Fatboy Slim says he was ‘on autopilot’ at the infamous Brighton Beach party
Fatboy Slim has revealed he’s “completely on autopilot” during his infamous Big Beach Boutique II concert in Brighton.
The 59-year-old DJ and record producer – real name Norman Cook – gave his second free outdoor concert in July 2002, attracting a quarter of a million people to join him in his suburban town. English sea.
Fatboy Slim reflected on the impact of the concert – following the success of the original Big Beach Boutique concert in 2001 – as part of the upcoming Sky documentary.
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Crowd of 250,000 at Big Beach Boutique II in 2002 (BMG/Fatboy Slim/PA)
“Looking back, I don’t remember much about the actual performance. I must have been completely on autopilot,” he said.
“It wasn’t my most comfortable period, because I was aware that we had the potential that, if something went wrong, we could be in a lot of trouble, in terms of safety.
“What I remember is just getting the energy from the crowd.”
Right Here, Right Now is set to look back at the massive beach party – originally slated to attract just 60,000 people – and features interviews with those who were present to witness first-hand .
Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Vernon Kay and John Simm were all present, recounting their personal experiences of the gathering and remembering what it was like to be part of a crowd that was four times larger than expected, and by that time, doubled the population of Brighton for the day.
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Simon Pegg and Nick Frost at Big Beach Boutique II (BMG/Fatboy Slim/PA)
In the documentary that will air on Sky Documentaries next month, Fatboy Slim, who helped popularize the big beat genre, recalls how the Big Beach Boutique originally started, saying: “In 2001, we were got a phone call from Channel 4 talking about cricket… they’re going to Brighton to show one of the Test matches and they have a sound system for commentary and a big screen.
“They just called me and said, ‘As the representative of Brighton dance music, would you like to DJ for a free after party so Brighton people dance a little on the beach? ‘
“We lost the cricket on the second day, so no one came to see the cricket. But a lot of people came to the party after that.”
Following the success of the first party, Fatboy Slim decided to organize the second part, Big Beach Boutique II.
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Speaking of having to work with the police to make sure the show could go, Fatboy Slim said: “I can see from the faces of the police, they’re like ‘we’re overwhelmed here’. So I braced myself that it would be taken away.
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The last concert was forced to end early after police became increasingly concerned about the safety of the crowd (BMG/Fatboy Slim/PA)
“I think they put me in one of the cabins and they put me down and said, ‘Okay, we’ll get on with it, but come on…’
“I said, ‘Is it more dangerous to just not do it? Because you have all those people there, and they’ve all been drinking all day, and they’re happy. And if you shut the place down, they won’t be happy and that could get worse?’ And they said, ‘Yes’.”
DJ Praise You also explains what continues to motivate him after such an extensive career, saying, “I’m still doing this because I really love it.”
He added: “Something happens when the room becomes a single mass of energy and that is what gives me energy. I kind of eat that.
“That’s what motivates me and something that I’m grateful for being allowed to do for a long time.”
You can watch Right Here, Right Now on Sky Documentaries and the Now streaming site from February 4 at 10pm.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/fatboy-slim-says-he-was-on-autopilot-during-infamous-brighton-beach-party-42315193.html Fatboy Slim says he was ‘on autopilot’ at the infamous Brighton Beach party