Derrick May
Encyclopedia
Derrick May, also known as Mayday and Rhythim is Rhythim, is an electronic music
ian from Belleville, Michigan
U.S.A
. He was born an only child in Detroit in 1963 and began to explore electronic music early in his life. Along with his Belleville, Michigan
high school friends Juan Atkins
and Kevin Saunderson
, commonly known as the Belleville Three, May is credited with developing the futuristic variation on house music
that would be dubbed "techno" by Atkins.
May's career started in 1987 with the release of a record called "Nude Photo" (co-written by Thomas Barnett), which helped kickstart the Detroit techno music scene. A year later he was following it with what was to become one of techno
's classic anthems, the seminal track "Strings of Life," which was named by Frankie Knuckles
.
May has not released any original solo recordings since 1993, but has also produced numerous remixes and has re-worked his older material for video game and movie soundtracks, including, most recently, music for the new film of the popular fighting video game Tekken.
For two years, in 2003 and 2004, he was given control of Detroit's popular annual electronic music festival
, originally conceived by Carl Craig and Derrick May, now operated by Paxahau. He named his event Movement, replacing the Detroit Electronic Music Festival along the city's riverfront.
Derrick May also still maintains a steady performance schedule, playing internationally many weekends. A pioneer of techno, he produces what he calls Hi-Tek Soul or "George Clinton
meeting Kraftwerk
in an elevator."
As Rhythim is Rhythim or Rythim Is Rythim
As Mayday
As Derrick May
With System 7
Catalog No.: PLX-029
Label: Plexifilm
Released: 09/20/06
Director: Gary Bredow
Length: 64 minutes
.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
ian from Belleville, Michigan
Belleville, Michigan
Belleville is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,991 at the 2010 census. It is the sister city of Machynlleth, Wales. Belleville is southeast of Ann Arbor and southwest of Detroit.-Geography:...
U.S.A
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was born an only child in Detroit in 1963 and began to explore electronic music early in his life. Along with his Belleville, Michigan
Belleville, Michigan
Belleville is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,991 at the 2010 census. It is the sister city of Machynlleth, Wales. Belleville is southeast of Ann Arbor and southwest of Detroit.-Geography:...
high school friends Juan Atkins
Juan Atkins
Juan Atkins is an American musician. He is widely credited as the originator of techno music, specifically Detroit techno along with Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson...
and Kevin Saunderson
Kevin Saunderson
Kevin Saunderson is an American electronic music producer. At the age of nine he moved to Belleville, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit where he attended Belleville High School and befriended two students, Derrick May and Juan Atkins...
, commonly known as the Belleville Three, May is credited with developing the futuristic variation on house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
that would be dubbed "techno" by Atkins.
May's career started in 1987 with the release of a record called "Nude Photo" (co-written by Thomas Barnett), which helped kickstart the Detroit techno music scene. A year later he was following it with what was to become one of techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
's classic anthems, the seminal track "Strings of Life," which was named by Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer...
.
May has not released any original solo recordings since 1993, but has also produced numerous remixes and has re-worked his older material for video game and movie soundtracks, including, most recently, music for the new film of the popular fighting video game Tekken.
For two years, in 2003 and 2004, he was given control of Detroit's popular annual electronic music festival
Detroit Electronic Music Festival
The Detroit Electronic Music Festival , and its successors comprise an annual series of electronic dance music showcases held in Detroit each Memorial Day weekend since 2000...
, originally conceived by Carl Craig and Derrick May, now operated by Paxahau. He named his event Movement, replacing the Detroit Electronic Music Festival along the city's riverfront.
Derrick May also still maintains a steady performance schedule, playing internationally many weekends. A pioneer of techno, he produces what he calls Hi-Tek Soul or "George Clinton
George Clinton (musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
meeting Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
in an elevator."
Selected discography
With X-Ray- "Let's Go", 1986
As Rhythim is Rhythim or Rythim Is Rythim
- "Nude Photo", 1987
- "Strings Of Life", 1987
- "It Is What It Is", 1988
- "Beyond The Dance", 1989
- "The Beginning", 1990
- "Icon" / "Kao-tic Harmony", 1991
As Mayday
- "Sinister" / "Wiggin", 1988
As Derrick May
- Derrick May: Innovator, 1996
- Derrick May: Mayday Mix, 1997
With System 7
System 7 (band)
System 7 are a British ambient dance band. Due to the existence of another band called System Seven, they were initially marketed as 777 in North America...
- Mysterious Traveller, 2002
Filmography
- High Tech Soul, 2006 @IMDB
Catalog No.: PLX-029
Label: Plexifilm
Released: 09/20/06
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 inconclusively explain why techno, with its abrasive tones and resonating basslines, could not have come from anywhere but Detroit.
External links
- Derrick May -- official site.
- Derrick May discography at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
.. - Derrick May profile on Fantazia.
- MIXMAG Interview.
- Derrick May on Resident AdvisorResident AdvisorResident Advisor is an online electronic music magazine dedicated to the global dance music scene. The website won a People's Voice award in the 12th Annual Webby Awards in 2008.-Site History:...
.
.