Did somebody say “gay porn soundtrack”?! Usually when people think of porn soundtracks in general, we think of the sinister sound of the bass guitar that was frequently utilized in those cinematic efforts from the 1970s. But American dance and disco music pioneer Patrick Cowley had a different instrument of choice during that decade, and it came in conjunction with the electronic music revolution that he ultimately helped to popularize in his own small way.
In the early 70s, he extended his personal love of the analog synthesizer by founding the Electronic Music Lab at the City College of San Francisco; and shortly thereafter, he made a local name for himself through the Megatone label that he founded, and by releasing innovative tunes under his own name. (Four decades later and politicians still haven’t included “menergy” in their green energy platforms; what’s the deal?)
A few years prior to Cowley’s untimely death in 1982, gay porn company Fox Studio paid him to use his college compositions as actual soundtracks to gay porn films. A retrospective look explains the related (musical) release of School Daze in 2013 and Muscle Up in 2015.
And now, the ultimate culmination of Cowley’s musical association with gay porn has just been announced. Afternooners comes out on all relevant formats October 19, courtesy of a joint effort between Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem Records. Unlike those first two records, Afternooners was actually newly composed just six months before the promising talent’s death, and the sounds therein evoke a “world of forbidden vices.” Intrigued?
Good. Then join the celebration of Cowley’s life and work on November 9 at CounterPulse in San Francisco. In the mean time, here’s the track “Hot Beach” to help get you all limbered-up:
Afternooners tracklisting:
01. Big Shot
02. Surfside Sex
03. Hot Beach
04. The Runner
05. Furlough
06. One Hot Afternoon
07. Leather Bound
08. Bore & Stroke
09. Cycle Tuff
10. Jungle Orchids
11. Take A Little Trip
12. Love Come Set Me Free
More about: Patrick Cowley
