Hardy Fox was the primary composer of The Residents. He created an incredible body of work, using all kinds of names other than The Residents, amongst them Combo De Mechanio, Sonidas De La Noche, Dead Eye Dick, Charles Bobuck or Black Tar And The Cry Babies. Hardy first stopped touring with The Residents due to health issues. Soon afterwards, he left the group completely to concnetrate on his solo work. After several albums as Charles Bobuck (later only Bobuck), the name given to him when still a member of The Residents, he later dropped all pseudonyms to work as Hardy Fox.

His first self-titled solo recording was an album full of minimal love songs, a portrait of the young Hardy Fox. The second, Nachtzug was about his last days touring with The Residents. It was followed by Rilla Contemplates Love, a concept album about the thoughts and feelings of a gorilla. Wallpaper was originally released on Hardy Fox's website and is an adaptation of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The music was created by Hardy, the text was read by Joey R.