Biography
Among the lesser-celebrated figures in American techno stands Detroit-based producer Anthony "Shake" Shakir. Producing in his bedroom since 1981, he played a pivotal part in forging the early Motor City sound linked to figures such as Juan Atkins/Model 500 and Derrick May. As producer, writer, or engineer he contributed to multiple early Metroplex releases alongside May and Carl Craig, while also handling management and A&R duties for the label during its formative period—often joking that he served as janitor too. His debut solo work surfaced on Virgin's seminal Techno Sound of Detroit compilation under the alias Sequence 10. Viewed as something of a techno purist, Shake has kept his distance from the European scene that drew many peers seeking support, a choice that partly explains his ongoing low profile. Stylistically his output aligns more closely with second-wave artists such as Mike Banks and Claude Young, yielding hard, stripped-down tracks equally indebted to techno, electro, hip-hop, and funk. His profile and standing have grown in later years through the Frictional and Puzzlebox imprints, the latter launched in 1996 together with fellow Detroit electro/techno producer Keith Tucker, formerly of Aux 88. Issuing material both individually and jointly—frequently under the name Da Sampla—Shake and Tucker's Puzzlebox has joined Underground Resistance and Guidance as one of the most sought-after wellsprings of unadorned Detroit techno.