Dinosaur L

Under the name Dinosaur, avant-garde cellist/composer <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Arthur Russell</a> and a number of his New York City based associates were responsible for the first disco single released on Sire. That 1979 single, "Kiss Me Again," featured guitar from <a href="spotify:artist:20vuBdFblWUo2FCOvUzusB">David Byrne</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:2x9SpqnPi8rlE9pjHBwmSC">Talking Heads</a>), bass from Wilbur Bascomb Jr. (a seasoned session hand), drums from Allan Schwartzberg (another journeyman who had worked with the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:2s4tjL6W3qrblOe0raIzwJ">Yoko Ono</a>, Bob James, and <a href="spotify:artist:4rxXqaQUe5udkRsGRDDDIY">Tom Verlaine</a>), vocals from Myriam Naomi Valle (a member of <a href="spotify:artist:0OMeyYmmTWLBljQJOOvwKz">Desmond Child & Rouge</a>), and cello and production work from <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Russell</a>. Though the spectacular single failed to catch fire commercially, it -- like many of the other disco releases overseen by <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Russell</a> -- became an underground dance classic, thanks in no small part to Paradise Garage DJ <a href="spotify:artist:7wxPD9vDsKD5OuHCeWgXRm">Larry Levan</a>.

Throughout the course of the early '80s, <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Russell</a> released a number of singles under his own name and as/with <a href="spotify:artist:0eoOgNAKS0g3piTJlFY173">Loose Joints</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2KSlZ2vLmUFghN3zoNjkw2">Lola</a>, and Indian Ocean. In 1982, <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Russell</a> and William Socolov founded the Sleeping Bag label, which would become an influential independent rap label with releases from <a href="spotify:artist:0grZF2s6ADKiTGwf8EVZEY">Mantronix</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3zpKjsMg2gw1St5WcWoUJN">EPMD</a>. However, the label's inaugural release was another <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Russell</a>-affiliated project, Dinosaur L's 24 24 Music LP. The album's "Go Bang" was released in the 12" format with a remix from <a href="spotify:artist:30ZqCPhfRzzWcgIbXrbHnU">François Kevorkian</a> that also played a significant role in the New York City club scene. <a href="spotify:artist:3iJJD5v7oIFUevW4N5w5cj">Russell</a>'s involvement with dance music fizzled out in the latter half of the '80s, but he continued to work in avant-garde circles until his death in 1992. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi