I've been a fan of The KLF since I was a teenager, and just last week was reminded of one of their most amazing stunts. This is just the first of a five-part video showing the entire "Burn a Million Quid" documentary, and I think you don't get to see the actual torching until part two, but it's well worth the look.
What's interesting to me is how many people respond to this performance by saying it made them feel sick to their stomachs. I am not quite sure what that signifies. See also: Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five.
I heard about this when I was young - I wanted to laugh at this back then - I thought it was proper rock and roll. It’s only these days do I realise the foolhardyness of it all. I remember reading in disco 2000 (http://www.sarahchampion.info/books/disco2000.htm) that Drummond felt he’d done it in part to make people richer - if there was a Million Pounds less in the world, then everyone was going to be a little bit richer. He then went on to say that he now thinks he should have done something more productive with the money.
From the video, it almost seems like a burden to them now - like they don’t know where to begin to get their heads around how they could have progressed to thinking in this crazy way.
Art, maybe. Right? No.
K
Burning a million quid is fucking genius! It’s a hugely powerful statement about the fundamental meaningless of money. It took huge cajones to do, and I applaud the artists for their bravery. The fact that it illicits such varied and strong reactions proves the value of the statement.
For the people who complain about the waste of money that could have gone to charity - think about it: This money belonged to 2 popstars, they could have just as easily spent it on a couple of cars or cocaine. It was their decision to chose what they did with it. How many billions of dollars sit in banks forever doing nothing?
Classic rock ‘n roll moment. Sure you could argue it’s a waste, and it would’ve been less of a waste if the approach wasn’t as nihilistic, but it was a grand gesture nonetheless
This is weird because I was re-reading the KLF book The Manual only last night - an excellent guide to the music industry in the late 80s which is still relevant today. Subtitle - How To Have A Number One The Easy Way. The text is online.
Also! There’s a new Bill Drummond book called 17 out sometime soon (… a quick search) actually it’s AT THE END OF THIS MONTH! At least in the UK.
These guys were a big source of inspiration for me in the early days of Cunning.
You should check out the book ‘45’ by Bill Drummond. His take on this event is amazing. Essentially all his friends and family bollocked him for on the grounds of how much hospital equipment this could have bought!
Must re-read that book come to think of it.
I’m with Floyd; the book “45” says a lot about Drummond and yet not that much, seeing as it’s as much a tap into his stream-of-consciousness way of thinking, artistically as well as philosophically.
What differs him from many is in my mind his terrific way of realising what most only dream of, going the extra mile to be naïve, childish, lying, simple, extravagant, questioning, just being an everyday person albeit with a - in my mind - miraculous way of having untightened the screws that keep many a person too tightened-up.
I’m really looking forward to “17”, as reported a “year zero” sound project. Good for them. http://www.the17.org
Wow, I am really really happy that I didn’t imagine that The KLF actually existed, and that the album on my MP3player isn’t an auditory hallucination. It’s not pleasant to be the only one in a social group who likes music unencumbered by trivial things (like guitars, vocals etcetera) from time to time.