Matt Wolf's Wild Combination, the highly acclaimed biopic on Arthur Russell, is a moving look at one of music's most creative personalities. Enigmatic to the fullest capacity, Arthur approached pop music from an avant-garde background, trying simultaneously to reach the masses and retain his independence from outside opinion. The latter proved to be the mightier of forces, with Arthur receiving extraordinary little media or widespread notoriety during his lifetime, especially with his solo efforts. Around the start of the 1980's, Russell began participating in early disco groups that helped foster the movement's growing appreciation for unconventional compositions. Perhaps the most famous of these being "Is It All Over My Face?" which he recorded under the pseudonym Loose Joints. Equally as crucial were "Go Bang," as Dinosaur L and "Wax The Van," this time filled under Lola. All of these tracks represent an acute sense of what makes people dance, yet they also mix in unconventional elements such as ambient vocals and cello parts. It was these unorthodox undertones that dominated Arthur's recording sessions, many of which were done in isolation in his New York City apartment which he shared with his partner, Tom Lee, until his untimely death from AIDS in 1992. Lee is one of the main reasons for Arthur's recent resurgence. As Wild Combination sheds light on, Arthur was a terrifically difficult person to deal with in any sort of business or musical way and it took an intermediary like Tom to help present the music to ears that would be willing to spread the material. Such was the case when the owner of Audika Records contacted Tom sometime soon after Arthur passed away, and Tom gave access to the myriad tracks, outtakes and rarities that had been meticulously tinkered with right in his very apartment.
Perhaps the film's most intriguing undercurrent was how intensely connected Arthur was with his music and his knowledge of the power that it held, both as a performer and listener. One interviewee made the claim that "music has a healing power," which is manifested through the determination and idiosyncratic approach Arthur took when writing music. Salient also was how impacted people who had interacted with him were, and indeed still are. Arthur was the type to make an impression that lasted long after his introduction. Tom was initially drawn in after merely seeing Arthur talking on a phone on the sidewalk. His parents, an adorable elderly couple from Iowa, demonstrated that although their son was different in most ways from them, he was still too important to them for communication to be completely severed after he ran away from his home in high school, and his death still wears deeply on them.
Touching indeed, Wild Combination is probably the best movie I can recall seeing within the past few years, if not already one of my favorite selections. And, as a documentary, I think that speaks volumes. Like most geniuses, Arthur was taken prematurely and never garnered the respect he deserved. However, thanks to numerous cd releases within the past few years - including Love Is Overtaking Me, which comes out next week - and Wolf's movie, Arthur is finally seeing the respect he deserves, both as an artist and a luminary. That his music still sounds incredibly futuristic fifteen years past its inception gives major credibility to the exclusive talent that only comes one in a lifetime.
