Juan Atkins

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Juan Atkins
Background information
Also known as	Model 500, Infiniti
Born	December 9, 1962
Origin	Detroit, Michigan,
Instrument(s)	Korg MS-6, Roland R-8
Years active	1981-Present
Label(s)	Metroplex
Associated acts	Cybotron

This article is about a musician who sometimes releases music under the name Model 500. For the Smith & Wesson Model 500 revolver, see Smith & Wesson Model 500. For the Western Electric Model 500 telephone, see Model 500 telephone.

Juan Atkins (born December 9, 1962 in Detroit) is an American musician. He is widely credited as the originator of Techno Music ^[1], specifically, Detroit Techno as Atkins and Techno co-creators Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson attended high school together in Belleville, MI, near Detroit.

At Washtenaw Community College, Atkins met Rick Davis, with whom he recorded under the name Cybotron. Atkins coined the term Techno to describe their music, taking the works of futurist and author Alvin Toffler as inspiration. From Toffler, Atkins borrowed the terms "Cybotron" and "Metroplex." Atkins began recording as Model 500 in 1985 and founded the Metroplex label.

Atkins' earlier works could have easily been considered Electro in nature because of their simple, electronic makeup. Over the years his sound matured and grew in complexity and many of Atkins' more recent works are heavily layered ambient soundscapes. Today, Techno is considered specific musical sub-genre.

Atkins and other Techno artists have cited the long-running Detroit radio show of Charles "Electrifyin' Mojo" Johnson as a musical influence^[2]. Mojo, a local legend in radio, played an eclectic mix of music including Kraftwerk, Parliament, The B-52's and Prince. Atkins and May created mix tracks for Mojo to broadcast, and later began producing original music.

[edit] Discography

as Cybotron, with Rick Davis (1981 - 1983)
- "Alleys of Your Mind" (1981), single
- "Cosmic Cars" (1982), single
- "Clear" (1982), single
- Enter (1983)
- "Techno City" (1984), single
- Clear (1990), digitally remastered re-release of Clear

as Model 500 (1985 - present)
- "No UFO's" (1985), single
- "Night Drive"" (1985), single (includes "Time Space Transmat")
- Sonic Sunset (1994)
- Deep Space (1995)
- Body and Soul (1999)