I'm very proud to say that I've recently recorded new soundtracks for three short films by the pioneering gay filmmaker Peter de Rome. The occasion is the BFI release of two short film collections; the first, called "Encounters: Four groundbreaking classics of gay cinema", features Peter de Rome's short film "Encounter" (1971; 12mins) alongside three other shorts by different directors, one of which is Andy Milligan's "Vapors". In addition, I've recorded new musical accompaniments for another two of Peter's films; namely "The Fire Island Kids" (1970: 14mins), and "Brown Study" (1979: 9mins), which feature on a set entitled "The Erotic Films of Peter de Rome" - this collection comes with a new documentary about Peter and his work directed by Ethan Reid and produced by David McGillivray. Both collections are out on the 26 March.
See the entries at the BFI film store here:
http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/
http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/
Notes on the project:
I love 1970s porn and erotica. The texture of 8mm and 16mm film, the stylistic freedom, the bodies unspoiled by maniacal gym regimes, the sense of abandon in the days before everything changed. My favourite gay sex films from the seventies used quite unusual music too; it wasn’t all regulation disco (but hey, don’t knock the disco). I’ve heard some very strange juxtapositions from that era: I’ve seen gay porn loops where the music sounded like Klaus Schulze, Don Cherry, or even Can. It was the decade where ‘anything goes’, and that went for sex and the music. Peter De Rome’s short films have an intimacy and a gentle strangeness that’s utterly beguiling, and I hope I’ve found a way to mirror their dreamy moods on these recordings.
