In the early 1980s, Los Angeles was abuzz with a vibrant underground music scene that catered to the city's thriving LGBTQ+ community. Among its stars were two musicians, Michael Ely and James Allan Taylor, who would go on to create electronic soundtracks for gay porn films under various aliases.
Ely, now in his 50s, recalls meeting Taylor at a Sunset Beach bar when they were both 18 years old. The pair quickly connected over music and dance, forming a musical partnership that would last until Taylor's passing from liver cancer in 2015. Ely had always thought of their collaboration as a "side job," with neither musician ever taking it too seriously.
Their film scores showcased a moody, synth-heavy style reminiscent of Taylor's impressive guitar playing, which Eddie Van Halen once described as the greatest he'd ever heard. Ely and Taylor were also part of the post-punk outfit Red Wedding at the time, an all-gay band that was relatively rare in its genre.
However, their success came to a tragic halt when Aids reared its ugly head in the mid-1980s. The disease spread rapidly among friends and acquaintances, claiming countless lives and leaving the community devastated. Ely and Taylor themselves were deeply affected by the tragedy, with many of their loved ones succumbing to Aids.
After a harrowing experience where their cat was stolen, killed, and returned in a cardboard box with "faggots" written on it and a noose around its neck, the pair moved to Arizona to escape the trauma of Los Angeles. They abandoned their music careers, but not before leaving behind an invaluable legacy of electronic soundtracks.
In recent years, Michael Ely has been instrumental in reuniting some of these lost works through his record label, Dark Entries. The company's founder, Josh Cheon, has dedicated himself to celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of gay artists who faced extraordinary challenges due to their identities and Aids-related illnesses.
One such artist is Brandy Dalton, whose collection Fallen Angel features a range of melodic electronica and squelchy electro tracks for award-winning porn films. The label has also released music by Patrick Cowley, Man Parrish, and other lesser-known figures in the genre.
Ely's recent discovery of Taylor's music is a poignant reminder that there are still untold stories waiting to be uncovered. By releasing these soundtracks, Dark Entries not only preserves a piece of history but also offers a platform for queer artists to shine once more.
Ely, now in his 50s, recalls meeting Taylor at a Sunset Beach bar when they were both 18 years old. The pair quickly connected over music and dance, forming a musical partnership that would last until Taylor's passing from liver cancer in 2015. Ely had always thought of their collaboration as a "side job," with neither musician ever taking it too seriously.
Their film scores showcased a moody, synth-heavy style reminiscent of Taylor's impressive guitar playing, which Eddie Van Halen once described as the greatest he'd ever heard. Ely and Taylor were also part of the post-punk outfit Red Wedding at the time, an all-gay band that was relatively rare in its genre.
However, their success came to a tragic halt when Aids reared its ugly head in the mid-1980s. The disease spread rapidly among friends and acquaintances, claiming countless lives and leaving the community devastated. Ely and Taylor themselves were deeply affected by the tragedy, with many of their loved ones succumbing to Aids.
After a harrowing experience where their cat was stolen, killed, and returned in a cardboard box with "faggots" written on it and a noose around its neck, the pair moved to Arizona to escape the trauma of Los Angeles. They abandoned their music careers, but not before leaving behind an invaluable legacy of electronic soundtracks.
In recent years, Michael Ely has been instrumental in reuniting some of these lost works through his record label, Dark Entries. The company's founder, Josh Cheon, has dedicated himself to celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of gay artists who faced extraordinary challenges due to their identities and Aids-related illnesses.
One such artist is Brandy Dalton, whose collection Fallen Angel features a range of melodic electronica and squelchy electro tracks for award-winning porn films. The label has also released music by Patrick Cowley, Man Parrish, and other lesser-known figures in the genre.
Ely's recent discovery of Taylor's music is a poignant reminder that there are still untold stories waiting to be uncovered. By releasing these soundtracks, Dark Entries not only preserves a piece of history but also offers a platform for queer artists to shine once more.
. And now they're bringing all this old stuff back to life through Dark Entries... it's like a dream come true for anyone who loves retro music. But at the same time, I'm also feeling kinda sad thinking about all the losses they experienced during that time. It's crazy how much talent was lost due to Aids and the trauma that followed 
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their music is so moody and synth-heavy, it's like something out of a time machine. i love how they're finally getting the recognition they deserve after all these years 
dark entries is doing such great work by releasing their music again, it's like they're giving us a gift from the past 
what's crazy is how much talent went unrecognized back then, especially among queer artists who faced such trauma and loss sadly our world can be a dark place at times but there's always hope in the form of art and community 
So the 80s were basically the heyday of underground LGBTQ+ music in LA? Not surprising, the city was always about that life 
. But what's crazy is how it all got cut short by Aids. I mean, who needs a musical partnership when you've got a deadly disease running wild? 
And poor Michael Ely and James Taylor had to deal with that trauma on top of their music. It's like, can't we just move forward already? 
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I mean, can you even imagine the horror they went through in the 80s? Like, their cat gets kidnapped and then comes back with a noose around its neck... what is that even?! 
It's crazy how much talent was lost in the mid-80s with all that Aids drama unfolding. I mean, can you even imagine what could've been if Ely and Taylor had gotten to keep making music? They were really ahead of their time with that synth-heavy style. And now we get to enjoy it, which is awesome 
But at the same time, I feel like we're also missing out on all the other artists who didn't get a chance to share their work... It's just sad that their legacy had to be tied to some pretty dark times in history 
. It's crazy to think he was just 18 when they met Michael Ely at that Sunset Beach bar 
. I remember listening to Red Wedding's music back in the day, it was like nothing else out there 
. But what really gets me is how they were a part of that underground community in LA during such a tough time 
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, and now it's like they're rediscovering these lost gems 
. I mean, can you imagine living in LA during that time? The AIDS crisis must've been devastating 
, and it's amazing to see how their legacy continues to inspire new artists 
.