# Fatboy Slim

Norman Quentin Cook (born Quentin Leo Cook, 31 July 1963), best known as Fatboy Slim, is an English musician and DJ who helped popularise the big beat genre in the 1990s. In the 1980s, Cook was the bassist for the indie rock band the Housemartins, who achieved a UK number-one single with their cover of "Caravan of Love". After the Housemartins split up, Cook formed the electronic band Beats International in Brighton, who produced the number-one single "Dub Be Good to Me". He then played in Freak Power, Pizzaman and the Mighty Dub Katz, with moderate success.
In 1996, Cook adopted the name Fatboy Slim and released Better Living Through Chemistry to acclaim. The albums You've Come a Long Way, Baby, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, and Palookaville, as well as singles such as "The Rockafeller Skank", "Praise You", "Right Here, Right Now", "Weapon of Choice" and "Wonderful Night", achieved commercial and critical success. In 2008, Cook formed the Brighton Port Authority, a collaborative effort with a number of other established artists including David Byrne. He has created successful remixes for Cornershop, the Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Groove Armada and Wildchild.
As a solo act, he has won a Grammy Award, nine MTV Video Music Awards, and two Brit Awards, and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score in 2024. As of 2008, Cook held the Guinness World Record for most top-40 hits under different names.

## Early life and education

Quentin Leo Cook was born on 31 July 1963 in Bromley, Kent. He was raised in Reigate, Surrey, and educated at Reigate Grammar School, where he took violin lessons alongside the future prime minister Keir Starmer.
Cook grew up with a love of music. When he was 14, his brother brought home the first album from the punk band the Damned; he started attending punk gigs at the Greyhound pub in Park Lane, Croydon, and playing in punk bands. He played drums in Disque Attack, a British new wave-influenced rock band. When the frontman, Charlie Alcock, was told by his parents that he had to give up the band to concentrate on his O levels, Cook took over as lead vocalist. At the Railway Tavern in Reigate, during his time at Reigate College Cook met Paul Heaton, with whom he formed the Stomping Pond Frogs.
He completed his A-levels at Reigate College, before going to Brighton Polytechnic at the age of 18, where he achieved a 2:1 in British Studies.

## Career
### 1985–1994: The Housemartins and remixes

In 1985, Heaton formed a band, the Housemartins. When their original bassist quit that year, Cook moved to Hull to join them. Cook said he learned to play the bass guitar in about a week. The band soon had a hit single, "Happy Hour", and their two albums, London 0 Hull 4 and The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death, reached the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. They also reached number one just before Christmas 1986 with a version of "Caravan of Love", originally a hit the year before for Isley-Jasper-Isley. The Housemartins broke up in 1988. Heaton and the drummer, Dave Hemingway, went on to form the Beautiful South, and Cook moved to Brighton to pursue dance music.
Cook was frustrated being part of playing "white English pop" in the Housemartins. He was interested in hip-hop and dance music, but felt it was inappropriate for a white English man to work in this genre. He was uncomfortable with acts such as Level 42 or Simply Red, who he felt "kind of pretend to be black". He began DJing as a hobby, and began working on dance music using a TEAC 144 Portastudio and Roland S-10 synthesiser, with no intention of releasing it. When the Housemartins broke up, he invested in further equipment, including a mixing console, an eight-track reel-to-reel, an Atari ST computer, an Akai S950 sampler and, later, a Roland TB-303 synthesizer.
Cook released successful remixes such as "Blame It On the Bassline" with MC Wildski, which reached number 29 on the UK singles chart. He formed a sound system collective, Beats International, which had a UK number one with "Dub Be Good to Me" (1990). He also formed an acid jazz band, Freak Power, with musicians including the trombonist Ashley Slater, which released the successful 1993 single "Turn On, Tune In, Cop Out". Cook began releasing house records under aliases including Pizzaman and the Mighty Dub Katz, recording two or three tracks a week in his home studio.

### 1995–2000: Better Living Through Chemistry

Cook adopted the stage name Fatboy Slim in 1995. He said of the name: "It doesn't mean anything. I've told so many different lies over the years about it I can't actually remember the truth. It's just an oxymoron—a word that can't exist. It kind of suits me—it's kind of goofy and ironic."
Cook's friends encouraged him to make music similar to the eclectic style of records he used in his DJ sets. The first Fatboy Slim album, Better Living Through Chemistry (released on Skint Records in the UK and Astralwerks in the US), contained the Top 40 UK hit "Everybody Needs a 303".
In 1998, Cook's remix of "Renegade Master" by Wildchild reached number three on the UK singles chart, and his remix of "Brimful of Asha" by Cornershop reached number one. Cook said the tracks represented a creative breakthrough: "That's when I was like, I've nailed it now, I've got the formula." Afterwards, he created three singles from his next album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby (1998), in one week: "The Rockafeller Skank", "Praise You" and "Right Here, Right Now". "Praise You" was Cook's first UK solo number one. Its music video, starring Spike Jonze, won numerous awards. On 9 September 1999, Cook performed it at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City and won three awards, including Breakthrough Video.

### 2000—2007: Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars and Brighton beach

In 2000, Fatboy Slim released his third album, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, featuring collaborations with Macy Gray and the track "Weapon of Choice", which also was made into an award-winning music video starring Christopher Walken. The album also included "Sunset (Bird of Prey)", whose video used the 1964 "Daisy Girl" campaign ad. At the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, Fatboy Slim won six awards for "Weapon of Choice", the most awards at the ceremony.
In 2001, Cook held a free beach concert, Big Beach Boutique, in Brighton. It followed a screening of a cricket match organised by Channel 4, and was attended by around 60,000 people. The set was released as the 2002 album Live on Brighton Beach.
By 2002, according to the Daily Telegraph, Fatboy Slim was the "world's biggest DJ". That July, he played a second free concert on Brighton beach, Big Beach Boutique II. It was attended by around 250,000 people, four times more than expected. Local authorities were severely underprepared, which led to more than 170 injuries and six arrests. Two people died in the hours after the concert. The cleanup operation lasted days and cost over £300,000, with 160 tonnes of rubbish collected from the beach. However, Cook was supported by Brighton residents. The local newspaper, The Argus, printed a supplement to publish the letters supporting him, and BBC Southern Counties Radio received many positive calls. Cook released a live album and DVD, Big Beach Boutique II, in 2003.

### 2003—2008: Palookaville

Cook produced "Crazy Beat" and "Gene by Gene" from the 2003 Blur album Think Tank. In 2004, he released his fourth album, Palookaville. It sold far fewer copies than his previous albums, which Cook credited to its more obscure musical style. Cook said he was "happy to take my foot off the gas for a bit" and receive less tabloid attention. He released a greatest-hits Fatboy Slim album, Why Try Harder, on 19 June 2006, including the new tracks "Champion Sound" and "That Old Pair of Jeans".
In 2006, Cook travelled to Cuba and wrote and produced two original Cuban crossover tracks for the album The Revolution Presents: Revolution, which was released by Studio ! K7 and Rapster Records in 2009. The tracks are "Shelter" (which featured longtime collaborator Lateef) and "Siente Mi Ritmo", featuring Cuba's female vocal group Sexto Sentido. The recordings took place at Cuba's EGREM Studios, home of the Buena Vista Social Club, and featured a band of young Cuban musicians, including Harold Lopez Nussa. Another track recorded during these sessions, "Guaguanco", was released separately under the Mighty Dub Katz moniker in 2006.

### 2008–2012: The Brighton Port Authority and Here Lies Love

In 2008, Cook did a remix of the track "Amazonas" for the charity Bottletop. That year, Cook formed a virtual band, the Brighton Port Authority, featuring Iggy Pop, David Byrne, Dizzee Rascal, Martha Wainwright and Ashley Beedle. They released an album, I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat, in 2009. Cook collaborated with Byrne again on Here Lies Love (2010), a concept album about the life of the Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos. A musical based on the album premiered in 2013 at the Public Theater in New York City, and opened on Broadway in 2023. As of 2008, Cook held the Guinness World Record for most top-40 hits under different names.
In 2010, Cook released a mix album, The Legend Returns, as a covermount album in the June 2010 issue of Mixmag. He returned as Fatboy Slim when performing at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in March 2012. On 12 August 2012 he performed "Rockefeller Skank" and "Right Here, Right Now" at the 2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony, and on 1 September 2012 Cook performed at Brighton Pride.

### 2013–present: Return of Fatboy Slim

On 20 June 2013, Cook released his first charting Fatboy Slim single in seven years; "Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat" with Riva Starr and Beardyman. Supported by a remix from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, it topped the UK Dance Chart that year.
In 2015, Cook released a 15th-anniversary edition of Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars. This was supported with the release of miscellaneous remixes. In May 2015, Cook compiled The Fatboy Slim Collection, an album of songs used throughout his sets over the years.
In 2017, Fatboy Slim returned with his single "Where U Iz", released on 3 March. Later that year, he released another collaboration with Beardyman, "Boom F**king Boom". In 2018, a remix album from Australian artists of Cook's previous works was released, Fatboy Slim vs. Australia. Cook made a cameo as a DJ in the 2019 satire film Greed, and played himself in the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls, broadcast in 2022.
In June 2023, Cook played at Glastonbury Festival. He performed the song "Insomnia" by Faithless as a tribute to Maxi Jazz. In June 2024, Fatboy Slim released a new single featuring the vocalist Dan Diamond, "Role Model". It comes with a music video, his first in nearly 20 years, and features many celebrities using deepfake technology such as David Bowie, Bill Murray and Muhammad Ali. On 28 June 2024, Cook appeared at Glastonbury with Paul Heaton on the Pyramid Stage. That December, Cook said he had lost interest in creating music and was happy focusing on DJ performances.

## Selected performances

In June 2005, Fatboy Slim filled the Friday night headline slot on the "Other Stage" at the Glastonbury Festival. In 2006, Fatboy Slim filled the Saturday headline slot at the Global Gathering festival at Long Marston Airfield in the English Midlands. He played a two-hour set, appearing in front of a visual stage set comprising video screens and 3D lighting. A fireworks display rounded off the show. Having been banned by police from playing in Brighton since 2002, Fatboy Slim was given permission in 2006 to play again in his home town. On 1 January 2007, he played to an audience of more than 20,000 fans along Brighton's seafront. Tickets to the event, titled "Fatboy Slim's Big Beach Boutique 3", were made available only to individuals with a BN postcode. The concert was deemed a "stunning success" by Sussex police, Fatboy Slim and the crowd. The Cuban Brothers and David Guetta opened the concert. The next similar event, 'Big Beach Boutique 4', was held on 27 September 2008.
In 2008, he played at the Glastonbury Festival again and headlined the O2 Wireless Festival and Rockness Festival. According to an NME interview, this may have been one of the last times he performed as Fatboy Slim, as he would henceforth be focusing on his new band The Brighton Port Authority. Also in 2008, Fatboy Slim closed out the famed "Sahara" tent on Friday of the Coachella Valley Music Festival. His introduction included a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opening that has been called of the most memorable Sahara performances ever.
In 2009, he toured Australia in the Good Vibrations Festival. Also in 2009, he played in Marlay Park, Dublin, alongside David Guetta, Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris, as well as one huge performance at the Sziget Festival in Budapest. He also performed at V Festival 2009. At Glastonbury 2009, he played an unadvertised concert in the "pinball-machine" stage at trash city.
In 2010, Fatboy Slim headlined the east dance at Glastonbury Festival. On 18 June 2010, he performed in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of the Cool Britannia FIFA World Cup music festival at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. He also performed in Naples on 15 July at the Neapolis Festival. On 30 May 2011, he performed as the headliner for Detroit's Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit, Michigan.
Fatboy Slim played a headline gig at the Bestival on the Isle of Wight on 11 September 2011. On 25 September 2011, he headlined the Terrace at Ibiza's famed Space Nightclub's "We Love Sundays" closing party. On 29 October 2011, Fatboy Slim opened at the San Francisco Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, following up on the 30th, closing out the Red Bulletin/Le PLUR Stage at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In March 2012, Cook hosted a one-hour radio programme, titled On The Road To Big Beach Bootique 5, on XFM. It consisted of 10 shows. On Saturday 24 March 2012, Fatboy Slim performed a live DJ set on the main stage at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida.
He performed his famous "The Rockafeller Skank" (dubbed the 'Funk Soul Brother') at the closing ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics on top of a giant inflatable octopus, which emerged from the top of a party bus.
In 2013, Fatboy Slim played at Ultra Music Festival, Wavefront Music Festival, Exit Festival, Bestival, and Glastonbury (as a special guest on the Wow! and Arcadia stages).
On 6 March 2013, Fatboy Slim played at the House of Commons in Westminster, London. This was the first time a DJ ever performed there, and the performance was in aid of the Last Night A DJ Saved My Life Foundation, which is aimed at "encouraging 16- to 25-year-olds to get more involved in their communities through grassroot initiatives and to raise awareness for community music projects".
In May 2014, Fatboy Slim played Coachella for a second time, again on the Sahara stage.
In December 2014, Fatboy Slim played three sold-out shows, including The Warehouse Project in Manchester and O2 Brixton Academy, with supporting acts such as VAS LEON with Arthur Baker for Slam Dunk'd and DJ Fresh.
On 15 May 2016, he played a private two-hour set "Baby Loves Disco" for preschool children and their parents during the Brighton Fringe.
At Glastonbury 2016, he played the John Peel stage for the first time.
In October 2019, Cook performed a mashup of his track "Right Here, Right Now" and Greta Thunberg's United Nations speech during a concert in Gateshead.
In May 2021, he performed at one of the first UK events after the COVID-19 pandemic in Liverpool, as part of the government's trials to restart mass audience events .
In July 2022, Cook returned to Brighton beach for the 20th anniversary of Big Beach Boutique. He was joined by Carl Cox, Eats Everything, and others.

## Personal life

Cook married the TV presenter Zoe Ball in 1999 at Babington House in Somerset. In January 2003, they separated, but three months later they reconciled. Their daughter Nelly premiered a DJ set as Fat Girl Slim with Camp Bestival during the COVID-19 pandemic to raise money for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and the Trussell Trust. They lived in Portslade, Hove. On 24 September 2016, Cook and Ball announced their separation after 18 years.
In 2002, Cook changed his birth name by deed poll to Norman Quentin Cook. On 4 March 2009, Cook checked into a rehabilitation centre in Bournemouth for alcoholism. His performance at Snowbombing, a week-long winter sports and music festival held in the Austrian ski resort of Mayrhofen, was cancelled, with the slot filled by 2ManyDJs. Cook left the clinic at the end of March. As of 4 March 2019 he had not used drugs or alcohol for 10 years. Cook has supported Brighton & Hove Albion since moving to Brighton in the late 1980s.

## Collaborations

* The Housemartins (Bassist; 1985–1988)
* Rockaway Three (1988)
* Double Trouble (1988–1990)
* Beats International (1989–1992)
* Pizzaman (1993–1997)
* Freak Power (1993–1996)
* Fried Funk Food (1995)
* Mighty Dub Katz ("Magic Carpet Ride" dance song [1995] and "Work it, Work it")
* The Brighton Port Authority (2008)

## Recognition and accolades

In September 2002, Q named Fatboy Slim part of their "50 Bands to See Before You Die" list.
It was reported in 2008 that Cook held the Guinness World Record for most top-40 hits under different names.
Cook was awarded a star on the city of Brighton's Walk of Fame, next to that of Winston Churchill.

### Awards and nominations
## Discography

Studio albums
* Better Living Through Chemistry (1996)
* You've Come a Long Way, Baby (1998)
* Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars (2000)
* Palookaville (2004)