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Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May Honor Belleville Three ‘Brother’ Juan Atkins
Detroit techno pioneers Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May have paid tribute to Juan Atkins, their friend and fellow member of the Belleville Three, after his death aged 64. Their recollections underline Atkins’ influence on the development of Detroit techno and on the musicians who followed.
Atkins was found unresponsive in a Mexico City hotel room on 31 October, before a scheduled performance, and was declared dead in hospital. No official cause has been announced; the Detroit Free Press reported that he had faced diabetes-related health problems in recent years. Saunderson recalled Atkins helping him finish his first record, “Triangle of Love”, while May urged people to respect Atkins’ legacy and work.
In short
- Juan Atkins died aged 64.
- Saunderson and May remembered their fellow techno pioneer.
- No official cause of death has been announced.
Explained simply
Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May are known as the Belleville Three, a name linked to the Detroit suburb where they grew up. In the 1980s, their electronic music helped shape Detroit techno, a style built around synthesised sounds and dance rhythms.
Atkins also recorded as Model 500 and founded the label Metroplex, releasing music that influenced later techno artists. The three musicians’ work helped establish Detroit as a centre of electronic music, while their long friendship connected their personal stories with the genre’s early history.