Carl Craig had to delay the 30th anniversary celebration of his Planet E Communications a year, due to the global pandemic.
But that doesn’t make the occasion any less sweet, or surprising, for the Detroit electronic music icon, who established the company back in 1991.
“Y’know, 30 years is one of those things where you start looking back at like, ‘I dated her 30 years ago?!'” Craig, 53, says with a laugh from his Planet E headquarters in Detroit’s midtown. “It’s, like, this romantic idea that I can’t believe it’s was 30 years ago, ’cause it doesn’t feel 30 years. Maybe…10? But not 30.”
And rest assured it’s been an eventful and impactful three decades for Craig and Planet E.
Starting with “Four Funk Jazz Classics,” which Craig recorded under the alias 69, Planet E has released recordings by electronic kingpins such as Kevin Saunderson, Kenny Larkin, Moodyman, Recloose and Paperclip People in addition to Craig, under a variety of monikers. It was also the home for his Innerzone Orchestra, whose “Bug in the Bass Bin” 30 years ago is credited with inspiring what became the Drum and Bass movement.
Craig, dubbed “a leading figure in Detroit techno’s second generation” by Mixmag and named one of the world’s top DJs by Rolling Stone, will be celebrating Planet E’s legacy with two performances at this weekend’s Movement electronic music festival in Detroit’s Hart Plaza — which he helped to start, as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF) in 2000. He’ll headline on the Stargate stage at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 28, and team with LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, May 29 on the Waterfront Stage. He’s also releasing a new compilation, “Planet E 30,” on Friday.
Craig started Planet E on a mission to “do it myself.” Bitten by the music bug while growing up on Detroit’s west side, inspired by radio shows hosted by the Electrifying Mojo, Jeff Mills and Derrick May as well as his cousin Doug Craig, a lighting designer for metro area clubs and parties. Craig learned to play guitar and developed recording techniques, and after a mutual friend passed along a tape May brought Craig into his Transmat label, where the fledgling artist began releasing tracks during 1989.
It didn’t take long for Craig to crave more, however.
“When I worked with Derrick he was guiding me, but I was doing so much music I just felt I didn’t need the restraint of someone telling me whether something was good or something was bad,” recalls Craig, who does credit May for “helping me understand what was good and what was bad. But you just get to a point where you feel like you have to go out on your own, and I did.”
Planet E’s highlights over 30-plus years are, not surprisingly, too many to mention. “My whole career has been one big highlight,” says Craig, who released his debut album, “Landcruising,” in 1996. “Being able to have my autonomy, to be able to travel around the world and play my music, it’s a dream for anybody who wants to be a DJ, record executive, musician, producer, etc. etc.” Pushed, Craig voices particular pride in working with the Detroit jazz collective Tribe and being part of the all-star “The Detroit Experiment” project in 2003. He’s presented orchestrated versions of his 2017 album “Versus” and has done remixes for Depeche Mode and Tori Amos, among others, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008 for his remix of Junior Boys’ “Like a Child.”
Then there’s the festival. After serving as co-creator and artistic director during the first two years he wound up suing Pop Culture Media, DEMF’s original producer, for breach of contract following his controversial dismissal. Under new management, in 2010 he served again as artistic director and has since been an advocate and loyal participant, though he has no official role at this point.
“When DEMF happened in 2000 I could only dream there would still be a festival still happening 22 years later, so that’s amazing,” Craig says. “I’m glad I was involved in the start and I’m glad it’s still going, and it’s coming back stronger this year — hopefully for another 20 years.”
He says the same about Planet E’s next 30, which is already in motion. In addition to the compilation the label is also releasing reissues of classic label titles and recordings under the Detroit Love moniker. Craig’s landmark “Party/After-Party” installation at the Dia Beacon museum in New York state is ongoing. Most importantly he’s ensconced back in Planet E HQ working on new music, which Craig finds more rewarding than resting on any of his many laurels.
“I’m always trying to recreate the wheel every time I come in here,” Craig explains. “If I harp on the 30 years then I start to think about age, my own age, my own mortality, all those things, and I’m not really interested in thinking that way. I’m interested in pushing forward and being a mad scientist and looking for that new formula that’s gonna push boundaries and change the world.”
The Movement electronic music festival runs Saturday through Monday, May 28-30, at Detroit’s Hart Plaza. Carl Craig performs at 9:30 p.m. Saturday on the Stargate stage and with LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, on the Waterfront Stage. Tickets range from $24.30. Schedules and other information can be found at movementfestival.com.
