Fatboy Slim to return to Creamfields
11:29am Tuesday 12th August 2008
DESPITE rumours that he was planning to kill off his Fatboy alter-ego, Creamfields stalwart Norman Cook will be helping the festival celebrate its tenth anniversary this bank holiday weekend.
To mark the occasion, the event in Daresbury, Cheshire, will run over two days over August 23 and 24 for the first time ever, with camping on site.
The cream of the dance and indie crop including Tiesto, Pete Tong, Kasabian, Underworld and 2manydjs have all signed up to be part of the action alongside the legendary Fatboy.
Having played the very first Creamfields, Mr Slim remains very much alive and kicking so we caught up with him for a quick trip down memory lane.
You played the first Creamfields, didn’t you?
Yes. Well, apparently. I’ve played Cream many times. But the first Creamfields was a long, long time ago. Fatboy Slim would have been in his infancy then. I’d done the first album and Rockafeller Skank would have been released just prior to Creamfields so things were really starting to take off at that time. Since then, there have been a lot of other festivals so forgive me if my memory is a little bit hazy.
We don’t tend to get to see you playing more intimate clubs any more. When you play a club, it tends to be unannounced. Why’s that?
Just to keep it manageable. Normally it’s for a mate and you can just get a load of other mates along and have a right laugh. There are a lot of people out there that really supported me in the early days and if they ask me to play some records at something they’re planning, then I’ll be happy to get involved. People like Carl Cox or the guys from Manumission, for example.
A lot of DJs note peaks and troughs over their careers, but you consistently seem enthusiastic about how the scene is developing. So, looking back, have there been era’s in Clubland that you’ve not found that positive?
There have certainly been times where I’ve not had hit singles that might be seen as low points. And there was a period where the Superclubs were going through some big changes. But, honestly, I just get on with it and enjoy it. As long as young people want to get drunk and laid, then I’ve always got a role to play.
Is there anyone that you look to that consistently surprises and excites you?
The Chems. Without a shadow of a doubt The Chemical Brothers set the benchmark for me. Then new people come up all the time, producers like Switch and Micky Slim and Streetlife DJs. But I also find that I hear music and get into it without knowing who is behind it and then later I’m like ‘hang on – he also made that record and he’s the same person who did that other thing’. There’s a lot of that going on.
Tickets for the festival are on sale now priced £53 to £190. Visit ticketline.co.uk or creamfields.com or call the booking line on 0844 888 4401 for full line-up details and costs.