27.02.2023 Artist Focus: Arthur Russell

Some artists leave a legacy that stretches far beyond a great single or a number 1 album.

Artist Focus is a new series hosted by the extended Melodic Distraction family that deep dives into the life and times of the musicians that have defined the sound of modern music. From the stone cold classics to the unearthed gems and forgotten B-sides, our community tribute an hour of music by a single artist that has had a notable impact on their life.

In this episode, Yvonne and Anton attempt to distil the enormous body of work of one Arthur Russell. An American cellist, composer, singer and musician, Arthur Russell was one of New York's most prolific musicians in the 70s and 80s. An integral part of the city's famous disco scene - his music was eclectic and his catalogue of work was vast. A true perfectionist, he is said to have left more than 1,000 tapes of unreleased work (40 of which were mixes of 1 song) after his untimely passing in 1992.