Woo Hoo! Success! I found It! Eureka!
First techno track ever.
few weeks earlier, "Sharevari" by A Number of Names was released, which is sort of techno/borderline electro too, but the argument lives on. Discuss!

http://www.discogs.com/release/162067

Cybotron - Alleys Of Your Mind

Format: 7"
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: Techno, Electro
Notes: First record by Juan Atkins and Richard Davis aka 3070 recording under the name Cybotron. Seminal release laying the foundations for Detroit Techno as we know it today.
Rating: 5.0/5 (8 votes)


Tracklisting:
A Alleys Of Your Mind (3:27)
B Cosmic Raindance (3:55)


>>>>
Discuss ...

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interesting info... thanks...

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This is actually a very controversial topic. Some people consider Cybotron's Techno City to be the first techno record. I at first though it was either Cybotron's Clear or Juan Atkins "Techno Music", but both are wrong now, clearly.

I was browsing through Discogs today and accidentally bumped into this truth. I've seen the record before and I own the tracks (MP3), but I didnt think they were from 1981.

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Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

I wish I could participate in some heavy petting debate! but i can't... 1981. Wow.

Uhh... but it is Electro man, and Techno City is the first. You hear all those bleeps and bloops, ominous voice box vocals, wailing strings, low tempo. Not to mention the breakbeat. It's more resemblant of Kraftwerk type Electro than the first techno. At least the version off of "Enter".

If you consider that Techno came FROM Electro, then you have to find the record with the least Electro influences and sounds the most like Techno right. Well to me that's Techno City.

If you consider that early Techno WAS Electro...they call "Clear" Detroit Techno, and it's clearly Electro. It's all fucked up. I don't think either of us are going to make heads or tails of the whole clusterfuck any time soon.

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Addy fo SHADDY ! hiccup, KA pladdy.

Last edited by Aiwendil on Sep-07-2005 at 14:46

hum.....
so... whats the real genre of kraftwerk'?

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quote:

Originally posted by Aiwendil Uhh... but it is Electro man, and Techno City is the first. You hear all those bleeps and bloops, ominous voice box vocals, wailing strings, low tempo. Not to mention the breakbeat. It's more resemblant of Kraftwerk type Electro than the first techno. At least the version off of "Enter". If you consider that Techno came FROM Electro, then you have to find the record with the least Electro influences and sounds the most like Techno right. Well to me that's Techno City. If you consider that early Techno WAS Electro...they call "Clear" Detroit Techno, and it's clearly Electro. It's all fucked up. I don't think either of us are going to make heads or tails of the whole clusterfuck any time soon.

Sorry, I think I am really getting to you! I kinda expected you to post on this thread. I was just excited that this could be the resolution, but I see your point. I guess we can just close the issue at this point. It is true that Alleys Of Your Mind is a bit electro. Oh well.

I shouldnt pursue this issue any further because I undestand your point, comrade!

As for Kraftwerk, they are electro/ambient/electronic, but not quite techno. Techno as a music genre was coined in Detroit, and the detroit techno sound differed from the sound of Kraftwerk, Yello, Jean Michel Jarre and other pioneers.

___________________
Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

quote:

Originally posted by Magnetonium Sorry, I think I am really getting to you! I kinda expected you to post on this thread. I was just excited that this could be the resolution, but I see your point. I guess we can just close the issue at this point. It is true that Alleys Of Your Mind is a bit electro. Oh well. I shouldnt pursue this issue any further because I undestand your point, comrade!

You aren't getting to me. I just say it how I see(hear) it. If you ask me trying to find the first track of any genre is pretty much futile anyway. For techno you'd have to know the definition of electro and the definition of techno. Then you'd have to find the first record that meets the definition of techno. To do that with complete certainty you'd have to have heard every record released between 1975 and 1981. In a word: Impossible. I say Techno City, and Alleys Of Your Mind doesn't fit for me, but there still could be a first techno track before that.

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quote:

Addy fo SHADDY ! hiccup, KA pladdy.

What do you think about Sharevari by A Number of Names? It was released before Alleys Of Your Mind, in 1981. Thats a very solid track, borderline techno/electro.

___________________
Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

I agree with those who say it's a mix of Electro/Disco.

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quote:

Addy fo SHADDY ! hiccup, KA pladdy.

In the context of the times....yeah, Atkins and Rick Baker were making electro. They basically took the nod from Bambaataa and based all their sounds off Kraftwerk. Trans Europe Express + Numbers = Planet Rock. Clear sampled Home Computer.

Things just get muddy with hindsight, when musicologists and us genre nitpickers can trace divergences along the family tree....so to speak.

You COULD call Techno City the first Techno record, but I would stress to say that Techno itself didn't start distinguishing itself as its own sound until Atkins started releasing his most notorious work as Model 500. I would call Model 500, then, the first Techno artist.

That would be around 1985. Metroplex the first Techno label. "Techno: The New Dance Sound of Detroit" the first compilation, 1987.

Go read Dan Sicko's "Techno Rebels", it's got some good nuggets on the early days of this scene.

quote:

Originally posted by Ishkur That would be around 1985. Metroplex the first Techno label. "Techno: The New Dance Sound of Detroit" the first compilation, 1987. Go read Dan Sicko's "Techno Rebels", it's got some good nuggets on the early days of this scene.

I own that CD, and its one of my most prized CDs in my collection. features "Techno Music" by Juan Atkins, the only place you'll find that rare AWESOME track.
I also own the sequel - Techno 2: The Next Generation CD. Beautiful ...

I have to agree with you on the part of Metroplex being the first techno label. Don't forget Deep Space Records tough!!! Even though Juan only released a handful records on it, their famous Deep Space radio sessions are legendary. I managed to get a hold of 4 livesets recorded off Deep Space radio station in Detroit from 1994.

Too bad I havent read that Dan Sicko's book yet. Havent looked for it, actually.

___________________
Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

Last edited by Magnetonium on Sep-08-2005 at 02:21