Hardy Fox

Hardy Winfred Fox, Jr. (March 29, 1945 – October 30, 2018) was an American musician. He was co-founder of the band The Residents as well as their primary composer. From 1982 to 2016 he was the president of The Cryptic Corporation. During his 44 years with The Residents, and after leaving the band in 2016, he recorded as a solo artist under many names, such as Charles Bobuck, Combo de Mechanico, Sonido de la Noche, Black Tar, and more. His newer solo albums were published by Austrian record label Klanggalerie. He was married to Steven Kloman.
On September 21–22, 2018, he announced that he was ill and sick, and had something in his brain. On October 30, 2018, he died of brain cancer known as glioblastoma.
History.
Early life.
Hardy Winfred Fox II was born on March 29, 1945 in Longview, Texas. Fox developed an interest in music at the age of 6, after hearing selections from his grandfather's Jazz 78 collection. It was through this collection that he was exposed to Stan Kenton's Artistry in Tango, as well as the music of Jimmie Lunceford and The Dorsey Brothers, his earliest experiences with playing music came from describing his nightmares to his mother by bashing on a piano, and talking in strange voices. For part of his childhood Fox's father became a missionary, and moved the family to the Southern Philippines, where a young Fox was exposed to Kulintang music, a style he would imitate for his entire career. The family later returned to Texas after his father 'Lost his faith'. At the age of 18, Fox enrolled in Louisiana Tech University, where he became roommates with later Cryptic Corporation member Homer Flynn. The two bonded over their shared musical interests, and became fast friends. They graduated four years later with a major in art and a minor in business.
Pre-Residents (1969 - 1972).
In 1969, Fox & Flynn moved to San Mateo, California. That same year, they began to record themselves performing strange music on a high end two-track tape recorder he had been gifted by a Vietnam Veteran. In early 1971, Fox, now joined by other collaborators, anonymously submitted a demo tape to Harve Halverstadt at Warner Brothers Records with the hopes of being signed by the label. They received a rejection letter addressed to 'The Residents', which inspired the group to named themselves Residents. Unincorporated. In 1972 Fox, along with the rest of Residents Uninc moved into a warehouse at 20 Sycamore Street in San Francisco, where they set up their first recording studio. That same year, Ralph Records, Uninc's own record label, released their first EP, featuring four songs by Residents Uninc under various pseudonyms.
The Residents (1973 - 2015).
It wasn't until February of 1973, when the group started recording their debut LP, Meet The Residents, that the group had finally become 'The Residents'. According to Fox's own words, there were no Residents before then, only a loosely bonded friendship of a few people who liked to record together. The group's first LP was far from a success, only selling 40 copies within its first year of release. In 1974 Fox began to take lessons on a Moog Modular System at Different Fur Studios, but found that it was far too technical and expensive for him. In 1976, Fox and Flynn, as well as fellow Louisiana Natives John Kennedy and Jay Clem formed 'The Cryptic Corporation', an organisation intended to deal with the business side of Ralph Records and The Residents. The Cryptic Corporation bought The Residents their first synthesizer, an ARP Odyssey costing $1,200 ($5,563 in 2021 Money). Hardy last used the Odyssey in 2008, and sent it to composer Ego Plum in June 2018. It wouldn't be until the release of the group's third LP, Fingerprince, that they would received mainstream attention following a favorable review of all three of the group's LPs in British music magazine Sounds. With their sudden and unexpected success, the group moved into a new studio at 444 Grove Street, San Francisco, where they would record until 1983, when John Kennedy, owner of the studio, would retire as president of The Cryptic Corporation, taking the building with him as well. Following Kennedy's retirement, Fox became President of The Cryptic Corporation, a role he would retain until 2016.
Self-identification and early solo works (1985 - 2002).
In December of 1985, whilst The Residents were on their "13th Anniversary Tour", Fox's eyeball mask, which had been constructed for the cover of their 1979 album 'Eskimo', had been stolen from backstage. The group decided replace it with a skull mask, which had previously been a prop for Vileness Fats, and their Third Reich 'n Roll promotional material. Because of the specific headgear, the group began to internally refer to Fox as "'Dead Eye Dick"', and by 1989, Mr. Skull. This was the first of many aliases that Fox would undertake for his music, the second being Max Steinway, credited as pianist and producer on The Residents' 1997 'Pollex Christi' EP. By 1999, the mantle of Mr. Skull was taken up by a different Resident, and Fox once again returned to being nameless.
From 1999 to 2013, Fox recorded at least 3 solo works credited to The Residents, In Between Screams (1999), Dog Tag (2009), & Halloween (2013), all later credited to Charles Bobuck, when released on his bandcamp page.
During the 2001 'Icky Flix' tour, Fox began recording a solo EP, entitled 'High Horses', inspired by an acid trip he had taken 31 years prior. The EP was released under the name 'Combo de Mecanico' and would become Fox's first release outside of The Residents. In 2002, Fox recorded his first album worth of solo material, a 30-minute suite entitled Maxine, which would be released under the Bobuck name in 2012. In 2002, Fox began to tire of the touring process, and as such, asked Eric Drew Feldman to temporarily take his place as keyboardist on the Demons Dance Alone tour.
Charles Bobuck (2010 - 2016).
Talking Light (2010 - 2012).
For the 2010 Talking Light tour, The Residents each undertook unique pseudonyms, the singer became Randy Rose, the guitarist, Bob, and Hardy, Charles 'Chuck' Bobuck. These new identities allowed for The Residents to pursue solo works in a way previously un-thought of for the band, with Rose undertaking a solo show, and Hardy and Bob forming a new band, 'Sonidos de la Noche'. Sonidos de la Noche released one album, "Coochie Brake," in 2011, featuring entirely Spanish vocals. One year later, Hardy, under the Bobuck name, released his first solo album, "GOD-O: Music for a Gallery Opening" through The Residents' digital store. Throughout 2012, Bobuck released five solo albums, "GOD-O", "CB Suite" (A collection of outtakes from Coochie Brake), "Codgers On The Moon", "Maxine" (Recorded 2002), and "Lying Horse Rock." As a companion piece to Codgers, Fox published a website of the same name. The website acted as an 18 page memoir of sorts, providing background on 'Bobuck' which had previously been kept secret, such as details on his youth and equipment. Hardy would continue to create new websites for his major releases, each acting as both context for the album and additions to his memoir.
The Wonder of Weird (2013).
The 2013 'Wonder of Weird' tour saw The Residents re-assume the Randy, Chuck & Bob characters. The show would delve deeper into the characters minds, in particular Randy's, revealing the characters' lifelong sex addiction. Halfway through the show, Randy would tell the audience that Chuck lived on a chicken farm with his husband. A fact both true of the Bobuck character, and Fox. Towards the end of the tour, Fox began to experience Arthritis, and found that not even surgery was helping, and so, decided that the next tour would be his last. In 2013 he released his sixth solo album, "Life Is My Only Sunshine".
Shadowland (2014 - 2015).
The Shadowland tour began on May 2, 2014. It was intended as a Mini-Tour lasting only seven dates. Fox wanted the show to represent the death of Randy, Chuck & Bob, and the rebirth of The Residents as a truly nameless band, bringing with it a drastic new direction of sound. However, designing such a drastically different sound proved too demanding on Fox, and so a show celebrating The Residents' past was instead created. The group also wished to record a new album immediately following the conclusion of the Mini-Tour, however, this was scrapped in favor of a second leg. Fox retired from The Residents in March of 2015, and was replaced by Eric Drew Feldman on all following tours.
Post-Residents (2015 - 2018).
Following Fox's departure from The Residents and The Cryptic Corporation, he began to publish a bi-monthly email newsletter entitled Hacienda Bridge, first released on October 1, 2016. The newsletter would be credited to Hardy Fox and Charles Bobuck. Starting with the March 1st 2017 issue, the newsletters featured a serialized novella entitled, "The Stone," the final chapter of which revealed that Fox and Bobuck were one and the same. Following this reveal, the Bobuck character was retired and Fox began releasing music under his own name. In 2018, he released two solo albums, one mini album, and an EP before retiring completely. In September, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, and announced his illness by adding an assumed death date to his website. He died on October 30, 2018 at age 73.
Personal life.
Fox's first wife, Nessie Lessons, frequently appeared on Residents recordings from 1980 to 1983. They divorced circa 1983, when Hardy met Steven Kloman. Hardy married Kloman in 2008. He had two sisters, Diane Pasel and Linda Perez.
Studio album discography.
With The Residents
Hardy Fox performed on Residents recordings from 1972's Santa Dog to 2015's "Shadow Stories," with his final writing for the group appearing on 2017's "The Ghost of Hope".
Solo works.
As Hardy Fox
As Charles Bobuck
Instrumental Residents projects.
Residents projects believed to be uncredited Fox solo works