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After a busy career of global DJ-ing, numerous releases, remixes, collaborations and album appearances, Detroit's very own DJ/producer Claude Young has decided to stop DJ-ing.
Claude Young has been a part of the Detroit 'techno mafia' for more than a decade. Young's a second generation producer whose extensive discography and DJ-ing style reinforced the industrial genre now known as Detroit techno. Young has recorded on some eminent techno titles such as Harthouse, Dutch imprint D-jax Up-Beats, Kickin' Records, Technasia and his own Friction and Utensil Records, and his collaborative efforts include working with Kevin Saunderson, Sven Vath, Carl Craig, Gary Newman and Terrence Parker.
As a teenager, Young started helping out Jeff Mills's radio show in 1991 under the name Brother from Another Planet and Young's move to the techno scene began with a release for Emissions Audio Output Recordings and D-Jaxx-Up-Beats in the mid to late '90's followed by several charting remixes. His mix compilation DJ-Kicks was released in 1996 on the high profile German label, !K7 and received immense worldwide support, hailing Young as the best thing since Jeff Mills. As one fan blatantly put it, if Claude Young doesn't justify anything for you then you need a reality check about techno.
In a personal letter Young explains his motives, which are based on his vision on todays dance industry. Claude will be missed as a driving force of pure techno, we hope he will return one day to the global platform he deserves.
"Well friends, after some very long night's thinking this over I have decided to take some time out of the music world for a while. This was not an easy decision and I want to say thanks to all of you for your support over the past years. (...)
When u dedicate your life to something for over a decade and it goes completely off the rails you have to make adjustments or go down with the ship. People have their pre-conceptions and their likes and dislikes, that's fine with me, we are all meant to be free. The scene used to be full of vibrant and creative people but now it's just full of moaners who support artist who don't give a **** about them. All they are interested in is boosting their own name and increasing their bank accounts. (...)
Call me stupid but I thought it was only human to engage other human being's, was I wrong? Someone on a post said "If Claude Young wanted to sell out he could have a long time ago but he never did." Before this though another person sent a post to Detroit-Luv saying: "Well I'm sure he'll make a lot of money charging for the farewell tour." These comments are not the main reason but they are a factor, how much more of my life am I to give only to have my work constantly thrown back in my face in favor of other artists who are only concerned with the bank balance of their account? (...)
I figure my energy is better served helping people. So I'm considering being a volunteer in a foreign country. Possibly an aid worker or something similar. Anything to help make other peoples lives a little better. Every man has his breaking point and I have been on the road since I left Detroit over 11 years ago, every week. So I'm taking some time out for once and if I decide to come back it will be under different circumstances. I've had bad management coupled with other setbacks as well so if I do come back I'll be handling everything independently with a small group of friends in Glasgow. I hope this answers all your questions"
After a busy career of global DJ-ing, numerous releases, remixes, collaborations and album appearances, Detroit's very own DJ/producer Claude Young has decided to stop DJ-ing.
Claude Young has been a part of the Detroit 'techno mafia' for more than a decade. Young's a second generation producer whose extensive discography and DJ-ing style reinforced the industrial genre now known as Detroit techno. Young has recorded on some eminent techno titles such as Harthouse, Dutch imprint D-jax Up-Beats, Kickin' Records, Technasia and his own Friction and Utensil Records, and his collaborative efforts include working with Kevin Saunderson, Sven Vath, Carl Craig, Gary Newman and Terrence Parker.
As a teenager, Young started helping out Jeff Mills's radio show in 1991 under the name Brother from Another Planet and Young's move to the techno scene began with a release for Emissions Audio Output Recordings and D-Jaxx-Up-Beats in the mid to late '90's followed by several charting remixes. His mix compilation DJ-Kicks was released in 1996 on the high profile German label, !K7 and received immense worldwide support, hailing Young as the best thing since Jeff Mills. As one fan blatantly put it, if Claude Young doesn't justify anything for you then you need a reality check about techno.
In a personal letter Young explains his motives, which are based on his vision on todays dance industry. Claude will be missed as a driving force of pure techno, we hope he will return one day to the global platform he deserves.
"Well friends, after some very long night's thinking this over I have decided to take some time out of the music world for a while. This was not an easy decision and I want to say thanks to all of you for your support over the past years. (...)
When u dedicate your life to something for over a decade and it goes completely off the rails you have to make adjustments or go down with the ship. People have their pre-conceptions and their likes and dislikes, that's fine with me, we are all meant to be free. The scene used to be full of vibrant and creative people but now it's just full of moaners who support artist who don't give a **** about them. All they are interested in is boosting their own name and increasing their bank accounts. (...)
Call me stupid but I thought it was only human to engage other human being's, was I wrong? Someone on a post said "If Claude Young wanted to sell out he could have a long time ago but he never did." Before this though another person sent a post to Detroit-Luv saying: "Well I'm sure he'll make a lot of money charging for the farewell tour." These comments are not the main reason but they are a factor, how much more of my life am I to give only to have my work constantly thrown back in my face in favor of other artists who are only concerned with the bank balance of their account? (...)
I figure my energy is better served helping people. So I'm considering being a volunteer in a foreign country. Possibly an aid worker or something similar. Anything to help make other peoples lives a little better. Every man has his breaking point and I have been on the road since I left Detroit over 11 years ago, every week. So I'm taking some time out for once and if I decide to come back it will be under different circumstances. I've had bad management coupled with other setbacks as well so if I do come back I'll be handling everything independently with a small group of friends in Glasgow. I hope this answers all your questions"
