In our last episode of On Hand, we explored the origins of Detroit techno with producer and DJ Carl Craig, including how the sound changed Detroit's local music scene.
For this week's Your Stories, we hear from someone who helped make those changes happen behind the scenes.
In 1989, Mike Fotias was running a mobile DJ business when his brother and a friend convinced him to provide sound for an underground party in Detroit's Eastern Market. After hauling equipment up three flights of stairs, working through the night, and breaking some of his gear, Fotias was hooked.
As Detroit's underground techno scene grew from loft parties to massive warehouse raves, Fotias was there providing the sound. He witnessed the scene's explosive growth, police crackdowns, and eventual move into nightclub culture.
Today, Fotias and longtime collaborator Alan Bogl run Audio Rescue Team, providing production services for major Detroit events including Movement and the Detroit Jazz Festival.
GUEST:
- Mike Fotias, sound engineer and founder of Audio Rescue Team
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