Explainer
What made Juan Atkins's techno different?
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Juan Atkins grew up in Belleville, outside Detroit, and died in Mexico City at 64, hours before he was due on stage.
Detroit, Belleville, and Mexico City
He blended funk with futuristic sounds, and the Guardian credits him as the first to use the term techno for this style, while NOS says he is regarded as the one who coined the name. In 1980 he formed Cybotron, and in 1985 he released "No UFO's" as Model 500.
- 1980Cybotron formed
- 1985"No UFO's" as Model 500
Telling the Guardian about his lyrics, he said: "My lyrics are supposed to make you think about something other than shaking your booty on the dancefloor and falling in love."
“My lyrics are supposed to make you think about something other than shaking your booty on the dancefloor and falling in love.”
A school class on future studies, he said, shaped his work: "I just applied a lot of those principles to my music-making."
“I just applied a lot of those principles to my music-making.”
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Techno pioneer Juan Atkins, co-founder of Detroit techno, dies aged 64 in Mexico CityRead the article
Based on reports by
- NOSTechno founder Juan Atkins (64) passed away
- Mediafax.roJuan Atkins, one of the founders of techno music, has died. The artist who changed electronic music was 64 years old
- ABC TU DIARIO EN ESPAÑOLJuan Atkins, the father of techno, dies
- The GuardianJuan Atkins, pioneer of Detroit techno sound, dies aged 64
- De MorgenTechno pioneer Juan Atkins (64) passed away
- PitchforkJuan Atkins, Co-Founder of Techno Music, Dies at 64