Fatboy Slim

Starting to DJ while studying at Brighton Polytechnic, Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) was a key founder of the local hip-hop scene before moving to Hull to play bass in his friend Paul Heaton's group The Housemartins. After their demise in 1988, Cook returned to his dance roots, scoring hits with Beats International, Freak Power and Pizzaman, before starting the Boutique nightclub and becoming involved in the Skint record label pioneering the Big Beat dance sound. His debut album Better Living Through Chemistry (1996) made little impact, but his bombastic remix of Cornershop's Brimful of Asha turned an obscure single by a British-Asian indie band into Number 1 hit and huge club anthem. Following that with his own hits Rockerfeller Skank, Gangster Trippin', Praise You and Right Here, Right Now, Fatboy Slim was suddenly an international star with his album You've Come a Long Way, Baby (1998) topping the UK charts. Albums Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars (2000) and Palookaville (2004) further established Cook as one of Britain's most successful DJ producers with his popularity confirmed in 2002 when over 250,000 people turned up to a free gig he staged on Brighton Beach.