Patrick parted the veil and entered a dark world of forbidden vices, wondrous musical panoramas and bold, strident, hopeful possibilities. Patrick brought the future to us and laid it at our feet.
– David Diebold ’Tribal Rites’
Patrick Cowley (October 19, 1950 – November 12, 1982) might have turned 71 next week, but did not live to see half that age. Pat died of "gay cancer", or GRID (gay-related immunodeficiency) at 32. By merely meditating on a disease that no one cared about, that no one of power would talk about (including President Ronald Reagan, who didn't so much utter the word "AIDS" in public until 1987), Cowley's disco was more political than most.
Thanks to San Francisco-based label Dark Entries, we have access to hours of hitherto unheard recordings from the mid-1970s through the early 80s. Never commercially available, save for what sound-tracked VHS pornographic films, these collections are revelatory. Cowley's talents go far beyond high NRG disco and club bangers.
Visionary music from gay porn soundtracks, experimental cosmic disco, minimal funk, ambient electronics, post-punk and new wave before it happened...
| Hour one |
| Leather Bound Patrick Cowley - Afternooners - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1982) |
| He's Like You Patrick Cowley - School Daze - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1973-80) |
| Thrill Of The Hunt Patrick Cowley - Mechanical Fantasy Box - Dark Entries - 2020 (rec. 1973-80) |
| Somebody To Love Tonight Patrick Cowley - Muscle Up - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1975) |
| Thief Of Love Patrick Cowley - Kickin' In 12" - Honey Soundsystem - 2015 (rec. 1975-77) |
| Tantum Ergo Patrick Cowley & Candida Royalle - Candida Cosmica - Dark Entries - 2016 (rec. 1973) |
| Big Shot Patrick Cowley - Afternooners - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1982) |
| Robot Children (Do You Love Your) Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras - Catholic - Dark Entries - 2014 (rec. 1975-79) |
| Mockingbird Dream Patrick Cowley - School Daze - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1973-80) |
| Spiked Punch Dub Patrick Cowley (orig: Herbie Hancock) - Some Funkettes - Dark Entries - 2020 (rec. 1975-77) |
| The Jungle Dream Patrick Cowley - Muscle Up - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1973-80) |
| Hour two |
| Archeology Indoor Life (produced by Patrick Cowley) - Indoor Life - Celluloid - 1981 |
| Mutant Man Patrick Cowley - Mind Warp - Megatone - 1982 |
| X-Factor Patrick Cowley - Menergy - Fusion / Unidisc - 1981 |
| Sea Hunt Patrick Cowley - Megatron Man - Megatone - 1981 |
| I Need Somebody To Love Tonight Sylvester (written and produced by Patrick Cowley) - Stars - Fantasy - 1979 |
| The Runner Patrick Cowley - Afternooners - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1982) |
| Breakdown Patrick Cowley - Mechanical Fantasy Box - Dark Entries - 2020 (rec. 1973-80) |
| Pigfoot Patrick Cowley - Muscle Up - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1973-80) |
| Soon Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras - Catholic - Dark Entries - 2014 (rec. 1975-79) |
| Journey Home Patrick Cowley - School Daze - Dark Entries - 2017 (rec. 1973-80) |
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Ben, I still have a copy of the soundtrack to the 1980 movie Cruising by William Friedkin starring Al Pacino about a murderer in the S&M bar scene in New York. Friedkin decided instead of the normal disco sound played in the bars then he would put a stunning array of hardcore punk and hard funk ……worth searching for
2:25 PM, October 16th, 2021