begin recording Stars & Hank Forever and "Daydream in Space".

Releases

• The Big Bubble (LP, Ralph Records, RZ8552)
• The Census Taker (LP, Episode Records, ED21, soundtrack)
• PAL TV LP (LP, Doublevision, DVR17, soundtrack)
• Memorial Hits (LP, Wave, SP25-6015, compilation)

Re-releases

• Meet The Residents (LP, Ralph Records, RR7707, 3,500 copies pressed)
  • Limited edition picture disc.
  • Released in celebration of the 13th anniversary of the album.
• "Diskomo" / Goosebump (12" 45RPM, Wishbone Records, WB 1212)
  • Import for the german market

Compilation appearances

• Ritual: Magnetic North (Cassette, Touch, T5)
  • The Residents contributed the track "Theme For An American TV Show"
  • Bundled with a 112-page book.

Filmography

• Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (Dir. The Residents)
  • Includes footage from the 1956 film Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers, with computer animation added.

Home video releases

• Mole Show / Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats? (VHS, PAL, Doublevision, DV 9)
  • Import for the european market.

Television appearances

• Special for japanese television
  • A press conference with Homer Flynn and The Residents, held in the Wave record store in Tokyo, was taped for TV broadcast. Recordings of live performance of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" and "Hop a Little" are also featured.