Since winning Muzik magazines ‘Best New DJ’ award in 1997, Terry Francis has had what can only be described as a meteoric rise to fame. To those previously unfamiliar with his flawless mixing skills and instinctive ability to work a crowd it probably seemed as if he’d arrived out of nowhere. Some called his style ‘tech house’, whilst Terry himself jokingly described to it as ‘house no’. Ultimately thoug|h, any labelling of Terry’s style is fairly pointless because what he does is what all the very best DJs do; he blurs the lines between the past and the present to create the future and, most importantly, he always manages to play from the heart. Crucially, his sets can fit that little bit better into most lineups than almost anybody else.
We caught up with Terry Francis to talk about the fabric mix series 100 and his thoughts on the seminal London club.
Electronic Groove: Hi Terry, a pleasure talking with you today. You were playing fabric before it even properly opened. What do you think it is that strikes a chord with clubbers, DJs and promoters alike?
Terry Francis: Thanks for inviting me. It’s a fantastic spot, the building (Victorian arches underground), the location being in Central London, the sound! Everything about it is cool.
EG: You’ve contributed a mix to fabric 100, the final offering in the series. What did you want to convey with your selections? A snapshot spanning the entire series, a look to the future or both?
Terry Francis: I wanted to try and capture something from all three rooms; deep, tough and techy. I love playing all three fabric rooms, I get the chance to play every style. Also, I tried to slot in a few older tracks that have had some special moments in the 19 years.
EG: Did you feel any added pressure with it being the final edition?
Terry Francis: A little I suppose, I mean when you look at the high caliber of the rest of the series, it has to be good right!
EG: Getting to 19 years is a remarkable achievement for a club. Can you pinpoint to anything in particular that has contributed to fabric’s longevity?
Terry Francis: I think again, the location and the design of the venue and of course the music policy. It’s always been a leader not a follower, cutting edge.
EG: You’re famed for your live improvisational style but, with an occasion as significant as fabric’s birthday, do you prepare any differently?
Terry Francis: I wouldn’t say I prepare differently, I might dig out some bits I have for special actions, like a personal favorite. I put my tune in 4 categories. Deep grooves, rolling grooves, tough, tech and go from there…
EG: With your close affiliation to fabric and putting your own legendary night Wiggle for many years, what are your thoughts on clubbing in 2019? What does the future hold?
Terry Francis: The future! Where’s my crystal ball? Personally I’m starting up my eye4sounds imprint and a project called ‘Dead Ends’ with two friends, which might lead on to a few live shows. Nathan (Coles) and I are starting the parties again and will be touring 25 years of Wiggle in 2019, plus the label after a few rough years with personal problems. With my dates at fabric, it’s looking like a good one.
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