United Kingdom, Oct. 20 -- Norman Cook contemplated becoming a fireman when he came close to bankruptcy in the early '90s.

Before finding fame and success as DJ Fatboy Slim, the 62-year-old producer's music career was floundering after his collective Beats International's second album, 1991's Excursion on the Version, was a commercial failure.

Cook - who had achieved a number one single, Dub Be Good To Me, with Beats International in January 1990 - was broke and ready to walk away from the music business to take up fire-fighting, but an unexpected windfall prevented him from going bankrupt.

Speaking at the launch of his new book It Ain't Over. 'Til The Fatboy Sings, as reported by website Contact Music, he said: "During the 40 years th...