My name is Peter. One-night of brainstorming ideas for my clothing company, I came across how much the envelope generator "ADSR" played a vital part in creating what we now know as electronic music. ADSR played a major part in shaping the Detroit Techno music scene; part of the transformation of Detroit. That's how ADSR Wear was born...

Between 1943 to 1968, three major riots occurred in the city of Detroit. All three were due to racial tensions that had plagued the city. The riot of 1967 is considered the worst of them all, surpassing any other riots that happened in the United States up until the Los Angeles riot in 1992.

When I was younger, I remember my parents telling me about the riots in 1967. The deaths, the arrests, the destruction, and seeing the National Guard driving their armored military vehicles down the I-96 service drive near Brightmoor. After the rioting was over, droves of Detroit residents wound up moving out of the city and into the suburbs.

Detroit’s economic crisis began shortly after World War II. Between 1952 and 1980, the city lost 65% of its population while surrounding suburbs gained over a million residents. This led to a loss of jobs in the city of Detroit. Multiple recessions, the OPEC oil embargo, newly established fuel standards for automobiles, and the movement of automotive production to foreign countries continued to worsen the city’s economy. Chrysler was forced to appeal to the federal government for a loan in 1979 due to the failing economy and corporate mismanagement. The city faced bankruptcy in 1981.

Industry in Detroit collapsed and so did the tax base. There were many cuts in government programs. Poverty increased and the drug trade thrived. The streets continued to grow ever more dangerous as the murder rate increased in the 1990s. People continued to leave Detroit for the suburbs: first whites, and then an increasing number of middle-class African Americans as crime rates continued to increase.

By 2000, Detroit's population was half of what it was at its peak during World War II. Neighborhoods that once flourished were now scarred with the remains of destroyed houses. The main streets were lined with boarded up storefronts. The city was hollowed out. It is estimated that there are over 100,000 abandoned structures, which if lined up side by side together, would equal the size of Manhattan, Boston and San Francisco combined.

Today, business in Detroit is changing as the city continues to grow towards a better future. New businesses have been established, older businesses have undergone renovations and improvements. There is a greater sense of pride in being a part of the city’s future growth.

I lived in the Cass Corridor in the 1990s, and I cannot believe how much it has changed since then. My hope is for the city to make the right decisions going forward to benefit not just the downtown area, but the outlining neighborhoods as well.

BACK IN THE DAY...

I was present for the first and second wave of the Detroit party scene in the 90s (never dubbed a "rave" party unless you were Fox 2!). I worked with some of the best promoters of the city at that time and the spots they booked (Eastown Theatre, Motor Lounge, Packard Plant, Under the Bridge, and Corktown Tavern). Detroit was a rough place to live back then, and I had some learning experiences. I was fortunate to see many DJs progress into where they are today and still continue friendships with some of them to this day.

Recently, Time magazine published an article naming Detroit as one of the greatest places in 2022. Our city is rich in architecture, culture, food, entertainment, music, and nightlife. People who don’t live in Detroit often shed the city in a negative light due to outdated stereotypes and ignorance. I can't entirely agree with gentrification, but it has driven money and development to much-needed areas, except for paying six bucks for a regular coffee.

With all of the changes Detroit has gone through, it can never take away the dark feel that the city has had since the Industrial Revolution. This aesthetic is what shaped the sound of Detroit Techno. ADSR Wear is proud to have this look and feel incorporated into our brand. I hope you will support us and our growth.