Editing Fatboy Slim (section)

=== 2000–2003: ''Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars'' and Brighton beach ===
[[File:BigBeachBoutique.jpeg|thumb|right|[[Big Beach Boutique II]] in 2002, when more than 250,000 people saw Fatboy Slim perform at a free concert on Brighton beach]]
In 2000, dance music was at peak popularity, controlling 13.3% of the album charts.<ref name="The Independent" /> Cook was a key figure in the rising popularity of [[club culture]] in the UK, along with acts such as Chemical Brothers, [[Basement Jaxx]], [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]], [[Groove Armada]] and [[Leftfield]].<ref name="McLean-2015">{{Cite web |last=McLean |first=Craig |date=16 May 2015 |title=Fatboy Slim: The superstar DJ who bounced back from rehab reveals secret of the five Fs |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/fatboy-slim-the-superstar-dj-who-bounced-back-from-rehab-reveals-secret-of-the-five-fs-10251220.html |website=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> 

In 2000, Cook released his third Fatboy Slim album, ''[[Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars]]'', featuring collaborations with [[Macy Gray]] and [[Bootsy Collins]].<ref name="BBC stardom" /> Cook said he attempted to created a less radio-friendly album, saying: "I'm much happier at number nine in the charts than at number one because you're still top ten but it's a lot less work and stress."<ref name="Nichols-2011" /> The video for "[[Weapon of Choice (song)|Weapon of Choice]]", directed by Spike Jonze and featuring [[Christopher Walken]] dancing through a hotel, won six awards at the [[2001 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref name="Fatboy Slim rakes in MTV awards">{{cite news |date=7 September 2001 |title=Fatboy Slim rakes in MTV awards |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/1530007.stm |access-date=20 May 2010 |work= |publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cook earned the [[Guinness world records]] for the most MTV Video Awards won by a DJ and the most MTV Video Awards won for a single video.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most MTV Video Music Awards won by a DJ |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/760169-most-mtv-video-music-awards-won-by-a-dj |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=[[Guinness World Records]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Most wins for a single video by a DJ at the MTV Video Music Awards |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/760915-most-wins-for-a-single-video-by-a-dj-at-the-mtv-video-music-awards |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=[[Guinness World Records]]}}</ref> The album also included "[[Sunset (Bird of Prey)]]", whose video used the 1964 "[[Daisy (advertisement)|Daisy Girl]]" campaign ad.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Bein|first=Kat|date=7 February 2018|title=Fatboy Slim's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/fatboy-slim-songs-best-hits-list-8463826/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> In the same year, Cook released ''The Fatboy Slim'' ''/ Norman Cook Collection'', a compilation of his remixes from the 1980s and early 90s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Savlov |first=Marc |date=June 2, 2000 |title=Fatboy Slim ''The Fatboy Slim / Norman Cook Collection'' (Universal/Hip-O)Fatboy Slim ''On the Floor at the Boutique: Mixed by Fatboy Slim'' (Astralwerks) |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-06-02/77467/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=[[Austin Chronicle]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2001, Cook held a free beach concert, Big Beach Boutique, in Brighton.<ref name="guardian2">{{Cite news |last=Seale |first=Jack |date=3 February 2023 |title=''Right Here, Right Now'' review – Fatboy Slim's beach concert will make you flinch with anxiety |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/feb/03/right-here-right-now-review-fatboy-slims-beach-concert-will-make-you-flinch-with-anxiety |access-date=9 February 2023 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-01-21 |title=End of the pier show |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/fatboy-slim-61-1380046 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=[[NME]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="McVeigh-2002">{{Cite news |last1=McVeigh |first1=Tracy |last2=Townsend |first2=Mark |date=2002-07-21 |title=Pier pressure |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2002/jul/21/artsfeatures.features |access-date=2025-03-04 |work=[[The Observer]] |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> It followed a screening of a cricket match organised by [[Channel 4]],<ref name="guardian2" /> and was attended by around 60,000 people.<ref name="McVeigh-2002" /> The set was released as the 2002 album ''[[Live on Brighton Beach]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Segal |first=Victoria |date=2005-09-12 |title=Fatboy Slim: ''Live on Brighton Beach'' |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-nme-6098-333885 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=[[NME]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> By 2002, according to the ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', Fatboy Slim was the "world's biggest DJ".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Benji |date=2023-02-04 |title=What happened when 250,000 ravers descended on Brighton Beach and changed British law |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2023/02/04/right-right-now-sky-documentaries-review-fatboy-slims-2002-brighton/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125011214/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2023/02/04/right-right-now-sky-documentaries-review-fatboy-slims-2002-brighton/ |archive-date=25 January 2024 |access-date=2024-02-01 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> That July, he played a second free concert on Brighton beach, [[Big Beach Boutique II]].<ref name="guardian2" /> It was attended by around 250,000 people, four times more than expected.<ref name="guardian2" /> Local authorities were severely underprepared, which led to more than 170 injuries and six arrests.<ref name="McVeigh-2002" /> Two people died in the hours after the concert.<ref>{{cite news |date=18 September 2002 |title=Drugs led to Brighton party death |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2266987.stm |access-date=8 March 2025 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The cleanup operation lasted days and cost over £300,000, with 160 tonnes of rubbish collected from the beach.<ref name="No repeat-2002">{{Cite news |date=2002-07-15 |title='No repeat' of Fatboy chaos |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2128992.stm |access-date=2025-03-08 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="McLean-2004">{{Cite news |last=McLean |first=Craig |date=2004-05-23 |title=Where did it all go wrong? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/may/23/electronicmusic.popandrock |access-date=2025-03-08 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> However, Cook was supported by Brighton residents. The Brighton newspaper ''[[The Argus (Brighton)|The Argus]]'' printed a supplement to publish the letters supporting him, and [[BBC Southern Counties Radio]] received many positive calls.<ref name="McVeigh-2002" /> 

In 2001, Cook won his second Brit Award for Best British Dance Act.<ref name="Rogers-2012" /> Cook released a live album and DVD of the Brighton beach performance, ''[[Big Beach Boutique II (album)|Big Beach Boutique II]]'', in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-03-01 |title=''Big Beach Boutique II'' |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/big-beach-boutique-ii-26819/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> He contributed production to "[[Crazy Beat]]" and "Gene by Gene" on the 2003 [[Blur (band)|Blur]] album ''[[Think Tank (Blur album)|Think Tank]].''<ref>{{Cite web |last=DiCrescenzo |first=Brent |date=5 May 2003 |title=Blur: ''Think Tank'' |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/828-think-tank/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |language=en-US}}</ref>