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ALTON MILLER:

S(OUL) IN THE CITY…

20 years have gone since Alton Miller’s early daze as resident DJ at the legendary Detroit’s Institute alongside Chez Damier. Our man who was then among the very rare ambassadors of house music in the Motor City retraces his view in regards to the maturation of techno back then and evokes his current & upcomin’ projects including the not to be missed ‘Together’ on Seed Recordings and his ongoing relocation to his Chicago birth town… (Words: MFSB)

Hey my brother. Glad welcomin’ you on board. From Detroit to Belgium back & forth then on your way to make yourself a new home in Chicago. Quite some changes in your life over the last months/years… One comment?

Yeah, I arrived back in Detroit in July of last Summer. I took a bit of time off just to regroup but also knowing that I did not want to make Detroit my home. Going back to the source I guess you can say as I was born in Chicago and also Chicago is an amazing city.

You’ve been among the exceptions back in the day in Detroit geared towards house as opposed to the big majority of your contemporaries at the time. How have you lived the booming of techno back then and, as a consequence, your own situation?

That’s just it… I lived it! I was there from the very beginning. Before there was this thing called techno in Detroit or I should say before Derrick (May), Juan (Atkins) and Kevin (Saunderson) began to do there thing, there was a post disco movement,dance music that was R&B influenced and it was underground. I was a part of that from an early age. What the guys did along the way was not part of the normal happenings here in Detroit in regards to music or dance music. I identified with that because they were pushing the envelope. Creating new sounds and it was revolutionary. But they also came from that movement as well and that’s why real Detroit techno is really funky, jazzy and was not recorded at 130 bpm. I just truly believed from an early age on that if it makes you feel good play it and get in to it. The Electrifying Mojo had a lot to do with that and influenced a lot of the DJ’s and producers here in Detroit. He played everything on his radio show. No limitations. If it had a groove rocked it.

Haven’t you been surprised by the whole worldwide buzz made around techno? I mean I remember Jeff Mills tellin’ me a few years ago how he had the impression of livin’ a double life: the one of a super heroe abroad and most likely in Europe then the one of a second class citizen once back in the U.S.

No not really man. It’s just like what happens to good music when it hits the masses. It becomes popular. It’s part of pop culture now. Same thing with jazz, rock, whatever. It’s just that the big money making machines here in the States have been slow to take notice because there is no image to exploit. There is no face on the music. It’s raw. You can not put your finger on it. There is no formula for making techno. No 3 verses and a hook. They don’t know how to market and sell it. It’s not viable for them.

Many people have rapidly ended up opposing techno to house. One specific reason?

Because I don’t think techno was never really represented in the correct way. I have to say this but from the early years there were a couple of key figures who once they got to the other side of the Pond to DJ and exposed this music to the world really did a fucked up job… The biggest mistake was not to play the music at the original tempo that it was made. If you make a tune at 120 -125 bpm and play it at 130 where can you go after??? This became the whole sound of the music. I think it forced people to take drugs or had big reason to do with people taking drugs because you have to be able to dance to this all night. People took drugs and it made the music morph into this harder faster thing. Hence the bad reputation of the music. Also people that danced to techno back then have gotten older. They have families now and have gone on. They need some other grooves to get them thru you know.

Before eventually appropriating the (techno) label for themselves as most likely done in Europe even though their interpretation was way different…

…

As a (long time) observer, I remember the very first record officially wearing the techno label (at least as released by (Virgin-UK). The aforementioned being the memorable ‘Good Life’ by the likes of Kevin Saunderson’s Inner City act speakin’ of which – you correct me if doin’ a mistake – the least we can say is that it was a rather NYC-influenced soul flavoured groove. Somehow ironical isn’t it?

That’s exacly what I meant. True techno if you want to call it that was very soulful man. Black people have soul man. Not to say people of races don’t have soul but it comes out man in everything that Black people do.

Couldn’t it be that the phenomenon has been sort of exagerated, most likely and oftenly by journalist fantasies?

Well, c’mon man, you know that’s what journalists do. They would not have anything to write about if they did not exagerate. It’s just some are better than others!

Been a few times to Detroit as you know and I’ve never had the feeling that a specific genre was born in Detroit, but rather a global spirit… A sort of local adaptation of that famous DiY thing inherited from the punk era back at the end of the 70’s in U.K. due to the economical situation in Detroit as opposed to other big cities such as NYC or L.A. True of false impression from yours truly?

I understand what you’re saying and there is a never die spirit here for sure but you can’t deny the Motown, jazz and techno genres that have come from this city. Even with rock there was this movement and sound happening in the early 70’s. I agree with you though. You can go anywhere in the world and say you are from Detroit. People either raise an eyebrow or they go wow, good for you.

20 years have gone since you spinning alongside Chez Damier at Detroit’s The Music Institute. Can you ever believe this? What do you keep deep inside of you from this period? Any melancholy sometimes, not to say nostalgia?

You know, believe it or not, I can really see the last 20 years. I can remember every period that i have gone thru in the 20 years. From those periods and moments have come a lot of who I am today. We were 22 at the time we did the Institute. Those years leave a big impression on your life. I keep mostly the spirit in which all of it came about because from this spirit we set the tone and vibe of the club and also I learned a lot about music and about DJing and connecting with an audience. So nostalgia? Not really. I have yet to go in the building though. It’s a jazz club now. I wish I had that sound system !!!!!!!

What has kept your faith alive along all those years?

I have been fortunate enough to do what I love. It’s been rough; no cake walk that’s for sure! DJing and making music is a personal expression of who you are. Via someones else’s music or your own you open yourself up to an audience and expose a bit of your life based on how you see and hear music. Not everyone can do this. In fact there are very few DJ’s in this world right now in the true sense of the form. Thats how I have always seen it and that is what has kept me going. I know when I have been moved by a DJ or when I have moved people with my music or DJing and it is one of the best feelings in the world.

Never be tempted to express yourself in some more exposed field as compared to house music?

Yes now is the time. Got my mojo working. I am really into what’s been coming out of the studio as of late and think this would be a good time to experiment. No limitations no boundaries.

The least we can say is that the latest, apart from the period comprised between 1988 and 1994, has never got the support of major labels nor the media, despite the existence of obvious talents. And the situation nowadays looks even slightly more complicated since the dematerialization of the media. So question: where’s the problem???

All is a quick fix. No one has time anymore. Not time to listen, no time to develop artists. Money making machines are stressed cause they aint makin’ money. So now they want to be tight. But you know that’s a good thing cause there will be a natural cleasing. Industry became too saturated. Now us old guards have to compete with the young kids with the latest plugin’ and software. This will sift out the true artists and people who really have something to say. It’s already happening and has been happening. We always find a way man.

Let us know about your staying in Belgium. Why such a choice? What did you get from there?

About 4 years ago I came over to do 4 dates. Not a good time in my life at all. I went and knew I was not coming back until I finished my album and needed to be away from the States. Well I finished the album and made some really good connections in the interim. I have spent some years in Paris in the mid 90’s so I am accustomed to the life.

You’ve collaborated recently with Boddhi (Satva). How did you meet?

I met Boddhi in Brussels, man. Things happen for reason. He gave me the opportunity to be able to do my thing and look at life in some different ways.

Quite an atypical profile this Boddhi, isn’t he?

Wise beyond his age…

You’ve told me about your relocation to Chicago. Any specific reason?

No not really apart from what I have said earlier. I am a city kid and need that vibrancy right now. I spent a lot of late nites in Chicago listening to Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy at clubs. I am not trying to relive that but at the same time it shaped me and is a big part of my life for sure. Chicago is a very interesting city. Lots of history.

Detroit is a Afro-American city. As long as I have lived in detroit it has been ran by Afro-Americans. That’s one perspective. On the other hand, Chicago is the truest representation of America’s post slavery period and the the migration of Afro-Americans to the northern cities during the industrial revolution with America and Chicago the city itself having to deal with this. That’s another story in itself. Meanwhile, Lots of Afro-Americans on the Southside who don’t go to the north side, I find that very interesting…

It pretty looks like the local scene has recently regained some colors. Could it be that this has also motivated you to come there?

I can’t say that I knew that it was suffering. I need a subway system and I need to see an abundance of taxies !!!! lol

Let’s talk about this blessing nu single of yours (‘Together’) and this first experience with Boston-based Seed Recordings. Hearing your song gave me an instant feeling of… eaziness. I mean a classically conceived groove comin’ straight to heart and mind… As if you’d unconsciously achieved the famous challenge making the difference between some average work and the one which can be perceived as a real classic along the years. Where did you get your inspiration from?

I had to let some things go and I had to let some things come in. That’s what life is all about right !!!!???? Art, love ,love, love, my muse, my kids, sex, food, travels, music, pain.

More widely and for a better understanding of the ones reading those lines, who’s Alton Miller?

I am really passionate about music and about the things that i mentioned above. Music man, is my life. Sleep it, eat it,dream it, live it 24 -7.

What would have you done supposed not being an artist?

I have been an artist since day one. I know this. I can not imagine. I have tried to be other things.

Where to catch you next? Bombay, Tokyo??? I mean, more seriously, your upcoming projects…

I have a tour of Europe in June. I have an album coming out on Mixed Signals in the fall, releases for Seed Recordings and various other labels. Pleasures as usual.

The question that’s never been asked to you, then your answer.

If there is any one you could meet who would it be or who would it have been? Bruce Lee…

MORE INFO: myspace.com/altohit

ALTON MILLER: ‘Together’ (Seed Recordings/Promo)

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