Fatboy Slim Talks Las Vegas Residency
Out of all the things I’ve done in my lengthy career [a Vegas residency] was one that I had never done. I thought that sounded like a hoot.
After helping break electronic music in North America in the late ‘90s, and subsequently playing huge rock shows supporting breakthrough singles like “Right Here, Right Now,” “Praise You,” “The Rockefeller Skank,” and “Weapon of Choice” (remember the video starring Christopher Walken?), Norman “Fatboy Slim” Cook took a break from performing in America.
“I think I OD’ed on America about ten years ago, and I think maybe they had enough of me,” laughs Cook, talking from his home in Brighton, England. “I’ve been doing a lot of stuff in Brazil, Japan and Australia and having fun there and probably neglecting America a bit.”
Cook focused his efforts on bringing his biggest possible beats possible to South America, Europe and Asia, playing in Ibiza and knocking dance floors speechless all over the place. While crisscrossing the globe he started hearing from other jocks about Las Vegas’ emerging club scene, proving that word of mouth is indeed the best form of advertising.
“A lot of my friends who are DJs started playing in Vegas and they started saying it was like the new Ibiza,” relates Cook. “Out of all the things I’ve done in my lengthy career [a Vegas residency] was one that I had never done. I thought that sounded like a hoot. I also played at Ultra Festival in São Paulo and all of the Americans were like, Why don’t you come to America and do this show?! I dunno. I guess no one suggested it. So it was a mixture of meeting the Ultra people in Brazil and friends of mine saying that Vegas is the new Ibiza.”
One thing led to another and Cook began his residency at the Marquee Dayclub in Las Vegas on Memorial Day. Bolstered by a show that delivers his trademark stage visuals and surprises, Cook says that he’s “trying to bring the kind of Nikki Beach Miami meets Ibiza vibe into the center of Vegas.”
With a year that has already included a headlining set at his massive Big Beach festival at Makuhari Kaihin Park in Tokyo in June and dates in Ibiza, the now-sober party monster says he’s having the time of his life. As for his long-awaited next studio album, well, Cook isn’t in any rush to complete it. “It’s coming,” he laughs, “one of these days.”
