Keith Tucker aka DJ K-1
The music scene in Detroit has a long history of producing many forms of music. Detroit has been influential in the celebrated "Motown Era," to the globally influential age of "Detroit Techno." Detroit will always in some way drive the world in music.

Detroit DJ's and Producers, in their unique ability, strive to progress into the future by putting a little of themselves into each track. This ability allows some to feel a special vibe that produces visions of the future by embracing the past.

Keith Tucker, an Artist and DJ, has captured this vision in his recordings. Tucker, founder and formerly of AUX-88, known as Alien FM and KT-19941, has moved into a new direction with his futuristic movie score sounds of Optic Nerve.

During the early part of the 1980's, Tucker focused his talents on playing his exclusive music via mobile DJ'ing. These transmissions of his exclusive music were most effective through street parties and various underground venues. Spinning the likes of Kraftwerk, Cybotron, Parliament, Human League, Derrick May and the Soul Sonic Force, to name a few. On the radio, in and around Detroit, this music was playing, and Tucker discovered that keyboards and various drum machines had taken over his life. Various other aspiring artists, Ron Cook, Tommy Hamilton, and Anthony Shakir, helped redefine Techno with wicked drumbeats and synthesized bass tracks strictly for parties.

In 1985, Tucker, Tommy Hamilton and Tony Horton formed RX-7, a local Detroit Techno band. They performed great hits by such groups as Cybotron, Kraftwerk and the Soul Sonic Force. There were many unreleased original tracks performed by RX-7. The band played at local events in and around the city of Detroit. Wanting to pursue personal projects, the band decided to disband a year later.

Starting out in Classical Music during his grammar school years, Tucker went on to learn music sequencing. He also pursued a College career in Technical Illustration, Computer Graphics and Mechanical Engineering. This in turn with a love of Classical Music has helped him to appreciate music as an art form. He learned that he had gotten more into the SCI-FI aspect of music because of the moody strings moving faintly in the background. Tucker's style of Techno conveys this in the various bass lines intermingled together too not only convey the title of his music, but feelings of being elsewhere.

This art form of music led Tucker to buy older models of analog gear and pursue sending out demo tapes to various local Detroit Techno labels. He received a response from Metroplex Records; Juan Atkins label, and signed as Frequency. Under this alias, Tucker recorded such tracks as, "Television", "Frequency Express", and "New Jack House." On the track "New Jack House," Darren Muhammad of Adrenaline M.O.D. did the vocals and Juan Atkins did the mixes. Tucker learned a lot from his experiences with Metroplex Records.

In September of 1992, while working on new tracks for Metroplex Records, Tucker received a visit from Tommy Hamilton. They brought their experiences together to form AUX-88, and found that their music talents had matured since the early 1980's. Using their Detroit Techno background, the two quickly accumulated a mass of new tracks together, as well as individually.

AUX-88 wrote a lot of new tracks with a brand new vibe. The futuristic blend of Electro, Bass, and Trance, that they call Techno Bass. In 1992 the first single, "Technology," transmitted by Direct Beat/430 West, immediately over took the Detroit club scene.

"When we heard the tune, we knew the guys had made it in Detroit, for Detroit, so that's where we released it, DETROIT," exclaimed Lawrence Burden of 430 West Records. Burden explained that 430 West had no intention of selling Techno Bass anywhere else except the U.S., but Hardwax (the only underground store in Berlin, Germany) got wind of it, and demanded we sell it to them. After that, the world just caught on to Detroit's form of Techno and made their own. After the first successful single, AUX-88 produced their monumental double EP "Bass Magnetic."

While creating a new identity on the Techno scene, AUX-88 brought about new feelings among other Techno artist. This was demonstrated through a truly historical event brought about through Juan Atkins of Metroplex Records. Tucker (K1), Tommy Hamilton (Tom Tom), and Mike Banks (Mad Mike), was approached by Juan Atkins to help organize and perform Atkins first ever-live performance as Model 500, on October 13, 1995 for Metroplex Records 10th anniversary celebration. This live performance was performed in downtown Detroit and was a huge success. This historical event brought Press and Guess from as far away as Austria to see Model 500 perform "Clear", "No UFO's," and "Technicolor," to a standing room only crown of on lookers.

Tucker received an invitation to perform December 16, 1995 at the MAYDAY gathering in Frankfurt, Germany because of his outstanding performance from Model 500 and his background in Techno. There was a highly energized crowd of over 28,000 plus Techno fans from all over the world. Tucker was the only DJ to spin an entire musical set of all Electro. This MAYDAY event was televised world wide via the Internet. K1's Electro set was greeted with many cheers of acceptance and autograph seekers.

Tucker felt it was time to leave AUX-88 and explore his other areas of interest in Techno music. He decided to pursue his alter ego solo projects Alien FM, Optic Nerve (Now signed to OMNISONUS Records of Paris), and KT-19941 on PUZZLEBOX Records (co-owned by Tucker and Wanda Dixon). Tucker feels that his style of Techno is uniquely his own and he was not being recognized for his various projects done totally solo. Many of his projects were being perceived as being group projects.

In May of 2000 Detroit was host to the largest free Electronic Music Festival In the world. Tucker brought together old and new artist to form RX-7 again for the festival. AUX-88, XILE, Black Electric, and Optic Nerve performed on one stage for the first time. Tucker vision of unity came together during the DEMF.

Jeff Mills
Urban Legend has it that there is a city ordinance in the city of Ann Arbor, MI that prohibits Jeff Mills aka The Wizard to play within the city limits. Back in the day, people would line up around the Nectarine Ballroom and police would not be able to control the crowds that would come to see him. Circa approx: Late 1980's

I'm in the process of finding the exact information to confirm/deny this.

This is a copy of their Jan, 2002 Press Release

Finally Detroit techno has a home in Detroit ­ 3000 East Grand Boulevard. A home built somewhere in Detroit, on vinyl sweat and percussive dreams. The newly renovated Submerge operation reopens its doors in 2002, just when the chain stores thought the airwaves were safe from independent sonic bombardment.

Submerge was originally founded in 1992 by Banks and his counterpart Christa Weatherspoon as a vessel for Detroit dance music to reach across the world. Headquartered for almost a decade at the infamous 2030 Grand River Ave. address, Submerge was the silent hub for Detroit techno. Submerge has served as a channel for many labels, who have come and gone and taken on new direction over the years. As Submerge's casts of characters has changed and evolved, the spirit has remained strong. With support from many of Detroit's most talented and dedicated producers, label managers, promoters, DJs, computer experts, designers, shipping specialists, writers, booking agents, attorneys and vinyl technicians, Submerge has remained afloat beneath surface.

Submerge is dedicated to the nuts and bolts of the independent music industry, producing a hard-earned product and serving mom and pop¹s stores across the world. From stage one to the finished product, Submerge has built airtight alliances with the artisans of the vinyl industry.

In a rare interview from a 1994 article in "A House in Detroit", Banks says, "Submerge was founded out of a need. There were a bunch of small, unorganized labels struggling to survive. None of them had any formal business classes, and for any record label to survive, you have to produce music. Jeff (Mills) and I were signing acts, back when he was here, trying to collect money, bill people, send invoices, and it was cutting into our music. We couldn¹t afford a staff. So my idea was to accumulate all these labels and one person run the ship as far distribution, paying bills, invoices. Christa Weatherspoon runs Submerge and she is co-owner. It can¹t work without her. She runs it completely."

With the launching of Submerge Distribution, the underground source for dance music has done what some deemed improbable. Submerge has sewn roots, deep into Detroit soil, launching 3000 East Grand Blvd, a three-story music building in the heart of Detroit¹s cultural center. It is merely by design that the new Submerge is a short distance from Berry Gordy¹s original Motown headquarters. When Mad Mike and his partner erected the sight two years ago, they knew they faced a challenge. A dilapidated Union hall stood before their eyes, but in the solid foundation they saw possibility. With cooperation and contribution a team of workers enforced a one-year plan to build a lifelong dream. Freshly stained, painted and polished Submerge is ready to meet the needs of the global community. With seminars, record shopping and record shipping to retailers, the all-new Submerge will continue to be the source for Detroit¹s best dance music.

Closely monitored Submerge observers should not be shocked. Underground culture goes deep, much deeper than many realize. When it disappears from sight, it is regenerating with the force that has kept it going for 15 years strong. Submerge has meant many things to many people ­ from the stores who have faithfully retailed Submerge product to the techno tourists who made regular pilgrimages to its distribution center, making an appointment or standing on the dark, cold deserted street, in hopes that someone would answer the bell.

Streamlined and refocused, Submerge means business, Detroit dance music business for those who have forgotten. With a new face, a list of Detroit¹s most cutting-edge vinyl and merchandise are available once again. Stay deep

A brief timeline of events in Detroit techno history

• 1981: Juan Atkins' Cybotron releases its first single, "Alleys of Your Mind."
• 1982: A Number of Names releases single called "ShareVari".
• 1983: Atkins releases "Techno City" and gives the music a name.
• 1985: DJs Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson link with Atkins to form a network of Detroit record labels.
• 1987: May records "Strings of Life," regarded by many to be Detroit techno's seminal track.
• 1988: Virgin Records releases the compilation "Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit" and introduces the music to Europe, where it's wholeheartedly embraced.
• 1989: Saunderson becomes a British pop star on the back of singles like "Big Fun" and "Good Life."
• 1991: Carl Craig helps establish Detroit techno's second wave.
• 1992: Jeff Mills, Mike Banks and Underground Resistance launch an edgy, militant brand of their hometown's sound.
• 1993: Windsor's Richie Hawtin, recording as Plastikman, releases his first album and heads to superstar success.
• 1996: Artists such as Stacey Pullen and Sean Deason exploit new technology to craft the third wave of Detroit techno.
• 2000: The first Detroit Electronic Music Festival hits Hart Plaza, drawing an estimated million people to the riverfront.
• 2003: "Techno: Detroit's Gift to the World" premieres at the Detroit Historical Museum.

Flag of the City of Detroit. The flag symbolizes the three nations that have controlled Detroit: France (lower left), Great Britain (upper right) and the United States (upper left and lower right). The city motto (translated as "We Hope For Better Days" and "It Shall Rise From the Ashes") is a reference to the 1805 fire that destroyed the city.

The term Detroit techno refers to a style of techno music in the tradition of early (1985-1995) techno recordings from Detroit, Michigan, not necessarily indicating the music's geographic origin. A discriminating trait of Detroit techno is the use of analogue synthesizers and early drum machines for its production or - increasingly - the digital emulation of the characteristic sound of those machines.

Detroit techno is described as a combination of Kraftwerk and George Clinton thrown into an elevator by legendary DJ/producer Derrick May. Notable Detroit-area producers include:

• Juan Atkins
• Kevin Saunderson
• Kenny Larkin
• Derrick May
• Carl Craig
• Eddie Fowlkes
• Jeff Mills
• Mike Banks
• Octave One
• Suburban Knight
• Drexciya
• Blake Baxter
• Claude Young
• Keith Tucker

These are some classic Detroit techno labels:

• Underground Resistance
• 430 West
• Transmat
• KMS
• Metroplex

These producers from other world regions have infused much of their music with a strongly Detroit techno sound:

• Slam
• Maas
• Surgeon
• Richie Hawtin
• Darren Price
• Fabrice Lig
• Aril Brikha

Date: Thu, 03 Aug 1995 03:29:13 -0400 (EDT)
From: Somewhere In Detroit 
Subject: Re: (313) DJs That History Forgot 1
 
On Thu, 3 Aug 1995, Somewhere In Detroit wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Aug 1995, rbcIII the lovebot wrote:
> > On Wed, 2 Aug 1995, Robert Smith wrote:
> > 
> > > From what I know of Mad Mike, they don't want to be.  More friendships
> > > are made and more battles are won in the underground rather than on the
> > > surface.  More substance, less flash.
> > 
> > Well, I take the militant underground stance of the UR crew with a grain 
> > of salt.  They often dis +8 an others for licensing to big labels but...
> > 
> > 1) Tresor and Tresor II (NovaMute) have UR tracks on them.  This is the 
> > same label which licenses Probe and Plastikman and FUSE...
> > 
> > 2) Drexciya on WARP
> > 
> > 3) Drexciya on Rephlex
> > 
> > 4) UR on New Electronica compilations.
> > 
> > Many more examples can be found I'm sure.  I don't think WARP, Mute 
> > records and New Electronica are any better than R&S.  They pimp just like 
> > Renaat!
> > 
> > So this "anti white techno" stance is not very solid IMO.  I don't mind 
> > though.  I happen to think the Tresor and Tresor II comps the best 
> > NovaMute put out.  I think Drexciya deserves the exposure they get on 
> > labels like Warp and Rephlex.  I love all of the releases that New 
> > Electronica has put out (esp. the new Reflections On Reflections) and 
> > think UR are a great compliment to the other srtists featured.
> > 
> > I take the UR, Mad Mike, and Drexciya public statements as part of their 
> > "act".  Much like the facade of some Metal bands who act like devil 
> > worshippers.  It's all entertainment and good at that.  I just happen to 
> > think the whole "at war with the commercial forces" theme a pretty cool 
> > one.
> > 
> > -robert
> > 
> > -->       __    _  _  _____  _____  _____
> >          / _  | || ||  _  |_   _|/  _  
> >         / /_ | -- || |_) | _| |_ | (_) |    ______________
> >        /__________/|_____/|_____|_____/   ( *electronic* )
> > 
>  Attn;Lovebot
>             I dont get out in cyberspace very often so please forgive my 
>             net etiquette or any words I may mispell,I do very much app-
>             reciate Robert Smith"s passionate defense of UR,but I am a
>             fighter and in this instance I will come out of the shadows
>             in defense of my Label and what it stands for!First regarding
>             Drexciya - It hurts me just as much as anyone else who loves
>             true Underground music from the source to see a group that
>             UR as a Label helped lift from the streets into international
>             underground acclaim.Dont forget these projects on UR were not
>             Drexciyas first outings,their first outings on their own label
>             did not farewell at all.You guys cannot imagine the type of
>             time and energy both financially and studiowise that goes into
>             making 4 trak material good enough to make a record out of.
>             Matter of fact most people cant make 4 trak projects into
>             good sounding records,but at UR thats what we did because
>             I heard something in those traks - I heard some brothers
>             who were using their imaginations to the max,I heard kids
>             who were pure at heart and knew nothing of the international
>             complexities of this music,I heard dreams.It is very,very
>             difficult to descibe what it feels like to lose talented
>             people the caliber of Jeff Mills,Robert Hood or Drexciya
>             not to lose them due to arguments or disagreements,but to
>             lose them due to the environment here in Detroit.It is a
>             very difficult place to stay in especially if you have been
>             abroad or know others that have been.After returning some 
>             people are never the same! Jeff Mills was a world class DJ
>             a talent the world now enjoys.He had nowhere to play here in 
>             Detroit we would watch as DJ after DJ would come play Detroit
>             and for all the hype could not rock the D,basically they
>             could not hold a candle next to Jeff Mills.Jeff is xtremly
>             competetive so he really wanted to get out there and kik ass
>             So when his chance came in 1992 at the Limelite club in N.Y
>             he took it! HE knew and I knew that he would never come back!
>             I never call Jeff a sellout cause he aint,the brother just did
>             what he had to do because that was his chance to share his gift
>             with all of you in peace.Rob Noise went with Jeff due to a life
>             threating incident he had on 7 mile and we all agreed that Rob
>             needed to get away and see the world to see another side of
>             life.You see techno for us is life-these brothers would never 
>             have had the chance to see the world and meet people of all
>             different racial groups and idealogies if it wasnt for this
>             music period unless of course they did their 2 year stint in
>             the military! When Drexciyas James S. made his statements about
>             the caucasion persausion and plus-8 they were made out of
>             frustration,made out of living in a city ringed by 8 mile road
>             a street most minorities dont cross into at nite,bordered by
>             Dearborn MI. a suburb that didnt want detroit residents playing
>             basketball in its parks! Please understand there are 4 ways to
>             Escape these boundaries 1.go to prison 2.join the army 3.leave
>             and move somewhere else if you can afford it! 4.substance abuse
>             Thats the fucking way it is partner!So when guys from the city
>             see young affluent white teenagers from the suburbs running
>             around the city and not working particularily hard on inviting
>             brothers to their sets yes it is gonna cause tension! ITs
>             called cultural differences.I cannot tell you how many times
>             me and my crew were denied entrance to a party because there
>             where to many Black and mexican scary guys or gang members
>             at the door!! And thes kidz were supposed to be progressive!
>             Unfortunately 1 OF the guys from Drexciya was with us that
>             nite and it was a nite he never forgot. Let me tell you
>             prejudice hurts especially when its associated with the music
>             you love and the city you were raised in.It is for this reason
>             UR is in this war with the programmers - those kidz were 
>             by the sight of 20 heavily muscled brothers who yes some were
>             gang members some x-members and now musicians,they were in-
>             timidated because the programmers taught them that all brothers
>             that didnt have on silver shoes and didnt smile or laugh at
>             bullshit jokes and small talk were probably criminals ask
>             Mumia,Rodney King or Malice Green who effects programming
>             has on people.I am a very serious brother nothing that I do
>             or have done with UR is funny or entertaining,I am not a clown
>             and I will never tap dance on cue - I have never been pimped
>             and neither has my company,the moves and strategies that I 
>             use are for one thing and one thing only - and that is to guar
>             tee that the programmers agendas and stereo-types do not 
>             proceed into the next century!! Because it is these same
>             agendas and prejudices that nearly extreminated my mothers
>             peoples(blackfoot indians) and forcibly inslaved my fathers
>             Peoples for 400 years - so believe me when I tell you UR
>             some DEADLY serious shit!!!! there is very little for me
>             to smile and be happy about with the condition my people,
>             my city,my EARTH - MOTHER EARTH is in.All I can hope is that 
>             music from our label can without words or explanations
>             knock down all the barriers (racial,economic,religous,etc)
>             that the programmers have cleverly set before us in order
>             to keep us from understanding that catergories and definitions
>             separate and with separation comes exploitation and profit!
>             I hope you can feel what I am saying    -    as I stated
>             earlier I am not very good on the net and I tried to xplain
>             as efficiently as possible what me and my label stand for
>             so that there would be no misinterpetations or people
>             putting words in my mouth.I am 33 years old and fully
>             capable of speaking for myself but I choose to use music
>             because men have been talking for years but always with
>             FORKTONGUE music is true and ultimately much more efficient
>             than all writtien language to this date - tribal people
>             have known this for thousands of years.WE are all tribal
>             people but some of us have strayed away from the talk of 
>             the drum and they talk with words and languages that mean
>             nothing!THE DRUM IS ALWAYS BETTER - 
> 
> 
>             please forgive the length of my response and thank you for
>             this very unique forum of communication (consiousness) lets
>             leave the racial issues out of this forum and out of the 
>             next century and most of all out of tekno music as it knows
>             no boundaries not even logic  - peace MAD MIKE UR
> 
>             Back into the darkness I go do not try to find me> 
> 
              ps-lovebot if you ever come to detroit please feel free
              to look me up and I will show you what I am fighting
              against maybe then you would understand UR a little
              better.Its the type of organization that we love you
              but if you leave - dont come back,its that deep brother
              Also just to set the record straight me,ritchy,john,
              dan bell and Mike Himes all get along just fine ask
              em if you need too!IN the future never ever take words
              or statements that others have said and equate them to
              me!feel free to fax me and i will get back to you
              when time allows fax no.313.963.1025
 
              peace and stay low,stay strong    - out MAD MIKE
 
 
 

Musically, I am the guy in the group who tries everything. Booty, detroit, hard techno, 3 tables. I try to be the jack of all trades. But I limit myself to the new school in my sets. I’m always trying to use the decks and records to make crazy mixes. I hate it when only one record is playing. I bring the fucking madness to DTM. Fist throwing, hoot-hollering madness.

In general, I suppose I am the pretty boy of DTM, at least on the outside. I look like I should be spinning trance, or florida breaks.

From certain performers all the way down to the patrons of techno events, this city is full of fake fucks who do this shit for the wrong reasons. it’s been going on for too long. We (DTM) could give a fuck about what most of the scenesters think about us. Every time we play out, whether it be individually, or together, we; rock the house, play with style and class, and have a great time wherever we are at. Being able to play out with people who share the same views about techno in detroit, as myself, is a blessing. It’s guaranteed whenever I play with these guys, I will have a great night and get to hear some of the best DJ talent that this city has to offer. I don’t see that a lot with other people. It’s more of a competition. We compete with each other. But it’s more of a learning experience. I think we each learn something from the other when we tag, or even listen to each other’s mix CDs. I’ve never really seen the kind of friendship and respect that we have in the techno community before. Not to mention the musical knowledge between us. I don’t think there’s a techno record that, collectively, at least one of us is unfamiliar with.

though none of us have 'defined' roles, and we certainly try not to pigeonhole ourselves into any set of functions, we all have our specific areas of expertise and chosen areas of specialty. outside of DJing, for example, i dabble in producing/remixing, and i've been very active in the network/computer security fields for quite a long time.

in my role as a DJ, i've been demolishing soundsystems with darkside and techstep jungle for over half a decade. t.linder and i also share the decks quite frequently as tagteam partners; our collective energy coupled with a fearsome collection of techno, electro, and industrial records is truly a force to be reckoned with. one of the main strengths of the DTM is that we're all veratile enough in our respective techno and electro arsenals to battle and tagteam with each other on a semi-regular basis.

i consider it a unique opportunity to coexist in a tightly-knit crew of like-minded heads, with regard to our attitudes and beliefs about electronic music in detroit; where it's been, where it's going, and what we're going to do to take it there. the fact that all of us have been good friends and aquaintances outside of techno and the detroit underground happenings only adds fuel to the fire, and icing on the cake.

Detroit Techno Militia is a record label and a grass roots DJ/Producer collective dedicated to preserving the legacy of true Detroit electronic music and its proliferation around the world.  We believe in what we do, and take pride in contributing to a tradition that has deeply inspired us. Detroit Techno Militia soldiers work to maintain and preserve the significance of techno made in our native city.

In 2006, Detroit Techno Militia signed a distribution deal with Cratesavers Muzik, jump starting the Detroit Techno Militia record label.  We established our label as a Cratesavers sub-label to offer a creative outlet for the talented producers in our crew.  All the tracks we release are inspired by the musicians that have influenced us here in Detroit!     

Similar to the restoration of historic architecture; we are not tearing down and building anew. Rather using the existing structure as a basis for our own endeavors. Detroit has always had much to offer musically and it is our mission to make it known to the rest of the world for generations to come.