Patrick Cowley - Kickin' In (2024 Remaster) [Dark Entries]

Dark Entries once again shines a light on the master of bathhouse disco, Patrick Cowley, with a newly remastered reissue of Kickin' In. Though Cowley tragically passed away from an AIDS-related illness in 1982, he left behind an extensive archive of unreleased tapes, many of which Dark Entries has been honored to release. While working as a lighting technician at San Francisco disco cabaret The City, Cowley saw rising star Frank Loverde perform. Cowley asked Loverde to contribute vocals for some in-progress tracks, and Frank, Linda Imperial, and Peggy Gibbons joined Cowley in the studio. The resulting songs included Kickin' In, a 9-minute cybernetic disco track that captures the essence of Cowley's Hi-NRG sound: equal parts mind-bending and dancefloor-focused. In May of 1978, Cowley joined Loverde on stage at The City to perform Kickin' In when opening 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 by the discovery of the original multi-track recordings for Kickin' In, allowing for a new mix by Jim Hopkins, as well as the creation of a new instrumental version. Also included are two incredibly sultry Cowley tracks recorded in 1980, Thief of Love and Make It Come Loose. Cowley narrates fragments from his erotic diaries over these ardent and provocative pieces, capturing the vibe of San Francisco leather bars and backrooms. Thief of Love features Cowley's frequent collaborator, Paul Parker, on background vocals. This reissue of Kickin' In includes artwork by Gwenaël Rattke that originally appeared in Cowley's erotic diary, Mechanical Fantasy Box, as well as a postcard featuring the lyrics. "Patrick pulled back the veil and stepped into a dark world of forbidden vices, wondrous and daring musical panoramas, and strident hopeful possibilities. Patrick brought us the future and laid it at our feet." - David Diebold, Tribal Rites.