The DJ on MPs' dad-dancing, phone hacking – and why he just can't shake that dangerous magnesium-flare habit

Hi Norman! So you're headlining Bestival (1) in a few weeks as Fatboy Slim's Birthday Bash … er, what is that?

Ten years is quite an achievement for a festival so they've invited me back to play and help them celebrate …

It sounds suspiciously like a Fatboy Slim set with "Birthday Bash" written at the end.

Erm, yeah, erm, no, it is a birthday bash. I'm not promoting a new album or anything so it's just going to be a big party ... yeah, OK, you're totally on the money there, there is no other agenda.

Will there at least be cake?

There will be cake. There will be candles. There can be musical chairs if you like. But no pass the parcel! We couldn't afford enough parcels for that. Seriously, though, we will try and do something special. Between me, Rob (Da Bank) and Josie (also Da Bank) we've had some pretty amazing ideas. Trouble is, the production team keep saying "lovely idea, but in the real world …" I suppose it's good to have someone there reminding you how much things cost and how dangerous it would be. Without them who knows what might happen.

What's the most dangerous thing you've ever done while DJing?

I still let off magnesium flares at every gig that will allow me. The intensity of those ... people wonder if there's a riot going on! But it's interesting which countries let you light them and hold them aloft. It's the cheapest lighting show and very effective but they are dangerous – you can't put them out with water or sand or anything. They keep burning so you have to be sure they're not going to kill anyone.

What's the weirdest gig you've ever done?

The obvious one would be playing at the House Of Commons. It was such a milestone to be the first DJ to play there, after all those tears after the criminal justice bill. Isn't it brilliant that finally we've wormed our way into the public's consciousness to the extent that we're not seen as a bunch of drug-taking anarchists any more? Dance music is here to stay. It felt political but with a small "p". Although when I wore the Anonymous Guy Fawkes mask halfway through the set, I did have quite a cheeky grin underneath it (2).

Were there dancing politicians?

There were. A lot of bad dad dancing. It was like a wedding without enough alcohol. Some wanted to dance but they weren't sure how to, others felt compelled to dance when perhaps they shouldn't have. Lembit [Opik] was the most outrageous dancer – limbs flying everywhere like an overexcited puppy (3).

Yikes

One thing that was really surreal was that they were actually in session downstairs. So we had to keep the noise down a bit. And there was a TV monitor behind where I was playing reminding everyone that they had to go downstairs at 11.30pm and vote on the bill about, um, sexual aggravation in conflict, I think it was. I didn't worry about influencing the vote – I like to think we all share the same stance when it comes to rape during wartime. But it was a helpful reminder that we were in fact raving in the birthplace of democracy.

DJing has left you with various ailments – bad hearing, a bent spine. Is raving bad for your health?

No, there's thousands of occupations more dangerous than raving. Considering some of the stupid things I've done over the years I think I've been pretty injury-free really. These days I don't touch any alcohol – I rave clean.

You also said that the only sober show you'd ever done was a disaster – so how did you get over that?

It took about five or six shows to get over stage fright. I'd never had that before. And getting my head back into the space of where everyone is on the dancefloor without using alcohol or narcotics to do it. I think from over the years there's so much stuff still rattling around my brain it's doesn't take long for that euphoric recall. I used to be having a party in my head and the crowd were all invited. Now they're having the party and I have to work on getting the invitation.

The Stomping Pond Frogs. Pizzaman. Fatboy Slim. You've always been one for the ridiculous moniker ...

Well it's less important if you can change it every few years. I think even the Beatles, once they'd got over the gag, thought: "We should have chosen a slightly cooler name." But the names I choose always reflect the fact I don't take what I'm doing so seriously … I'm not scared to say: "Look, this is me pretending to be someone else, so let's make this fun."

You spent your early days in bands, most famously the Housemartins. Do you prefer going it alone?

I've always found it easier. With the Housemartins there would be intense discussions over whether we could wear hats. That was one – do the Housemartins wear hats? (4) And obviously, with a band, there's always the politics of what you are and aren't allowed to say.

You moved to Hull to join the Housemartins – does rock'n'roll ever get more glamorous?

That depends on how you define glamorous. For me, getting on a bus and going around England working out where towns you've never been to were and turning people on with your music – that was glamorous to us. We didn't need posh hotels or even a proper tour bus to do that.

How was working with Rizzle Kicks?

It was actually quite emotional to work with a band at the opposite end of their career to me. Half the time I thought: "Isn't it great I can impart some of the knowledge I've learned over the years?" And the other half I felt a little bit … old! Especially when it came to social media and stuff like that. There was a moment when they were trying to write a difficult third verse and I was like: "No offence, boys, but you've been texting your mates for half an hour and we need to crack on with this." I didn't realise they were writing lyrics on their phones. I didn't know you could do that!

Your new song with Riva Starr is called Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat – is that a description of your life in the 90s?

Yeah. And also still now. I still live that lifestyle – it's just rave with a small "r". For the new generation and the old, it kind of struck a chord. Everyone remembers the phrase even if they hate the song – it's like the Keep Calm and Carry On for the EDM generation.

It features a monologue from someone a little worse for wear. Who is it?

That's just some crazy crackhead that me and Riva Starr bumped into in Brooklyn. He was telling us this story and, due to the genius of recording things on your iPhone, we were able to turn it into a tune. We never met him again so he's not credited but presumably he'll come out of the woodwork one day, assuming that he can actually remember saying any of it!

When this interview gets published won't you have a line of people claiming it was them?

Well, you know what? We still haven't ever found the fat kid from the cover of You've Come a Long Way, Baby. He's still never identified himself, despite me putting out appeals. I would actually like to give him some money!

In an old Guardian interview you mention having your phone calls bugged. When the phone-hacking scandal broke, how did you feel?

I just wished I could remember all the people who said: "Don't be paranoid, Norman, journalists wouldn't do that!" It made me angry at the time and more angry that nobody believed it was happening. I didn't doubt it was happening. I knew it, because the things I said on the phone were printed the next day in the paper. It was a difficult time for me and Zoe (5), and the last thing we wanted was everyone knowing our business.

When you DJ'd at Glastonbury, a friend was convinced she'd just seen Daft Punk!

That wasn't deliberate. My wife and her mates decided to take Daft Punk helmets. It was only when they walked onstage that I thought: "Hang on, people might think this is Daft Punk!" The roar when they came on took me by surprise. Most people realised pretty soon it wasn't them … but there were some people who didn't quite have their wits about them and didn't realise it was just Zoe and her brother. To be honest I didn't really know who it was. I had to ask the crowd if it was my wife!

Were you ever rumoured to be Daft Punk?

No … but there was a rumour going around for a while that I was Burial. When someone put it to me for the first time, I hadn't heard of him. So I wasn't sure if I had been Burial or not! I spent a good 10 years raving and did an awful lot of things that I've been reminded about since. It was definitely conceivable that I might have made a record under that name and not remembered it! I might have been Burial!

Your label Skint once sponsored Brighton & Hove Albion. How did you afford it?

It was very cheap at first because we were a very lowly club. It became more and more expensive but they did me a really good deal. But it got to the point where the taxman stopped us claiming it back. They were like: "You're not actually selling anything, you just want your name on your favourite football team's shirt!" But it was a classic time for the club so I'm pleased we did it. We were one match away from going out of the football league and we ended up with a new stadium and proper players … so it was a fantastic ride to be on. Plus, I'm allowed to do shows in their new stadium now!

Last question - what is one tip that all amateur DJs should know?

Always be having more fun than your audience. Lead by example!

Footnotes

(1)

Back to article Norman joins Elton John and Snoop Dogg as a Bestival headliner (5-8 September)

(2)

Back to article The "second weirdest" venue Norman's ever played is the igloo at Snowbombing festival where the DJ platform starts melting

(3)

Back to article The Guardian accepts no responsibility for any psychological damage caused by this image

(4)

Back to article Whoever doubted that rock'n'roll was one long white knuckle ride?

(5)

Back to article Zoe Ball has been married to Norman since 1999