Derrick May (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Derrick May
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Derrick May
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| Born | April 6, 1963 |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Transmat |
Derrick May, born on April 6, 1963, is an American electronic musician. He is also known by his stage names, Mayday and Rhythim Is Rhythim. Derrick May helped create techno music in the 1980s. He worked with his friends Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. They are often called The Belleville Three. Many people see May as a very important artist from Detroit.
Contents
About Derrick May
His Early Life
Derrick May grew up in Detroit. He was an only child. He started exploring electronic music when he was young. At 13, he went to Belleville High School. There, he became friends with Juan Atkins in 1981. Later, he also became friends with Kevin Saunderson.
Juan Atkins taught May and Saunderson how to be DJs. They formed a group called Deep Space Soundworks. They played their favorite music at parties and clubs. May said that people used to laugh at their love for Kraftwerk and disco sounds. But they kept believing in themselves.
His Music Career
Derrick May's career in music production began in 1987. He released a record that helped start the Detroit techno music scene. A year later, he released "Strings of Life". This song became a classic techno anthem. It was named by famous DJ Frankie Knuckles.
"Strings of Life" became very popular in Britain. Frankie Knuckles said it "just exploded." He described the amazing power and energy people felt from the song. This song was also featured in the video game Midnight Club: Street Racing.
In 1988, The Music Institute opened in Detroit. May and his friends had a regular DJ spot there. May called it a "spiritual place for music." He said it brought together many different people. Young Black people, white kids, Spanish kids, gay kids, and straight kids all came together.
Derrick May also helped many other artists. Carl Craig and Stacey Pullen looked up to him. May had two record labels. Transmat was for original music. Fragile was for artists who wanted to use more samples. May's Transmat Records released his best music. This included songs like "Strings of Life" and "It Is What It Is." Most of these were made between 1987 and 1989.
Even though he released less music in the 1990s, he kept DJing worldwide. He also helped other artists release their music. This made Transmat one of the most respected techno labels.
In a documentary, May noticed people in Italy wearing Underground Resistance shirts. He was surprised by their success outside of Detroit. He said people were "going crazy" for them.
More recently, May produced music for the film Tekken. This movie was based on a popular fighting video game.
For two years, in 2003 and 2004, Derrick May managed Detroit's yearly electronic music festival. Carl Craig first thought of the festival. May named his event "Movement." It replaced the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. As of 2019, Paxahau runs the Detroit Electronic Festival.
Derrick May still performs often. He travels internationally to play music. He calls his style "Hi-Tek Soul." He describes it as "George Clinton meeting Kraftwerk in an elevator." He has also said that Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Ultravox influenced his music.
His Musical Style
Derrick May's music has a special sound. It balances strong, drum-heavy sounds with string samples. His time in Chicago also added warmth to his music. He was inspired by the grooves of DJs like Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles.
His Impact on Music
Derrick May has been called the "Miles Davis of techno." His music helped create the path for later Detroit artists. It also influenced rave culture as we know it today.
Music He Has Released
Albums
- Innovator (1996)
- Mysterious Traveller (2002) (with System 7)
DJ Mixes
- The Mayday Mix (1997)
- Derrick May x Air (2010)
- Derrick May x Air Vol. 2 (2011)
- Fact Mix 339 (2012)
EPs
- Innovator: Soundtrack for the Tenth Planet (1991)
Singles
- "Let's Go" (1986) (with X-Ray)
- "Strings of Life" (1987) (as Rhythim Is Rhythim)
- "It Is What It Is" (1988) (as Rhythim Is Rhythim)
- "Beyond the Dance" (1989) (as Rhythim Is Rhythim)
- "The Beginning" (1990) (as Rhythim Is Rhythim)
- "Icon" / "Kao-tic Harmony" (1993) (as Rhythim Is Rhythim)
Films Featuring Derrick May
- Rock & Roll (1995), episode 10 – includes an interview.
- Universal Techno (1996) – includes an interview inside Detroit's Michigan Theatre.
- Modulations: Cinema for the Ear (1998) – includes an interview.
- Pump Up the Volume: A History of House Music (2001) – includes an interview.
- High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music (2006) – includes an interview.
See also
In Spanish: Derrick May para niños
