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Ken Collier

Related: American music - Detroit techno - DJ


Ken Collier belongs on the same mantel that holds Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles, David Mancuso, Grooverider, and Kool Herc esteemed as the true fathers of modern electronic dance music. In the late '70s, Collier was the DJ that inspired Detroit youngsters - and soon to be techno innovators - such as Eddie Fowlkes, Derrick May, and Mike Grant to begin spinning records. After he formed True Disco Productions in 1977, Detroit saw its first serious dance club, {~Chessmate}, before becoming the resident at the Motor City's famed {~Studio 54 Detroit} in 1979. By the mid-'80s, Collier still reined as the city's most recognized DJ with his appearances at the legendary {~Heaven} club, until eventually being eclipsed by his followers, ambitious young DJs such as Jeff Mills and Derrick May. Though he eventually got forgotten in the myths of Detroit -- often replaced by the equally influential Electrifying Mojo -- he continued spinning in the mid-'90s until he passed away. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Ken was older, in his 40s. He was spinning in the mostly-gay '70s and '80s heyday of progressive and HI-NRG dance music, the precursor of what we know now as House Music. He was a direct influence on Derrick May's DJ style.

Ken was the first person to champion Detroit Techno (forget what you heard about Mojo). He and his brother Greg spun the first Techno records (Strings of Life, No UFOs, etc.) at the club Todd's, a dance music mecca (punk, new wave, Industrial and House on alternate nights) that exposed the masses to new music.

After Todd's closed, Ken held sway at Heaven, a second floor club that's not even a mile away from where I live. His "children" lived to hear him play week after week.

He also was a resident at Times Square, a downtown club where his "children" followed him after Heaven burned down. He was a great champion of our music, in the great Black music tradition. When it was Black and gay, before it became fashionable and suburban.

I met him only a couple of times. When I met him at Record Time a few years ago, I dropped to one knee and gave him his respect, jokingly. He was flattered. When I told him who I was, he told me that he listened to "Fast Forward" (my old radio show) to hear what the Techno kids were into. The legend listened to me...too much. The flight cases and frequent-flyer miles had passed Ken by. But he had just played the last Mayday in Germany (and rocked it; his first foreign date to my knowledge) and was *just* about to break on the international scene. He had bookings. He had an agent. How sadly ironic...Ken was the *true* Godfather. He represented the pure Detroit underground in a way that most of us can barely aspire to.

He was DOWN HERE. He LIVED IN DETROIT. This broken-down motherfucker was HIS CITY. This was his life, and DJing was ALL HE DID. He didn't make tracks. He didn't go anywhere. He wasn't petty and jealous and grasping and out for fame. Do you see what I'm saying ?? Ken was the Man. Watch out for false prophets.

I'll miss him dearly.

Alan Oldham (taken from submerge.com pages)

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