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Terrence Parker: Motor City Influences

Detroit has spawned its fair share of legendary artists. In the 50s , 60s and 70s, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross ruled supreme before Detroit's techno movement brought rise to Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, Kevin Saunderson, Jeff Mills and a host of others.

The influences of these distinct musical styles have since given rise to revered artists such as Moodyman, Theo Parrish and of course Terrence Parker, a producer, remixer and DJ of the classic and often underexposed sound of Detroit house who will soon be releasing his latest studio album Life On The Back 9 on Defected.

Here, we ask the house innovator to pick out some of the key musical influences in his life, all of which were created in or have links back to his hometown.

"It is difficult for me to only pick out just 10 songs from Detroit which have heavily influenced me; I could name so many more. However, here’s my selection listed in no particular order of importance." TP

Cybotron – Alleys Of Your Mind [Deep Space] (1981)

I remember when I was about 13 years old I stayed up late one night listening to the now legendary Electrifying Mojo radio show. All of a sudden on comes this tune with this futuristic sound that completely blew my mind. It really was the best record I had ever heard in my life. When I found out the guys behind it were from Detroit I was extremely proud. Everyone had always talked about Motown as if Detroit’s glory days of music had come and gone. However after hearing ‘Alleys Of Your Mind’, I knew we still had more days of glory ahead.

Four Tops – Standing In The Shadows Of Love [Motown] (1966)

When I was a little boy, my parents would play a lot of Motown music around the house (especially on the weekends). I often remember hearing my Dad playing ‘Standing In The Shadows Of Love’ on his 8-track tape player. As a boy I thought they sounded so happy singing this song. It wasn’t until I became much older that I realized they were singing from a place of pain. This is one of the earliest examples I have on how to take a painful situation and channel it into making beautiful music.

Parliament – Flash Light [Casablanca] (1977)

I was nine years old sitting in my third grade elementary school auditorium for a school talent show. Suddenly the lights go down and then over the loud speakers I heard this ultra-funky groove along with a room filled with hundreds of screaming kids. A group of my classmates were performing a dance routing to ‘Flash Light’ by Parliament (produced by George Clinton). It was at that moment I wanted to make music. Although George Clinton was not from Detroit, he was a staff writer at Motown Records for years.

Rhythim Is Rhythim – Nude Photo [Transmat] (1987)  

A Detroit DJ named Dwayne ‘In The Mix’ Bradley who had a 30 minute DJ mix show that aired on WJLB FM 98 in Detroit each weekday at 12 noon was known for playing lots of house, techno, and other cutting edge music. But one day he played this track unlike anything I had ever heard. This track had the funkiest and strangest groove I had ever heard all at the same time. ‘Nude Photo’ changed the way I thought about music forever.

MC Breed – Ain't No Future In Yo’ Frontin’ [SDEG] (1991)

When I first began DJing I played mostly Hip Hop and Electro. I was heavy influenced by Grand Master Flash and his style of mixing breaks, cutting and scratching. Being a fan of Hip Hop back in the 80s & 90s, most of the music impacting the charts came out of New York and Los Angeles. No Hip Hop music from Detroit was even being considered by major labels (to my knowledge) until MC Breed released ‘Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin’. Breed was actually from the city of Flint (an automotive manufacturing town just north of Detroit). The song was laced with George Clinton samples and a groovy rap flow. Several major labels took notice and because of this, ‘Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin’ became a benchmark for many Detroit artists because it marked a change in how major labels viewed music from Detroit.

The Preps – Prep It Up [Express Records] (1986)

When this track came out I felt for the first time a special connection to the music because I knew group members Lou Robinson, Darnell Williams and the DJ/remixer on the track named Gary Chandler (one of the best technical scratching DJs I’ve ever heard). It was a full on house track featuring Dave McMurray and released by Express Records’ owner Cliff Thomas (who also owned the Detroit legendary Buy-Rite Record shop). Two years later Lou Robinson (aka TrackMaster Lou/Scan 7), Marc Kinchen (aka MK) and I formed the group Separate Minds and released our first EP on Express Records.

Inner City – Good Life [Virgin] (1988)

Every weekend I would venture out to an underground club called The Music Institute (a popular club in Detroit known for playing Detroit techno). I would go there and dance for hours. One night this track comes on with what seemed to be a 5 to 10 minute music track with several reverse beats and drops before the vocals finally came in. I soon learned it was Derrick May’s special mix of Inner City’s new track ‘Good Life’ which Derrick was playing using a reel to reel machine. Kevin Saunderson & Paris Grey made a huge impact in Detroit with their release ‘Big Fun’ (originally out on KMS Records and the lead track on the legendary Detroit Techno album released on 10 Records). ‘Big Fun’ was amazing, but ‘Good Life’ took the Detroit vibe to the next level.

Anita Baker – Caught Up In The Rapture [Elektra] (1986)

This sultry jazz vocalist with the deep voice from Detroit was a local favorite struggling to be heard when this album was released and embraced by fans in Detroit and throughout the world. It was played on the top local radio stations almost every hour. The music was so good I never became bored hearing it. This single track has special love from me because I used it in a DJ mix battle (mixing it with Captain Rapp’s ‘Bad Times’). Captain Rapp’s track was a 45rpm while Anita Baker’s track was a 33rpm. I matched both tracks at 45rpm, then using the controls on the 1200 turntables, I simultaneously hit the 33 buttons slowing the beats down synced perfectly on the ‘Rapture’ break and then pushing them back up to 45rpm simultaneously and still synced. I won the mix off and was later told by Jeff Mills (who was one of the judges) it was that mix that won the contest for me. 

Temptations – Papa Was A Rolling Stone [Gordy] (1972)

One of the most unique things I love about this classic Motown record is that is has no bottom kick drum: only the bassline and hi hats drive this track yet it is a dance floor classic. For me it’s perfect for mixing because of the missing kick drum and definitely one of my favorite Motown songs.

Funkadelic – (Not Just) Knee Deep [Warner Brothers] (1979)

This was the first time I had ever seen or heard a record that was 15 minutes long. This extra funky track produced by George Clinton became a summer anthem in Detroit. After a long winter and a rainy spring season, you knew it was summer time in Detroit when walking or driving down 7 mile road and you heard ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’ blasting out of almost every car radio. In addition to George being a staff writer for Motown, his Funkadelic band released several albums on Westbound Records (a Detroit label established by Armen Boladian in 1969). The cover of the 1970 Funkadelic album was the inspiration for the cover of my Life On The Back 9 album.