Norman Cook is a musical omnivore. Starting off as bass player in The Housemartins in 1985, he went on to form Beats International, Freak Power, Pizzaman, and The Mighty Dub Katz (among others).

By 1996 he adopted his current moniker: Fatboy Slim. When he released his first real hit under that guise, The Rockafeller Skank (in 1998), it was an absolute sensation. It was so eclectic and contained so many musical influences, that is was very unlikely to be played on the radio. Especially because of the lengthy, pitched drop halfway the track. But as a miracle, probably because of its catchy chorus (“Right about now, the funk soul brother”), the track did crossover from the clubs to the media.

Fast forward to 2018… The Rockafeller Skank is a classic, that keeps coming back like a boomerang. Speaking of which: Cook just released the EP Fatboy Slim vs. Australia, featuring seven of his best-known tracks, remixed by Australian producers like The Kite String Tangle and The Aston Shuffle. My personal favourite is Sam La More’s contribution. He left only the vocals of The Rockafeller Skank intact and built a completely new track around it, including both a minimalistic synthesized string part and an infectious new beat. A totally new song, altogether.

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Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.