As one of the most prominent and influential figures in the history of techno, only few artists in the electronic music business are fit to hold a candle to Jeff Mills. Acclaimed in equal measures for his ground-breaking production work and his inimitable DJing style, Mills has had his gifted hands in the development of many of the genre's most important styles - be it hardcore techno, minimalism or experimental electronic music. Starting out as a radio DJ in his hometown Detroit, Mills began to record with house-music outfits Final Cut and Members of the House during the mid-80s before teaming up with "
Mad Mike" Banks and
Robert Hood to found the seminal techno group '
Underground Resistance'. In little more than two years the three recorded a string of techno classics, from the house-anthem 'Living for the Night' to devastating hardcore tracks like 'Seawolf' or 'The Punisher', further adding to the mystique of the group with anonymous urban guerrilla-style image and a radical anti-commercial attitude. In 1992 UR officially disbanded, with Mike Banks continuing the project alone, while Mills and Hood decided to pursue solo careers. Mills took up a residency in New York's famous Limelight club, recording for
Tresor and his own new label Axis. This period yielded further classic releases, like the Waveform Transmission series for
Tresor, the genre-defining 'Growth' or 'Cycle30' 12"s for Axis and fruitful collaborations with Robert Hood as H&M. In 1996 Mills started Purpose Maker, a second label dedicated to a more percussive dancefloor-oriented style, and released a first mix CD for Sony Japan - 'LiveMix At Liquid Room, Tokyo'. Around the same time he began to venture into the territory of ambient and film music, undertaking one of his most memorable projects to date in 2000 by scoring a new soundtrack to Fritz Lang's classic movie Metropolis, which screened around the world at venues including the Museum of Music in Paris, London's Royal Albert Hall, and the Vienna International Film Festival. Never ceasing his production of cutting edge techno and touring as one of the world's most demanded DJs, Mills is known for taking a pleasure in stepping outside the routine. A further testament to his genre-bending approach can be found in his 'Blue Potential' project from 2006 - a live album recorded with the Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra. Despite his recent move to Chicago, Jeff Mill's his name will always be associated with his influential role in the history of Detroit techno.