Rocky Vs Terry Farley
Rocky Vs Terry Farley
18-12-13
This Saturday two legends of house join us in the laser basement for a special Christmas edition of Body Talk in the shape of not only acid house hero Terry Farley but X-Press 2 legend Rocky! Ahead of the party, Rocky sent us this ace warm-up mix plus him and Terry sat down for a chat...
Terry interviews Rocky...
Terry: You worked for the Ministry Of Defence - ever thought of doing a WikiLeaks turnout?
Rocky: To be honest it was so long ago the kind of hardware we were knocking out would be like Dads Army stuff today.
...did you get to test cool James Bond style weaponry?
Sadly no. I was a progress chaser and looked after projects that made bits for armaments.
What was your first DJ gig?
First ever would have been the Sixth Form end of term disco at my school. Our head took us to this deserted store room where they had one of those Citronic double deck suitcase things. It was covered in dust. We dragged it out and set it up. I was hooked. Band Aid was big that year.
Can you remember any records you played?
Deffo Band Aid got played. Also some of the Breakdance movie soundtrack. Aside from those, I have no idea. I think everyone brought in their own tunes. There were a couple of us who just went through the tracks and played them. We were a glorified jukebox.
Which DJ inspired you to take up this life?
In all seriousness, out of everyone, I think you and Andrew back in the day.
What's been your 'worst gig ever ' and why?
I think recently playing to a restaurant of around 20 diners was pretty poor.
And your best gig ever?
Any time that we've ever been to Japan has been amazing. This year, the opening of Pacha was quite special as well.
Is HOUSE a feeling or is it just Diesel's real name ?
It's just his name.
Rocky interviews Terry Farley
You're playing Handsome at East Bloc early next year, a perfect fit - why did they wait so long to ask you?
A question my Mrs has asked along with "Why have they booked you then?" and "You wont be in the club's pictures". I can only say it's a honour to be playing East Bloc again and such a cool party. I will be visiting a spa before hand and sprucing myself up for the night.
Your fave party/club/one off of 2013? One only please. And what made it so special.
I loved Farr, playing a three- the hard way- clash with Dan Beaumont and Ms Hannah Holland - I love Farr it's exactly how I would do a 'festival', if I had the know-how and the spare bucks to pull it off.
What was your first DJ gig?
Myself and a mate Paul Mckee put on a night in 1981 and we both DJed (there's a pic of me on that night that just turned up all these years later on Facebook) - I played a Le Beat Route style set of '70s funk and disco, some new electro and some leftfield stuff like Prince Charles and the City Beat Band's seminal track In The Streets.
Can you remember any records you played?
Prince Charles - In The Streets, Fatback Band - Wicky Wacky, Roy Ayers - Running Away and Aurra - When I Come Home on Salsoul - I always played those tracks whenever I got to play in clubs or parties after that for ages.
If you were 'invited to the ball', would you have done a Boys Own pod on the Eye?
Was there money involved ? If "yes" and if "a proper drink", then maybe, (I know Andrew would have laughed down the phone at me if I had rung him up) as it's what I do for a living. For free? Fuck that, I thought it was a naff idea (I fully appreciated Red Bull's contribution to house music over the years) and I've been on the Eye twice and never liked it much anyway.
Who was the best dresser of the Slough Soul Boys?
Gary Haisman - who went on to be banned from Radio 1 for his ACCCIIIEDD record with D Mob in 1988. He was skinny and lanky and could pull off red peg trousers from SEX and mohair jumpers while I think sadly I always looked a bit like a young Del Boy.
Define HOUSE in 12 words.
LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE.
Will you ever go back on the gas?
I have dreams (nightmares) of being back pipe fitting, and in those dreams I'm always so slow and fucking rubbish at it. So NO thats never gonna happen, and for safety's sake thank god.
Are you still a gay black man struggling to escape a white gas fitter's body?
People still quote that line - in fact loads have stolen it... it was honestly how I felt during the early '90s and being so into the NY gay culture that surrounded the music we were making, the DJs who were playing it and the Sound Factory, a place I adored. My bluff, however, was called one morning just around the corner from the Sound Factory and I failed the ' lad fag' ( Luke Howard's term for us lot back then) test badly... bottled it haha.
Join Rocky and Terry Farley this Saturday 21st December for Body Talk at Dalston Superstore from 9pm - 3am.
Rocky Vs Terry Farley