Pete Heller

Pete Heller

Pete Heller is a house and electronic music producer and DJ from Brighton, United Kingdom. Born in 1959, he emerges from the UK dance scene as a figure associated with house, electronica, dance and trance, and his work also sits in pop and chart contexts.

Early career and Shoom

He begins working in dance music in 1989, when he becomes resident warm-up DJ to Danny Rampling at the London house club Shoom. At Shoom he meets Terry Farley, and the two later collaborate with Andy Weatherall on Heller’s first co-production.

Bocca Juniors, Boys Own and Junior Boys Own

The first co-production is Raise by Bocca Juniors, which is released on the newly formed Boys Own Records label. Heller and Farley continue to work together, remixing and producing for acts including The Farm and Primal Scream. After the deal with London Records ends, they help form the independent Junior Boys Own label. During this period Heller also works under a number of aliases and project names, including Fire Island, Roach Motel, Heller and Farley Project, Sleepers, 2 Stupid Dogz and Bocca Juniors.

Collaborations, productions and remixes

As part of Heller and Farley, he works as both remixer and producer with artists including Kylie Minogue, Michael Jackson, Robert Owens, Janet Jackson, U2, Happy Mondays and Lisa Stansfield. He also produces the club track Ultra Flava. As a solo artist, he achieves chart success with Big Love and produces tracks such as Sputnik and Big Room Drama. His remix work includes projects for Faithless, Fatboy Slim, Daft Punk, the Chemical Brothers, Moby and Jamiroquai.

Later work and label

He releases the mix Dirty Grooves on the NRK Nightlife series. He also founds the Phela Recordings label, which carries his own production style and releases tracks such as Stylus Trouble’s Stellar.

Other facts

He holds a degree in physics from Manchester University.