Forty reels of music by disco pioneer Patrick Cowley, whose electronic synthesizer tracks were the soundtrack to many an early ’80s gay adult film, were discovered in an attic, according to record label Dark Entries in a tweet last week: “just when you think there is no more… you ask Patrick Cowley’s studio mate if you can look in their attic and with a phone flashlight you discover 40 more reels of music from 1974-79… “
Crack reports: “Cowley first came to prominence playing keyboards on Sylvester’s 1978 album Step II, before hitting his creative stride in the early 80s, producing a number of influential hi-NRG 12″s including Menergy, Megatron Man and Do You Wanna Funk. He died in 1982, from AIDS related complications.”
Several years ago, Cowley’s music got a spate of releases.
Wrote Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem of their releases in 2013: “In 1981 Patrick was contacted by John Coletti, owner of famed gay porn company Fox Studio in Los Angeles. John had heard about Patrick’s music from the legendary Sylvester and proposed he write music for his films. Patrick jumped on this offer and sent reels of his college compositions from the 70s to John in LA. Coletti then used a variable speed oscillator to adjust the pitch and speed of Patrick’s songs in-sync with the film scene. … Influenced by Tomita, Wendy Carlos and Giorgio Moroder, Patrick forged an electronic sound from his collection of synthesizers, modified guitars and self-constructed equipment.”
Listen to a few of Cowley’s tracks here.
