Fatboy Slim has played Glastonbury Festival more than 100 times but has “never been paid” to perform, the legendary DJ has shared.
The musician born Norman Cook, 63, is a very familiar face at Worthy Farm, having completed more appearances at Glastonbury than any other artist.
He has also spoken on myriad occasions about his love for the festival and his friendship with the Eavis family, which he now says “hasn’t been tarnished by money”.
“I’ve never been paid to play there,” he told the Metro. “But at the same time, I’ve never paid to go there. Emily and Michael give me free tickets and allow me to do little quiet gigs in strange places.”
He continued: “I’ve played there so many times even when I’m not officially on the bill; some years I’m there in an official capacity and sometimes I’m just there as a sightseer.
“For me, Glastonbury is the most fun, forward-thinking, beautiful human experience of alternative culture.”
Cook made his debut at Glastonbury under his real name, Norman Cook, playing bass with his former indie band, The Housemartins, who performed on the Pyramid Stage in 1986.
Ten years later, he adopted his Fatboy Slim moniker and achieved critical and commercial success with his debut album, Better Living Through Chemistry. This was followed by a string of hit records including You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby, and Palookaville.
Speaking to The Independent in 2024, Cook said Glastonbury was “as close to [my vision of a] utopian society as it hasn’t been tarnished by money”.
“It’s the same organisers and they’re not in it to make a profit like other festivals,” he said. “If they do, they give it to charity.”
In 2023, organisers revealed that Glastonbury Festival donated a record breaking £3.7m to good causes including charities Oxfam, Greenpeace and WaterAid.
Tickets to Glastonbury Festival 2027 go on sale this week, ahead of the event’s return following its traditional fallow year in 2026.
None of the headliners have been revealed yet, but organiser Emily Eavis confirmed they have been booked, while ruling out rumoured performances from Madonna and Oasis.
Organisers have announced plans for this year’s main sale, which will take place over two days: Thursday 1 October for coach and ticket packages, and Sunday 4 October for general admission.
In order to have a chance to secure tickets, fans needed to have registered by 25 September at 5pm.
