Interview conducted by our favourite four-to-the-floor expert, The Insider.

DJ, producer, promoter, and writer, Terry Farley, has been an integral part of the UK dance music community for more than three decades. One of the folks behind the fanzines Boy’s Own and Faith, and their associated parties and labels, since the mid-1980s Farley has played a major part in both creating and documenting an always evolving scene. He’s a font of knowledge on all things house, with a real passion for the music’s history and roots. Farley’s music production credits include countless projects – many undertaken with close friend Pete Heller – such as Bocca Juniors, Fire Island, and Roach Motel. A lot of these releases appeared on his imprint Junior Boy’s Own.

In July Farley and Faith take to the stage at the Campo Sancho Festival. Here, by way of promo, I ask the bona fide UK house legend to talk us through some of his own favourite cuts from JBO. 

“Why Junior? Well, we created it from the ground upwards and its influence spread out from our tiny London crew, right across the world. It was an unbelievable achievement in a world before social media…” – Terry Farley

Fire Island / In Your Bones 

This was the first record on the label. Pete and I loved Hip House. We found a guy called JCOO1 who had a great vibe. The lyrics were an idea we had taken from a Tony Humphries NYC radio mixtape that had a jingle “Tony Humphries putting the beat in your bones…”

Xpress 2 / Muzik Xpress 

The band and track names were something that I made up. In true Farley style it was a mistake. I was under the impression that it was just Rocky and Diesel, hence the “2” when in fact it was also Ashley Beedle! Kinda too late to change. In many ways it’s as much punk as it is house. Raw, innocent, and an attitude of “Fuck it! Why not?”

Black Science Orchestra / Where Were You?

Speaking of Daddy Ash, this homage to New York and specifically that night in 1977 when the city was plunged into total darkness, and the chaos it created. It’s said that the looting of the music stores played a big part in the city’s creativity the following year. Frankie Knuckles made this into a Sound Factory Bar classic.

Roach Motel / The Night 

I got the idea from the wonderful Frankie Valli song The Night.  We wrote some lyrics and asked NY club legend Paul Alexander to perform spoken word across the track. Paul adapted the lyrics and a month later a DAT dropped on the mat of the Boy’s own office. Mark Anthony – a great singer who’d sung on our version of Blaze’s If You Should Need A Friend – added some soulful licks, and Pete did his magic with some of my fave ever Heller chord work.

Outrage / That Piano Track 

Fabi Parras was a kid out of Fulham, of Italian heritage, who had an inbuilt musicality, especially when it came to dub rhythms. This is the most un-Fabi track in the sense that it’s poppy and commercial, but it still builds in a way that’s cool and underground.  Huge in the North and the Midlands on release.

Underworld / Rez

A very young DJ out of Essex called Darren Emerson was making noise at his residency at Nicky Holloway’s fabulous Milk Bar. I know he brought in the idea of Underworld reinvented as a “rave band” to Steve Hall and the rest is history. Progressive house at its best.

Ralphi Rosario / Chicago’s Most Wanted

This came out on Jus Trax, a Junior subsidiary label for “tracks” – those raw underground records we loved. Ultimo was my fave! Proper Banji Boy business with Chi swagger. Walking The Streets runs a close second though. Sweaty basement grooves that would fit perfectly in any serious house party in 2024.

You can catch Terry Farley and Faith at the CAMPO SANCHO FESTIVAL which takes place on July 25th to 29th July at Walkern Hall, in East Herts. You can check out more details on the festival website, and purchase tickets here. 

I always assumed that the “Junior” was a nod to the diffusion ranges that were appearing from high end fashion houses – like Jean-Paul Gautier (?)  – Rob

If Farley’s list has made you reminisce and nostalgic for more JBO sounds, there are a couple of terrific tribute mixes here, put together by Gordy Allan and Nick Callaghan…