The soundtrack of a forgotten era: Gay porn composers lost to the Aids crisis
Michael Ely and James Allan Taylor, two musicians who met at a gay bar in Sunset Beach, California, would go on to create some of the most hauntingly beautiful music in the world. Their collaboration was born out of necessity - both were struggling artists, and the work was just another way to make ends meet.
As Ely recalled, "We weren't really into porn, it was just something we needed to do." Taylor, on the other hand, was more known for his impressive guitar playing, with Eddie Van Halen reportedly saying he was the greatest guitarist he'd ever heard. The two musicians were part of a post-punk outfit called Red Wedding, which was made up entirely of openly gay men.
However, their lives took a drastic turn when Aids reared its ugly head in the mid-80s. "It was like one moment it was a little blip, something we heard was going on in San Francisco," Ely said. "The next thing friends of friends were dying, and then our friends were dying." The pair ended up moving to Arizona, away from the music scene and the pain that came with it.
Years later, their music has been unearthed by a record label, Dark Entries, which focuses on celebrating overlooked gay artists and releasing their lesser-known forays into soundtracking gay porn. Josh Cheon, the label's founder, was driven by a desire to amplify the underground gay music scene, which had been largely erased from history.
"It's so nice to have Brandy Dalton's work out," said John Munt, Dalton's bandmate. "He carried on making music, but things got tough for him. Aids really ravaged him and he needed to use a lot of drugs for the extreme pain."
For Ely, re-releasing Taylor's music is more than just a tribute - it's a way to keep his memory alive. "I'll always be in awe of him," Ely said. "He was an incredible, gifted, loving person, and until the day I die I will keep talking about him."
The music that has been released by Dark Entries is a testament to the creativity and talent of these late artists. From melodic electronica to squelchy electro via minimal industrial techno, their soundtracks are a reflection of the underground gay community's experimental and avant-garde spirit.
As Ely so eloquently put it, "It means a lot to me. It celebrates Spider one more time. I'll always be in awe of him, and I'll always be in love with him." The music of Taylor and Dalton is a reminder that their legacy lives on, even years after their passing.
The Aids crisis had a devastating impact on the gay community, but it also gave rise to some incredible music. By re-releasing this forgotten era, Dark Entries is not only giving these artists a new lease on life but also celebrating the resilience and creativity of a community that was pushed to the brink of extinction.
As Ely said, "It's so nice to have Brandy's work out." It's a tribute not just to Dalton but to the entire underground gay music scene - a testament to the power of music to transcend pain, loss, and trauma.
Michael Ely and James Allan Taylor, two musicians who met at a gay bar in Sunset Beach, California, would go on to create some of the most hauntingly beautiful music in the world. Their collaboration was born out of necessity - both were struggling artists, and the work was just another way to make ends meet.
As Ely recalled, "We weren't really into porn, it was just something we needed to do." Taylor, on the other hand, was more known for his impressive guitar playing, with Eddie Van Halen reportedly saying he was the greatest guitarist he'd ever heard. The two musicians were part of a post-punk outfit called Red Wedding, which was made up entirely of openly gay men.
However, their lives took a drastic turn when Aids reared its ugly head in the mid-80s. "It was like one moment it was a little blip, something we heard was going on in San Francisco," Ely said. "The next thing friends of friends were dying, and then our friends were dying." The pair ended up moving to Arizona, away from the music scene and the pain that came with it.
Years later, their music has been unearthed by a record label, Dark Entries, which focuses on celebrating overlooked gay artists and releasing their lesser-known forays into soundtracking gay porn. Josh Cheon, the label's founder, was driven by a desire to amplify the underground gay music scene, which had been largely erased from history.
"It's so nice to have Brandy Dalton's work out," said John Munt, Dalton's bandmate. "He carried on making music, but things got tough for him. Aids really ravaged him and he needed to use a lot of drugs for the extreme pain."
For Ely, re-releasing Taylor's music is more than just a tribute - it's a way to keep his memory alive. "I'll always be in awe of him," Ely said. "He was an incredible, gifted, loving person, and until the day I die I will keep talking about him."
The music that has been released by Dark Entries is a testament to the creativity and talent of these late artists. From melodic electronica to squelchy electro via minimal industrial techno, their soundtracks are a reflection of the underground gay community's experimental and avant-garde spirit.
As Ely so eloquently put it, "It means a lot to me. It celebrates Spider one more time. I'll always be in awe of him, and I'll always be in love with him." The music of Taylor and Dalton is a reminder that their legacy lives on, even years after their passing.
The Aids crisis had a devastating impact on the gay community, but it also gave rise to some incredible music. By re-releasing this forgotten era, Dark Entries is not only giving these artists a new lease on life but also celebrating the resilience and creativity of a community that was pushed to the brink of extinction.
As Ely said, "It's so nice to have Brandy's work out." It's a tribute not just to Dalton but to the entire underground gay music scene - a testament to the power of music to transcend pain, loss, and trauma.
THEIR MUSIC IS LIKE A TIME CAPSULE FROM AN ERA THAT WAS BOTH FASCINATING AND DEVASTATING TO WATCH. IT'S AMAZING HOW THEIR SOUNDTRACKS FOR GAY PORN CAN STILL MOVE PEOPLE TODAY 
DARK ENTRIES IS DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB RELEASING THIS MUSIC AND CELEBRATING THE UNDERGROUND GAY SCENE THAT WAS ERASED FROM HISTORY 
It's crazy to think that their music was born out of necessity - just trying to make ends meet, but what they created was so much more than that. Their legacy lives on through this re-release, and I'm so grateful to Dark Entries for bringing it back 
It's like, we're not just getting to hear these guys' music again, we're getting to experience a piece of their souls 
And Josh Cheon is literally the angel sent from above 
His passion & dedication to preserving this underground gay community is giving me LIFE. I mean, can you even imagine what it must've been like for them during that time? The pain, the loss... but also the creativity, the love... it's just heartbreaking, yet at the same time, it's so beautiful 
I mean, who knew that all those years ago there was this whole secret world of queer musicians creating music for, ahem, "special" clients? 
But seriously, it's crazy how Aids wiped out so many talented artists and their work was basically erased from history. Dark Entries is doing us a huge favor by bringing back these forgotten soundtracks – I mean, who wouldn't want to listen to some melodic electronica with gay porn vibes? 
At least now we can appreciate the talent of Michael Ely and James Allan Taylor... and maybe even learn something about this crazy part of queer history. 
what's up with these soundtrack re-releases tho? like, we're still living in an era where people can't even get their art recognized, let alone make a living off it. gay porn composers who were just trying to make ends meet during the aids crisis getting celebrated now is just... 
and then aids comes along and it's like, goodbye music career goodbye life... it's just so sad that we're only finding out about this stuff now and not before 
.
. Like, when he says "I'll always be in awe of him" and then again when he talks about the music being a reminder of Dalton's legacy... it just shows how much this man loved his partner and wants the world to know that too 
. Anyway, I think we need more stories like this - ones that highlight the resilience and creativity of the gay community in the face of adversity 
.
. But at the same time, their music is still so hauntingly beautiful and experimental - it's like they're speaking straight to your soul 
.
. Has anyone else listened to any of these soundtracks? What do you think about this whole thing?
. It's amazing how they created such beautiful music despite all the struggles they faced 
. The fact that their music still resonates with people today is a testament to their talent and legacy 
. It's time to shine a light on the forgotten era of gay porn composers and celebrate their contributions to music 
.