Terry Farley

Terry Farley was born in 1958 in Latimer Road, London. He lived in London until age 13, then moved to Slough. His early exposure to music in London involved reggae and West Indian parties. In Slough, he found limited entertainment options, leading him to seek out music experiences in London. He began frequenting clubs in the late 1970s, becoming an enthusiastic dancer in soul and rare groove scenes. A pivotal early club experience was Crackers, which he attended around the late 1970s. He later participated in the first Caister all-weekender around 1981.

In 1985–1986, Farley co-founded the fanzine “Boy’s Own” with Andrew Weatherall and others. This publication documented the emerging acid house movement in the UK. The “Boy’s Own” collective also organized parties where Farley would DJ, and eventually established the successful record label “Boy’s Own.” By 1987, Farley had transitioned to house music and was one of the early DJs at the influential Shoom events. Alongside Pete Heller, Farley produced a series of underground club hits throughout the late 1980s and 1990s under various monikers, including Fire Island and Heller & Farley Project. In 1992, he co-created the record label Junior Boy’s Own with Steven Hall, which became a prominent label in British dance music.

Junior Boy’s Own was responsible for major releases such as Underworld’s debut album “Dubnobasswithmyheadman” in 1994, their 1996 album “Second Toughest in the Infants,” and The Chemical Brothers’ debut album “Exit Planet Dust.” In the 2000s, Farley co-founded “Faith,” a long-running party and publication that also spawned compilation albums. He has also worked as a writer and compilation curator, focusing on the historical aspects of club culture on both sides of the Atlantic. Farley continues to be active as a DJ, remixer, and producer, and he previously wrote the liner notes for “Balearic Beats” on FFRR Records in 1988.