Fatboy Slim/Norman Cook Collection

Fatboy Slim

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2000)
• Original Release Date: March 21, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hip-O Records
• ASIN: B00004S5FA
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,045 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #15 in	Music > Dance & Electronic > Big Beat
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Norman Cook's Fatboy Slim alter ego has become a big-beat legend (if legendary status can be bestowed on such a young genre) and thus a separate entity from Cook's earlier career incarnations. This collection demonstrates, however, that while evolving profoundly from more acoustic pursuits like the Housemartins and the reggae-flavored, early house music of Beats International, Cook has maintained a long musical memory. After 15 years spent producing an impressive roster of other people's records along with his own, the extraordinary diversity and inventiveness he displays on a set of turntables is the inevitable result of sharp, tasteful ears. Reimagining a classic King Tubby reggae melody for "Tribute to King Tubby," Cook acknowledges the de facto inventor of dub music, even while stamping it with his own thoroughly modern dub-beat approach. Likewise, Cook digs around in the space-age pop of early electronic artist Jean Jacques Perrey's "E.V.A.," unlocking that song's cheesy-smooth melodies with sample-laden aplomb. Too often, Cook's Fatboy persona (and big beat in general) is derided for a supposedly brainless approach to dance music, but that criticism misses the point. What's amazing is how he manages, with such an unwieldy assortment of influences, to mix with the ear of an interpreter, rather than a revisionist, while still making it listenable enough to warrant the accusation of brainlessness in the first place. --Matthew Cooke

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very satisfying chronolgy of mr. cooks genius, March 26, 2000

By	Alex Gorstan (Owings Mills, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

i have newfound respect for my bigbeat idol Norman Cook. I had heard of his extensive music background but i never really got a chance to taste it.... yummy. I was used to the fatboy slim sound and late beats international sound but i thought that he was stuck to his style like he couldn't write it any other way. This cd proved me very wrong, the only common ground that all these songs have is that they have the Fatboy aura of just feelgood beats. Ain't nuttin wrong wit dat! This cd covers his new sound and his earlier sound which includes some reggae flavored songs and some treats like tribute to king tubby (the father of dub). If you are a dedicated norman cook fan then buy this cd! If you're an openminded techno fan and interested in the history of mr cook then check it out, it takes some getting used to but once you break the cd in its fan-damn-tastic,

Love, peace, 'n grease ya'll, Alex

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old and New!, March 22, 2000

By	Mike Garren (United States) - See all my reviews

With this release Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, puts together several previously released tracks under the project, "Beats International", most of which was produced in 1991. The CD also includes several nicely remixed songs including, Shinehead-Start an Avalanche, that features Mc'ing by, E.C. Aiken Jr, and scratching by Tyrone "Cut Master" Ffyfe. Also, several other mixes that are included on his UK release of "On The Floor At The Boutique", and his, "Fatboy Slim's Greatest Remixes". This is an excellent CD that expresses several sides of Norman's musical capabilities. This should tide your Fatboy Slim needs over until the realease of his US Debut of "On The Floor At The Boutique" and the anticipated release of "Vol. 1-Essential Selection".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Norman Cook is a pioneer! Buy this CD!, November 16, 2001

By	MusicOdin "MusicOdin" (Fair Oaks, California) - See all my reviews

All I can say is God Bless Norman Cook... this collection goes way back for me because I was a club DJ when all these songs were coming out and I used to spin quite a few of them on a regular basis. Today's dance music producers (and even many hip-hop producers) owe a lot to Norman Cook because he helped pave the way for today's scene! This CD Rocks!!! If you were clubbing back when these songs were coming out, you'll remember how refreshing they sounded compared to everything else that was going on!!! So to those who say "don't waste your money", I'd probably guess they have very limited music collections and we're bummed it wasn't "You've Come A Long Way Baby 2", and simply have a long way to come themselves when it comes to music.