Fatboy Slim

British DJ, musician and producer Fatboy Slim was born Quentin Leo Cook in 1963; he went by the name Norman at school. He has had success under a number of different names and with several musical styles, but is best known for taking the big beat sound and popularising it worldwide.

His first big success came in the band The Housemartins who found success in the UK with the 'poppy' "Happy Hour" and the 'ballady' "Caravan of Love". The Housemartins produced two albums - London 0 Hull 4 and The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death - before they split up in 1988.

Cook formed Beats International in 1989 and had a No.1 in the UK with "Dub be Good to Me" from their debut album Let Them Eat Bingo. This was followed in 1991 with the reggae styled Excursion on the Version. Cook's next move was to form Freak Power with fellow British DJ Ashley Beedle. Freak Power's mix of trip hop and funk produced the UK hit "Turn on, Tune in, Cop Out".

Turning to house music Cook adopted the name Pizzaman, recording the album Pizzamania which had three successful singles in the UK. He then rejoined Freak Power for the More of Everything... for Everybody album, released in 1996.

1996 saw the first Fatboy Slim album, Better Living Through Chemistry featuring the big beat sound. Along with this remix of Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha" single sealed his reputation as an artist and a producer.

His next album You've Come a Long Way Baby was a big commercial and critical success and took the big beat sound worldwide, popularized in part by video for "Praise You" directed by Spike Jonze. The follow up Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars was again a commercial success and again used the talents of Spike Jonze for the video for "Weapon of Choice" featuring the dancing talents of actor Christopher Walken.

The popularity of the big beat sound was encapsulated by the 2002 Big Beach Boutique II where an estimated quarter of a million people crammed the Brighton seafront to dance to Fatboy Slim's music.

In addition to his recording work he collaborated with David Byrne on a musical about former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos which premiered in Adelaide in 2006.

A compilation of Fatboy Slim greatest hits called Why Try Harder was released 2006