Time and time again, the real INNOVATORS and artists of Detroit Techno get left behind and forgotten, like Micheal James, Thomas Barnett, Blake Baxter and Eddie Fowlkes. Juan Atkins and Rick Davis made the basics for the Developmentof Detroit techno with their releases between 1981 - 1984. Basically, there are old machines…classic gear but in terms of the latest technology created it makes the whole live performance more stable…no faulty midi cables. Cybotron was clearly influenced by the city Atkins and Davis were living in: the music worked to mirror the changes happening in Detroit, using technology -so ingrained in the city’s social structure- to capture this spirit. We know the truth. This is the basic theme behind my new track ‘We Will Maintain (Humanity)’ and the album I’m working on. Atkins left soon after due to artistic differences (specifically, Davis' defined pop slant), and later defined early Detroit techno with his recordings as Model 500. Cybotron had a number of singles now considered classics of the electro genre, particularly "Clear" and the group's debut, "Alleys of Your Mind," as well as "Cosmic Cars" and "R-9".
The singles "Alleys of Your Mind," "Enter" and "Clear", were dark dystopias of the post-industrial steel city within tight Kraftwerk-inspired funk.
It’s the first ever Cybotron Live show and we’ve been working on combining the AV and music…some things work better than others and it’s like taking educated guesses in which you’re trying to limit the expendables and that’s something I think I’m good at.Are there new territories do you feel you still need to explore or take your work into?I’m definitely looking to see what comes out of the collaborations with some of the people I’d like to work with and I started out in the business wanting to meet my iconic heroes. This new Cybotron’s live show appeared on a moment of particular significance when technology is again on the verge of a paradigm change and the impact of black culture and especially its futuristic expression hopefully having a deeper recognition and influence. From here the rest is history, Atkins became an influential reference keeping a highly prolific production career.
The seminal electro group Cybotron provided the first home for the recordings of techno godfather Juan Atkins.
Source: And Cybotron managed to project themselves into the future, producing a series of presaging compositions, including Techno City, Clear, Cosmic Cars and their debut album Enter, considered by The Wire as a ground-breaking first-generation piece of pure machine music.Cybotron’s music was clearly closer to electro but it lay the foundation for what would evolve into techno when Atkins, who had other visions for his music, started his solo career in 1985 using the alias Model 500. There’s an inexplicable drive to explain and also go into deep space which is definitely more and more infinite with possibilities.Faulty gear and/or a closed mind is the chief enemy of creativityMyself… when you’re doing things that people like it tends to take a piece out of you and I always try to retain as much of myself as possible. We spend half our time finding out about new gear to stimulate our creativity.With the computer, it has made things easier and faster.
It will be premiered at the Barbican Live show with a couple of other new songs on April 12th.
Atkins and Davis split ways in 1985. Taking the audience into a multi-sensory journey where a revolutionary digital lighting and laser control system will enable multi-layers of audio to be fed in real time into a bespoke visual generative engine. Atkins, flanked by two masked compatriots, performed foundational Cybotron productions like "Clear" and "Cosmic Cars" throughout the show, whose soundtrack is supervisedby British DJ and BBC Radio 1 host Benji B.
The computer ushered in the digital era which provides bytes, samples, frames, all kinds of things… When I first started, computers weren’t the thing they would become…I mean you could say the TR808 drum machine is sort of a computer and it had only one function so you can see how far things have come.The biggest difference is that the implementation of computers has given the composition of electronic or techno music endless possibilities and it’s limitless in terms of creativity.
And its main challenges?I think it’s going to be highly immersive and it will give people something new…a breath of fresh air. It’s all further evidence of things progressing.
PARIS — Guests at the Louis Vuitton men’s show on Wednesday, titled “Heaven on Earth,” were lucky enough to witness a musical performance by electronic music band Cybotron, helmed by Juan Atkins… At this point don't forget the essential release "Shari Vari" by the legendary act "A Number Of Names" in 1981.
Just discovered Cybotron's 'Empathy' today and it's the most exciting, fresh, visionary and moving musical experience I've had in quite some time!!
Cybotron was an American electro music group formed in 1980 by Juan Atkins and Richard "3070" Davis in Detroit. Cybotron current live performers are: Juan Atkins, DJ Maaco (D-I-E) and Laurens von Oswald (Moritz's nephew and Atonal artistic co-director). I’ve got to say though that I have always created my best work when I was working with something new…a new machine…a new programme…and all electronic artists can identify with that in terms of tools, equipment etc. Although Rik took a different direction back in 1993, there is a deeper meaning to the music. With partner Rick Davis (aka 3070), Atkins recorded several of electro's best moments. When you write a song or compose something in terms of what you’re using, you’re definitely kind of trapped in a way by the instruments that you use, be they acoustic or machine.My first machine which is also my favourite is the MS10 Korg synthesiser which my grandmother bought me when I was around fourteen or fifteen years old.