This is the first full discography of the published recordings on which Arthur Russellppeared as an original artist or as a member of a band or studio outfit, as well as releases where he made an appearance as an instrumentalist, mixer, or guest songwriter. Promotional copies and bootlegs are listed only when thee cord didn’teceive a commercial release, while Russell’s twelve-inch dance reissues and compilation appearances are too numerous to list here in their entirety.
Producers and remixers are referenced when their names were included on the original release, but details of musicians and engineers and song lengths have been omitted for consistency and brevity. In cases of multiple issues across format and country, CD numbering systems are used instead of vinyl numbering systems, while original publishing agreements are listed instead of licensing parties. The use of “Side 1”and “Side A” follows original usage.
This discography is provisional, in part because so many of Russell’s recordings exist only on tape, and in part because the ongoing excavation of the archives means that old recordings will continue to be released after the publication of this book. Other anomalies exist: for example, three different versions of the twelve-inch single “Tell You (Today)” are in circulation, but inconsistent labeling makes them difficult to distinguish from one another. Because of the fluctuating nature of the market, no attempt has been made to indicate the availability of any recording. Finally, I have corrected apparently unintentional mistakes, such as the misspelling of names.
1978
Dinosaur, “Kiss Me Again”
Seven-inch promotional single, Sire, 1978 (SRE-1034)
Side 1. “Kiss Me Again
Side 2. “Kiss Me Again”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Nicky Siano; remixed by Jimmy Simpson
Dinosaur, “Kiss Me Again”
Twelve-inch single, Sire, 1978 (SRD-1035)
Side 1. “Kiss Me Again.” Remixed by Jimmy Simpson
Side 2. “Kiss Me Again (Version)”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Nicky Siano
Note: This record was also released as a red vinyl promotional twelve-inch single
(PRO-A-0771)
1979
Dinosaur, “Kiss Me Again”
Twelve-inch promotional single, Sire, 1979 (PRO-A-0785)
Side 1. “Kiss Me Again (Edit).” Remixed by Dinosaur
Side 2. “Kiss Me Again.” Remixed by Jimmy Simpson
Produced by Arthur Russell and Nicky Siano
Loose Joints, “Pop Your Funk”
Seven-inch promotional single, West End, 1980 (WES-1228)
Side 1. “Pop Your Funk (Vocal)”
Side 2. “Pop Your Funk (Instrumental)”
1980
Loose Joints, “Is It All Over My Face?” / “Pop Your Funk”
Twelve-inch single, West End, 1980 (WES-22128)
Side A. “Is It All Over My Face?”
Side B. “Pop Your Funk”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Steve D’Acquisto
Loose Joints, “Is It All Over My Face? (Female Vocal)” /
“Is It All Over My Face? (Male Vocal)”
Twelve-inch single, West End, 1980 (WES-22129)
Side A. “Is It All Over My Face? (Female Vocal).” Remixed by Larry Levan
Side B. “Is It All Over My Face? (Male Vocal)”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Steve D’Acquisto
Side 2. “Kiss Me Again”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Nicky Siano; remixed by Jimmy Simpson
Dinosaur, “Kiss Me Again”
Twelve-inch single, Sire, 1978 (SRD-1035)
Side 1. “Kiss Me Again.” Remixed by Jimmy Simpson
Side 2. “Kiss Me Again (Version)”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Nicky Siano
Note: This record was also released as a red vinyl promotional twelve-inch single
(PRO-A-0771)
1981
Dinosaur L, 24 −−> 24 Music
Album, Sleeping Bag Records, 1981 (TLX-0)
Side 1. “#1 (You’re Gonna Be Clean on Your Bean)” / “#5 (Go Bang!)” /
“#2 (No, Thank You)” / “#7”
Side 2. “#3 (In the Corn Belt)” / “#6 (Get Set)”
Dinosaur L, 24 −−> 24 Music
Album, Sleeping Bag Records, 1981 (TLX-0)
Side 1. “#1 (You’re Gonna Be Clean on Your Bean)” / “#5 (Go Bang!)” /
“#2 (No, Thank You)” / “#7”
Side 2. “#3 (In the Corn Belt)” / “#6 (Get Set)”
Produced by Arthur Russell, except track #1 produced by Arthur Russell and
Peter Gordon
Necessaries, Big Sky
Album, Sire, 1981 (SRK-3573)
Side A. “Back to You” / “Driving and Talking at the Same Time” /
“Born Yesterday” / “My Baby’s Explosive” / “Sahara”
Side B. “Europe” / “Algebra” / “Detroit Tonight” / “State-of-the-Art” /
“On the Run” / “Cuba Mortis”
Produced by Bob Blank
Various, The Fruit of the Original Sin
Compilation album, Les Disques du Crépuscule, 1981 (TWI-035)
Side D, track 4. Arthur Russell, “Sketch for ‘Face of Helen’”
1982
Dinosaur L, “Go Bang! #5” / “Clean on Your Bean #1”
Twelve-inch single, Sleeping Bag Records, 1982 (SLX-0 / SLX-000)
Side A. “Go Bang! #5.” Produced by Arthur Russell and Will Socolov
Side B. “Clean on Your Bean #1.” Produced by Arthur Russell and Peter Gordon.
Rap by Andre and Abel
Mixed by François K
Necessaries, Event Horizon
Album, Sire, 1982 (SRK-3574)
Side 1. “Rage” / “More Real” / “Like No Other” / “Driving and Talking at the
Same Time” / “AEIOU” / “Sahara”
Side 2. “Europe” / “State-of-the-Art” / “The Finish Line” / “Detroit Tonight” /
“On the Run” / “Paceways”
Produced by Bob Blank
1983
Loose Joints, “Tell You (Today)”
Twelve-inch single, 4th and Broadway, 1983 (BWAY401)
Side A. “Tell You (Today).” Mixed by Larry Levan, Eddie Garcia, and
Robert Moraty
Side B. “Tell You (Today) (New Shoes) Part I” / “Tell You (Today) (New Shoes)
Part II.” Mixed by In the Cornbelt
Produced by Killer Whale [Arthur Russell] and Steve D’Acquisto
Arthur Russell, Tower of Meaning
Album, Chatham Square, 1983 (CLS-145)
Conducted by Julius Eastman
1984
Arthur Russell, Instrumentals (1974—Vol. 2)
Album, Another Side, 1984 (SIDE-8401)
1986
Indian Ocean, “School Bell / Treehouse”
Twelve-inch single, Sleeping Bag Records, 1986 (SLX-023)
Side A. “Treehouse / School Bell”
Side B. “School Bell / Treehouse”
Produced by Arthur Russell and Peter Zummo; mixed (“with love”)
by Walter Gibbons
Arthur Russell, “Let’s Go Swimming”
Twelve-inch single, Logarhythm, 1986 (LR-1002–1)
Side A. “Let’s Go Swimming (Gulf Stream Dub)” / “Let’s Go Swimming
(Puppy Surf Dub)”
Side B. “Let’s Go Swimming (Coastal Dub).” Mixed (“with love”)
by Walter Gibbons
Produced by Arthur Russell and Mark Freedman; edited by Killer Whale
[Arthur Russell]
Arthur Russell, World of Echo
Album, Upside Records, 1986 (UP-60009)
Side A. “Tone Bone Kone” / “Soon-to-Be Innocent Fun / Let’s See” / “Answers
Me” / “Being It” / “Place I Know / Kid Like You” / “She’s the Star / I Take
This Time”
Side B. “Tree House” / “See-Through” / “Hiding Your Present from You” / “Wax
the Van” / “All-Boy All-Girl” / “Lucky Cloud” / “Tower of Meaning / Rabbit’s
Ear / Home away from Home” / “Let’s Go Swimming”
Produced by Arthur Russell
1987
Various, Sleeping Bag’s Greatest Mixers II
Compilation album, Sleeping Bag Records, 1987 (TLX-42012)
Side X, track 5. Dinosaur L, “Cornbelt.” Mixed by Larry Levan
1994
Arthur Russell, Another Thought
Album, Point, 1994 (438–891–2)
1. “Another Thought” (1985) / 2. “A Little Lost” (1982) / 3. “Home away from
Home” (1986) / 4. “Lucky Cloud” (1984) / 5. “This Is How We Walk on the
Moon” (1984) / 6. “Hollow Tree” (1985) / 7. “See through Love” (1986) /
8. “Keeping Up” (1988) / 9. “In the Light of the Miracle” (1982) / 10. “Just a
Blip” (1986) / 11. “Me for Real” (1990) / 12. “Losing My Taste for the Night
Life” (1987) / 13. “My Tiger, My Timing” (1988) / 14. “A Sudden Chill” (1986)
All words and music by Arthur Russell, except “In the Light of the Miracle,”
words by Arthur Russell, music by Elodie Lauten and Arthur Russell
Produced by Don Christensen
1999
Various, David Mancuso Presents the Loft
Compilation album, Nuphonic, 1999 (NUX-136)
Disc 1, track 2. Loose Joints, “Is It All Over My Face? (Unreleased Original Full-
Length Version)”
Compiled by David Mancuso.
2000
Various, Disco Not Disco
Compilation album, Strut, 2000 (STRUTCD-008)
Track 3. Loose Joints, “Tell You (Today)”
Track 7. Dinosaur, “Kiss Me Again (Original Edit)”
Track 10. Indian Ocean, “School Bell / Tree House [sic] (Part 1)”
Compiled by Dave Lee and Sean P.
2001
Various, Disco Not Disco 2
Compilation album, Strut, 2001 (STRUTCD-020)
Track 8. Arthur Russell, “Let’s Go Swimming”
Compiled by Sean P. and Dave Lee
2004
Dinosaur L, “Go Bang (Walter Gibbons Unreleased Mix)”
Twelve-inch single, bootleg, 2004 (Slebb-05)
Remixed by Walter Gibbons
Arthur Russell, Calling out of Context
Album, Audika, 2004 (AU-1001–2)
1. “The Deer in the Forest Part One” / 2. “The Platform on the Ocean” /
3. “You and Me Both” / 4. “Calling out of Context” / 5. “Arm around You” /
6. “That’s Us / Wild Combination” / 7. “Make 1, 2” / 8. “Hop on Down” /
9. “Get Around to It” / 10. “I Like You” / 11. “You Can Make Me Feel Bad” /
12. “Calling All Kids”
All words and music by Arthur Russell
Tracks 1, 2, 4 produced and mixed by Killer Whale [Arthur Russell] and Arthur
Russell, 1984–85; tracks 3, 5–12 produced and mixed by Arthur Russell, 1986–
90; track 12 produced by Arthur Russell and remixed (“with love”)
by Walter Gibbons
Compiled by Steve Knutson, Tom Lee, and Melissa Jones
Arthur Russell, Terrace of Unintelligibility
DVD (limited edition) issued with World of Echo, Audika, 2004 (AU-1002–3)
Track 1. “Terrace of Unintelligibility”
Track 2. “Some Imaginary Far Away Type Things, a.k.a, Lost in the Meshes”
Filmed at the Experimental Intermedia Foundation on 22 September and
27 October, 1985
Video by Phill Niblock, music by Arthur Russell
Arthur Russell, The World of Arthur Russell
Compilation album, Soul Jazz Records, 2004 (SLR-LP83)
1. Dinosaur L, “Go Bang” / 2. Lola, “Wax the Van” / 3. Loose Joints, “Is It All
Over My Face (Female Vocal)” / 4. Arthur Russell, “Keeping Up” / 5. Arthur
Russell, “In the Light of the Miracle” / 6. Arthur Russell, “A Little Lost” /
7. Loose Joints, “Pop Your Funk” / 8. Arthur Russell, “Let’s Go Swimming” /
9. Dinosaur L, “In the Corn Belt” (Larry Levan mix) / 10. Arthur Russell,
“Treehouse” / 11. Indian Ocean, “School Bell / Treehouse” (Walter Gibbons
mix)
Compiled by David Hill
Arthur Russell, World of Echo
Album reissue with additional tracks, Audika, 2004 (AU-1002–2)
1. “Tone Bone Kone” / 2. “Soon-to-Be Innocent Fun” / 3. “Answers Me” /
4. “Being It” / 5. “Place I Know / Kid Like You” / 6. “She’s the Star / I Take
This Time” / 7. “Tree House” / 8. “See-Through” / 9. “Hiding Your Present
from You” / 10. “Wax the Van” / 11. “All-Boy All-Girl” / 12. “Lucky Cloud” /
13. “Tower of Meaning / Rabbit’s Ear / Home away from Home” / 14. “Let’s
Go Swimming” / 15. “The Name of the Next Song” / 16. “Happy Ending” /
17. “Canvas Home” / 18. “Our Last Night Together”
Tracks 15–18 from Sketches for World of Echo, produced by Arthur Russell, 1986
(previously unreleased)
2005
Arthur Russell, Let’s Go Swimming
MP3 EP, Audika, 2005 (AU-1003–2)
1. “Let’s Go Swimming (Gulf Stream Dub)” / 2. “You Have Did the Right Thing
When You Put That Skylight In” / 3. “Hiding Your Present From You” /
4. “They and Their Friends”
Produced by Steve Knutson
2006
Arthur Russell, Another Thought
Album reissue, Orange Mountain Music, 2006 (OMM-0027)
Arthur Russell, First Thought Best Thought
Album, Audika, 2006 (AU-1005–2)
Disc 1. 1–10. “Instrumentals—1974: Volume 1” (previously unreleased),
recorded 27 April 1975 at the Kitchen / 11. “Instrumentals—1974: Volume 2,
Part 1,” recorded 23 June 1977 at the Franklin Street Art Center / 12–15.
“Instrumentals—1974: Volume 2, Part 2,” recorded 10 May 1978 at the
Kitchen / 16. “Reach One (With Two Fender Rhodes)” (1973), recorded
7 May 1975 at the Experimental Intermedia Foundation
Disc 2. 1–7. “Tower of Meaning,” recorded February 1981. Julius Eastman,
conductor / 8. “Sketch for the Face of Helen,” recorded sometime in the
early 1980s
Compilation produced by Steve Knutson and Ernie Brooks
Arthur Russell, Springfield
Album, Audika, 2006 (AU-1007–2)
1. “Springfield” / 2. “Springfield (DFA remix)” / 3. “Springfield (Detail)” /
4. “See My Brother, He’s Jumping Out (Let’s Go Swimming #1)” /
5. “Corn #3” / 6. “Hiding Your Present from You” / 7. “You Have Did
the Right Thing When You Put That Skylight In”
Arthur Russell: vocals, cello, keyboards, and all drum programming; Peter
Zummo: trombone. Additional keyboard and drum programming by the
DFA on track 2.
All tracks written and produced by Arthur Russell, except for track 4, produced
by Arthur Russell and Mark Freedman. All tracks previously unreleased.
Tracks 1–3 recorded in New York City in 1988, and tracks 4–7 from Corn,
recorded 1985.
Various, Amplified: New Music Meets Rock, 1981–1986 (“From the
Kitchen Archives” series, Vol. 3)
Compilation album, Orange Mountain Music, 2006 (OMM-0024)
Track 6. Arthur Russell, “Hiding Your Present From You.” Music and words
by Arthur Russell; cello, voice, and electronics by Arthur Russell. From an
unlabeled, eight-track test pressing, recorded at the Experimental Intermedia
Foundation, New York, 1986.
Track 7. Arthur Russell, “All-Boy All-Girl.” Music and words by Arthur Russell;
cello, voice, and electronics by Arthur Russell. From an unlabeled, eight-track
test pressing, recorded at the Experimental Intermedia Foundation, New York,
1986.
2007
Dinosaur L, 24 −−> 24 Music
Album, Traffic Entertainment Group, 2007 (TEG-76530–2)
1. “#1 (You’re Gonna Be Clean on Your Bean)” / 2. “#5 (Go Bang!)” /
3. “#2 (No, Thank You)” / 4. “#7” / 5. “#3 (In the Corn Belt)” /
6. “#6 (Get Set)” / 7. “Clean on Your Bean #1” / 8. “#5 (Go Bang!)
(François K Mix)” / 9. “Go Bang! (Thank You Arthur Edit)” /
10. “In the Corn Belt (Larry Levan Mix)”
Produced by Arthur Russell, except track #1 produced by Arthur Russell and
Peter Gordon
2008
Arthur Russell, Love Is Overtaking Me
Album, Audika, 2008 (AU-1010–2)
1. “Close My Eyes” / 2. “Goodbye Old Paint” / 3. “Maybe She” / 4. Turbo Sporty,
“Oh Fernanda Why” / 5. “Time Away” / 6. “Nobody Wants a Lonely Heart” /
7. “I Couldn’t Say It to Your Face” / 8. “This Time Dad You’re Wrong”
9. Flying Hearts, “What It’s Like” / 10. “Eli” / 11. “Hey! How Does Everybody
Know” / 12. “I Forget and I Can’t Tell” / 13. “Habit of You” / 14. “Janine”
15. “Big Moon” / 16. “Your Motion Says” / 17. “The Letter” / 18. “Don’t Forget
about Me” / 19. Bright and Early, “Love Is Overtaking Me” / 20. Bright and
Early, “Planted a Thought” / 21. “Love Comes Back”
Compilation produced by Ernie Brooks, Steve Knutson, and Tom Lee
Appearances
Jill Kroesen, “I Really Want to Bomb You” / “Jesus Song”
Seven-inch single, Lust/Unlust Music, 1980 (JMB-747)
Arthur Russell: cello
Various, The Fruit of the Original Sin
Compilation album, Les Disques du Crépuscule, 1981 (TWI-035)
Side D, track 2. Thick Pigeon, “Sudan.” Arthur Russell: cello
Jill Kroesen, Stop Vicious Cycles
Album, Lovely Music, 1982 (VR-1501)
Side B, track 2. “Fay Shism Blues.” Arthur Russell: cello
Allen Ginsberg, First Blues
Album, John Hammond Records, 1983 (W2X-37673)
Disc 1, track 5. “CIA Dope Calypso.” Arthur Russell: cello, tambourine
Disc 2, track 2. “Gospel Noble Truths.” Arthur Russell: cello, tambourine
Disc 2, track 6. “Father Death Blues.” Arthur Russell: cello
Powerman, “Lost Tribe”
Twelve-inch single, Battery Sound, 1983 (BS-1013)
A2. “Lost Tribe.” Arthur Russell: cello
Sounds of JHS 126 Brooklyn, “Chill Pill”
Twelve-inch single, Sleeping Bag Records, 1983 (SLX-004)
Side B, track 2. “Chill Pill (Under Water Mix)”
Mixed by Killer Whale [Arthur Russell]
Jah Wobble, The Edge, and Holger Czukay, Snake Charmer
Mini-album, Island Records, 1983 (90151–1-B)
Side A, track 2. “Hold On to Your Dreams.” Arthur Russell: lyrics
Bonzo Goes to Washington, “5 Minutes”
Twelve-inch single, Sleeping Bag Records, 1984 (SLX-013, SLX-666–13)
Side A. “5 Minutes (R-R-R Radio Mix)” / “5 Minutes (B-B-B Bombing Mix)”
Edited by Arthur Russell
Clandestine featuring Ned Sublette,
“Radio Rhythm (S-I-G-N-A-L-S-M-A-R-T)”
Twelve-inch single, Sleeping Bag Records, 1984 (SLX-011)
Side A, track 2. “Radio Rhythm (S-I-G-N-A-L-S-M-A-R-T) (Extra Cheese Mix)”
Side B, track 1. “Radio Rhythm (S-I-G-N-A-L-S-M-A-R-T) (Dub Mix)”
Both tracks remixed by Killer Whale [Arthur Russell] and NS [Ned Sublette]
Felix, “Tiger Stripes”/“You Can’t Hold Me Down”
Promotional twelve-inch single, Sleeping Bag, 1984 (SLX-008)
Lyrics by Killer Whale [Arthur Russell]; side B mixed by Killer Whale
Nicky Siano “Tiger Stripes”/“Move”
Twelve-inch single, Splash, 1984 (31855)
Lyrics by Killer Whale [Arthur Russell]
Elodie Lauten, The Death of Don Juan
Album, Cat Collectors, 1985 (CC-713)
Arthur Russell: cello, tenor vocals
Lola, “Wax the Van”
Twelve-inch single, Jump Street, 1985 (JS-1007)
Side A. “Wax the Van (Kenny’s Club Version)” / “Wax the Van (Cherry’s Club)”
Side B. “Wax the Van (Radio Edit)” / “Wax the Van (Jon’s Dub)”
Written by Lola Blank, Arthur Russell; produced by Bob Blank and Lola Blank
Keyboards: Arthur Russell, Kenny Blank
Peter Zummo, Zummo With an X
Album, Loris Records, 1985 (LR-001)
Side 1. “Instrumentals” (1980) / “Half Steps” / “Sixths” / “Whole Steps” /
“Sevenths” / “Chromatic Fourths” / “Unisons” / “Four Notes, Large
Intervals”
Side 2. “Song IV,” from the suite Six Songs
Arthur Russell: cello
Peter Gordon, Innocent
Album, CBS, 1986 (BFM-42098)
A4. “That Hat.” Arthur Russell: vocals
Jerry Harrison, Casual Gods
Album, Sire, 1987 (9–25663–2)
Track 6. “A Perfect Lie.” Written by Arthur Russell and Ernie Brooks
Lola, “I Need More”
Twelve-inch single, Vinylmania, 1988 (VMR-015)
Side A. “I Need More (Club Mix)” / “I Need More (Radio Edit)”
Side B. “I Need More (Kenny’s Club Mix)” / “I Need More (Attic Mix)”
Keyboards: Arthur Russell, Fred Zarr
Jerry Harrison, Walk On Water
Album, Fly/Sire, 1990 (25943)
Track 12. “Facing the Fire.” Cowritten by Arthur Russell
Track 13. “The Doctors Lie.” Cowritten by Arthur Russell
Allen Ginsberg, Holy Soul Jelly Roll: Poems and Songs, 1949–1993
Album, Rhino, 1994 (R2–71693)
Disc 3: 11. “A Cradle Song” (Arthur Russell: cello) / 12. “Infant Joy” (Arthur
Russell: cello) / 13. “The Fly” (Arthur Russell: cello) / 14. “Voice of the
Bard” (Arthur Russell: cello) / 15. “School Boy” (Arthur Russell: cello) /
16. “A Dream” (Arthur Russell: cello) / 19. “Pacific High Studio Mantras
(Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum)” (Arthur Russell: cello)
All tracks recorded in 1971 and previously unreleased
Peter Zummo, Experimenting with Household Chemicals
Album, Experimental Intermedia, 1995 (XI-116)
1. “Fresh Batteries” / 2. “Includes Free Information” / 3. “Sung, Played,
Heard” / 4. “Rocket Scientist” / 5. “In Three Movements” / 6. “Peaceful
Transportation”
Arthur Russell: cello
Jon Gibson, Two Solo Pieces
Album, New Tone, 1996 (NT-6756–2)
Track 5. “Song 1.” Arthur Russell: cello
Talking Heads, Talking Heads: 77
Album reissue, Sire Records, 2006 (8122–73297–2)
Track 14. “Psycho Killer (Acoustic).” Cello: Arthur Russell
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