Fatboy Slim, the iconic British DJ and producer, has opened up about his evolving relationship with music, admitting that he’s lost his “passion for making music.” In an honest fan Q&A with The Sun, the 61-year-old artist, whose real name is Norman Cook, shared his reflections on why his enthusiasm for music creation has dwindled, two decades after the release of his last studio album, Palookaville.
Known for chart-toppers like Praise You and Right Here, Right Now, Fatboy Slim’s music career has spanned decades, cementing his place in dance music history. However, in a candid conversation, he revealed that his motivation for producing new tracks no longer drives him as it once did.
“I think you can’t make music unless you’re absolutely passionate about it,” he told fans. “It has to drive you from the moment you wake up in the morning.” But, Fatboy Slim confessed, “I just don’t seem to feel like that anymore.” While his passion for DJing and performing live remains strong, the creative fire for making new music has cooled.
The Right Here, Right Now hitmaker explained how his most recent singles came about almost by accident. “My last two singles just came out of a live show. They were both things that I made just to play on the side,” Fatboy Slim said. The tracks, which were not initially intended for release, became fan favorites when they gained traction during his live sets. “I had tunes that nobody else had in my set. And that kind of caught on with people when we worked out that we could clear the samples and release them,” he explained.
Despite the unexpected success of his recent releases, Fatboy Slim admitted that for the past five years, he’s struggled with his changing relationship to music production. “I spent five years trying to beat myself up about it,” he shared. “But then I thought, ‘Well, everybody likes my DJing, and I enjoy that more, so I’ll do that.’”
While his musical output may have slowed, it’s clear that Fatboy Slim is far from done with the industry. He hopes that one day, the passion for producing new music will return, but for now, DJing continues to reignite his creative energy.
“I’m hoping that one day the passion will come back,” he said, suggesting that he isn’t entirely closing the door on future music projects. His fans, many of whom have followed his journey since the late ’90s, are likely to hold onto that hope as well.
Fatboy Slim also touched upon his family life, including the relationship he has with his son, Woody, 24. Woody, whom he shares with his late ex-wife Zoe Ball, has followed in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a career in DJing. Fatboy Slim shared that Woody had always been interested in music but was initially reluctant to follow in his father’s footsteps due to the looming shadow of his famous parent.
“When he lived with me, he always loved music. But when he got into clubbing, I used to say to him, ‘Do you want to be a DJ?’” Norman Cook recalled. “He’d always reply, ‘Well, I thought about it, but the thing is, I’d always be living in your shadow.’”
However, things changed when Woody went to university in Bristol. Two weeks later, he called his dad and told him he had started DJing. “I think both of us are very scared of the nepotism,” Fatboy Slim remarked, acknowledging the pressures of following a famous parent’s career path.
While Norman Cook may have shifted his focus away from music production, his love for live performances continues to thrive. Fans can expect more electrifying DJ sets from the legendary artist as he remains a driving force in the dance music scene. Whether or not new music is in the cards for Fatboy Slim, his legacy as a pioneering DJ and producer is secure, and his influence on the electronic music world continues to resonate.
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