Movement: The Eastern Michigan University Connection

Techno is accepted as "a form of electronic dance music (EDM) that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988. Many styles of techno now exist, but Detroit techno is seen as the foundation upon which a number of subgenres have been built."

Whereas we're most known for being "Motown", most people have very little knowledge that the movement known as "Techno" has some of its strongest roots right here in metro Detroit. Perhaps we can start petitioning to call it "Techno Town"?

Here at Eastern Michigan University, we simply call it "The Kevin Saunderson Show".

Even though Saunderson didn't complete his degree at EMU, we still embrace him as part of our family. Had his deep need and pursuit of his music not had the opportunity to flourish here in our community, who knows what the other story lines would have read?

Respected and acknowledged around the world as one of the three Detroit Techno innovators, Saunderson is a legend in his own right, who has helped to reshape the future of Dance music as we know it.

Although frequently associated with Detroit, Saunderson spent the early years of his life in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Belleville, Michigan. As teenagers attending Belleville High School, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Saunderson were fans of pop, disco and funk music. Atkins and May soon became serious about mixing others' music and creating their own, but Saunderson pursued other goals first; studying telecommunications and playing football right here at EMU.

In 1987 Sanderson, then a 22- year-old Detroit college telecommunications student struggling to pass his exams and at the same time make a success of his fledgling indie record label KMS, recorded a backing track in a makeshift studio stuck in the basement of his apartment. Incredibly, the tape was then filed away and almost forgotten. It wasn't until months later that UK dance aficionado Neil Rushton visited the Motor City to put together a compilation album, "Techno - The New Dance Sound of Detroit" for Virgin Records. Rushton heard the track and made sure "Big Fun" was on the LP. Soon afterwards it was released as a single and went on to become a worldwide smash. A local legend was born.

Saunderson's music career has been quite successful. Since helping put Techno on the map, a group of inspired fans have pulled together, aided by city leaders and the artists themselves, and created the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. The first of which was held in 2000. The DEMF was intended to give Detroit and its overlooked history of electronic music major exposure both locally and nationally.

Each DEMF has been held at Hart Plaza, in downtown Detroit. Also, they have all been sanctioned and financially supported by the City of Detroit. The city's support for the festival has been seen by many as the first high-profile acknowledgment and celebration of the city as the birthplace of techno music. It was applauded by city leaders and tourism officials as "an injection of youthful energy into the city."

Attendance at the first DEMF surpassed expectations, with estimates over the three-day run surpassing one million visitors. Subsequent festivals drew even bigger crowds. City officials and others including media observers and local businesses saw the apparent economic boost to the city, with the Visitors and Convention Bureau stating that in only its second year, the event had pumped over $90 million into the local economy.

This year's event scheduled for May 23 through May 25 promises to be the most impressive yet. Highlighting acts from around the globe, Detroit is once again on the world's stage and set to show we do it right, right here in "Techno-Town".

For information, schedules, and a list of this year's performances, go to www.demf.us or www.paxahau.com.

To learn more about one of the founders of this movement, a former Huron, and one of the most influential DJ's alive today, please visit Kevin Saunderson on his website at: www.kevinsaunderson.com.