DEQ recently caught up with Detroit Techno pioneer Eddie Fowlkes! He’s celebrating the release of his Knucklehead series on his imprint City Boy Records.

DEQ: Hi Eddie!  Congrats on your new EP series (and your label over all.)  How did you come up with the name “Knuckle Head” for it?

Eddie: The name “Knuckle Head” came about because I was trying crazy beats and crazy styles together, different from what I usually create. 

DEQ: How long was the series in the incubator?

Eddie: About four months.

DEQ: The series has such a modern sound, but you definitely feel the old school vibe.  Are you using more hardware or software these days?  What is your “go to” piece in your studio?

Eddie: First off, I don’t believe in old school sound or new school sound, I simply believe in good music.  These days, I am using both hardware and software, whichever gives me the best sound to change the world with a hit record, like I did before.  My go-to piece is playing my fingers on the keyboard trying to find that natural rhythm!

DEQ: Do you feel that the house sound is being clogged with the same type of sounds?  How do you keep your tracks sounding original?

Eddie:  No, not really, I just think that when you subject yourself to listen to tiring DJs and tiring radio stations, everything will sound the same, but if people do their proper research and understand what good music is, you won’t have a bad listening experience.  Once again, the older the DJ, the better the music!  I keep my tracks sounding original because I am original, I started this genre, I am the game next to Juan Atkins—it might sound arrogant, but it’s true, you can read several European magazines to peruse who I am and what I’ve done.

DEQ: Going back to CBR 001, would you tell us about how your label started?  How did you choose the track?  You chose Mike Huckaby to do a remix too!  How did that all go down?

Eddie: I got pissed off by Cliff from Buy-Rite Records and I said I’m going to start my own record label, I’m from the city, I’m a young guy—City Boy Music represents a young guy born and raised in Detroit.  Mike would always call or come through and he asked me to do a remix on my next release.  Additionally, the famous Detroit house singer, Bill Beaver, was there and heard what I was playing and he started singing—and that’s how I got the first release going on some Detroit shit.

DEQ: You did CBR 004 with Mr. Norm Talley.  He is a hero of ours, and can you tell us how this incredible EP came to the light?

Eddie:  I know when I hear good music because I have been hearing good music for a very, very long time and Norm was making some hot shit.  He needed a shot and I helped him out, like we should all help one another, and it worked out well for him, he has made money off that release and he owns it!

‘Knuckle Head Series Vol.3’ is out this Friday.  It’s digital only. Here’s a pre-sale link: https://www.junodownload.com/products/eddie-fowlkes-knuckle-head-series-vol-3/4573704-02/