Q: What was one artist that "hit home" with you with their sound and still does to this day?

A: That's got to be The Chemical Brothers... but in terms of artists that just continue to blow my head away, that would be The Chemical Brothers.

Andy: Fucking right, Norm. :) I still have love for Fatboy Slim.

Let's hope this next time 'round its better than Palookaville

I'm right there with you, TJ. ::pound::

been ages since I saw Norm dj, must see him play this year.

Heheheh, right on.

I will always have a soft spot for good ol' Fatboy Slim. I am looking forward to his next album.

I'd like to see him dj again, too. (I think it was) The last time he played Los Angeles, he played at the Natural History museum which would've been cool - but it was on a Tuesday or Wednesday so I couldn't go.

I lost my love for the fatty in recent years, but I suppose I should give Palookaville a listen; I'm sure it has a few brilliant tracks on it. I mean Gutter and Stars had that Song For Shelter <3

Urgh, Palookaville... Not good. Norm should go House this time. Like Retox or Star 69.

It took a while for me to warm up to Palookaville. There are some tracks that clicked right away, and others that grew on me.

It was that way with Halfway Between the Gutter and Stars, too.

I am looking forward to hearing new Fatboy stuff. Didn't someone (maybe irishfan) say Fatboy was working on a Disney soundtrack?

I suppose I could go employ some googling skills, but I'm being lazy. :P

2nd on the Palookaville not being good.

It just has a few okay tracks on it. Nothing amazing.

Wonderful Night, El Bebe Masoquista and Push & Shove are the only songs i really like on it. and I do also enjoy the cover of The Joker

I appreciate Palookaville for it's attempt at something a bit new and live sounding, but it does over dose you on that campy feel of some of fatboy's music has. Think it's one of those albums I can listen to a few track on and enjoy.

Always have a soft spot for norm though and the interview this is referencing to is pretty interesting (on his myspace page)

Palookaville is the biggest mistake in the history of music (along with Moby going pop).

Well, depends. For us early Slim fans it was quite like that. For some newbies on the other hand it might have attracked them more because of its pop-feeling.

I like the live sound as well (drum kits etc.) but the whole thing was just too soft, too erm poppy-singing-lalala , simple melodies and recycled stuff (the Joker was one of his worst tracks ever!!!).

Nothing i'd have expected from an Acid8000 man like Fatboy. I hope he'll be coming back to some "Better Living" level again, touched with "Between The Gutter" styles or whatever. Some less plastic sounds.

I saw him Dj back at Fuji rock 05 and it was really disapointting. Though it was kind of exciting when in the middle of the set a thunderstorm was going off making a natural light show like no other. It was the Saturday headline set but it was a real let down. Strange enough the Moby sub-headlining set the next night was off the chain. That had so much energy! But then again I saw 4 great performnces in a row that day. Boom Boom Sattellites, Royksopp, then New Order.

Norm's been giving them praise for years. His Interview on the DVD highlights his experience from the gig at Red Rocks. Good to see he still has respect for them when others could easily consider them 'Classics' no longer relevant.

I think Palookaville was something special that had to be really listened to, to be appretiated. Norm's next album should be pretty good (if its anything like "That old pair of jeans")

yeah, irregardless of how good/bad a fatboy album is, there's still no stopping that excitement for when he releases new stuff, and he needs to hurry up.

fatboy slim has made a lot more sense to me since I moved to Santa Cruz (and not just cause the song). Feel like his music has a special connection with the town: energetic and a bit unusual at times.

Palookaville was a new direction as we've said, a brave and more wholesome sound perhaps. More songs than tracks if you know what I mean, Damon Albarns slow litte number was very personal to Norman at the time and something quite unexpected. It does have its high points and low points, personally I reckon Slash Dot...was worse than the joker! Any, as is sometimes the case, the lbum trcks are stronger than the singles...Although I do remeber the Hype at the start of 2004 for Palookaville and it will be the same this time around, for me, You've come a long way baby will take some topping.

But Norms such a fantastic bloke, I respect him so much for his work and his personality.

But yeah, hurry up Normski!

My favorite of his continues to be Better Living through Chemistry.

I'm partial to You've Come A Long Way Baby. That's the formal Fatboy introduction album for me. Fond memories of good times associated with that one! Though I like all his albums, really.

I think Palookaville was a very personal album for Fatboy. Mentally and emotionally, from what I read, he'd been to hell and back - while in the speculative public eye no less. Fatboy is known for being this late night party machine and Palookaville, though there are some good time party tricks in there, has songs that break away from the Fatboy mold. It's obvious some songs are direct references to his marriage, and I respect him for putting himself out there on his own terms.

And Biff, I totally see what you mean about the Santa Cruz connection. I think Fatboy must've been a native Californian who lived in a coastal town during his previous life. I too get those Cali vibes when I listen to his tunes.

Go Fatboy!!