Radio

The distribution mechanism that the club-centred telling loses. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo was on air from the late 1970s, running Kraftwerk alongside Parliament and Prince in a Black radio format, and was playing the future Belleville Three's own mixes by 1981; this archive holds dated airchecks from 1981 through 1992 of a man who is rarely filmed. Jeff Mills was The Wizard on WDRQ and WJLB, Derrick May had a WJLB slot, and Stacey Hotwaxx Hale was on FM98. In West Berlin, Radio Mars announced where UFO was that night. Mixshows, pirate broadcasts, station studios, and sets made for air rather than for a room.

Part of Techno

88 moments in this segment.

1. 1981 - The Electrifying Mojo - Midnight Funk Association (December 1981). The Electrifying Mojo hosting the Midnight Funk Association in December 1981. Charles Johnson's late-night Detroit show mixed Kraftwerk, Parliament, Prince, the B-52's, Ultravox, Yellow Magic Orchestra and Italo disco across the racial format lines US radio otherwise enforced. By 1981 he was playing mixes recorded by the future Belleville Three.
2. 1982 - THE JOURNEY FROM DETROIT TO MESOPOTAMIA THEY LAID DOWN THA LAW.AIRED SUMMER OF 82 ON WGPR 1075 FMDET. A Mojo broadcast from the summer of 1982 on WGPR 107.5, the Detroit station whose call letters recur through this history.
3. 1982 - "Don't Say Damn, Say Whoa!" Electrifying Mojo - Midnight Funk Association 1982 (720). The Electrifying Mojo and the Midnight Funk Association, 1982. Mojo is missing from most tellings of techno's origins, but in Detroit radio rather than clubs was the distribution mechanism for the first several years.
4. 1982 - Electrifying Mojo - B-52s Mesopotamia played live on show April 1982 Part 1. Mojo plays the B-52's "Mesopotamia" live on air in April 1982. The originators did not receive European electronic music as high art; they received it inside a Black Detroit radio format alongside funk.
5. 1983 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON THE RADIO ON JANUARY 18, 1983. WJLB FM 98.. The Electrifying Mojo live on WJLB FM 98 on 18 January 1983.
6. 1983 - Legendary Jeff Mills-The Wizard 1983 -The Super Scene Mix. Jeff Mills as The Wizard, the Super Scene mix, 1983.
7. 1984 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON THE RADIO DURING THE SUMMER OF 1984 LOOKING OUT AT THE CITY JAMMING!!!. A Mojo broadcast from the summer of 1984, the year Cybotron released "Techno City" and the word was already in use among the Detroit producers.
8. 1984 - A LIVE RADIO SHOW ON A HOT SUMMER NIGHT N 1984 WITH SWEAT POURING FROM MY BODY ON A HOT FRIDAY NIGHT. A live Mojo radio show on a hot summer night in 1984.
9. 1985 - THE MIDNIGHT FUNK ASSOC. CIRCA MID EIGHTIES WITH THE MUSIC OF L. L COOL J THE MFA ROCKED THE BELLS. A mid-eighties Midnight Funk Association broadcast.
10. 1985 - Jeff Mills aka The Wizard WDRQ, Detroit 1985. Jeff Mills as The Wizard on WDRQ Detroit in 1985. Mills's mixshow radio work preceded Underground Resistance and his solo career entirely.
11. 1985 - Power 96 FM Radio Electrifying Mojo 1985 - 1986. The Electrifying Mojo on Power 96 FM, 1985 to 1986.
12. 1985 - Power 96 FM Radio Electrifying Mojo 1985 - 1986 Part 2. A second Mojo aircheck from Power 96 FM, 1985 to 1986.
13. 1986 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON THE RAD.IO JUNE 7 1986. Dedicated Laura D. Shalamar Hicks, The Candy Crew.. The Electrifying Mojo live on air on 7 June 1986.
14. 1986 - JEFF MILLS AKA THE WIZARD WJLB DETROIT 1986. ONLYTEKNO COLLECTION 872. Jeff Mills as The Wizard on WJLB Detroit in 1986.
15. 1986 - (Jeff Mills) The Wizard mix (1986) @WJLB [old school Electro Hip-Hop House]. A Wizard mix from 1986 on WJLB, mixing electro, hip hop and house.
16. 1986 - Jeff Mills - The Wizard Mixes - Live @ WJLB Detroit, 1986 to 1989 Parts 1-7. The Wizard mixes, Jeff Mills live on WJLB Detroit across 1986 to 1989, collected in seven parts. This is the radio work that made Mills before any record did.
17. 1986 - Jeff Mills Live On WJLB Detroit Jul 1986. Jeff Mills live on WJLB Detroit in July 1986.
18. 1986 - 1986.06.07 Prince - Detroit , Electrifying Mojo Radio Interview (& Wendy's message on 1986.06.08). Prince interviewed by the Electrifying Mojo in Detroit on 7 June 1986. Prince is one of the influences the Detroit originators name that the standard Kraftwerk-centred telling leaves out.
19. 1986 - WHAT IF THE CHILDREN OF THE CHILDREN OF 1986 COULD HEAR THEM ON LIVE RADIO, WINTER OF 86.WHYT-96.3. A Mojo broadcast from the winter of 1986.
20. 1987 - DERRICK MAY 98.0 FM WJLB 1987. Derrick May on 98.0 FM WJLB Detroit in 1987.
21. 1987 - THE ELECTRIFYING MOJO &THE BELLEVILLE THREE. 1987 96.3 FM DETROIT. ONLYTEKNO COLLECTION 727. The Electrifying Mojo with Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson on 96.3 FM Detroit in 1987. Mojo had been playing their mixes on air since about 1981, years before any compilation named this music.
22. 1987 - Jeff.Mills.Live.On.Wjlb.Detroit.1987. Jeff Mills live on WJLB Detroit in 1987.
23. 1988 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON THE RADIO DECEMBER 2,1988 ON WTWR MONROE/TOLEDO IN MEMORY OF BRUCE LESNICK. The Electrifying Mojo live on WTWR Monroe and Toledo on 2 December 1988.
24. 1988 - Jeff Mills aka The Wizard - WJLB Mixshow Detroit - 1988 - Part 1. A Jeff Mills WJLB mixshow from Detroit, 1988.
25. 1988 - Derrick May mix (1988) @WJLB [old school Techno House]. A Derrick May mix on WJLB in 1988.
26. 1988 - Mayday Mix (Derrick May) @ FM98 WJLB (Detroit) 31 12 1988. Derrick May, as Mayday, mixing on FM98 WJLB Detroit on 31 December 1988, the year the compilation fixed the word techno in Britain.
27. 1988 - Derrick May @ 98.0 FM WJLB Radio (Detroit, USA) 1988. Derrick May on 98.0 FM WJLB Detroit in 1988.
28. 1988 - Derrick May 98 FM WJLB, Detroit 1988. Derrick May on 98 FM WJLB Detroit in 1988.
29. 1988 - Jeff Mills Live On WJLB Detroit Feb 1988. Jeff Mills live on WJLB Detroit in February 1988.
30. 1988 - Derrick May (Mix 4 of 5) on FM98 WJLB Detroit 1988. A short Derrick May mix from a five part WJLB Detroit sequence, 1988.
31. 1989 - JEFF MILLS - LIVE ON WJLB (1989). Jeff Mills live on WJLB in 1989, three years before he left Underground Resistance for a solo career.
32. 1989 - Jeff Mills & Duane Bradley Live On WJLB Detroit 1989 pt1. Jeff Mills and Duane Bradley live on WJLB Detroit in 1989.
33. 1989 - Jeff.Mills.A.K.A.The.Wizard.At.Wjlb.Detroit.1989. Jeff Mills as The Wizard on WJLB Detroit in 1989.
34. 1990 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON WMXD THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING 1990. The Electrifying Mojo live on WMXD the night before Thanksgiving 1990.
35. 1990 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT CIRCA 1990, WMXD 92,3 FM. A Mojo broadcast on WMXD 92.3 FM on a Friday night around 1990.
36. 1990 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO AIRCHECK # 4 CIRCA 1990 POSTED IN MEMORY OF THE STATE FAIR WOODWARD AND 8 MILE.. A Mojo aircheck from around 1990, posted in memory of the Michigan State Fair.
37. 1991 - Electrifying Mojo Live On The Radio June 8 1991. This was also the night of the first Vinx interview. The Electrifying Mojo live on air on 8 June 1991.
38. 1992 - Playwright James Chapman with Electrifying Mojo 1992. The playwright James Chapman on air with the Electrifying Mojo in 1992.
39. 1992 - DJ Stacey HOTWAXX Hale Live | FM98 WJLB Detroit (Early 1990's). Stacey "Hotwaxx" Hale live on FM98 WJLB Detroit in the early 1990s. Hale is documented on Detroit bills alongside Derrick May and Juan Atkins and is often called the godmother of the city's dance music.
40. 1996 - Mike Huckaby - Live at Galaxy FM - 1996. Mike Huckaby live on Galaxy FM in 1996. Huckaby died on 24 April 2020.
41. 1996 - pirate radio balloon - filling the balloon (Freier Rundfunk Österreich). Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
42. 1996 - pirate radio balloon - preparing the balloon (Freier Rundfunk Österreich). Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
43. 1996 - pirate radio balloon - kidgroup (Freier Rundfunk Österreich). Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
44. 2006 - US Navy 060521-N-9076B-066 Lt. Janel Rossetto, Chief Musician Donald Chilton and Musician 2nd Class Ian Charlton appear as guests on one of . Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
45. 2007 - KGY Radio Studio. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
46. 2008 - Pirate Radio Station in Berkeley. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
47. 2008 - RTÉ Radio Studio - Dundrum Shopping Centre. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
48. 2008 - In radio studio. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
49. 2009-04-21 - Electrifying Mojo Prince interview. Mojo's interview with Prince.
50. 2009 - Server & Boiler Room at LindenWorld Lobby. Radio carried this music before clubs did. The Electrifying Mojo was playing the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, and the originators heard Kraftwerk inside a Black Detroit radio format alongside P-Funk rather than as an imported European influence.
51. 2009 - Shimmers, Pirate Radio, I Was A Wizard. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
52. 2009 - Studio A broadcast area (4039602492). Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
53. 2009 - radio station microphone. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
54. 2010 - Pirate Radio. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
55. 2010 - Radio studio at Hibiki 20100816 1. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
56. 2011-02-04 - Electrifying Mojo Interview, PART TWO. The Electrifying Mojo interviewed, part two.
57. 2011-02-04 - Electrifying Mojo, Interview PART ONE. The Electrifying Mojo interviewed, part one.
58. 2012 - 81. Another pirate radio ship - Radio Veronica?. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
59. 2012 - Pirate Radio Shack. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
60. 2012 - Purple Radio Studio 2012. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
61. 2012 - Kennywood. Radio carried this music before clubs did. The Electrifying Mojo was playing the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, and the originators heard Kraftwerk inside a Black Detroit radio format alongside P-Funk rather than as an imported European influence.
62. 2013 - Laurent Garnier & San Proper // Boilerroom Dekmantel Festival. Radio carried this music before clubs did. The Electrifying Mojo was playing the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, and the originators heard Kraftwerk inside a Black Detroit radio format alongside P-Funk rather than as an imported European influence.
63. 2014 - Radio studio. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
64. 2014 - SiriusXMElvisRadioStudio. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
65. 2017 - Props to the @pimoroni crew for the 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review of the Pirate Radio kit in @MagP1. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
66. 2017-06-18 - Detroit Black Journal Interview: The Electrifying Mojo | American Black Journal Clip. A second Detroit Black Journal clip of the Electrifying Mojo, from the Detroit PBS archive.
67. 2018-01-07 - Detroit Black Journal Interview – The Electrifying Mojo | American Black Journal Clip. The Electrifying Mojo interviewed on Detroit Black Journal, from the American Black Journal archive at Detroit PBS. Mojo is famously private and rarely filmed, which makes public-television footage of him unusual.
68. 2018 - Liverpool celebrates Pirate Radio. Radio, not clubs, was the distribution mechanism in both founding cities. In Detroit the Electrifying Mojo played the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, inside a Black radio format that carried Kraftwerk alongside P-Funk. In West Berlin, UFO's locations were announced on a weekly dance music radio show.
69. 2018 - Radio Studio. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
70. 2018 - recording studio audio radio abstract amplifier background black blue board bright broadcast buttons channels color console control cyberspa. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
71. 2018-07-31 - THE FAT BOYS WITH ELECTRIFYING MOJO HOSTING THE MIDNIGHT FUNK ASSOCIATION.. The Fat Boys join the Electrifying Mojo to host the Midnight Funk Association.
72. 2018-09-15 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO, A LIVE RADIO BROADCAST. STEP INSIDE THE STUDIO. A live Mojo radio broadcast from inside the studio.
73. 2018-10-03 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO DOES TALK RADIO.. The Electrifying Mojo doing talk radio rather than music programming.
74. 2019 - Sunradio Studio. Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
75. 2020 - Fuel for a bike trip. Also regular radio lasts longer on batteries than cellphone.. Radio carried this music before clubs did. The Electrifying Mojo was playing the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, and the originators heard Kraftwerk inside a Black Detroit radio format alongside P-Funk rather than as an imported European influence.
76. 2020-09-02 - AFTER THE VOICE OF KING T'CHALLA. (CHADWICK B) ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON THE RADIO WITH RUN DMC/MFA. A long Mojo broadcast reposted after the death of Chadwick Boseman.
77. 2020-10-08 - Recorded on a warm summer night.107.5 WGPR-3146 E. Jefferson Ave. All cars, destination, Belle Isle.. A summer night broadcast from WGPR at 3146 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit.
78. 2020-12-26 - ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE RADIO SHOW. WERE YOU IN ONE OF THE 70 CARS THAT RUSHED WHYT FOR A RUN DMC WIN. A live Mojo radio show, remembered by the listeners who drove to the station.
79. 2021-01-30 - THE INTERNATIONAL MIDNIGHT FUNK ASSOC IS NOW BEING CALLED TO ORDER. PUSH THE SUBSCRIPTION BUTTON NOW. The International Midnight Funk Association called to order. The show's ritual framing was part of what made a radio programme feel like a membership.
80. 2021-04-27 - 1 HOUR AFTER ZAPP AND GEORGE CLINTON DID THE FINAL MIX ON, "MORE BOUNCE,"THEY GAVE IT TO ME AT WGPR.. Mojo describes being handed Zapp and George Clinton's "More Bounce to the Ounce" an hour after the final mix. P-Funk was largely recorded in Detroit, at United Sound Systems, so the funk in techno is the same city.
81. 2021-10-15 - THE BUZZ WAS JUST ELECTRICT, NO PUN INTENDED. ELECTRIFYING MOJO LIVE ON WJLB- FM-98 ON A FRIDAY NITE. A Friday night Mojo broadcast on WJLB FM 98.
82. 2022 - Project 365 #319: 151122 Under Pressure. Radio carried this music before clubs did. The Electrifying Mojo was playing the future Belleville Three's mixes on air by 1981, and the originators heard Kraftwerk inside a Black Detroit radio format alongside P-Funk rather than as an imported European influence.
83. 2023-06-10 - Behind the Waves: What Happened with Electrifying Mojo on Jan 18, 1983?. Mojo's own account of what happened on his broadcast of 18 January 1983.
84. 2024 - Broadcast Studio (53998133689). Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
85. 2024 - Broadcast Studio (53998133784). Radio is the correction to a club-centric telling of this history. It was the actual distribution mechanism in both founding cities: Mojo and WGPR in Detroit, and Radio Mars announcing UFO's locations in West Berlin.
86. 2024-10-27 - LET'S GO CRAZY. PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999, WHEN DOES CRY, & PRINCE'S FIRST UNFORGETABLE RADIO INTERVIEW🦋🔥. Mojo on Prince's first unforgettable moments on Detroit radio.
87. 2025-04-19 - Dédicace au Groove avec Mee Shel et Lysiane N. (Curated Mix + Talk) | Rinse France. A curated mix and talk on Rinse France.
88. 2025-10-08 - Russell E.L. Butler in conversation with Jeff Mills @TheLotRadio 10-07-2025. Russell E.L. Butler in conversation with Jeff Mills on The Lot Radio, 7 October 2025.