Juan Atkins

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This article is about a musician who sometimes releases music under the name Model 500. For the Smith & Wesson Model 500 revolver, see Smith & Wesson Model 500. For the Western Electric Model 500 telephone, see Model 500 telephone.

Juan Atkins (born December 9, 1962 in Detroit) is an American musician. He is widely credited as the originator of techno music, sometimes known as Detroit Techno since Atkins and techno co-creators Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson grew up in Detroit, Michigan.

Atkins has cited the radio show of Charles "Electrifyin' Mojo" Johnson as a musical influence. Electrifyin' Mojo, a Detroit DJ, played an eclectic mix of music including Kraftwerk, Parliament and Prince. Atkins and friend Derrick May created mix tracks for Electrifying Mojo to broadcast, then began to create original music.

At Washtenaw Community College, Atkins met Rick Davis, with whom he recorded under the name Cybotron. Atkins coined the term techno to describe their music, taking as one inspiration the works of futurist and author Alvin Toffler, from whom he borrowed the terms "cybotron" and "metroplex".

Atkins has used the term techno to describe earlier bands that made heavy use of synthesizers such as Kraftwerk, although many people would consider Kraftwerk's music and Juan's early music in Cybotron as Electro. Techno is considered today as a specific genre.

Atkins began recording as Model 500 in 1985 with tracks such as "No UFO's", "Night drive", "Future" and "Clear". He continues to produce his own and other musicians' records under the Metroplex Records label.

Discography

• as Cybotron, with Rick Davis (1981 - 1983)
• *"Alleys of Your Mind" (1981), single
• *"Cosmic Cars" (1982), single
• *"Clear" (1982), single
• *Enter (1983)
• *Clear (1990), digitally remastered re-release of Clear

• as Model 500 (1985 - present)
• *"No UFO's" (1985), single
• *"Night Drive"" (1985), single (includes "Time Space Transmat")
• *Sonic Sunset (1994)
• *Deep Space (1995)
• *Body and Soul (1999)

• as Infiniti (1991 - 1995)
• *Skynet 1998
• *"The Infinit Collection" 1996

• as Model 600 (2002)
• *Update 2002, single

• as Juan Atkins
• *The Berlin Sessions 2005

See also

• Techno music
• Electro
• Derrick May
• Kevin Saunderson
• Blake Baxter
• Carl Craig

External links

• ["The Roots of Techno", Wired Magazine Interview with Juan Atkins]
• [Biography of Juan Atkins by John Bush]

 

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