People often talk about the need for Metro Detroit to harness its vast musical culture. It actually works the other way around with local musicians harnessing the region's culture to drive musical innovation. The most recent example is how a Metro Detroiter invented Techno and how local musicians are still harnessing it and the region for inspiration.
Excerpt:
Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Motown Records, claimed that Detroit’s assembly lines inspired the sound of his label’s music. The originators of techno dance music, which also got its start in the city, were subject to these surrounding influences, as well, though the mood of the town had changed dramatically by the early 1980s.
"Detroit is a cold place with a heart made of metal," said Michael Banks, a producer and co-founder of Underground Resistance, a politically charged techno outfit in Detroit.
"For me, the car industry affected techno music by its efficiency aspects," Mr. Banks, who also records under the name Mad Mike, explained.
Juan Atkins, a Detroit music producer, is widely credited with inventing the techno genre. He coined the term in 1984 from the novel "Future Shock" by Alvin Toffler. That same year, Mr. Atkins released the song "Techno City," a recording that popularized the word in Europe.
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