Snakefinger
Snakefinger was an appellation adopted by British guitarist Phil Lithman. A member of mid-60s’ act Junior's Blues Band, Lithman subsequently moved to San Francisco for a career as a folk and blues singer, before returning to the UK in the early '70s to join former colleague Martin Stone (guitar) in Chilli Willi. The duo subsequently expanded this acoustic-based act and, as Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers, became one of the finest acts of the UK ‘pub rock’ genre. The group split up in 1975, following which Lithman returned to California where he re-established links with the arcane Residents. Although Lithman became known as Snakefinger while with Chilli Willi, his exceptional dexterity and skills were apparent on several Residents’ recordings, including their reconstructed rendition of Satisfaction (1976) and the ambitious ESKIMO. The quartet backed Snakefinger on his debut single, The Spot (1978) and over the ensuing three years co-wrote and produced his enthralling solo albums. Each release offered the same surreal qualities of the parent act, combining dismembered melody lines with quite startling guitar work. Later Snakefinger releases appeared outside the Residents’ sphere although the artist still retained links with the group, contributing to STARS AND HANK FOREVER (1986). His solo recordings continued to be both imaginative and compelling, but this talented musician succumbed to a fatal heart attack in 1988.