Black History Month: Detroit's EDM Pioneers

February 1, 2013 - 12:55 pm by Jorge Hernandez

Week 1: Detroit's the "Scene" & "New Dance Show"
TGIF and Happy Black History Month, everybody! February's a short one, so let's get this party started right (as in now) with a playlist from everyone's favorite throwback dance shows, the "Scene" and the "New Dance Show". From the late-1970s to the mid-1990s, Detroit’s low budget answer to Soul Train created a priceless record of dance music’s evolution from disco, funk and soul to electro, house and techno. The moves and fashion ain’t bad either. So pop in your earbuds, crank up the volume, and - if you’re really cool -try to spot your moms or pops in the mix.

A Number of Names, "Sharevari" A Number of Names were Detroit natives Sterling Jones, Paul Lesley and Roderick Simpson. "Sharevari", often cited as "the first Detroit techno track", was released in 1982. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Andre Manual West coast pioneer, Andre Manual (aka Unknown DJ, aka, X-Men, aka) E.V.I.A.N. & Atlantis Posse," Techno City" [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Ian Loveday Ian Loveday was a British DJ and producer best known for this acid house-techno banger that samples a classic line from David Lynch's 1990 cult sci-fi flick Dune. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

DBX (Daniel Bell), "Electric Shock" DBX is the alter ego of Daniel Bell, known as the father of bleeps and minimal techno. As partof Cybersonik with Ritchie Hawtin he banged out industrial techno stompers like "Technarchy". [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

A Guy Called Gerald, "Blow Your House Down" A native of British dance mecca Manchester, Gerald Simpson was a founding member of ambient techno lords 808 State, and gave the rave scene one of its enduring acid house classics, "Voodoo Ray". [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Unknown DJ, Basstronic Andre Manuel was a defining force in the bass heavy and electro-funk flavored West Coast hip hop sound through various aliases as well as his production company Big Beat and label Techno Hop. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Green Velvet Better known as Green Velvet, sci fi aficionado and super nerd Curtis Jones kicked Chicago house music's famed "second wave" into hyperdrive. His early tracks with fellow Chi-town icons Derrick Carter and Dajea are crate staples. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Kano, "I’m Ready"/Kraftwerk, "Numbers" WIthout Germany's Kraftwerk (formed in 1970), there would be no techno. Enough said. Kano were an Italo Disco group that had minor hits with freestyle and Hi-NRG fans, especially with "I'm Ready." [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

JJ Fad, "Blame it on the Muzick"/Fast Eddie, "Yo Yo Get Funky" Before the West Coast's JJ Fad hit it big with Supersonic, they were moving dance floors with hype electro beats. Fast Eddie cut his chops at Chicago's WBMX radio station before creating the short-lived acid house/hip-hop hybrid hip-house sound, epitomized by DJ international records. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]