Fatboy Slim

This time next week, I'll be in Paris. Blimey.

I found this great CD at the library called A Break From the Norm, which is an album of the original songs from which Norman Cook AKA Fatboy Slim sampled some of his most famous tracks. Fatboy Slim, like one of my other favourite artists, Fantastic Plastic Machine, recontextualizes old samples to create new compositions that just use the originals as a jumping off point to unknown yet familiar territories-- sort of a Retro New thing. At the end of June, I'll be going to one of Fatboy Slim's patented beach party/concert festival things on the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland. Should be a memorable experience, to say the least.

The original vocals that are sampled in Praise You are from Camille Yarbrough's Take Yo' Praise, which is an absolutely great song.

Fatboy Slim even samples cover songs, which are excellent in their own right:
Yvonne Elliman - I Can't Explain [originally by The Who; sampled in Going Out of My Head]
Ellen McIlwaine - Higher Ground [originally by Stevie Wonder; sampled in Song for Lindy]
Some interesting trivia here... Ellen crossed paths with Jimi Hendrix in 1966, playing with him for a while in New York City (supposedly trying to start a band with him). She also has some albums released on our very own Edmonton-based Stony Plain Records and she makes her home just south of us down in Calgary. On a related note, our Edmonton Oilers just beat the Detroit Red Wings this afternoon to tie the Stanley Cup playoff series 1-1. Hell ya! And I think I just heard the sound of bawling Flames fans on the Red Mile as Calgary lost to a team named after "mighty" water fowl (from California, no less). As cool as a potential Oilers/Flames playoff match-up would be, it's oh-so-satisfying to see the Flames burn out. A good day for hockey. Go Oilers!

A Break From the Norm also features the sample sources of The Rockefeller Skank, Soul Surfing, and other Fatboy Slim songs I haven't even heard of. But the great thing about the album is that the original songs are a good listen beyond the "Oh that's where it comes from" moments.

Sly & The Family Stone - Into My Own Thing
This is not from the album, but it was sampled by Fatboy Slim in Weapon of Choice.