What’s the greatest gig you’ve done so far, in the entire world?
The four Big Beach Bootiques we’ve done on Brighton Beach. I’ve played all over the globe, but nothing beats playing in front of your mates – playing to 250,000 of your close friends and feeling that warmth coming from the audience. I’ve always had a very healthy relationship with Brighton – I’m very proud of living here and they’re very proud of me. It’s a celebration of my relationship with Brighton, so there’s that extra warmth in the crowd. And that we get to play on Brighton Beach. No one else has ever done
a rave there.

What can we expect from this year’s Big Beach Bootique?
Anyone who went to any of the previous ones will know the kind of atmosphere we get there – the idea was to take the best bits from the beach parties but add the excitement of the new football stadium, which is like a mini Wembley. I can’t think of a rave that’s ever been done in a football stadium. I’ve played everywhere and I’m always looking for new exciting places to play. Like the Great Wall of China…

Any plans to do more studio work?
I’m always planning it, but we’ve got so many exciting gigs I never get round to it. I’ll probably do some more stuff with Rizzle Kicks, I’m enjoying that. One day, when I get time. I haven’t been much of a studio animal recently.

What’s your all-time favourite track?
Born Slippy, Underworld. It still gets the hairs on the back of my neck going.

What two songs would be completely impossible to mash up?
I got asked to remix Born Slippy and I said don’t mess with it. There are certain tunes that I think are sacred, but for a live mash-up I think anything goes.

You’ve been pretty big for years. How have you kept it up?
I’ve found this formula, which is a little bit dirty and naughty, but that’s actually quite accessible. It’s a way of being commercial without actually being commercial. Probably just my enthusiasm for it. The day I stop enjoying it is probably when everyone else will.

Do you still get offers from groupies?
Not overtly these days. I think I’m fairly famously married [to Zoe Ball]. I get a few offers from Brazil, where they don’t know my wife. But don’t tell her that, obviously.

You’re going to be 50 next year. Any plans to calm it down?
My wife always says that. Can’t we say I’m going to be 49 this year? I’m looking at being 49 first. I calmed down a few years ago. I’ve calmed it down to a level where I think I’ve got a few more years in me yet. I’ve quit drinking and started looking after my health. There will be a cut-off point – when I stop enjoying it and when the crowd stops enjoying it. No one knows – with the era of the superstar DJ: Carl Cox, Oakenfold, Pete Tong – none of us knows what the retirement age is, because there’s never been this generation before.

And speaking of superstar DJs, who do you think is going to become the next big thing?
I think Annie Mac is going to go up to the premier league soon. If you look at the line-up
of Big Beach Bootique, these are my mates who I predict will be big. You’ve got The 2 Bears, Maya Jane Coles, Luciano’s already quite big, but I think will be even bigger. I really rate. Jaguar Skills.

Do you think the name ‘Fatboy Slim’ should be incorporated into cockney rhyming slang, like Pete Tong?
It’s a lovely idea, but what would it mean? I think Pete Tong is definitely completely honoured about becoming part of the English language. But if we could find something decent to rhyme with Slim, then I’d be more than happy.

Do you still see the guys from The Housemartins, your original band?
We keep in touch. We all got together for the 25th anniversary of London 0 Hull 4 and had a big lunch and a chinwag. And we all renewed our pact never to reform. We’ll leave that to The Stone Roses, or The Smiths. The Smiths reforming is pretty much as likely as The Housemartins. We did make a pact when we split up that we’d never get back together – we’ve all been more successful doing what we do now and we’re all a lot happier. There’s no reason for it, apart from nostalgia or money. And neither of us is short of either of them.

Fatboy Slim’s Big Beach Bootique is on June 1-2. Day tickets £35
Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club
Station: Brighton
fatboyslim.net



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