Put Your Hands Up for Detroit @Tribeca 2022

You would never realize as a teenager growing up in Toronto how much it meant to release a dance track. And to even have it played at the clubs. Back in those days, we all went to all-ages clubs where we listen to new underground dance music. The dystopian yet euphoric drum machine-influenced dance sound came from the pioneers of what we call techno today. All coming from the city of Detroit, techno has blown into the multi-billion dollar industry that no one saw coming.

In the beginning there was Juan…

Kristian R. Hill‘s documentary God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines resembles a time capsule. It focuses on a period when music was being innovated in the city of Detroit in the late 1980s. The focal point of the film is the technology that was used to make the music. Equipment such as the DR 55, 303s, 808s and 909s innovated this new sound. More importantly the men behind the machines. Coming from the likes of Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Blake Baxter, Santonio Echols, Eddie Fowlkes and leader Juan Atkins.

The film starts with Juan Atkins commenting on a historical yet life-changing article. Record Mirror featured an article about this collaboration of musicians. Each brought something to the table when it came to innovating techno music. They all had their unique take on that process back then. They speak of many of their highs and lows throughout this process. Some were exposed to fame. Some didn’t. But how they were all able to handle fame was key.

Derrick May

Derrick May who was influenced by house legend Frankie Knuckles back in Chicago was offered an opportunity. After listening to “Rhythm is Rhythm/Strings of Life“, record entrepreneur Neil Rushton wanted Derrick May to bring his sound to England. Rushton also wanted to make a compilation of all these Detroit artists and he had the backing to do it. Many opposed the idea of a white man becoming involved in black music as they thought there were hidden intentions. But Derrick May himself did not like the idea that they would call this music “techno”. It was Juan Atkin’s call because he was the leader.

Kevin Saunderson

Not everyone was ready for what this compilation was ready to do to the world. Especially when it came to Kevin Saunderson‘s track for Inner City‘s “Good Life“. It immediately shot up to number one on the dance charts immediately. How this track took over the world and changed the life of Kevin Saunderson was beyond words. For him and his fellow colleagues.

Kevin had to make some major changes. He had to do interviews, photo shoots and perform nightly at the height of the album’s success. It puts the audience in tears when hearing this track during the film. Especially those who were able to listen to this track in the club or were able to buy a physical copy of it back then. Not only does it give you goosebumps but you become emotional and nostalgic. The documentary shows you how much work was involved creatively and getting past the red tape.

Richie Hawtin

When Windsor native Richie Hawtin was able to cross the border and go into these Detroit studios along with his friend John Aquaviva, the techno music began to grow exponentially afterwards. Richie was able to bring that techno culture to more of a semi-mainstream white audience especially when it came to his Plastikman performances. This was not much of a concern to these founding forefathers of techno. It was one of the most important bridges that were built to the industry that it is today. As you can see in Richie Hawtin’s interviews that it did not take long to get it to a monstrous level. He was able to open up many doors. But this will never be seen as the beginning of techno music. That title is where it belongs.

Black Dystopia

It belongs to the Detroit artists who banged away at their craft almost creating a “black dystopia” of sound according to Juan Atkins. Whether or not that was to create a similar type of vibe of a black planet that Public Enemy was aiming for, that mission was accomplished because both genres of music have grown exponentially over the years. Musically and by far financially.

God Said Give’Em Drum Machines is a blast from the past. It is a cinematic journey about the work that went into making the original sounds of techno music. And what it meant to the artists, the music industry, the community of Detroit and the dance clubs all over the world. To see how where and how it all began and who was behind it was never really crafted this seamlessly before. Kristian R. Hill shows the real roots of techno music from a unique era in the city of Detroit. As desolate and dystopian as the city may seem, there is so much meaningful and emotional music coming from this city to this day. So Who’s Afraid of Detroit?

www.detroittechnomovie.com