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Juan Atkins
Atkins performing as Model 500 at DEMF in 2007
Background information
Also known as	Model 500, Infiniti
Born	December 9, 1962
Origin	Detroit, Michigan,
Genre(s)	techno, electro (music), hip-hop
Instrument(s)	Korg MS-6, Roland R-8
Years active	1981-Present
Label(s)	Metroplex
Associated acts	Cybotron

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

"Maybe techno coming out of Detroit had more of the black experience involved, and of course what we've grown up with is soul music and R&B stuff, and then there's funk itself," Atkins told Melbourne magazine Zebra in 1999. "It would be only natural that more of these elements would show up." ^[2]

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^[3]. 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.

Contents 1 Discography 2 Filmography 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

• 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)

• as Infiniti (1991 - 1995)
  • Skynet 1998
  • "The Infinit Collection" 1996

• as Model 600 (2002)
  • Update 2002, single

• as Juan Atkins
  • The Berlin Sessions 2005

• High Tech Soul, 2006

Catalog No.: PLX-029 Label: Plexifilm Released: 09/19/06 Director: Gary Bredow Length: 64 minutes

• Summary: HIGH TECH SOUL is the first documentary to tackle the deep roots of techno music alongside the cultural history of Detroit, its birthplace. HIGH TECH SOUL focuses on the creators of the genre -- Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson -- and looks at the relationships and personal struggles behind the music. Artists like Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Eddie Fowlkes and a host of others explain why techno, with its abrasive tones and resonating basslines, could not have come from anywhere but Detroit.

• Belleville, Michigan
• Techno music
• Electro
• Jimmy Edgar
• Derrick May
• Kevin Saunderson
• Blake Baxter
• Carl Craig
• Jeff Mills

• Main Profile & Discography (Discogs)
• Model 500 - Discography (Discogs)
• Infiniti - Discography (Discogs)
• Cybotron - Discography (Discogs)
• "The Roots of Techno", Wired Magazine Interview with Juan Atkins
• Biography of Juan Atkins by John Bush
• High Tech Soul-Documentary: The Creation of Techno Music
• High Tech Soul Trailer