BRIGHTON’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST

Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, has sure come a long way, and 30-odd years later he’s still spinning strong. As a pioneer of electronic dance music, manic sampler, Grammy Award-winning DJ and record producer, you know when Fatboy Slim helms a dance party you’re guaranteed to have a great time. CATALOG caught up with Fatboy to delve into his life and music.

How do you still keep it fresh after nearly three decades?

Every week I go through a hundred new tunes, and when I find a good one I still get the same teenage excitement about playing for others. Every week I play my tunes to different people around the world, I still get the same teenage kick when I see them turned on by it, smiling and dancing…

How has your music progressed over the years?

It progresses sometimes but then sometimes it gets a bit scared and regresses again! The Fatboy sound was never intended to be the music of the future, it’s the music of now.

What was working with David Byrne like on Here Lies Love and what were your views on Imelda Marcos (who was the subject of the CD)?

David was a childhood hero of mine so to work with him was a pleasure and an honour. He is a very intelligent, witty and entertaining man. Imelda Marcos, however, is not so pleasant. Before the project most people’s perception of her was as that potty woman with too many shoes, but with research I discovered she is a lot more complicated, and evil.

Read more our interview with Fatboy Slim in the July issue of CATALOG, out now!

Text by Wayne Cheong

Image and interview courtesy of Zouk