Terry Francis

Terry Francis Interview

Terry Francis can definitely be deemed as 'old-school'. This House dj has been playing out since the early 90’s, slowly making a name for himself. This was actually way before his 1997 Muzik Magazine ''Best New DJ'' Award, but it seems as if the exposure that this award gave to him propelled his career in to the celebrity dj world. With a residency at Fabric that has lasted for 9 years, Terry has kept himself extremely busy and it looks set to continue far into the future.

- Can you tell us a little bit about your dj history?

T: It all actually happened by accident. I have been buying records for a long time and was always into 'Urban' music, like Funk, Soul and Disco. I lived in this town where I was probably the only one who owned a pair of decks and I was asked to be the dj at a bar there. This led on to me dj-ing around the South coast of England but it was not what I originally intended to do.

- You have been on the scene for quite a while now. I remember you winning the Muzik Magazine award for 'Best New DJ' in 1997.

T: I have been around for a long time and what's funny is that I had already been dj-ing for 10 years prior to that award! I didn't feel so bad though as Derrick Carter won it the year before and he'd also been playing for a good ten years before his award too. I'm really grateful for the attention that the award got me. Before, I had been playing at a lot of warehouse parties and small nightclubs, and after receiving that award, it spread my name across the world and gave me loads of opportunities to play in bigger events and bigger venues.

- So what's exciting you at the moment, musically-speaking?

T: Sometimes music can become quite mundane.

With Tech-House, it can seem formulated at times, you know, with the 32 bars and then the bass coming in. With the popularity of Minimal-Tech rising, even though I didn't like it at first, has definitely given other forms of music an edge as we start to use more influences from that genre. It brings a more trippy and acid sort of atmosphere to Tech-House.

- So it now seems that you have been involved in the music industry for 20 years, how have you seen it change over the years?

youtube : Terry Francis @Fabric Apr.2008

T: I have definitely seen changes with the different sounds that become popular for a couple of years, for example, disco-looping or the use of minimal rhythmic grooves. Luckily over the years, I have been blessed to be able to play whatever I like and I think that that is important to maintain an individuality. You can use and play-out sounds that you hear right now, but it is good to be able to enhance them into something that you really like. There seem to be too many young kids who just want to be exact clones of popular dj's right now, like Sasha or Digweed.

youtube : Terry Francis @Club Colosseum

- You play at Fabric almost every week, how does it feel to be resident at one of the best clubs in Europe?

T: I used to travel a lot and at first I really enjoyed it. But when you are traveling up to three times a week, the glamour very quickly wears off. So when I get to play at Fabric, it's great as I can stay in London and also have an amazing time. The crowd are always up for it and the sound system is beautiful. It was the first time that I had ever had a residency at a club and it's been great to be there now for nine years!

- Can you tell us what you think about the club scene in London?

T: There are a lot of big clubs closing down now because it seems that it isn't as commercially popular anymore to go to a big venue and listen to electronic music like House or Techno. But in a way, the scene needs to go back to being small and re-develop itself with a new crowd of listeners and fans. I think that this is a good thing as a lot of times, smaller clubs have a better atmosphere. There is more chance to communicate between the dj's and their fans and the whole feeling seems a lot friendlier. The people who still come to the smaller clubs because they are genuinely into the music and not because it is this years fashionable sound will be the ones who help to keep all the different music genres alive for the future.

- What's your next plan or do you have any future releases on the horizon?

T: I have recently teamed up with another 'old-boy' and have started to put some tracks together and hope to get them released sometime next year. Expect lots of Acid and Techno influences as well as some Reggae!

- Lastly, what is the one thing you love most about being a DJ?

T: Free drinks at the bar!

Fabric : www.fabriclondon.com

Written by Selph