Stuff You Gotta Watch: We Call It Techno!
Though its exact origins in Germany remain somewhat fuzzy, the term “techno” was apparently first used in Frankfurt in the early ’80s, when DJ Talla 2XLC—then working at a store called City-Music—began sorting electronically-produced records into a separate category called “techno.” Talla eventually founded Technoclub in 1984, a club project dedicated exclusively to electronic dance music, and the madness quickly extended to other major cities, including Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.
This story marks the beginning of Maren Sextro & Holger Wick’s We Call It Techno!, a journey through the history of a sound so influential that it not only managed to crossover from the underground to the mainstream, but also played a key role in the cultural reunification of a post-Berlin Wall Germany.
More than a simple documentary, We Call It Techno! offers a comprehensive analysis of the birth and dissemination of the genre in Germany. Built around interviews with some of its key players, like Wolfgang Voigt, DJ Hell, Triple R, Cosmic Baby, and Tanith, the film also includes a very special treat in the shape of previously unseen footage from the very first edition of Berlin’s Love Parade.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.