Arthur Russell

Real Name:
Charles Arthur Russell, Jr.
Profile:
(May 21, 1951 – April 4, 1992)

Born Charles Arthur Russell in 1952 and raised in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he later studied the cello and began to write his own music. In the early 1970s, he moved to California and studied Indian music at the Ali Akbar Khan School in San Francisco. He met Allen Ginsberg, with whom he began to work, accompanying him on the cello while Allen sang or read his poetry.

In the mid 1970s, Arthur Russell moved to New York. (......) He contributed to The Flying Hearts in studio work and, occasionally, in performance with David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett and Peter Zummo. From 1975 to 1979 this ensemble, together with Glenn Iamaro, Bill Ruyle and Jon Sholle, performed and recorded the orchestral composition of Instrumentals (Disques du Crepescule, 1984, Belgium)

In 1979, Arthur wrote and produced 'Kiss Me Again', under the name Dinosaur. It was the first disco single to be released by Sire Records, and the first of many of Arthur's' innovative dance tunes. This was followed by 'Is It All Over My Face' by Loose Joints, released in 1980. In 1982, Arthur Russell and William Socolov founded Sleeping Bag records and their first release was his 24-24 Music. The number 'Go Bang', which originated from this album, was re-mixed as a 12" single by Francois Kevorkian.

In 1983, the album Tower of Meaning (Chatham Square) was released. This compelling and meditative recording, conducted by Julius Eastman, represents just a fragment of a much larger composition, which includes voices along with its instrumentation.

At the same time, Arthur continued to release dance singles such as 'Tell You Today' (4th and Broadway, 1983) an upbeat dance groove featuring the vocals of Joyce Bowden. Additional dance tunes included Wax the Van (Jump Street, 1985) with vocals by Lola Blank, wife of notorious Bob, 'Treehouse/Schoolbell' (Sleeping Bag, 1986) and Let's Go Swimming (Upside/Rough Trade, 1986).

During the mid 1980s, Arthur Russell gave many performances, either accompanying himself on cello with a myriad of effects, or working with a small ensemble consisting of Mustafa Ahmed, Steven Hall, Elodie Lauten and Peter Zummo.

1986 saw the release of 'World of Echo' (Upside/Rough Trade, 1986), which incorporated many of his ideas for pop, dance and classical music for both solo and cello format. This critically acclaimed album was included in Melody Maker's "Top Thirty Releases of 1986."

Arthur also collaborated with a number of choreographers, including John Bernd, Diane Madden, Alison Salzinger and Stephanie Woodard.

When Arthur Russell died of AIDS on April 4, 1992, at the age of 40, the obituary for in the Village Voice wrote: "his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music."
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Discography

Releases:
Tower Of Meaning (LP, Album)   Chatham Square Productions 1983
Instrumentals, 1974 - Vol. 2 (LP)   Another Side 1984
Let's Go Swimming (4 versions)   Rough Trade (UK) ... 1986
World Of Echo (Album) (7 versions)   Rough Trade (UK) ... 1986
Another Thought (Comp) (2 versions)   Point Music ... 1994
Another Thought (Radio Edits) (CD, Maxi)   Point Music 1994
In The Light Of The Miracle (12", W/Lbl, Promo)   Talkin' Loud 1996
Calling Out Of Context (Comp) (3 versions)   Rough Trade (UK) ... 2004
Calling Out Of Context : Album Sampler EP (12")   Rough Trade (UK) 2004
The World Of Arthur Russell (Comp) (4 versions)   Soul Jazz Records ... 2004
Let's Go Swimming (File, EP)   Audika 2005
First Thought Best Thought (Comp) (3 versions)   Audika ... 2006
Springfield (Comp) (2 versions)   Audika 2006
Love Is Overtaking Me (Comp) (4 versions)   Audika ... 2008
Come To Life / Ghosts (7", Single)   Terrible Records (2) 2009
The Sleeping Bag Sessions (Comp) (2 versions)   Traffic Entertainment Group 2009
Production:
Kiss Me Again (3 versions)   Sire Records Company 1978
Give Your Body Up To The Music / Speak Well (12", Ltd) Give Your Body Up To T... West End Records 1979
Is It All Over My Face? (4 versions)   West End Records 1980
Is It All Over My Face? / Pop Your Funk (3 versions)   West End Records 1980
Pop Your Funk (7", Promo)   West End Records 1980
Go Bang! #5 / Clean On Your Bean #1 (3 versions)   Sleeping Bag Records 1982
School Bell / Treehouse (3 versions)   Sleeping Bag Records 1986
Dinosaur L Bangs Again / Go Bang (12")   City Beat 1988
The Mixdown Part 1 (2xLP, Comp) Go Bang #5 Sleeping Bag Records (UK) 1989
The West End Story (Volume 2) (Comp) (3 versions) Is It All Over My Face West End Records ... 1992
The West End Story (Volumes 1+2) (2xCD) Is It All Over My Face ZYX Music 1993
Old School Jams 2 (CD) Is It All Over My Face SPG Music Productions Ltd. 1996
Disco Not Disco (Comp) (2 versions) Kiss Me Again (Origina... Strut 2000
Disco Not Disco 2 (Comp) (2 versions) Let's Go Swimming Strut 2001
Give Your Body (Up To The Music) (Remixes) (2x12")   West End Records 2002
SoulShine's Soulful Session (CD) Is It All Over My Face Clubstar 2002
Maestro (2xCD, Comp) Go Bang (Francois K Mix) Tinted Records 2006
Tell You (Today) (12")   West End Records 2006
Sleeping Bag's Greatest 12" Mixes (CD, Comp) Go Bang Acrobat 2008
The West End Story Vol. 2 (CD, Comp) Is It All Over My Face West End Records  
Appears On:
Disconnected (The Dial-A-Poem Poets) (2xLP, Comp) Jimmy Bearman Giorno Poetry Systems 1974
Kiss Me Again (3 versions)   Sire Records Company ... 1978
I Really Want To Bomb You (7")   Lust/Unlust Music 1980
Is It All Over My Face / Can't You Feel It (12", Ltd) Is It All Over My Face... West End Records 1980
Is It All Over My Face? (3 versions)   West End Records 1980
24→24 Music (Album) (3 versions)   Sleeping Bag Records ... 1981
Big Sky (LP)   Sire Records Company 1981
The Fruit Of The Original Sin (Album, Comp) (2 versions) Sudan Les Disques Du Crépuscule ... 1981
Event Horizon (LP, Album)   Sire Records Company 1982
Life Is A Killer (LP) Cowboys Are Frequently... Giorno Poetry Systems 1982
Stop Vicious Cycles (LP) Fay Shism Blues Lovely Music, Ltd. 1982
Lost Tribe (12") Lost Tribe Battery Sound, Battery Sound 1983
Snake Charmer (MiniAlbum) (4 versions) Hold On To Your Dreams Island Records 1983
Tell You (Today) (Maxi) (3 versions)   4th & Broadway ... 1983
5 Minutes (3 versions) 5 Minutes (R-R-R Radio... Sleeping Bag Records 1984
Concerto For Piano And Orchestral Memory (LP, Ltd)   Cat Collectors 1984
Secret Pastures (ballet suite) (Cass, Album, C90)   Artservices 1984
The Death Of Don Juan (LP)   Cat Collectors 1985
Zummo With An X (LP)   Loris Records 1985
Innocent (LP) That Hat CBS 1986
School Bell / Treehouse (2 versions)   Sleeping Bag Records 1986
Boogie On Broadway - Best Of Fourth And Broadway Volume One (Comp, Album) (2 versions) Tell You Island Records 1987
Wax The Van (5 versions)   Jump Street Records ... 1987
Bango (To The Batmobile) / Back To The Beat (2 versions) Bango (To The Batmobil... Fresh Records ... 1988
Blind (Single) (3 versions) Bill EMI Records ... 1988
Casual Gods (Album) (4 versions) A Perfect Lie Fontana ... 1988
Casual Gods (LP, Album) A Perfect Lie Sire Records Company 1988
Dinosaur L Bangs Again / Go Bang (12")   City Beat 1988
I Need More (12")   Vinylmania 1988
Naked (Album) (4 versions) Bill EMI Records ... 1988
To The Batmobile Let's Go (4 versions)   Galaxis ... 1988
Deep Heat (2xCD, Comp) Bango (To The Batmobile) Telstar 1989
Sleeping Bag - Exclusive Mixes: Mixed With Love (CD, Comp) Go Bang #5, School Bel... P-Vine Records 1996
Two Solo Pieces (CD, Album, RE) Song 1 New Tone Records 1996
Soak (CD, Album) Time To Go Home Now Luaka Bop, Virgin, Virgin, Virgin 1998
Larry Levan's Classic West End Records Remixes Made Famous At The Legendary Paradise Garage (CD, Comp, RM) Is It All Over My Face... West End Records 1999
Larry Levan's Paradise Garage (3x12", Comp, RM, Ltd) Is It All Over My Face... West End Records 1999
Disco Not Disco (Comp) (2 versions) Tell You (Today) (Voca... Strut 2000
Disco Not Disco 2 (2xLP) Let's Go Swimming Strut 2002
New York Noise (CD, Comp, Sli) Clean On Your Bean #1 Soul Jazz Records 2003
Miranda Dali (CD) Sudan (Acoustic) LTM Publishing (Les Temps Modernes) 2004
The Memory Band (CD) This Is How We Walk On... Hungry Hill 2004
Kiss Me Again And Again (EP) (2 versions)   Intr_version Records 2005
Optimo Present Psyche Out (CD, Sli) Kiss Me Again Eskimo Recordings 2005
80s Groove 2 Sessions (2xCD, Comp) Go Bang! (Francois K Mix) Sessions 2006
All Over Your Face (12")   West End Xprs. 2006
Another Gay Soundtrack (File, AAC, Comp, 256) All Over Your Face Peace Bisquit 2006
Collectors Series Pt.2 - Danse, Gravité Zéro (CD, Mixed, Comp, Album) The Platform On The Ocean Faith Recordings, Faith Recordings 2006
DJ-Kicks (Comp) (5 versions) Get Around To It Studio !K7 2006
First Blues (2xCD)   Water 2006
From The Kitchen Archives No.3 / Amplified: New Music Meets Rock, 1981-1986 (CD, Album, Comp) RTZ, Hiding Your Prese... Orange Mountain Music 2006
Get Into It (CD, Album + DVD) All Over Your Face West End Xprs. 2006
Original Soundtrack From The Documentary 'Gay Sex In The 70s' (CD, Comp) Is It All Over My Face... West End Records 2006
TSHDT CD Compendium 0002 (CD) All Over Your Face (Or... They Shoot Homos Don't They (Magazine) 2006
Talking Heads: 77 (Album) (2 versions) Psycho Killer (Acousti... Sire Records Company ... 2006
Four Songs By Arthur Russell (Maxi) (2 versions)   Rough Trade (UK) ... 2007
Out Of The Woods (Album) (8 versions) Get Around To It Virgin ... 2007
Shocking Pinks (Album) (2 versions) You Can Make Me Feel Bad DFA ... 2007
Fresh's Greatest 12" Mixes (CD, Comp) Bango (To The Batmobile) Acrobat 2008
Ok_Computer (CD, Comp) Place I Know / Kid Lik... Mojo Magazine 2008
Sleeping Bag's Greatest 12" Mixes (CD, Comp) Go Bang Acrobat 2008
Sleepwalk: A Selection By Optimo (Espacio) (CD, Comp) This Is How We Walk On... Domino Recording Company Ltd. 2008
The Death Of Don Juan (CD, RE, Jew)   Unseen Worlds 2008
This Is How We Walk On The Moon (LP)   Apparent Extent 2008
Arthur Russell Interpretation 2009 (12")   Electric Minds 2009
Go Bang! A Tribute To Arthur Russell (CD, Album)   Electric Minds 2009
The Grandfather Paradox (CD, Mixed + CD, Comp) Make 1, 2 BBE 2009
Tsugi Sampler 26 (CD, Smplr, Mixed, Car) Arm Around You Tsugi Sampler 2010
Tracks Appear On:
The Fruit Of The Original Sin (Album, Comp) (4 versions) Sketch For 'Face Of He... Les Disques Du Crépuscule ... 1981
(Thanks To Rough Trade For) A Constant Source Of Interruption (Comp) (2 versions) Let's Go Swimming Rough Trade (UK) ... 1990
Ocean Of Sound 2: Crooning On Venus (2xCD) See Through Love Virgin 1996
Modulations: Cinema For The Ear (3 versions) Go Bang IMC Vision ... 1998
Disco Not Disco 2 (Comp) (2 versions) Let's Go Swimming Strut 2001
Nuphonic 04 (2 versions) Wild Combination Nuphonic 2001
I Like It Volume 1 (Comp) (2 versions) In The Light Of The Mi... Compost Records 2003
Dirty Diamonds II (CD, Album) See Through Love Diamond Traxx 2004
How To Kill The DJ [Part Two] (Comp) (3 versions) Another Thought Kill The DJ Records 2004
Life:Styles (Compiled By Coldcut) (CD, Comp) Another Thought Harmless 2004
Radio Number 1 2004 (CDr, Promo, Mixed) Another Thought Ninja Tune 2004
The Wire Tapper 11 (CD, Comp, Promo) You Have Did The Right... Wire Magazine 2004
Uncut Presents (CD) The Platform On The Ocean Uncut Magazine 2004
Collectors Series Pt.2 - Danse, Gravité Zéro (Comp, Album) (2 versions) The Platform On The Ocean Faith Recordings ... 2006
DJ-Kicks (Comp) (6 versions) Get Around To It Studio !K7 2006
From The Kitchen Archives No.3 / Amplified: New Music Meets Rock, 1981-1986 (CD, Album, Comp) Hiding Your Present Fr... Orange Mountain Music 2006
TSHDT CD Compendium 0002 (CD) Get Around To It They Shoot Homos Don't They (Magazine) 2006
Summertime Blues (CD, Album) That's Us/Wild Combina... Plan B (2), Rough Trade (UK) 2007
Ok_Computer (CD, Comp) Place I Know / Kid Lik... Mojo Magazine 2008
Sleepwalk: A Selection By Optimo (Espacio) (Comp) (2 versions) This Is How We Walk On... Domino Recording Company Ltd. 2008
C09 Rough Trade Compilation (Cass, Comp) Love Is Overtaking Me Rough Trade (UK) 2009
Electric Minds Volume 1 (CD, Comp) Wax The Van (Yam Who R... Electric Minds 2009
Electric Minds Volume 1 (CD, Comp) Wax The Van (Yam Who R... Electric Minds 2009
FACT Mix 105 (File, MP3, Comp, Mixed, 320) Arm Around Me FACT Magazine 2009
Folk But Not Folk! 2 (CD, Comp, Promo) Home Away From Home Music For Dreams 2009
Japan Set At Domo Arigato Podcast (File, MP3, 192) Losing My Taste For Th... Anticon 2009
RA.155 (File, MP3, Mixed, Pod) Soon-To-Be Innocent Fun Resident Advisor 2009
RA.156 (File, Mixed, MP3, Pod) Your Motion Says Resident Advisor 2009
The Grandfather Paradox (CD, Mixed + CD, Comp) Make 1, 2 BBE 2009
Tsugi Sampler 26 (CD, Smplr, Mixed, Car) Arm Around You Tsugi Sampler 2010
Unofficial Releases:
Grand Beat / Treehouse (12") Treehouse (Extended Edit) Demo Music Ltd 1989
In The Light Of The Miracle / New York City (12") In The Light Of The Mi... NYC 2003
Go Bang (Walter Gibbons Unreleased Mix) (12") Go Bang (Walter Gibbon... Not On Label 2004
Kiss Me Again / Changes / Sweet Lady (Dance With Me) (12") Kiss Me Again Underground Disco Classics 2004
Out Of The Woods (CD, Album) Get Around To It Virgin (2) 2007
Rvng Prsnts Mx5 (CD, Comp, Mixed, Unofficial) Make 1,2 Rvng Intl. 2007
Disco Real Right Edits (12") In The Light (Re-Edit) Galaxy Sound Company 2008
Nocturne (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) Deer In The Forest Not On Label 2008
Rvng Prsnts Mx5.5: Purple Pills For Sleepless Nights (CDr, Comp, Mixed, Ltd, Unofficial) This Is How We Walk On... Rvng Intl. 2008
Is It All Over My Face (12", Ltd, Comp) Home Away From Home, T... Sleeping Bag Records (2), Celebrate Life 2009
24→24 Music (LP)   Sleeping Bag Records (2)  
Go Bang! #5 / Clean On Your Bean #1 (12", Unofficial) Go Bang #5, Clean On Y... Sleeping Bag Records (2), Sleeping Bag Records (2)  
In The Light Of The Miracle (2 versions)   Not On Label  
Is It All Over My Face / Do'in The Best That I Can (12", Ltd, Unofficial) Is It All Over My Face... West End Records  
Kiss Me Again / Changes / Sweet Lady (Dance With Me) (12") Kiss Me Again Underground Disco Classics  
The Disco Dogs Present Back In The Daze: Rare And Classic Cuts From The New York Underground Volume 1 (12") Wax The Van Not On Label  
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YouTube Videos

Arthur Russell In The Light of the Miracle