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CD
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DE 333CD
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"Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley returns to Dark Entries with From Behind, a collection of grooving and ecstatic covers of '60s garage and soul cuts. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley's friends and family to uncover the singular artist's lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. From Behind reveals yet another facet of Cowley's myriad influences; garage and soul. As a tripped-out teenage music freak who arrived in '60s San Francisco, it should come as no surprise that these psychedelic sounds, both heady and visceral, infuse Cowley's oeuvre. Recorded during Cowley's most productive period, '80-'82, these tracks show the master flexing his virtuosity while paying loving tribute to the songs that shaped him. A rough draft of Loverde's 'Iko Iko' contorts the jaunty Dixie Cups classic into a slithering, monstrous bathhouse groover, the song's signature claps draped in cavernous reverb. An unexpected hi-NRG cover of The Doors' '20th Century Fox' has Paul Parker on vocals, ironically twisting the original's overt heterosexuality. Via Cowley's vocoder, The Who's 'Shakin' All Over' is transformed into a haunting meditation on the loss of bodily autonomy that AIDS inflicts, while the Moody Blues' 'Ride My See Saw' appears in instrumental, amped up and synthesized for dancefloor impact. There are also instrumental demo versions of The Seeds' 'Pushin' Too Hard' and The Electric Prunes' 'Too Much To Dream (Last Night),' which later appeared on Paul Parker releases. Things close out with a swinging version of the Four Tops' Motown classic 'Baby I Need Your Loving,' Cowley later reimagined for R&B artist Carl Carlton. The record comes housed in a sleeve designed by Gwenaël Rattke and includes an insert with photos and liner notes written by Louis Niebur."
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LP
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DE 333LP
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LP version. "Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley returns to Dark Entries with From Behind, a collection of grooving and ecstatic covers of '60s garage and soul cuts. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley's friends and family to uncover the singular artist's lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. From Behind reveals yet another facet of Cowley's myriad influences; garage and soul. As a tripped-out teenage music freak who arrived in '60s San Francisco, it should come as no surprise that these psychedelic sounds, both heady and visceral, infuse Cowley's oeuvre. Recorded during Cowley's most productive period, '80-'82, these tracks show the master flexing his virtuosity while paying loving tribute to the songs that shaped him. A rough draft of Loverde's 'Iko Iko' contorts the jaunty Dixie Cups classic into a slithering, monstrous bathhouse groover, the song's signature claps draped in cavernous reverb. An unexpected hi-NRG cover of The Doors' '20th Century Fox' has Paul Parker on vocals, ironically twisting the original's overt heterosexuality. Via Cowley's vocoder, The Who's 'Shakin' All Over' is transformed into a haunting meditation on the loss of bodily autonomy that AIDS inflicts, while the Moody Blues' 'Ride My See Saw' appears in instrumental, amped up and synthesized for dancefloor impact. There are also instrumental demo versions of The Seeds' 'Pushin' Too Hard' and The Electric Prunes' 'Too Much To Dream (Last Night),' which later appeared on Paul Parker releases. Things close out with a swinging version of the Four Tops' Motown classic 'Baby I Need Your Loving,' Cowley later reimagined for R&B artist Carl Carlton. The record comes housed in a sleeve designed by Gwenaël Rattke and includes an insert with photos and liner notes written by Louis Niebur."
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LP
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DE 273LP
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"Dark Entries again shines a spotlight on bathhouse disco don Patrick Cowley with a newly remastered release of Kickin' In. Although Cowley tragically passed from AIDS-related illness in 1982, he left an extensive archive of unreleased tapes, many of which Dark Entries has had the honor of releasing. While working as a lighting technician at The City, SF's disco cabaret, Cowley saw rising star Frank Loverde perform. Cowley asked Loverde to contribute vocals to some material in progress, and Frank, Linda Imperial, and Peggy Gibbons joined Cowley in the studio. The resulting songs included 'Kickin' In,' a nine-minute cybernetic disco stormer that taps into the essence of Cowley's hi-NRG sound: equal parts spaced out and zoned in on the dancefloor. In May 1978 Cowley joined Loverde on stage at The City to perform 'Kickin' In' as they opened for disco diva Sylvester. 'Kickin' In' was initially released in 2015 via Honey Soundsystem who found the tapes in the basement of Megatone Records owner John Hedges. This newly remastered version was made possible due to the discovery of the original multi-track recordings of 'Kickin' In,' allowing for a fresh mixdown by Jim Hopkins as well as the creation of a new instrumental version. Also included are two impeccably sleazy Cowley jams recorded in 1980, 'Thief of Love' and 'Make It Come Loose.' Cowley narrates excerpts from his erotic journals on these raunchy slow-burners, capturing the vibe of SF's leather bars and backrooms. 'Thief of Love' features frequent Cowley collaborator Paul Parker on background vocals. This reissue of Kickin' In includes features an illustration by Gwenaël Rattke that originally appeared Cowley's erotic journal, Mechanical Fantasy Box, as well as a postcard with lyrics."
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CD
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DE 305CD
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"Dark Entries has a surprise delivery! Malebox brings us six previously unreleased funk-fueled jams from the archives of the cybernetic disco titan himself, Patrick Cowley. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley's friends and family to uncover the singular artist's lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for gay pornographic films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. But Malebox gives us more of the Cowley we know and love: churning disco-funk and hi-NRG tracks that are spacey and sleazy, gritty and sublime. Recorded from 1979-1981, these six tracks illuminate what was one of Patrick's most creatively exciting periods. 'If You Feel It' and 'Love Me Hot' were both early Paul Parker demos; the former is a peak hour hi-NRG bomb, while the latter dips into Cowley's zoned-out space disco sound. Jeanie Tracy's soulful vocals feature on the demo version of 'Low Down Dirty Rhythm,' which was later re-recorded by Sarah Dash. The slower, less-varnished rendition here hits with a wild psychedelic edge. Meanwhile, Patrick's gifts for careful orchestration and infectious melodies shine on 'Floating' and 'Love and Passion,' which were likely demo tracks for Loverde. The songs on Malebox display the vitality and inventiveness of a brilliant composer taken from us too soon. Malebox sleeve design was by Gwenaël Rattke, and features a hyper-color retro collage. Also included is an air mail envelope containing a letter from Patrick Cowley to French disco producer Pierre Jaubert as well as liner notes and hand-written lyrics."
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LP
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DE 305LP
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LP version. "Dark Entries has a surprise delivery! Malebox brings us six previously unreleased funk-fueled jams from the archives of the cybernetic disco titan himself, Patrick Cowley. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley's friends and family to uncover the singular artist's lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for gay pornographic films on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. But Malebox gives us more of the Cowley we know and love: churning disco-funk and hi-NRG tracks that are spacey and sleazy, gritty and sublime. Recorded from 1979-1981, these six tracks illuminate what was one of Patrick's most creatively exciting periods. 'If You Feel It' and 'Love Me Hot' were both early Paul Parker demos; the former is a peak hour hi-NRG bomb, while the latter dips into Cowley's zoned-out space disco sound. Jeanie Tracy's soulful vocals feature on the demo version of 'Low Down Dirty Rhythm,' which was later re-recorded by Sarah Dash. The slower, less-varnished rendition here hits with a wild psychedelic edge. Meanwhile, Patrick's gifts for careful orchestration and infectious melodies shine on 'Floating' and 'Love and Passion,' which were likely demo tracks for Loverde. The songs on Malebox display the vitality and inventiveness of a brilliant composer taken from us too soon. Malebox sleeve design was by Gwenaël Rattke, and features a hyper-color retro collage. Also included is an air mail envelope containing a letter from Patrick Cowley to French disco producer Pierre Jaubert as well as liner notes and hand-written lyrics."
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