Although frequently associated with Detroit, Kevin Saunderson spent the early years of his life in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Belleville, Michigan, a rural town some 30 miles from Detroit. Saunderson first met future Techno pioneer Derrick May when the two were fourteen. May had decided not to pay Saunderson after losing a bet and, one day at school, Saunderson punched May in the face, knocking him out cold and giving him a concussion. After the altercation, the two became best friends. During high school, Saunderson and Belleville High School classmate Juan Atkins were fans of DJ Charles "The Electrifying Mojo" Johnson. Atkins and May soon became serious about mixing others' music and creating their own, but Saunderson pursued other goals first, studying telecommunications and playing American football at Eastern Michigan University. Atkins had begun recording with Cybotron in 1981, but it was not until 1987 that May followed suit and made a record. Initially concentrating on becoming a DJ, Saunderson was inspired to create his own music after watching the six-month-long process as Atkins and May completed "Let's Go."
Kreem
Atkins shared his technical expertise with Saunderson, and those early sessions led to a track called "Triangle Of Love." "I used to wake up in the middle of the night, go into my studio – which was in the next room – and lay down the ideas as they came to me. At the time it was all about experimentation and being a college kid" Saunderson writes on his web page autobiography. "Triangle of Love" was released under the pseudonym Kreem on Atkins' label, Metroplex.
is a Saunderson collaboration that came about "by accident," according to Saunderson. In 1987 he recorded a backing track in his home studio, but needed lyrics and a female vocalist. His friend, Chicago houseproducer Terry ‘Housemaster’ Baldwin suggested Paris Grey. "Paris agreed, flew into Detroit, came up with lyrics and ‘Big Fun’ was born." Saunderson filed away the tape until, months later, UK dance entrepreneur Neil Rushton came to Detroit in search of music for a compilation album, Techno - The New Dance Sound Of Detroit for Virgin Records. Rushton included "Big Fun" on the album. It was soon released as a single and became a worldwide smash, only to be outsold by Inner City's follow-up single, "Good Life." A debut album, Paradise, soon followed. Over the years, and after three albums, Inner City had nine Top 40 hits in the UK and two Top 20 albums, with combined sales of more than six million.
E-Dancer
The E-Dancer project Saunderson creates music that is "more underground." The first E-Dancer album, 'Heavenly,' was released in 1998 to critical acclaim; Spin named it “one of the ten best albums you’ve never heard.”
The Reese Bassline
The bassline of Saunderson's 1988 track "Just Want Another Chance" became very influential in the jungle and drum and bass music genres. Notable releases incorporating the "Reese Bassline" include Renegade's "Terrorist", "Pulp Fiction" by Alex Reece and "Sonar" by DJ Trace. The bassline itself was performed by a Casio CZ-5000 using simple subtractive synthesis.
Later activities
Saunderson continued to develop his record label KMS. "The aim is to help and develop new talent and more importantly to continue to create and release great music," wrote Saunderson. Saunderson also sponsors traveling youth baseball teams, and helps coach and manage one of those teams, the Metro Detroit Dodgers. As of 2005, his son was playing on the baseball team A Green. Baseball takes hold of Detroit techno star late in life On May 15, 2007, Saunderson made his Second Life debut performing live at a mixed reality event, celebrating the Grand Opening of Detroit Life - The Motor City inside The Metaverse. The same year, Saunderson compiled a mixtape for Triple J, an Australian radio station. In November 2012, his mixing board was to be on display at the newly renovated Detroit Historical Museum.
Names
Saunderson has worked under a number of names, including the following:
