DJ K-1 in studio, Detroit 2020. Credit Keith Tucker.

Keith Tucker has played an integral part in the story of Detroit techno yet he remains an unsung hero. Tucker is DJ K-1, Optic Nerve, Alien FM and co-founder of Aux88 - responsible for creating the electro bass sound. Tucker is prolific and even after three decades in the game has a relentless drive to produce new music. I managed to catch up with him to learn a little more about how electro music emerged from Detroit techno…

(RL) Electronic music has since split into many different genres but I believe it wasn't like that at the beginning? Funkadelic and Kraftwerk are always referenced as being incredibly important influences but do you think Cybotron are the ground zero for techno with their first record 'Alleys of the Mind' released in 1981 on Deep Space records?

(K-1) Ground zero was Cybotron but ‘El Salvador’ was the track for me. While I was in High school Cybotron showed me what Funkadelic and Kraftwerk could be. No doubt Juan Atkins and Rik Davies strings were like Bernie Worrell (Funkadelic) but the drums were more new wave. It was so satisfying when it was played on the radio and everywhere in the streets and cars. We were living in an era where every week artist were pushing the boundaries for something different that made you dance. I was inspired, not only as a DJ, but to figure out how that music was made. I latched on to that track more than ‘Alleys of Your Mind’, the synthesizers drew me in.

(RL) Yeah, I love how they made them sound like machine guns at the end, always freaks me out on a big system !

"I don't separate techno and electro" - Juan Atkins.

(RL) Looking back at Juan's output in the mid 80s there appear to be no clear boundaries between Cybotron and the first Model 500 record 'No UFOs' coming out in 1985. They are quite similar in sound and style but Cybotron are seen as electro while Model 500 are considered techno. Do you regard electro and techno to be one and the same considering their shared origin or was it crucial for their development to follow separate paths?

(K-1) They are one and the same. Juan coined the name ‘Techno’. In Detroit that what it was - TECHNO, nothing else, whether the beats were 4/4 or alternative. Electro came later in Detroit - then we called it all electro!

(RL) So it started out all being called techno in the early 80s in Detroit then the term ‘electro’ came later?

(K-1) The term electro came from New York with those electro compilations!

(RL) Street Sounds…

(RL) When did people start calling it electro in Detroit and was it a separate scene or just a change in the beats?

(K-1) In the mid 90’s but it was called ‘Techno Bass’ from the UK magazines who interviewed Aux88 in 1995. In the clubs and in strip clubs is where the electro style was played in Detroit.

Metroplex

(RL) You signed onto Metroplex as Frequency, there was just one record 'Television / Frequency Express' under that project name. Listening back 'Television' is actually a lost gem, was it a collaboration?

(K-1) That was my first ever record with my friend Jesse Anderson. Juan Atkins mixed the track. The only way we even got signed was because Anthony ‘shake’ Shakir pulled our cassette demo out of the others sitting around the Metroplex offices and decided to listen. He gave me a call after letting Juan hear it. I had left the group RX7 who were fellow members of what became Aux88 LATER.

Aux88

(RL) Was playing live a fundamental goal for Aux88 from the beginning or something that came after the records were well received ?

(K-1) Playing live was something we did in the early 80 ‘s - performing live as RX-7 in talent shows, colleges and high schools. We didn’t realize that Cybotron and Kraftwerk were using sequencers. We played everything by hand and started off doing other artist tracks like, ‘It’s Automatic’ by Freestyle, ‘Clear’ by Cybotron, ‘Planet Rock’ and so many others. We soon learned we had a gift. We practiced so much everyday that we were able to edit our Casio CZ 101s to mimic every sound we heard on the records. We became a band - four synths and a DR Rhythm drum machine.

(RL) It seems Cybotron and AUX 88 set out to be bands from the outset. We are so used to anonymous producers and DJs in electronic music. I've always felt that the scene has lacked bands that really understood what it takes to make albums and tour the world. With Aux88, did you share that ambition?

(K-1) I can’t speak for Juan and Cybotron on whether they set out to perform live. They did have three members, which included a guitar player called Jon-5. But with AUX 88 - Tommy Hamilton, Anthony Horton, and Will Smith set out from the beginning to perform live and pushed it when we were going to talk to labels to sign us. No one in Detroit was doing it, everyone always said we can just send K-1 out he’s the DJ in the group right? I wanted to be more than just a DJ so choose not to use turntables for live performances….We wanted to make our stuff like Cybotron but with our own style and vocals. At the time no one else was coming out with anything except us and Drexciya.

Drexciya

(RL) Were you close to Gerald Donald and James Stinson from Drexciya ?

(K-1) No, we met a couple of times at Submerge and at a few parties I was a DJ at.

(RL) James Stinson is a mythical figure in the story of electro and sadly passed in 2002. He is known as a reclusive, shy person but is that how he really was ?

(K-1) My meeting with him at Submerge was as a fan. We (Aux88) ASKED FOR HIS AUTOGRAPH and he was a bit embarrassed and signed the records we bought at Submerge. So I would say in the few meetings we only talked about music and he acknowledged that Aux88 and Drexciya were the only groups doing it correctly and we were the only groups making that music after the 80s style electro craze.

Mojo

(RL) Radio has played a vital role in the history of electronic music but it's importance is often over looked. Charles Johnson aka The Electrfying Mojo played a crucial part in the story of the Detroit electronic music scene from was far back as 1977 with his show on WGPR. The Belleville Three (Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson), Carl Craig and so many key artists from Detroit have all named checked The Electrfying Mojo for turning them onto records that shaped the creation of techno. Did you catch his shows at the time and share the same experience? What was so special about his radio show?

(K-1) WHYYYY YES MOJO was the man ….He played it all and kept Detroit wanting more every night, going from Kraftwerk , Bob Marley, B52’s, Prince, Cybotron, Funkadelic to every forward thinking funky music that was out there and manage to throw in, Bowie, Marvin Gaye, Manhattan Transfer, Isley brothers - I could go on and on…

Artist knew how powerful he was as they would come and do interviews on his show. I once went to a Parliament / Funkadelic show and George Clinton brought Mojo out of the ship with him on stage……WAS epic

Optic Nerve

(RL) Optic Nerve has been the project where you’ve been able to push further into techno and explore different soundscapes. It's a solo project that has roots in classical music with structured string sections and a strong focus on melodies. How do you feel about the Optic Nerve project now?

(K-1) Optic Nerve is a big love for me as it captures all the beauty in the other side of original Detroit Techno - the darkness of the city but soulful, beautiful and dramatic. I always loved what Derrick May did with his sound and Juan’s Model 500 4/4 stuff - it was funky but more club. It allowed me to experiment with instrumentations of many sounds and chord structures more like movie soundtracks, I love it. I have had quite a few album deals for my Optic Nerve music.

(RL) Space exploration and alien worlds have been an ever present theme in both electro and techno, especially in Detroit; Underground Resistance's Red Planet Series produced by Mad Mike Banks as The Martian, Galaxy 2 Galaxy, Model 500 - Deep Space, AUX 88 - Space Satellites and many others. Early Optic Nerve includes the Trilogy series with the magnificent 'Another World' track from 1995, a beautiful piece that stands the test of time. Why did you look out to the stars as an artist and do you feel the connection to other worlds is fundamental to techno music?

(K-1) I have always been the kid who loved sci-fi and comics, as most Detroit artist did. It was a way to escape and open your imagination, just as Kraftwerk and George Clinton did. It’s a way of telling intelligent stories. I think a lot of Detroit artist have gotten away from that or truly don’t know how to do it. The beauty of all the artists you mention is you can hear all the emotion and hard work put in. You hear the music and it jars you emotionally not many in techno can do that anymore.

Space is the Place

I co-founded the 20/20 Vision record label together with Carl Finlow, in Leeds back in 1995, and from the beginning it’s always been about electro and space for Carl. It's kinda crazy that after all these years working away in the same scene that you've only just recently hooked up to collaborate on a project together (CKFT and the first track 'Coder' is for the Exit Planet Earth series on 20/20 Vision.) You worked remotely on the track between Detroit and France, but I understand this is nothing new for you, and even on Aux88 you worked separately on tracks with Tommy Hamilton and Blak Tony. Is it essential for your studio head space to work alone ?

(K-1) Yes, I’m a fan of Carl Finlow’s work it was fun and he worked fast with no drama! Aux88 is a different animal these days, everyone has studios so it’s best to just send parts as we all have different ways of doing everything from vocals to programming and gear. But my time with Aux88 has been at a slow pace as other members choose to work on r&b and hip hop and work a lot slower, so we pretty much turn in music separately as we all have the Aux88 sound.

(RL) It could well be the way we all get used to working post virus, right ? Collaboration with individual input?

(K-1) Yes, for me the pandemic has awakened me to how your life can change in an instant. So I now choose to work a lot with others who I admire and get my music out and not let the music sit around. My goal is to release everything in the next 5 years - old and new music, and create my legacy. Working in the past with Aux88 has completely drained me, doing far too much for the group on a business and conceptual level.

(RL) How has the coronavirus pandemic affected life in Detroit?

(K-1) I have had a few family members and long time friends pass away. It’s a big wakeup call to get your life in order and do everything you planned to do in life so don’t sit around! Be safe but prosper. As a musician it has kept me busier in the studio and working on music more then ever.

“Why isn’t Hollywood calling? The Detroit classics are just waiting to be put into movies.” - Keith Tucker

(RL) I've been over to Detroit a few times over the years and worked with several artists from the city. It's truly the most inspirational city for music on the planet. The last time I came was for the 2018 Movement festival and I was lucky enough to be shown around by Vince from Detroit Electronic Quarterly. He took me on the whole city music tour starting at Berry Gordy's Hitsville USA Motown headquarters on West Grand Boulevard before walking a few blocks East to Underground Resistance's Submerge building. Just down the street we passed Kenny Dixon Junior aka Moodymann's HQ.

I was really struck by the continuity; from right back at the start of Motown in 1959 to Detroit techno, successful record labels owned by African-Americans have invested in the city and retained ownership of their entire operation creating self -sufficient music industries in the process. In the case of Submerge (Underground Resistance) and 430 West (Octave One) that also included distribution for the output of many other artists from the city.

(K-1) Well, I learned from Mike Banks (Underground Resistance) to start your own label and do the music you love. If you really love what you’re doing and work hard it will be acknowledged by how much better your music gets and your supporters will soon follow.

(RL) You also own and run the Direct Beat and Puzzlebox record labels. I love the story on your Bass Agenda interview (below) about the Burden brothers (Octave One) just being totally cool and giving you back all the early Aux88 material they had on DAT at 430 West including Bass Magnetic…

UR Lifetime membership badge - submerge museum of techno

(RL) Techno was created in Detroit by African-American musicians yet many people in the scene don't even know the story. It seems like the evolution of techno in Detroit is unique but it should be a worldwide story. What advice would you give from Detroit to the music business to create change ?

(K-1) I’m not sure it will ever change - too many people are not willing to stick together on anything or even still roll up their sleeves to do any work. Most artist want to feel empowered and have others work do the business. Know your worth and work to know everything that is needed. I own 100% every piece of music I have ever done!

“PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!”

(RL) I saw you filmed a documentary about AUX 88 - Portrait of an Electronic Band?

(K-1) The Aux88 10 hour Blu-ray AUXBOX set was released as a limited edition run a few years ago and was screened in a few countries - it did really well. We were able to get over 60 artist to talk about Aux88, the special box was re-pressed 4 times then we decided not to make anymore - anyone who has it gets the real story and a piece of our history.

(RL) At the end of it all you're back being DJ K-1. Alongside the collaborations what else is going on?

(K-1) Right now 23 EPs completed with artwork for K-1, Alien FM and Optic Nerve. Remixing other artist tracks. Weekly video on my You Tube page discussing Optic Studios, Puzzlebox Releases and all news