10 -- The Mtchigan Daily - Monday, May 15, 2000
Technuoinnovator
comes back home
By Jason Birchmneier
1161N, Art-, Witer
(Of the many high-caliber Dis fea-
tured at Motor in Detroit every week-
end, few measure up to the remarkable
~.status of Der-rick
May. Besides
being one of the
-Derrick most seasoned
M ay Dis in the inter-
Motor, Detroit na tional techno
Ma 0 00 scene, May's
most notable
remoains his role
as one of the
%41 genre's true pio-
neers.
Often referred
to as The
Innovator, May and a small camrp of
f'ellow Detroiters such as Juan Atkits
and Kevin Saunderson began releasing
ffi- fi - rtechno recording~s in the late
'80is. Tihese early records looked to the
celebratory house sounds of Chicagso,
the futuristic sounds of Kraftwerk and
lie inescipable funk of Parlianment-
Fuinkadelie for influence.
h iiiU '(h traces ofl these iIflucieIS
us~n blIsdin May s earIv'. eeirdiiius
Isle "Risetliutiisss lhiis iccords,
SuIChis SliOisge of I l ' llgel
iiiieleiiscnrgsisel5a1nd il
liii'ilithsdayv
Isw1911S7 to 1991, Mis, put siltsa
series of records unlike anything heard
before. Produced, mixed, pressed and
released in Detroit, these records evetn-
tually crossed the Atlantic becoming
anthems for the infantile rave scene
that was quickly developing in
England.
Saturated with sensual synthesizers,
built upon foundations of complex
percussive rhythms with an overall
tone of tranquil euphoria, these land-
mark recordings have recently been
compiled on the double-album
"Innovator." In addition to the body of
work comopiled on "Innovator," many
other classic recording by May can
still be found on 12-inch vinyl records.
Though May's historical signifi-
cance revolves around Iis role as one
of techno's pioneering artists, he has
since begun concentrating on his sta-
tus as an internationally recognized
D..
In 1991, his recording career
reached a till as he began crossinig the
globe, spinning at masts of the leadiit(
festisals and Clubs its eountites ,is fl
assay as Jap ianisd Austriha.
heor anelne ili it misel ae S Spe
elal perils iii lice lit Ce ii lie l311ssi1
his) s1il Il 1" IltTi o a '
souci u~e'1551 ii iiii te e
Scleiii ici.illlel i s i
Derrick May makes it happen on the I and 2. Check him out this Saturday at Motor.
out ofa ttaditional teclsti teoirdintotisa
old-school electto tecotd befiote thens
MoVitgInsitto somiethintg teiasesIICpeeted
as Jamises Brown s "TIhe Pasbaiek" or
sosIe tIsse I-ibl pelLISSslsss
Vi mltesli Iees onise cani exeee
surIike-ilSrellsiisi ljii ll 1,111l
toi be sclilel 11151 elille ii
hontetowsn erosvd ls tie it Lip fottte
eitvs m nost rettossnted teelsto aitist.
\WhentMaiv splitsat Moitor's one-
seal ll i1ussieisar te ie wrapipIited
ar-OuiT"d lie bliek %'ists ll inlI ls cliSSlll"
i si in er- s isoi - solf i' sisel
1,-11 On -11 C iibli it s l heesISse
ele Isl'is 01e1C leiisll se
rare lisiss iss piet isl
'P-ioneers*
looks at
devolution
of Devo.
"Piestcers Who (Got Scalped" is
a rather fittitig title for Devo's ness
two-Cl) compilation.
The albuns demonstrates their
itmportantt role in tle electronic
tmusic revolutiiin. Despite this
mnty simply
Grade: B Devo as a ote-
hit wonder
Devo thanks to ti .
Pinneers Who Got song 'Whip 0
Rissi Recorss The cottpila-
Siesi ii iy tion begitns
CiDa s il ,t nes wvith l te ir
esw iss sill mnIMusic fromssthe
late '70s,
liuritig this perioid they enhanced
lie sitmplistic elemsents of punk
antd noess iaictswiith a numiber 0-
iisondffCts 'atdSIel ssteSiZe'
mselioeies.
I lici s snse sieelto fiieiis isis
Devis Iioif'ilhumanliCythIstsilteel
fiomlilisissmisiriccesidependiencee
1101iCssile s iIle lbuit prl-0
"lresseessic see hi cirIosebIecamse
C \lelill Ill is at they preacietilso
ctioigily agis t. ITheir music
eli ngee hroistrnck iith Soutd
eflects tso utLIiiC that Was COMO
pletely eletronieally cotstructed,
Despite beitsg years ahecad of its
tite, this youing techito they were
ptoductng towards the late '80s
seas rathet bland its comparison to
the robot tock of their early years.
Beyond their 'Devolution,' ote
of the best elemsents of "Pioneers
Whio (ot Scalped" is te varioiS
cover siltsgs.Irsckts ide "t
You Exp'riense'd?" "S'cret Agent
Man," "tsy Iisy Teeny Weniie
Yllosv Iolka Doit Bikini' anoel"I
caift get 0(o1 Satisfactiots" ivhich
,vsa midslet lit for tlet esrly iii
their career.
The bansd's ability to coer sus
a dyitaric rainge of sotgs itt their
own Electro-fobot nck style is
one of tlb bui"sh1points of tis
albuim becau se it de'msonstrates the
'ointection betwveens their musitsi
and early rock n' roll.
'Piotteers Who (lot Scalped" is
ideal for those lookinig to trace te
history of electronic Msusie or for
anyone looking for their daily fix
of eclectic early '80s geek rock,
Howvever, those seekitig a copy
of "Whip It" should avoid it atd
jttst pick tip a tnewv wave comnpila-
tiots Which Will undoubtedly place
thle eletro-pUtsk fotunditig fater*
next to Such inniovators s A-I-a
and Men Without flats.
It's stranige hoss music history
ssarps tings.
"Aft'rilse Eulogy" copens ewith a inc hIe whsole band chantsii"Rise!"' Neele.te bandsch as Pill iut three-C i wielre thle naitt 01i15 pltlilsgll piih
recrcdinsg of a large group of people repeatedly. strotng solos efforts, "Contsider" 'The thle deceit cii his friendtandsitsl ial I
chtsnting "No peace or justice" while Wills this comnmand, Boy Sets 'ire Dsiv lie Suit Wet Out," stitchIts decides to itsake a stanch.
ithiers cheer in the background. sets out ott their mission oif' itotiesit- Ctrysilis." XX bile lines like, "all the wvorst of
Softly, drummer Mati Kreipanski iisg peopl~e to act against injustice I Eth of these enemsies ate somsehowc always fi'iettdis
oits thenm with military style drunm- and inequality. Grade: B+ elfoits focused that used to be,"ilmsost sountd tot
tilts . Then, bassist Rob As-cry and On "After the Eulogy," Boy S'ibets heaiyott scial enchearing, furis' makes it work as Itis
lie dual 'uitar attack of Chad Ivstan Fire Itas created their most feroc'ous Boy Sets Fire and politicsil voice soaits above lie crescendhoing
attne John Laishaw sound lonelly once and citherenst rec'ord yet. Sitte' their site te ulgy ssues inc hahs music.
before singer Nathan firay JinlssIn inst split tLPsi-ith Jazz Min'sSiouitded Intelli- IteIi cit ob iseoti
11
G'
1's
t?
(Y
Ccoi is-cil getnt diititsso,
ls loi'cls heset thetec
issAhssls etised to el set
Assn, Ce's isC ltiplaISt
S --------------- j ot ieled itig morie
siocial sseigbt to the tmoire petrsitnaI
sottgs that are sprittkled tls iiits11LsIt
OIn teir lstest albUm ,Bote Sets
l'ire seetmsto isis-cfoutidtais is t
combine personail and piubliecene
so that eachi one cait be apprecitedh
csn Its moiinsihile stillIfittig Itothe
cotntinuity of the albuiss1
The 'mna jirity of the IbeititCotisists
ctf songs like "(Comspassiontl is Skull
F'ragmsensts on the Wall"iswhose dii1
ving hardcore force and screamntg,
-vetigefuil lyrics smove even the
calmest soul. Lines like, You will
burn in bell for es-ervonseYoui'ye
killed" spesik to no countrtiss milit'arv
in particular, but rather to the world'
-use of violenst mseans to achsieve their
goals.
"My Life its the Knsife T'rade," ott
the othser sand, is softer and more
- mc odic. It describezs a relatisisshsip
sis oni sell' cefinitin on this r'eeord.
In '"Roukie,"(ity is g, I uedIto
be a hit like COli but toss I'isOnly
it.s ln"crs iive Yeaire,"lie
sit(ss"this Wa s O~hutIS-Cisiuld Cet
be11 ,
Iyrices like these ati e tpte'sitais
ofi a refileetive petrsioial cLii issueIshit
iii iches thle ccliVi s e 'eeti e ltistort
teal isialvsei's olutitt llsolter iii
Sets lire Sittgs.
It's hard to figurfe out uwhat It is
abetut lBs Sets I-ire that mauskes themn
Set uilike ctber harlcitre bsindcs and
set ait use sme time caitegosrize thtemt
in Such a is-as.
It Could be ite rhyihtin sectioins
ciostantinitnov-atiitn to beats. It could
be she dual guitir styllngs of Isissit
and Laishaisbthatssake the MSICc
achieve sounds that move f-rntaesl
to skate puink to genstle cisso. It could
be (iris's voice which shifts easily
front a dIistorted attd angry grosw] to 'a
fr-agile, bight pitched ivail '
Whatever it is, it wcorks. sitd it
ivorks here better ibaties-cr.