Juan Atkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Atkins
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Atkins performing as Model 500 at DEMF in 2007
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| Born | September 12, 1962 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Detroit techno |
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| Years active | 1980–present |
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Juan Atkins (born September 12, 1962) is an American music producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan. He is also known by his stage names Model 500 and Infiniti. Many people call him the "original pioneer of Detroit techno" music. He has been a part of important music groups like the Belleville Three, Cybotron, and Borderland.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Juan Atkins was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father was a concert promoter, which means he helped organize music shows. From a young age, Juan loved music. He played guitar and bass guitar in funk bands with his friends.
When his parents separated, he moved to Belleville, Michigan. There, in junior high school, he met two other future music stars: Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. These three friends would later become famous as the Belleville Three. They are known for creating the unique sound of Detroit techno music. When Juan was 15, he bought his first synthesizer, a Korg MS-10. This electronic instrument helped him make new sounds.
Juan Atkins' Music Career
Juan Atkins started his professional music journey in 1980. He formed a group called Cybotron with Richard Davis. Their first studio album, Enter, came out in 1983. Juan and Richard worked together until 1985.
In 1985, Juan Atkins decided to start his own record company, called Metroplex. This label helped release his music and the music of other artists. In the same year, he began making solo music under the name Model 500. As Model 500, he released several albums, including Deep Space in 1995, Mind and Body in 1999, and Digital Solutions in 2015.
Juan Atkins is also one half of a music duo called Borderland. He works with another artist named Moritz von Oswald in this project. They released their first album, Borderland, in 2013, and another one called Transport in 2016.
In 2015, Metroplex celebrated its 30th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, Juan Atkins worked with a company called VAVA Eyewear.
Musical Style and Influences
Juan Atkins has shared that certain artists and sounds greatly influenced his music. He said that George Clinton's bands, Parliament and Funkadelic, were very important to his musical journey. He grew up listening to radio shows hosted by The Electrifying Mojo, who played a lot of different music.
He also credits the German electronic music group Kraftwerk as a big influence. Mixmag, a music magazine, has called him "the original pioneer of Detroit techno." This means he was one of the first and most important artists to create this style of electronic music. His music often uses ideas from dystopian science fiction stories. He uses these ideas to create unique and imaginative sound worlds.
Discography
Juan Atkins has released many albums, EPs, and singles throughout his career. A discography is a list of all the music an artist has released.
Studio Albums
- 3MB Featuring Magic Juan Atkins (1992) (with Thomas Fehlmann and Moritz von Oswald, as 3MB Featuring Magic Juan Atkins)
- Deep Space (1995) (as Model 500)
- Skynet (1998) (as Infiniti)
- Mind and Body (1999) (as Model 500)
- The Berlin Sessions (2005)
- Borderland (2013) (with Moritz von Oswald, as Borderland)
- Digital Solutions (2015) (as Model 500)
- Transport (2016) (with Moritz von Oswald, as Borderland)
- Mind Merge LP (2017) (with Orlando Voorn, as Frequency vs Atkins)
Filmography
Juan Atkins has also appeared in some films.
Feature Films
- High Tech Soul (2006)
Short Films
- Black to Techno (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Juan Atkins para niños
