Even though his career was cut short due to his unfortunite death in 1982, Patrick Cowley was involved with many amazing italo projects, working with artist's like Sylvester, Donna Summer, Paul Parker, and many others while also helping to start the San Francisco based italo label Megatone Records. As many of you already know, Cowley released his own material including the 1981 classic LP Megatone Man, followed by albums Menergy and Mind Warp. During his career there might be many songs that could stick out as "defining moments" of Cowley's own music, however, for me the two songs that come to me first when thinking of Cowley's brilliant career is 1981's "Megatron Man" and "Menergy". Both became huge "anthem like" favorites among San Francisco's underground gay disco scene which really helped establish himself and his label. That's not to say he didn't have his hands on many other amazing releases, including Sylvester's high-energy classic "Do You Wanna Funk", an incredible remix of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", and Paul Parker's 1982 chart-topping single "Right on Target". It's safe to say that Patrick Cowley will forever have a lasting imprint on the gay disco and San Francisco music scenes, and it's unforunite that his life was cut so short especially as it was just starting to peak. That being said, Cowley did leave behind an incredible legacy that can be forever lived through his amaing productions.Patrick Cowley - Megatron Man
Patrick Cowley - Menergy
Posts
2 comments:
i'm normally not so concerned with genre, but its unfair to call patrick cowley and megatone "the San Francisco based italo label". if anything, it should be italo that was somewhat inspired by him. How about synth-based, or synth led disco?
He was truly a pioneer of the sound, and was doing it earlier than alot of the big "italo" artists, as well as making the music in the USA. A bit of his legacy is lost by grouping him in with the italo genre.
hey james.
yeah. you may be right, but i wouldn't go so far as saying Cowley pioneered the sound either. He certainly was instrumental in the hi-nrg movement that took over as disco really started to wane in the states. when it moved more underground and became more overtly "gay". that eventually led to electro/italo and house.
maybe we should have said, "italo-esque" because some of the later megatone singles certainly had tone deaf singers, of the male and female persuasion, not quite hitting the high notes and some pretty lame beats.
all things we now LOVE about classic italo.
thanks for reading the blog!
Post a Comment