Monday, November 2, 2009

Mr 94

Fatboy Slim
Moved Down
94. Fatboy Slim
Style: Acid house party
Best known for: Bad Hawaiian shirts.
Gig of 2009: Big Beach Festival, Yokohama. We didn't do the Brighton one so to do it in Japan was amazing.
Tune of 2009: Mpho 'Box N Locks (Armand Van Helden Remix)' (Wall of Sound)
Breakthrough DJ/Producer of 2009: Crookers
The track that changed your life: Easy! Grandmaster Flash 'Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel'.
What makes a good DJ great: One that communicates with the audience and dances while they DJ.
Most underrated DJ: Dave Clarke
Biggest challenge this year: DJing sober.
Top tech toy: Serato Video-SL

"I don't play that many clubs, I mainly do big parties abroad, which I much prefer to being in the studio," says Norman Cook, a man as known for his Big Beach Boutique festivals as his production prowess. From decade defining albums as Fatboy Slim to politically charged indie pop as part of The Housemartins, Cook is a man who has managed to balanced commercial success with real innovation.

Whilst 2009 saw Cook release a debut album under his 'Brighton Port Authority' moniker, which he admits "didn't set the world alight, but it was fun to do", it has been successful in other ways. It was the year he got sober.

"I'm most happy about it because I still enjoy DJing, I really didn't think I'd fucking enjoy myself without it, but it's great when you're straight!"

Next year will see the release of a new Fatboy Slim album, as well as some new singles in collaboration with, arguably the Fatboy of 2009, Joshua Harvey, aka Hervé. The newly sober, but equally animated Fatboy Slim is also due to play a rare UK gig at Manchester's Warehouse Project in November.

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