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Arthur Russell was a genius. He was a cellist, composer, singer, and songwriter. After he died of AIDS in 1992, there were tapes found in his home with over 100 different mixes of the same song. Nothing he did was ever quite finished - he was eternally tinkering with a mix, re-recording, trying to make sure it was all perfect. As a result, much of his music was released haphazardly, on singles and compilations under a variety of pseudonyms, and much of it only released posthumously. He was so dedicated to his craft that it was said that when he died it was as if he had simply disappeared into his music. Russell was part of the New York "downtown" scene of the late 70s and 80s. He succeeded Rhys Chatham as program director of The Kitchen, and his forward-thinking booking style combined avant-garde and pop music with total freedom. His first album was a recording of the orchestral suite Instrumentals. This album is a great example of poppy, intellectual post-minimalism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHcUU8VQ8PI Later Russell formed the group Loose Joints with other downtown musicians; their biggest single was "Is It All Over My Face?" The subversive, campy sexuality and groove exemplify the qualities that Russell, who often went to clubs to listen to music rather than dance or socialize, saw in disco. Wikipedia posted:With a stated ambition to create "the disco White Album", the group—under contract to leading underground disco label West End Records—recorded hours of music but only released three songs, "Is It All Over My Face", "Pop Your Funk" (in two disparate arrangements, including a no wave-influenced single edit), and "Tell You Today". D'Aquisto, a non-musician who favored such extemporaneous touches as off-key singing and the input of street buskers, repeatedly clashed with the perfectionist Russell throughout the sessions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka-PLgW8iQE Next was Russell's "24-24 Music," another album of pop-influenced minimalism. The title comes from the fact that the suite changes rhythm every 24 bars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lxQ4Hf0XP8 Russell went on to release singles like mad throughout the 80s, including some work on hip-hop and electropop tracks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y7G1Jig7Jk Hilariously, Russell actually produced the debut single of a young man who we all now know and love as Vin Diesel: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/05/hear-vin-diesels-1986-rap-collaboration-with-arthur-russell.html In 1986, Russell released "World of Echo." It's an extremely stripped-down series of songs for cello and voice. Russell uses a ton of distortion, the eponymous echo, and other effects here to create a hazy, strange, and forlorn atmosphere in many of the songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s8JYo9f7ws https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzr0K_m9VnI In the past several years, a large group of compilation albums have been released, opening Russell's more obscure music to a much wider audience. One of my favorites is Love Is Overtaking Me from 2008, an unbelievably beautiful collection of love songs - some simple cowboy songs for acoustic guitar, some big catchy disco numbers, some 70s rock/soul epics, and everything in between. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_34UZwp_k58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoOmVzMx0Ug If you're interested in Russell's life, I highly recommend the documentary WILD COMBINATION: A Portrait of Arthur Russell. To me it makes Arthur seem like someone fairly wrapped up in himself, almost callous in some of his relationships, but who nonetheless felt very deeply and was only able to express it through his music. The interviews with his longtime boyfriend are very touching. acephalousuniverse fucked around with this message at 00:57 on May 24, 2014 |
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May 24, 2014 00:36
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Russell is one of my absolutely favorite musicians of all time. Thanks for making this thread.
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Jan 5, 2015 20:38
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Thread is long overdue. Excellent OP as well. 5/5 I just bought Love is Overtaking Me yesterday. Looking forward to having a listen tonight.
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Jan 6, 2015 04:20
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sold. haven't paid him much attention because once in awhile his stuff rubs me the wrong way but this thread will see me junting through the last week of my Two Weeks Notice Fortnight.
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Jan 6, 2015 04:30
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