Patrick Cowley

An instrumental contributor to the history of the synthesizer in dance music, Patrick Cowley's influence carried far beyond his late-'70s prime. Artists, including the Pet Shop Boys and New Order, consider Cowley to be a major musical influence on their work. He explored uncharted territories of synthesizer sounds and instrument programming long before modern-day music conveniences. His work with the band Sylvester gained him fame and allowed Cowley to have his own glory as a producer, writer, and musician. His ongoing experimentation with electronic instruments resulted in some of the most recognized disco hits: "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" and "Megatron Man." Born in Buffalo in 1950, Cowley spent most of his youth in northern New York and working in local rock bands. He studied at the University of Buffalo, with a concentration in English. In 1971, after a major relocation to San Francisco College, he began an intensive study of the synthesizer. Shortly after his studies began, Cowley's work was noticed by a local musician, Sylvester, who asked Cowley to join his band in the studio. Cowley's synthesizer innovations resulted in the album Step II. The album made way for the global recognition of Sylvester and gained Cowley a job as a backup tour musician with the artist and his band. Slowly, his work on the synthesizer became synonymous with Sylvester's sound and was important in creating hits like "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," "Dance (Disco Heat)," and "Can't Stop Dancing." Though touring with a band kept him far from home, Cowley remained close to the roots of the San Francisco club scene. In 1981, Cowley found kinship with Marty Blecman, a producer/keyboardist who had worked at Fantasy Records, a predominately jazz and rock label. The two formed their own...