Juan Atkins

Juan Atkins was born in Detroit, Michigan.{{cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/489520|title=Juan Atkins, Juan Maclean - A Nurvous + Rinsed Event|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=February 29, 2020}} His father is a concert promoter. At an early age, he played guitar and bass guitar in funk/garage bands with his friends. After his parents split, he moved to Belleville, Michigan. In junior high school, he met Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. The three would later be known as the Belleville Three.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-10-et-runk10-story.html|title=Techno gets its due at museum in Motown|website=Los Angeles Times|first=David|last=Runk|date=February 10, 2003|access-date=February 29, 2020}} At the age of 15, he bought his first synthesizer, a Korg MS-10.

File:Model 500.jpg in 2007]]

Juan Atkins formed Cybotron with Richard Davis in 1980.{{cite web|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/city-slang/archives/2020/01/15/cybotron-the-original-detroit-techno-act-is-returning-with-a-new-album-and-tour|title=Cybotron, the original Detroit techno act, is returning with a new album and tour|website=Metro Times|first=Lee|last=DeVito|date=January 15, 2020|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215202811/https://www.metrotimes.com/city-slang/archives/2020/01/15/cybotron-the-original-detroit-techno-act-is-returning-with-a-new-album-and-tour|archive-date=February 15, 2020}} The duo's debut studio album, Enter, was released in 1983. Atkins and Davis split ways in 1985.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/10/cybotron-clear-reissue-dave-tompkins-sci-fi-techno/|title=The Things They Buried: On Cybotron's Embattled Techno Sci-Fi Masterpiece, 'Enter'|website=Spin|first=Dave|last=Tompkins|date=October 30, 2013|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509160053/https://www.spin.com/2013/10/cybotron-clear-reissue-dave-tompkins-sci-fi-techno/|archive-date=May 9, 2019}}

In 1985, Atkins founded the record label Metroplex.{{cite web|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/detroit-is-techno-city-and-techno-is-black/Content?oid=12291432|title=Detroit is Techno City, and techno is Black|website=Metro Times|first=Imani|last=Mixon|date=May 23, 2018|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601172119/https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/detroit-is-techno-city-and-techno-is-black/Content?oid=12291432|archive-date=June 1, 2019}} In that year, he started making solo records under the alias Model 500.{{cite web|url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2017/05/interview-juan-atkins|title=Interview: Juan Atkins|website=Red Bull Music Academy|first=Ben|last=Ferguson|date=May 23, 2017|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101114319/http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2017/05/interview-juan-atkins|archive-date=November 1, 2019}} As Model 500, he released Deep Space in 1995, Mind and Body in 1999, and Digital Solutions in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://xlr8r.com/news/juan-atkins-announces-new-lp-as-model-500/|title=Juan Atkins Announces New LP as Model 500|website=XLR8R|first=Kat|last=Leinhart|date=November 19, 2014|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827083851/https://xlr8r.com/news/juan-atkins-announces-new-lp-as-model-500/|archive-date=August 27, 2019}}

He is also one half of the duo Borderland along with Moritz von Oswald.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/53aa9z/juan-atkins-moritz-von-oswald-zeolites-borderland-exclusive-stream|title=25 Years On, Juan Atkins and Moritz von Oswald Are Still Exploring the Borderland of Techno|work=Vice|first=Jesse|last=Weiss|date=April 21, 2016|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129084143/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/53aa9z/juan-atkins-moritz-von-oswald-zeolites-borderland-exclusive-stream|archive-date=November 29, 2019}} The duo released Borderland in 2013 and Transport in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.factmag.com/2016/02/25/borderland-juan-atkins-moritz-transport-tresor/|title=Juan Atkins and Moritz von Oswald return as Borderland with Transport LP|work=Fact|first=Scott|last=Wilson|date=February 25, 2016|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822043023/https://www.factmag.com/2016/02/25/borderland-juan-atkins-moritz-transport-tresor/|archive-date=August 22, 2019}}

In 2015, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Metroplex, Juan Atkins collaborated with VAVA Eyewear.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2015-09-28|title=VAVA METROPLEX|url=http://visiophone-lab.com/wp/?portfolio=vava-metroplex|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-12|website=VISIOPHONE|language=}}{{Cite web|title=Vava Eyewear {{!}} Metal Magazine|url=https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/interview/vava-eyewear-a-vision-of-the-future-my-maanmies|access-date=2021-01-12|website=metalmagazine.eu}}

Juan Atkins has stated that George Clinton's bands Parliament and Funkadelic were important to his musical awakening. He grew up listening to The Electrifying Mojo's radio shows. He also acknowledged Kraftwerk as one of the influences on his music.{{cite web|url=https://www.electronicbeats.net/juan-atkins-about-kraftwerk/|title=Juan Atkins on Kraftwerk|website=Electronic Beats|first=Juan|last=Atkins|date=November 11, 2012|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630071959/http://www.electronicbeats.net/juan-atkins-about-kraftwerk/|archive-date=June 30, 2017}} Mixmag has described him as "the original pioneer of Detroit techno."{{cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/read/juan-atkins-in-the-lab-ldn-dj-lab|title=Juan Atkins in The Lab LDN|website=Mixmag|first=Callum|last=Reece|date=November 9, 2015|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120095315/http://www.mixmag.net/read/juan-atkins-in-the-lab-ldn-dj-lab|archive-date=January 20, 2016}} Stylistically, he drew upon dystopian science fiction narratives to construct his sonic landscapes.{{Cite web |title=This New Documentary Unearths Valuable Techno History—With Some Glaring Omissions · Feature ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/features/4045 |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}

{{See also|Cybotron (American band)#Discography|l1=Cybotron (American band) discography}}

• 3MB Featuring Magic Juan Atkins (1992) {{small|(with Thomas Fehlmann and Moritz von Oswald, as 3MB Featuring Magic Juan Atkins)}}
• Deep Space (1995) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• Skynet (1998) {{small|(as Infiniti)}}
• Mind and Body (1999) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• The Berlin Sessions (2005)
• Borderland (2013) {{small|(with Moritz von Oswald, as Borderland)}}
• Digital Solutions (2015) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• Transport (2016) {{small|(with Moritz von Oswald, as Borderland)}}
• Mind Merge LP (2017) {{small|(with Orlando Voorn, as Frequency vs Atkins)}}

• Classics (1993) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• The Infiniti Collection (1996) {{small|(as Infiniti)}}
• Wax Trax! MasterMix Volume 1 (1998)
• 20 Years 1985 - 2005 (2005)

• The True Techno EP (1992) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• The Future Sound EP (1993)

• "No UFO's" (1985) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Night Drive" (1985) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Testing 1-2" (1986) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Play It Cool" (1986) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Technicolor" (1986) {{small|(with Doug Craig, as Channel One)}}
• "It's Channel One" (1987) {{small|(with Doug Craig, as Channel One)}}
• "Sound of Stereo" (1987) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Make Some Noise" (1987) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Beat Track" (1987)
• "Interference" (1988) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "The Chase" (1989) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Ocean to Ocean" (1990) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Jazz Is the Teacher" (1993) {{small|(with Thomas Fehlmann and Moritz von Oswald, as M500 & 3MB)}}
• "I See the Light" (1993) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Sonic Sunset" (1994) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "The Flow" (1995) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Starlight" (1995) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "I Wanna Be There" (1996) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Be Brave" (1998) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Update" (2002) {{small|(as Model 600)}}
• "Outer Space" (2004) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "OFI" / "Huesca" (2010) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Control" (2012) {{small|(as Model 500)}}
• "Riod" (2016) {{small|(with Moritz von Oswald, as Borderland)}}

• High Tech Soul (2006){{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/various-artists-high-tech-soul-the-creation-of-techno-music-dvd-2495745483.html|title=Various Artists: High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music [DVD]|website=PopMatters|first=Tim|last=O'Neil|date=December 3, 2006|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229163037/https://www.popmatters.com/various-artists-high-tech-soul-the-creation-of-techno-music-dvd-2495745483.html|archive-date=February 29, 2020}}

• Black to Techno (2019){{cite web|url=https://djmag.com/news/history-detroit-techno-explored-new-documentary-black-techno|title=The history of Detroit techno is explored in new documentary, Black to Techno|website=DJ Mag|first=Brian|last=Coney|date=August 13, 2019|access-date=February 29, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225233814/https://djmag.com/news/history-detroit-techno-explored-new-documentary-black-techno|archive-date=December 25, 2019}}

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{{Commons category|Juan Atkins}}

• {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000831104|name=Juan Atkins}}
• {{Discogs artist|Juan Atkins|Juan Atkins}}
• {{IMDb name|2411516|Juan Atkins}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American musicians

Category:21st-century American musicians

Category:African-American DJs

Category:American electronic musicians

Category:American techno musicians

Category:Detroit techno

Category:DJs from Detroit

Category:American electronic dance music DJs

Category:20th-century African-American musicians

Category:21st-century African-American musicians