Ivo Watts-Russell

Ivo Watts-Russell (born 1954 in Northamptonshire, England) is the founder and president of the English indie record label 4AD. He has also produced several records, himself preferring to use the term “musical director” to explain his role in the creation.

One of his most famous productions is the Cocteau Twins debut Garlands. Their song “Ivo” is also ostensibly named after him. He also led This Mortal Coil, writing and selecting songs, the musicians and singers for each song, and even occasionally playing keyboards. Watts-Russell’s last project was The Hope Blister, releasing two albums: …smile’s ok and Underarms. Underarms was originally released as a limited edition CD; it was rereleased in 2005, with an extra CD of remixes by Markus Guentner entitled Sideways.