Today's episode is on "Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell", a 2008 film about the singer, instrumentalist, composer, collaborator, and all-around musical pioneer whose work has become more widely recognized well after his untimely passing. The movie is directed by Matt Wolf.

Our guest today is Matty Monroe, the person behind the Indieheads subreddit and general knower and lover of all things indie music.

Wild Combination is a biography of a man who was hard to know. He didn't leave a lot of surviving interviews, spoken audio, or writing. But he left behind a vast trove of music which is still being discovered and released. The film reflects on his beautiful relationship with his longtime partner Tom Lee, his parents, Chuck and Emily Russell, and the many musicians and artists who had the opportunity to work with Arthur.

Plus there are some weird vibes from Rock Docs regular Allen Ginsberg.

Arthur Russell's music is singular and transporting, and the movie is a fine tribute to the man and his work.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts

Twitter: @RockDocsPod

 

Instagram: @RockDocsPod

 

Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Episode ID: 1000688855675

GUID: 77d55183-a70e-4c44-b8a3-376be0889bd1

Release Date: 04/02/2025, 15:30:00