I think Juan Atkins was obsessed with futurism
(in the loosest sense of the word, not Italian
Futurism). He and that guy he collaborated with
before Atkins became Cybotron--they were nuts
about science fiction and futury stuff. So
futurism in the kind of sci-fi sense was an
influence on early Detroit techno. I heard
the word "techno" itself (as applied to music)
came from Alvin Toffler's _Future Shock_ book.
And much of the best electronic music that came
out of the 50s was produced for sci fi movies
(long live thereminism).
<<It was already an incredible musical instrument by the time Cage
became a popular composer. Schaeffer and Henri used turntables in most of
their early compositions.>>
If I remember correctly, both you guys are right.
I read a Cage biography a couple years ago and
I remember him talking about how he was messing
around with recording turntablism in his 20s for
some Californian? radio station (I guess I don't
remember the details)... but that would place it
in the 30s... Of course Cage wasn't a "popular
composer" until sometime between the late 1940s
and the 1960s, depending on what that means.
Those Frenchmen weren't in the game until the 50s,
if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, Cage was around for
the DJ/hip hop revolution of the late 70s and 80s
(the scratch was allegedly invented in 1977...Cage
died in 1992), so I'm sure he at least was aware
of hip hop DJing, at least in its not-so-incredible
80s form. I wish I could remember stuff.
"Glorify war, the only cleanser of the world."
-Marinetti
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