Formerly known as False Witness, Marco Gomez aka Junior M[achine] aka DJ Junior M is a true force of dance music in today’s club scene… with a hit new party all his own. [Cover photo: Yuri_Lines]
Thotyssey: Hello Marco, thanks for chatting with is today! So another Pride Month has come and gone, how did this one treat you?
Junior M: It was fantastic. I did a really cute stretch of gigs in NYC, Austin, and San Antonio. I got to play some longtime favorite parties, as well as play the opening night of a new club in the city, Rawhide.
Rawhide is cute, right? Sexy and stylish!
It’s my favorite club in the city at the moment. The sound is fantastic, I love all the artists who are playing it right now–and yes, the atmosphere is both sexy and glamorous. If you get the chance, take the time to read the essays on the wall by Michael Musto. Really moving words.
Other than NYC of course, do you have a favorite city to play… or was there any venue or festival where folks came out to play harder than you thought they might?
Touching Infinite in McAllen, Texas and Seraphim in Austin. I really think Texas still is an iconic place for electronic music and queer culture, despite all narratives about the state itself. Outside of the US, Australia has some really interesting parties and sounds emerging.
How might you describe your DJ sound today?
It sounds like my set for Rawhide: reverential to the history of dance music, a synthesis of references and genres that are important to me like house and techno… but also Latin freestyle, dembow, reggaeton, electro and industrial /new beat. More importantly, sexual.
That’s key! Where are you from originally, what sort of music did you grow up with, and how did you ultimately become a NYC DJ?
I was born in Boston. I grew up with hip hop, dancehall and reggaeton in school and Eurodance and house music at home. I moved to NYC in 2014 and became a DJ resident of Venus X‘s GHE20G0TH1K nights. I’ve been a touring DJ ever since.
What are your thoughts about the state of nightlife and dance music today? People do seem to be gravitating to spaces that make music the focus, but… some note that there’s not a lot of actual dancing to be seen! There are also issues with low alcohol sales and anti-socialization that have all carried over from lockdown life. Are we in a weird place, or does this feel normal to you?
The dancefloors I’ve been on lately have been packed. I was locked in at Zero Chill Pride for Saia, Sevyn and MCMLXXXV. It really speaks more about the importance of being able to craft a sound that resonates with the crowd. We haven’t given ourselves much opportunity to reconnect since COVID hit; we’re still in it. Healing takes time.
You’ve got some remixes and compositions out there… what’s that producing / recording experience like for you? Is it a lot of playing around until you get a happy accident, or do you really think things through?
As a producer, you make a lot of crappy stuff before you make something you truly enjoy. All artmaking processes require experimentation, and sometimes it works really well. My best friend and DJ partner SHYBOI really said it best: “being an artist means being comfortable with uncertainty.”
Your DJ name used to be False Witness, and you and SHYBOI DJed b2b as FALSEBOI! what inspired the name change to Junior M aka Junior M[achine]? Also, what’s FALSEBOI up to?
FALSEBOI hasn’t stopped. Me and SHYBOI just played a crazy set at Bossa Nova Civic Club recently for SLIP Pride. I retired False Witness as a production project in 2023 during my last Asian tour. Junior M feels more like how I want my DJ sets to feel: grown, sexy, welcoming, glamorous, dirty.
You’re returning to Bossa Nova on Wednesday for “Hysteria,” where you’ll be joined by DJ duos FEMALE and Sissies of Mercy, plus DJ Rahfahael!
[One half of FEMALE’s] Jordan Zeigler invited me to play Hysteria. I really like his and Alana’s sound as FEMALE; playing with them makes sense to me musically.
You’ll be back in Brooklyn on Friday night for another edition of your party “Automesse!” Tell us more!
It’s an event I’m organizing at [3 Dollar Bill annex] 9 Bob Note that’s focused on both music and queer sensuality. The dark room component is a feature that I think is overlooked or overly emphasized… but it should be an option, especially when the music is 100. Andi, Saia and Ben Manzone are DJing with me. It’s hosted by Javy Rodriguez, Lukey aka Slutty Barber, Rubbabeard, video by Luna La Sirena and photos by John Lagucki, who takes amazing photos at parties in Manhattan.
To close out, what is something about being a professional DJ in NYC that might really surprise people?
There are a lot of professional DJs in NYC who are trying to push new things, but also are socially conscious and trying to do the right thing. It isn’t always about the profit motive. I think some of us are in it for the right reasons, and that’s pretty cool.
Thanks, Marco!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Junior M’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Instagram, SoundCloud and LinkTree.
Thotyssey 