The KLF
Since 1987 the KLF have operated under a series of guises, only gradually revealing their true nature to the public at large. The band's principal spokesman is one Bill Drummond (b. William Butterworth, 29 April 1953, South Africa), who had already enjoyed a chequered music industry career. As co-founder of the influential Zoo label in the late '70s, he introduced and later managed Echo & The Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes. Later he joined forces with Jimmy Cauty (b. 1954), an artist of various persuasions and a member of Brilliant in the mid-80s. Their first project was undertaken under the title JAMS (Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu—a title lifted from Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson's conspiracy novels dealing with the ILLUMINATI). An early version of All You Need Is Love caused little reaction compared to the provocatively-titled LP which followed—1987—WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? Released under the KLF moniker (standing for Kopyright Liberation Front), it liberally disposed of the works of the Beatles, Led Zeppelinet al with the careless abandon the duo had picked up from the heyday of punk. One of the disfigured super groups, Abba, promptly took action to ensure the offending article was withdrawn. In the wake of the emerging house scene the next move was to compromise the theme tune to well-loved British television show DR WHO, adding a strong disco beat and Gary Glitter yelps to secure an instant number 1 with Doctorin The Tardis’. Working under the title Timelords, this one-off coup was achieved with such simplicity that its originators took the step of writing a book; HOW TO HAVE A NUMBER ONE THE EASY WAY. Returning as the KLF, they scored a big hit with the more legitimate cult dance hit What Time Is Love. After the throwaway send-up of Australian pop, Kylie Said To Jason, they hit big again with the soulful techno of 3 A.M. Eternal. There would be further releases from the myriad of names employed by the duo (JAMS; Down Town, Its Grim Up North, Space; SPACE, Disco 2000; Uptight) while Cauty, alongside Alex Peterson, played a significant part in creating the Orb. Of the band's more recent work, perhaps the most startling was their luxurious video for the KLF's Justified And Ancient, featuring the unmistakable voice of Tammy Wynette. The song revealed the KLF at the top of their creative powers, selling millions of records worldwide while effectively taking the michael. They were voted the Top British Group by the BPI. Instead of lapping up the acclaim, the KLF, typically, rejected the comfort of a music biz career, and deliberately imploded at the BRITS award ceremony. There they performed an ‘upbeat’ version of 3AM Eternal, backed by breakneck speed punk band Extreme Noise Terror, amid press speculation that they would be bathing the ceremony's assembled masses with pig's blood. They contented themselves instead with (allegedly) dumping the carcass of a dead sheep in the foyer of the hotel staging the post-ceremony party, and Drummond mock machine-gunning the assembled dignitaries. They then announced that the proud tradition of musical anarchy they had brought to a nation was at a close: the KLF were no more. Their only ‘release’ in 1992 came with a version of Que Sera Sera (naturally rechristened K Sera Sera, and recorded with the Soviet Army Chorale), which, they insisted, would only see the light of day on the advent of world peace. The KLF returned to their rightful throne, that of England's foremost musical pranksters, with a stinging art terrorist racket staged under the K Foundation banner. In late 1993, a series of advertisements began to appear in the quality press concerning the Turner Prize art awards. While that body was responsible for granting £20,000 to a piece of non-mainstream art, the K Foundation (a new vehicle for messrs Drummond and Cauty) promised double that for the worst piece of art displayed. The Turner shortlist was identical to that of the KLF's. More bizarre still, exactly £1,000,000 was withdrawn from the National Westminster bank (the biggest cash withdrawal in the institution's history), nailed to a board, and paraded in front of a select gathering of press and art luminaries. The money was eventually returned to their bank accounts (although members of the press pocketed a substantial portion), while the £40,000 was awarded to one Rachel Whiteread, who also won the ‘proper’ prize. Urban guerrillas specialising in highly original shock tactics, the KLF offer the prospect of a brighter decade should their various disguises continue to prosper.