Mike Banks (musician) facts for kids

Mike Banks in 2010

Michael Anthony Banks, known as "Mad" Mike Banks, is an American music producer. He helped start the record label Underground Resistance with Jeff Mills. Mike Banks was a very important person in the "second generation" of Detroit techno music.

Who is Mad Mike Banks?

Mike Banks lives in Detroit, Michigan. Before becoming a famous producer, he was a studio musician. He played bass and guitar for groups like Parliament and Funkadelic. In the late 1980s, he worked with a group called Members of the House. They released several 12-inch singles.

Mike Banks and Jeff Mills started the label Underground Resistance in the late 1980s. They, along with Robert Hood, made many of the label's first songs. After Robert Hood and Jeff Mills left, Mike Banks led Underground Resistance by himself. He released music from artists like Drexciya and Sean Deason, as well as his own songs.

He also co-founded and co-owns Submerge Distribution with Christa Robinson since 1992. Submerge and Underground Resistance are independent record labels. They help share Detroit techno music all over the world.

His Music Style and Ideas

Mike Banks was influenced by other famous musicians like Derrick May, Juan Atkins, and Marshall Jefferson. Later, he became very interested in acid house and industrial sounds.

Mike Banks strongly believes in "underground music." This means he likes to keep his music independent and not too commercial. Because of this belief, he usually refuses to be photographed in public. His music often talks about political and social ideas. This has made him a well-known figure in the Detroit electronic music scene.

In the late 1990s, Mike Banks stopped playing live shows. It was hard to bring his electronic equipment through customs when traveling. But in the mid-2000s, he started performing live again.

Key Music Projects

Mike Banks has produced many important records for various projects and artists. Here are some of his notable works:

• He produced for Members Of The House, including Keep Believin' (1987) and Share This House (1988).
• He was a key producer for Underground Resistance. Some of their well-known releases include Your Time Is Up (1990), Nation 2 Nation (1991), and World 2 World (1992).
• He worked on the X-101 project, releasing Sonic Destroyer (1991).
• He was also part of X-102, producing Discovers The Rings Of Saturn (1992).
• Under the name The Martian, he released tracks like Meet The Red Planet (1992) and Journey To The Martian Polar Cap (1993).
• He produced for Davina, including Don't You Want It (1992).
• He was involved with Galaxy 2 Galaxy, releasing their self-titled double-maxi in 1993, which included tracks like Hi-Tech Jazz.
• Later, he continued to produce for UR (Underground Resistance) with releases like The Hostile / Ambush (1997) and Millennium To Millennium (2001).
• He also released music under his own name, "Mad Mike," such as Scalper (2005) and Hi-Tech Dreams / Lo-Tech Reality (2007).

See also

In Spanish: Mike Banks para niños