Arthur Russell
Charles Arthur Russell Jr. (1952 – April 4, 1992) was an American cellist, composer, singer, and disco artist. While he found the most success in dance music, Russell's career bridged New York's downtown, rock, and dance music scenes; his collaborators ranged from Philip Glass to David Byrne to Nicky Siano. Relatively unknown during his life, a series of reissues and compilations have raised his profile in the 2000s.
Charles Arthur Russell Jr. (1952 – April 4, 1992) was an American cellist, composer, singer, and disco artist. While he found the most success in dance music, Russell's career bridged New York's downtown, rock, and dance music scenes; his collaborators ranged from Philip Glass to David Byrne to Nicky Siano. Relatively unknown during his life, a series of reissues and compilations have raised his profile in the 2000s.
Member of: Dinosaur L
Kiss Me Again
Arthur Russell first visited The Gallery in 1976 with his then boyfriend Louis, who introduced him to Nicky Siano. Arthur became a regular at the space and one night as Siano was playing “Turn the Beat Around”, which had just been released, Arthur waved at him from outside the booth and asked to come in. Nicky opened the door and Arthur suggested they make a record like this together. This ended up being a huge step for Siano as it marked the first ever production by a DJ making a record from sc…
Wild Combination - A Zine Inspired By The Music Of Arthur Russell
A 24-page A4 2 colour riso zine inspired by the words and music of Arthur Russell. Combining Arthur's lyrics with full page illustrations and comics, this was 1st printed nearly 10 years ago and is back in print again!
Travels Over Feeling: Arthur Russell, a Life (Book)
The music of Arthur Russell defies classification. From his pioneering compositions as part of New York's vibrant avant-garde scene (alongside artists including Philip Glass, David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, John Cage, and Allen Ginsberg) to his genre-expanding disco productions, from his new wave and art pop to his posthumously released folk songs, Russell crafted timeless and foundationally influential work until his premature death in 1992 from AIDS-related illnesses.
Now, in a landmark publicat…
Picture of Bunny Rabbit
LP version. "In 1986 Arthur Russell was diagnosed with HIV, that same year he released his career-defining masterpiece World of Echo, the first and only solo album issued during his lifetime. Arthur had found his voice and a fresh direction with a set of new, transformative material, unlike anything he or anyone else had previously released. His illness ensured that the artistic growth and sense of exploration encapsulated in World of Echo would be tragically curtailed. Within six short years Ar…
Iowa Dream
Double LP version. "Over the past decade, the visionary musician Arthur Russell has entered something close to the mainstream. Sampled and referenced by contemporary musicians, his papers now open to visitors at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center in New York, and his name synonymous with a certain strain of tenderness, Russell is as widely known as he's ever been. Thanks to Russell's partner Tom Lee and to Steve Knutson of Audika Records, who have forged several records from Russell's…
World of Echo
2019 Repress. Remastered reissue of the late, great Arthur Russell's peerless, definitive opus 'World of Echo'. Buy on sight!** The seminal 'World Of Echo' was originally released on vinyl in 1986 on Upside Records and has been an essential but hard to find collectors item ever since. Audika now finally gift the world this new vinyl pressing - freshly remastered from the recording sessions, including beatless versions of disco classics like Lola's 'Wax the Van', 'Treehouse' and 'Let's go swimmin…
Calling Out Of Context
"The compilation that started the renaissance. In 2002 Audika Records entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with the estate of Arthur Russell to compile and issue previously unreleased and out of print material from Arthur's vast archive. This first album Calling Out of Context, features 12 previously unreleased tracks of Buddhist Bubblegum Alt Disco Pop recorded during Arthur's prime years 1985-90."
"Four years ago, Audika Records began releasing the exceptionally varied, long sought-af…