A new exhibit at the Michigan State University Museum celebrates Detroit as the birthplace of techno music in the 1980s and '90s and how the genre has progressed to today.
"Techno: The Rise of Detroit's Machine Music" is on display through the end of April at the museum and features a 45-minute sound installation telling the history of the genre through music.
WKAR's Sophia Saliby spoke with John Collins about the exhibit.
He served as a community curator for the exhibition and is a member of the techno music collective Underground Resistance.
Interview Highlights
On the sound of Detroit techno
The sound of techno out of Detroit reflected what was going on at that time in Detroit, the Black community. It's Afrofuturistic. It's futuristic music as well. It's also a music that is also influenced by jazz, gospel and those other genres in Detroit or in the Black culture. And it was a music that was probably an escapism, maybe, for what was going on here at the early '80s, and also a vehicle to imagine a better place for everybody, for people, the way they live, the way governments function. It was also very political and radical. So, I know that's a lot, but very, very danceable.
On the roots of techno and its relationship with Afrofuturism
In terms of slavery, the slaves were always singing these negro spirituals or hymns about crossing the River Jordan or, you know, when I get to up north, whatever, I'll be free, life will be better. So, that was a form of Afrofuturism, even though that's not what it was called back then, of course. So for me, it starts way back then.
On the future of techno
I think that techno is here to stay. For instance, we still listen to classical music, and that was created when? Centuries ago. So, this is a form of music I think will continually advance because I also think that we haven't reached the epitome, or there's so much more we can experience or develop or create in techno music because we've only touched the surface.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: A new exhibit at the Michigan State University Museum celebrates Detroit as the birthplace of techno music in the 1980s and '90s and how the genre has progressed to today.
Joining me now to talk about the exhibit is John Collins. He served as a community curator for the exhibition and is a member of the techno music collective Underground Resistance. Thank you for being here.
John Collins: Thanks for having me.
Saliby: For people who aren't as familiar, what is the sound of Detroit techno compared to other electronic music?
Collins: First of all, techno is a form of electronic music. Specifically, of course, electronic music was around prior to techno, and as you stated earlier, techno was created in 1980, well, the first techno record was "Alleys of Your Mind" by a group called Cybotron, which Juan Atkins, who's one of the founders of techno, was in that group. It was three members of the group, the other guys, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, and also, there's another person who doesn't get mentioned as often, Eddie Fowlkes who was also there at the beginning of techno.
[Techno] was also very political and radical ... but very, very danceable.
So, the sound of techno out of Detroit reflected what was going on at that time in Detroit, the Black community. It's Afrofuturistic. It's futuristic music as well. It's also a music that is also influenced by jazz, gospel and those other genres in Detroit or in the Black culture.
And it was a music that was probably an escapism, maybe, for what was going on here at the early '80s, and also a vehicle to imagine a better place for everybody, for people, the way they live, the way governments function. It was also very political and radical. So, I know that's a lot, but very, very danceable.
Saliby: Always important that it's danceable. How did you get involved in the techno scene?
Collins: Actually, I come from a musical family first of all. My parents played all genres, jazz, gospel, Motown, R&B, classical as well. My background is science, biology. It was my major. My first job out of college was at the Michigan Cancer Foundation doing research in the department of epidemiology. I wasn't making enough money, so I said, let me get a job. I went to a club, saw a girl DJ, I'm like, that'd be a fun way to make some money.
So, I had to audition, bought records, practiced, got a job as a DJ, but my plan was to do it for like, five years and out because it was never a career goal for me. Now, I'm a scientist. That's what I love. But things just happen to progress. I began playing at the famous clubs, the best known clubs in Detroit, eventually got a radio show, and then it just progressed from there.
I was also doing booking and management of DJs, a lot of guys and women out of Detroit internationally, and I joined Underground Resistance in the early 2000s. I was already playing the music and the clubs and everything, but in terms of producing, actually, starting when I joined Underground Resistance in techno music. And then UR has a different perspective because our music is very political, and it also speaks to socially-relevant issues that occur in the world and among marginalized communities.
Saliby: With UR, Underground Resistance, the collective created this 45-minute sound installation for this exhibition. Can you talk about that a little bit?
Collins: I'm not going to give it away because it's really brilliant, and it takes you through the history of techno under the Underground Resistance way.
I'm really excited about it. The team at Michigan State University is excited about it, and everybody will really love and enjoy, and you will as well.
Saliby: Is it the type of track where you should listen to the whole 45-minute track? Or do you feel like there's enough in shorter chunks to really understand the genre?
I would encourage people to when they attend the exhibit, to at least try to stay 45 minutes to experience the music, because it's amazing.
Collins: Yeah, it's worth saying for 45 minutes. I mean, you can walk through the exhibit, spend as much time as you want with the different artifacts and things that are there, but while you're looking, observing, listening to this music, because, believe me, it's something that you probably would like to buy at later date, because it's really good.
So, I would encourage people to when they attend the exhibit, to at least try to stay 45 minutes to experience the music, because it's amazing.
Saliby: You mentioned Afrofuturism. Could you talk more about that connection between techno music and the concept of Afrofuturism?
Collins: In terms of Afrofuturism which Octavia Butler is credited with starting the Afrofuturistic movement along with a group Sun Ra. If you're familiar with Sun Ra, don't know if you are, but for me, Afrofuturism was evident back during slavery, because it's Afrofuturism is about looking to the future and realizing and understanding how you would fit in, how we would fit in in the future. We're also operating in a more positive place where everybody is accepted and where things are better than what they are now.
So in terms of slavery, the slaves were always singing these negro spirituals or hymns about crossing the River Jordan or, you know, when I get to up north, whatever, I'll be free, life will be better. So, that was a form of Afrofuturism, even though that's not what it was called back then, of course. So for me, it starts way back then.
And for some people who find it difficult to grasp the concept, I have to go back to the movie Black Panther because in the movie Black Panther, that Wakanda nation was considered one of the poorest countries in the world, when actually they were the most futuristic and technologically advanced country than any other in the world. So, that was a form of Afrofuturism technologically and so that all plays into, you know, Afrofuturism, experiences of being in a better place, imagining ourselves being equal, everybody getting along collectively, which is what techno music does.
[Techno] brings people together, regardless of race, sexual identity. It's a music for everybody, where you can escape. It can make you feel better.
It brings people together, regardless of race, sexual identity. It's a music for everybody, where you can escape. It can make you feel better. Music is very, very powerful. So, those are some of the elements of Afrofuturism.
Saliby: Techno still feels like a relatively new genre. Its roots are only 40 years old, and many of its creators are still making music. Where do you see the future of techno?
Collins: Well, I think that techno is here to stay. For instance, we still listen to classical music, and that was created when? Centuries ago. So, this is a form of music I think will continually advance because I also think that we haven't reached the epitome, or there's so much more we can experience or develop or create in techno music because we've only touched the surface.
Saliby: Well, I've been speaking with John Collins of the collective Underground Resistance. Thank you for joining me.
Collins: Thanks for having me.
Saliby: The exhibition "Techno: The Rise of Detroit's Machine Music" is on display through the end of April at the MSU Museum.
The MSU Museum is a financial supporter of WKAR.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
