Fatboy Slim: Fresh Off Beating Alcoholism, British DJ Wows Olympics Closing Ceremonies


Fatboy Slim took center stage to the Closing Ceremonies to the 2012 London Olympics, rocking the crowd as he performed atop a giant glowing octopus. Playing before millions of viewers worldwide was a high point for the British DJ, but the moment was made even sweeter by the demons that Fatboy Slim put behind him in the last three years.

Just before the Closing Ceremonies, Fatboy Slim spoke about beating alcoholism and his experience checking into rehab in 2009, NZCity.com reported.

“I gave up drinking three years and I’ve run Brighton Marathon,” said Fatboy Slim, whose real name is Norman Cook. “Everything you do is a lot easier to deal with when you go to bed after a show rather than party for two days.”

For his Closing Ceremony performance, Fatboy Slim came out following comedian Russell Brand’s entrance on a psychedelic tour bus. The bus transformed into an octopus, with Fatboy Slim rising from it to perform hits “Right Here, Right Now” and “The Rockafeller Skank.”

Fatboy Slim had to keep the performance a secret for eight months, The Argus reported.

“It was an honour to represent my country, it was a fantastic atmosphere in the stadium and backstage and I thought the show went really well,” he told The Argus.

Fatboy Slim said that, despite his desire to keep making music, he doesn’t have any plans to make a return as a recording artist.

“I listen to current dance music and I think, do I even fit in here?” Fatboy Slim said. “I really don’t feel drawn to the studio. I much prefer to focus on DJing. Skrillex told me he gave up playing in bands and took up DJing because of me.”

He added that he enjoys not being beholden to a recording label but instead controlling his own creative direction.

“As you get older you realize you don’t have to do any of that stuff.” Fatboy Slim said. “My career now is buoyant, but manageable. Basically, I do what I want.”

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