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Phaotfile
Jim Byers has the facts on a Detroit
- ,--,a~.g3* A
Name Juan ’Magic’ Atkins. Age 34.
Occupation DJ, producer (as Model 500), occasional remixer and original member of the 'Detroit mafia'.
Who are the ‘Detroit mafia' exactly? Juan the man, and his two high school mates Kevin ’Inner City' Saunderson and Derrick 'Transmat' May.
What's so great about them? Oh, they only invented Detroit techno.
What's Detroit techno when it's at home? Technicalities aside, it’s percussion-based electronic dance music.
Meaning? Erm, put it this way, it sounds like it was made by machines rather than live instruments; it's pretty minimal and repetitive but it’s very subtle, very groovy and, at its best, extremely funky. It’s distinguished by plenty of treble-y, hi-hat action, a smooth bassline, a touch of synthesizer and usually a complete lack of vocals.
That sounds a bit boring Far from it. Detroit techno is widely considered to be extremely spiritual. Many liken its emotive power to that of jazz.
Why is it revered so much? Nobody really knows why, but the combination of its elements produces a magical sound that is sometimes difficult to understand but other times heart- stoppingly beautiful.
You're getting a bit carried away aren't you? It's only music. mate. Not exactly. Atkins, Saunderson and May are veritably worshipped within the dance music scene. You can't mention their names without adding 'Detroit legend', 'techno pioneer' or ’Godfather of techno’ immediately. These guys are heroes.
It’s serious stuff this Detroit techno then? You bet. It's just a shame that such quality music has since been bastardised over the years by distinctly less talented imitators.
Like who? Following the inroads made by the Detroit pioneers, along came lots of British producers who stole the blueprint and added their bits. The result is nasty, soulless nonsense like 'tartan techno' and 'gabba'.
What's Atkins up to at the moment? Apart from being a living legend, he’s apparently running a hip hop label which releases projects from various Detroit techno producers.
Juan Atkins guests at Sakradé, The Honeycomb, Edinburgh on Sat 1 Mar and Aquaplanet, the Sub Club, Glasgow, Sun 2 Mar.
74 THE LIST 21 Feb—6 Mar 1997
GLASGOW SUNDAY CLUB LISTINGS cont
9pm—midnight. Free. Hard house and techno from JP. Andy and guests. Can't see the DJs'.’ They're playing in the kitchen. that‘s why. Cookin‘ tip the tunes. I Fuddrukkers at Cleopatra's. lO.30pm—2.30am. £3 (£2 with ticket). Disco. pop and 60s party vibes.
I Funkadelica at the Cathouse. 10.30pm—3am. £2 (£l ). Classic l'unk. new i funk. funk rock and rap offering an interesting alternative to ‘Get Sorted‘ also on at the venue the same night. Margaritas 50p. Gold Bier and vodka mix
Li.
I Get Sorted at the Cathouse. l0.30pm—3am. £2 (£ l .50/ free bel'ore ll.30pm). Indie/alternative vibe in the new Cathouse with margaritas 50p. Gold Bier and vodka mix £ l.
I Ground Control at Bar to. ()pin—inidnight. Free. Heavy dub and drum 'n‘ bass from the inimitable duo.
I Interpol at Nico's. Spin-close. l-"ree. Paul Cawley from Phar ()tit playing ‘eas-y listening and cosmic jazz‘. Hall-price Martinis and cheap cocktails. Pre-club. I I Loaded at Fury Murry's. l lpm-3am. :
£3. All spirits plus mixer 99p. Pints of Coors £ l .50. Fury's stalwart .lim with
retro guitar-based tunes to wind tip the weekend. I I Lube at The l3th Note (basement). 8pm—midnight. Free. The excellent Lube back again with drum 'n' bass from Larz and Mann.
I Psyron at The Brewery Tap. - Spin—midnight. Free. Dub techno pre-club 3 front Andrew Taylor. Richard Nolan. Alan 3 Atkins and Paulie. I Shirley's Temple at Archaos. : l lpm—3am. £5 (£3). A trippy mix ol'camp l theatricals and hard house soundtrack from the radiant Ms Alston and Bob.
I Technomania at The Rat Trap. i l0.30pm—3am. £3. ‘l')el and the boys j from Paisley invade.‘ I Velvet Rooms llpm—3am. £5. Alan Ronald in Room Two with an open mix from classic house to soul and Martin Hesketh in Room ()ne playing mellow hip hop. swingbeat and classic soul. All drinks £ l.
I Wax Lyrical all The Volcano. 1 l lpm—2.30am. £3. Techno funk and beefy beats every Sunday with Lee. Dempster and Hutchison. Miller and Michelob Gold £ l .50 plus Vox and Tequila promos. T
GLASGOW MONDAYS
I Betty W00 at Betty's Mayonnaise.
l lpm—3am. £2. A night of dance. pop and house from [Ms Tom and (iav. aimed directly at the Chinese community.
I Cleopatra's l0.30pm—3am. £2 (£l with ticket). Gary Unett and a mix of mainstream pop and dance tip at Clatty j Pats.
I Club X at Club Xchange.
l 1.30pm—3am. £2.50 (£ l .50). Gay. llard house and garage. £ l .25 all drinks. l).l Fast Eddie.
I Contact High at .Nice 'n' Sleazy (upstairs). 8piii—iiiitliiiglit. l-ree. Northern soul. ska. garage and dtib.
I Salsa Dance Club at Burlin' Jocks. 8pm—midnight. Latin American dance club. Mondays are the advanced nights. Tuesdays are best for beginners. Arrive early. Pie-club.
I Speedracer at The Garage. l().30pm—3am. £3 (£2). Steven mixes tip a few indie-dance classics and retro tunes for a busy upd‘or-it crowd in the main
GLASGOW TUESDAYS
I Boudoir at Brel. 8.30—I lpm. Glasgow‘s top easy-listening combo lay back up the West End. l’re-club.
I Club XChange llpm—3am. £2.50 (£|.50). Gay. Dance and chart sounds. £l.25 pints and spirits lager. 50p vodka. Pitched as the only gay night in town tonight.
I Eden at The Velvet Rooms.
l lpm—3am. £3 (£2). Alan Ronald playing Britpop in Room ()ne and Scott Mckay with mellow house in Room Two. Double
, vodka mix £l.25. margaritas £ l. llooch £l.3.‘. selected beers L l.
I Glasgow School of Art Spin—midnight. l-‘ree. l)th night. l'leavyweight sounds with regular guests and live perl'orniances.
I Salsa Dance Club at Burliii' locks.
(min-midnight. Latin American dance
i club. Mondays are the advanced nights. ‘ 'l'uesdays‘ are best (or beginners. .-\ri'i\ e j earlv. l’re-club.
: I Shooting Stars at The (iarage.
llpm— 3am. £3 (£2 ). lnsane drunken
shenanigans eased along nicely by the
charty choons ot'(ierr_\ and Iain in the main room. Staggering (you w Ill her drink promos. Vodka mix £ l. margaritas
50p.
I The Shimmy Club at Benneis. ll.30pm »3am. £3. The legendary Shimmy returns in the newly revamped Bennets. Biggest party night in town. I Trading Post at Cleopatra's. l().3()pin—-2.30am. £2 (£l with ticket).
Chart. mainstream and (r()s ‘l'or the
pub/club stall crowd '.
I WiCkEd :ll Bell-V's Mayonnaise. l0pm~3am. £3 (£2 ). liidie pop and dance from [)1 (‘.l (Archaos Thursday s).
[)AVlO ll MCINT‘i’RE
mix £l.25.
I Chopper at (‘lub Xchange. l0..‘~()pm 3.30am. £3.50 (£2). Garage. house and 90s disco and pop l‘rom l)J
Rory (.-\rchaos 'l‘hursdays). Double vodka
£ L25. I Disco Wonderland at The (‘ailiouse llpm —3am. £2 (£ l .50: free before
T ll.30pin). Super sounds from the 70s . with margaritas 50p. (iold Bier and vodka
mix £l.
I Fab at Reds. llpm -3am. £4 (£3). (iroovy garage and club classics. Miller
£|.5(). vodka-mix £l.
j I GO West at (’leopati‘a's.
10.30pm—2.30aiii. £2 (U with ticket). A
I mainlv ‘student—orientated' bill of lare.
I Latin Dance Club at Lime.
7.30—l0pm. £3. Salsa. merengue and
cumbia classes: 7.30pm beginners. 3.30pm intermediate.
I Paradise Island at The Volcano.
llpm 2.30am. £3 (£2). Ali and Martyn's natural progression from hip hop to drum ‘n' bass with a hit of old school. Features
l‘oi'tnightly skate ramp. Miller and
Michelob (iold £ l .50 plus Vox and Jack Daniels promos.
I I Peach at Betty's .‘vlayonnaise.
: l()pm 3am. £3 (£2). Club classics and
ousoow WEDNESDAYS l
I Bennets ll..‘s()pm -3am. £2.50. l).l Sara with upbeat dance. £l gin and vodka £l.25 lager.
I Cheeseburger at the \‘elvet Rooms. llpm—3ain. £3 (£2). Miss A] presents a night ol‘ big party tunes in two rooms. Miller £l.50. llooch £ | .25. double vodka
house from D] (.ieol'l'.
I Relax at Bar l0. Spin—close. l-‘rec. Downbeat dance night with Juna and Romeo. l’re-club.
I Sticky Fingers at The Attic.
l0.30pm 3am. £2 (£ l ). (ierry with indie and retro sounds. l)rinks promos.
I Still Buggin' at the Sub Club.
llpiii 3am. £5. 26 l‘cb only. Legendary