This all got me thinking about the way cars have been a continually recurrent theme in techno: 'Landcruising', Le Car, 'Night Drive 'Thru Babylon' etc etc etc. Then of course all the similarities between Ford's robots and machine music etc. It's interesting how the car-based culture of Detroit (I should point out that this is only the impression I get - never actually been to Detroit) has rubbed off on the music so much. I always figured that good techno was the perfect driving music anyway. My cousin once told me of having a near-religious experience listening to Derrick May whilst travelling on the M62 across the Pennines in Northern England!
Anyway, as regards this issue, I suppose still I'm basically not in favour of artists letting major corporations use their music - something in me makes me think it too often reduces the music to the status of mere product. At the same time, it's a great track from an underrecognised artist - the record and Atkins both deserve a wider audience. I find it very hard to condemn him for it. Guess I'll just stay right here on the fence on that one... One final thought; this is yet further proof of Detroit techno as future music, not the has-been genre too many have cast it. Fifteen or however many years ago (someone?), 'No UFOs' connected with a relatively small audience on its release. Now Ford are paying Atkins a presumably hefty wedge for it's use, presumably because they are convinced (and you have to figure they did research) it will reach a much wider audience in 2000. Maybe the world is slowly catching up. Tom MF
