Electronic music pioneer Fatboy Slim has opened up about losing his drive to create new music, indicating he plans to focus primarily on DJing for the remainder of his career.
The DJ and producer, whose real name is Norman Cook, hasn't released a full studio album since "Palookaville" in 2004. During a recent Q&A session at his All Back To Minehead Butlin's weekender event in Somerset, the 63-year-old artist shared candid thoughts about his creative journey.
"You can't make music unless you're absolutely passionate about it and it drives you from the moment you wake up in the morning," Cook explained. "I just don't seem to feel like that anymore."
While new music production may have lost its appeal, Cook maintains his enthusiasm for performing live. His recent musical releases have emerged organically from his DJ sets rather than dedicated studio sessions. His latest single "Bus Stop Please" came from crafting unique tracks to enhance his live performances.
The "Right Here, Right Now" hitmaker admitted to initially struggling with this shift in creative focus. "For five years, I tried to beat myself up about it," he revealed. However, he has since made peace with concentrating on DJing, noting that fans appreciate his live performances and he finds greater satisfaction in that aspect of his career.
Cook hasn't completely closed the door on producing new music, expressing hope that "one day the passion will come back." During his active recording years, Fatboy Slim released four studio albums, with 1998's "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" reaching number one on the charts.
The artist continues to maintain an active presence in the electronic music scene through his DJ performances, including recent sets where he shared the stage with his son Woody, who is following in his father's footsteps as a DJ.