Kevin Saunderson

Kevin Saunderson was born in Brooklyn in 1964, and by thirteen he was sneaking into the Loft and the Paradise Garage with his older brothers, absorbing New York's club culture years before Detroit techno had a name. He moved to Belleville at ten and became close friends with Derrick May through school sports teams, after knocking May unconscious in an incident the two still recount. While Atkins and May were already cutting records, Saunderson studied telecommunications at Eastern Michigan University and played college football, releasing his first track, "Triangle of Love," as Kreem. He went on to become the most commercially successful of the Belleville Three, steering Detroit techno's mechanical DNA into the pop charts without losing its underground pulse.

At a glance

Active

1987–present

From

Brooklyn, New York, USA (relocated to Belleville, Michigan)

Listening guide track

“Rock To The Beat”

Listen

In the Detroit Techno listening guide: “Rock To The Beat”

In the issues

• 002
  Detroit Techno

  Principal · 1981-1995

  Detroit Techno is a music scene from Detroit/Belleville, Michigan, USA, 1981–1995. Its principal artists include Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. This issue covers 10 essential albums and 14 dated events.