Sometimes we don't say things on this list because they're self evident, but let me say it: Rob Hood is one of the most consistently brilliant producers in Detroit Techno, and one of its most distinctive DJs. Rob was the headliner for Iowa's largest (and for the promoters, most financially disastrous) rave, where from all reports he burned the place down. At the time his mom was living here, (in Des Moines, I think), which may have been one of the reasons my friends were able to book him -- free ticket to see Moms!
He made some of the seminal records in the minimal style, like "Minimal Nation," and though his former partner Jeff Mills is much more famous, it's not because Mills is better; they're as different musically as is possible in a genre like hard techno. Mills has also put more work into marketing and image. I'm not saying this to criticize Mills, just that they have followed different paths. A few years ago I was visiting Nick Wilson in London and he played me a Rob Hood mix (no idea which one) that was jaw-droppingly fierce -- super fast, dark, and minimal, but exciting. Unlike a lot of DJs I've heard who are into minimal techno, Rob's sets are not monochromatic -- they're dynamic, mercurial, and savage. Dynamics, Texture, and Groove are what makes minimal techno come alive -- something that is lacking from the work of the more high profile haircut DJ stars of the genre. I'm glad he'll get the recognition that a Fabric CD will bring. A new generation of club-goers has come up who may not know his work at all. It will be great if they find out what the real deal is with minimal techo -- it's about time!
