Alton Miller
Related: American music - Detroit techno - DJ
Profile
Of the many figures central to Detroit's thriving electronic dance music scene that began in the mid-'80s and has carried on to the present, some figures such as Alton Miller have played important roles but never managed to attain the mythical status that has been granted to many of the city's more legendary figures. Growing up in the 1970s, Miller soaked up the musical environment surrounding him in the Motor City, taking a particular interest in the sounds of Motown, Philadelphia, Parliament-Funkadelic, and Santana. It was during the early '80s once the dance music-crazed Miller become friends with a young Derrick May that he decided to start spinning records, citing Chicago DJs such as Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles as prime influences. By the latter part of this same decade, Miller joined forces with George Baker and Chez Damier to start the Music Institute, a short-lived but legendary Detroit club that has since become near-mythical, thanks to the pioneering techno efforts of figures such as May. Following the demise of {~the Music Institute}, Miller took an interest in Conga drumming in addition to DJing, which led to a period between 1989 and 1991 where he toured world with his music. He then joined forces once again with May, first as an employee of the artist's Transmat record label, then as Aphrodisiac, the title under which he would begin releasing his music. Besides his EP on the Transmat-affiliated label, Fragile, he also released his music on Kevin Saunderson's KMS label and a series of EPs on the Serious Grooves label. By the mid to late '90s, he increased his presence in the Detroit area through a number of DJ performances and continued to release his music on renowned labels such as Carl Craig's Planet E, Mike Grant's Moods & Grooves, and Distance. ~ Jason Birchmeier , All Music Guide
Meeting Detroit techno legend Derrick May in 1984, Miller was deeply influenced to develop his own DJ skills. Soon he became part-owner of the epicenter of the techno movement, The Music Institute.
ALTON MILLER: Biography
It was once said that art is an expression of life. The way in which we choose to view it, hear it, dance it, speak it and write about it is the passion that drives an artist to create. Alton comes to the world painting a musical canvas. Molded, shaped and reared on Stevie Wonder, Santana, Parliament Funkadelic and the Philadelphia sound, he grew to be an avid clubber. On a frenzied tour of clubs in North America, Alton began homing his skills under the electrifying energies of Ron Hardy, Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan and Timmy Regisford. Alton, along with friends, set out to recreate the energy they experienced in the clubs, by opening the world renowned dance club the Music Institute in Detroit. The Music Institute was one of the epicenters of the underground House movement where Alton and Chez Damier shared residency on Saturday nights creating the musical volcano that erupted worldwide in 1988. Alton's affinity for rhythms led him to take up conga drumming and becoming an accompanist for a local Katherine Dunham based dance company. Drumming and its connection to rhythms of all music have proven influential to his musical growth. In 1991, Alton recorded his first release "Pleasure Baby", for Serious Grooves / KMS. " I Like Having You", his second release recorded for Cyren is considered a classic among House DJs worldwide. This single was also a debut for his vocal talents. Alton's third single "Dusk", recorded under the pseudonym Aphrodisiac for Serious Grooves / KMS, was critically acclaimed on both European and North American charts. Since his early recordings, Alton amassed worldwide success and exposure as a producer/DJ. For the last two years, Alton has been busy releasing singles & EPs, for various independent labels. Guidance Recordings and BPM Records were plateaus for Alton's inner growth as a musician and songwriter/producer. "The Rare Source EP" recorded in Paris for BPM charted in Muzik's Top 100 Top Songs of 1996. Alton's latest projects include a single for Carl Craig's Planet E and mixes for Detroit House Producer : Scott Grooves. At the end of 1998, Alton signed an exclusive recording agreement with Distance Music, this single comes from his forthcoming album, to be released Spring 1999.From 1989 to present, Alton has toured France, Chile, England, Switzerland,Portugal, Germany ... defining House music to the world as he has experienced and lives it. Miller's intimate connection with the drums and varied African influenced rhythms result in compositions that move people physically and emotionally and hearing him DJ defines what House music is all about ! --http://www.distancemusic.com/BIOS/amiller.htm