Detroit Techno Music Guide: A Brief History of Detroit Techno

Detroit techno is a dance music genre that originated in Detroit in the early-to-mid 1980s. The sound of Detroit techno stems from two sources. The first source is European techno and electro-pop from acts like Kraftwerk and C.J. Bolland. The second source is Chicago house music, pioneered by DJs like Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles.

Sonically, Detroit techno music combines the cool, detached dancefloor beats and textures of European electronic music with the soul and celebration of American funk music. Detroit techno pioneer Derrick May and other Detroit techno originators often imbued their music with Afro-futurist and science fiction ideals.

The history of Detroit techno is centered in its namesake city, with other locales and cultures playing key roles.

• Belleville roots: Detroit techno did not begin in Motown but rather in the suburb of Belleville, Michigan. It was there that high school friends Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson formed a collective known as the Belleville Three.
• Electronic instruments: The Belleville Three took interest in synthesizers like the Korg MS-10 and the MiniKorg-700S. Until that point, most of these instruments had been closely affiliated with electro-pop and ambient artists.
• Chicago house influences: The Belleville Three combined the cool, disaffected techno music from the Berlin club scene with the more soulful, organic sound of Chicago house music. Influential Detroit radio DJs like the Electrifying Mojo encouraged this combination of genres.
• Into the city: The Belleville Three and its offshoots migrated from the suburbs into Detroit itself, where venues like Cheeks and the Music Institute became hubs for Detroit techno. Motor City producers Eddie "Flashin" Fowlkes and Blake Baxter further shaped the new Detroit techno scene.
• Mainstream recognition: In 1988, the compilation Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit came out on the UK's 10 Records, a subset of the Virgin record label. This formally introduced Detroit techno to the raves of Europe, and it provided for wider acceptance within the music industry.
• A second wave: The international success of Detroit techno inspired a new wave of 1990s DJs and producers such as Octave One, Carl Craig, and Underground Resistance (featuring Jeff Mills, Robert Hood, and Mad Mike Banks). The year 2000 saw the start of the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, which was later renamed Movement.

A few common characteristics help define Detroit techno.

1. 1. European techno instruments: Detroit techno artists gravitated toward the synths and drum machines used by 1970s European electro-pop groups like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. They brought this technology to their own music.
2. 2. Chicago house influence: House music features steady beats in 4/4 time, danceable tempos, and flourishes of 1970s disco and soul. Detroit techno artists merged these with the cool detachment of European techno to create their signature sound.
3. 3. Afro-futurism: From the outset, the Detroit techno scene adopted a utopian futurist ethos with ample references to science fiction. They particularly embraced the notion of appropriating European instruments and aesthetics for a Black American style of music.

Several key artists played prominent roles in shaping the Detroit techno sound.

1. 1. Juan Atkins: Atkins made significant contributions as part of the Belleville Three and as a solo artist. He performed under the names Cybotron and Model 500. Important Atkins tracks include 1981's "Alleys of Your Mind," 1982's "Cosmic Cars," 1984's "Techno City," and 1985's "No UFO's." He is also known for founding the Metroplex record label.
2. 2. Derrick May: Atkins was not the only member of Belleville Three to shape Detroit techno as a solo artist. May, performing under the name Rhythim Is Rhythim, scored a major club hit with his 1987 track, "Strings of Life."
3. 3. Kevin Saunderson: The third member of the Belleville Three deviated the furthest from Chicago house influences in his solo career. Rather than lean on the 1970s soul and funk that inspired Chicago house, Saunderson focused more on the electronic synths that drove European techno. Under the name Inner City, Saunderson enjoyed a 1988 hit with "Big Fun."
4. 4. Eddie Fowlkes: Fowlkes’ 1986 single "Goodbye Kiss" became a party anthem, bringing the Detroit techno sound to broader audiences.

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