Re: [KLF] Bill Drummond rejects recorded music in favour of 17-personchoirs | Music | The Guardian
"Artists" get into trouble when they forget that they are entertainers. -----Original Message----- From: klfboy _ [mailto:klfboy@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 12:45 PM To: 'All bound for Mu-Mu Land.' Subject: Re: [KLF] Bill Drummond rejects recorded music in favour of 17-personchoirs | Music | The Guardian
Drummond is just a rich white spoiled brat who lives in the most fortunate place in the world to catch live music. He's got everything he needs at his fingertips and is too lazy to get off his ass and do anything relevant.
Years and years ago, if my memory serves me right, before the 2K gig and after the money-burning, there was a reader's letter in Wire or in some other mag (I can dig it up if there's interest), which used almost the very same words about B+J: "very rich and bored men". Although I still think that KLF _is_ the best band ever and ALL of their stuff is golden, I could understand what the reader meant. I think I never really got the point of the burning, the books, or Jimmy's one-off musical projects. Sure it sounds like fun, but only for the chosen. I mean, I never got the chance or money to go to the 2K gig, or any later prank. If I'd be living in London, at least I had a clue of their references. But for the usual fan anywhere else in the world... Now, not only I _fully_ understand that writer's anger, but I feel the same. Someone said actions speak louder than words, but for me, these actions areless moving than that (abandoned???) book project with Zodiac. The 17, or X$X or all that one-day projects MAY have some meaning in England, but for me over here the joke is totally lost. Or worse: I feel that the joke is on the audience and the participants, even worse: the former fans. It's like we should ALWAYS pay attention if there's a chance to get them see again in what they once did best: making music, I mean all this WAITING (lol), just to fall flat on our faces again...again...and again! It's like some elitist stuff: once the filmed trip to Jura (at least that was BEAUTIFUL), then these arty-farty projects. You MUST be there to hear it, to participate, to...then BOOM, it will be deleted. Just like their back catalogue. What next, Bill buying up the fan's collections, just to destroy them? Come ON Bill, why did You formed the JAMS/KLF in the first place? Is he REALLY that furious about his former pop career? Or is it just an act? Who knows? Who cares???? Jeez. What is available now to Average Joe is the books, the usual CD's and not much else. No new music, no old music re-released, null, zilch, I mean f**k nothing. It's OK, at least I can treasure my stuff, but it's always annoying that nowadays more people know scooter than the KLF. Seriously. At least Jimmy did some music which can be re-listened, even if it's very far from anything they've done together. Now to the "content": Drummond DOES have some points, BUT what now? Forming choirs or folk-bands, performing rave music? Deller once did that, and he _did_ have some understandable references (miner bands, poverty, etc.). Imagine your local choir singing WTIL, or Altern8 tracks, or your local music teacher trying to play Autechre or Coil or Black Dog songs. F**k no, these artist were relevant because at that time noone could re-create their sounds. Thank God that there ARE recordings! Electronic music and popular music relies heavily upon recordings. It's not like Beethoven or Mozart. It depends on the equipment too. It's the sound of now, yet some parts of it became classics and therefore sheet music. But still there's no point stepping back those hundred steps and re-create. Even when there are a zillion Elvis impersonators, noone will re-create his voice again.
Recorded music is only over for Londoners and New Yorkers who can't afford rent, nevermind a CD, but there's so many people worldwide who still find excitement in buying an LP or a CD, listening to it at home, on their way to their shitty job,
...and there's always some interesting music which deserves to be bought. That's the way to support the artist to keep doing what he does. That's why we bought our KLF (and other) stuff. It may sound silly, but I still prefer the CD over mp3. I love the 12's, the 7's and the CD's. Just the music, in poor quality, no covers, no nothing, what's that? If it's important for one, why not buy it.
Drummond needs to get his head out of his ass and leave England before he claims to speak with ANY authority.
Exactly what I thought. Bill should get his act together and do something relevant, or at least retire in style, not just trying to be relevant and put others into the lights, then put the blame on them when his pranks don't work. Let's face it, he'll always be remembered as a part of KLF, no matter how hard he tries to be (or act like) a postmodern artist or a money-burning. Think about it: even burning one million (or some sum like that) couldn't erase the memories of their hits. KLF was pop music, with hits, some veiled references, but You weren't filed as "stupid" if You haven't got all their references instantly: the musicSTILL made sense. I think there are some other artist who suffer the same as Bill. Orb, Bjork, FSOL and others. Once they made fun and interesting music. Now they became, like, "Serious", and all the good stuff is gone, because they're like...Serious Post-Modern Artists. And if the audience doesn't get it, "they aren't intelligent enough". If that's the case, they can count me out and continue on their ego trips up into their asses, I won't buy it. I'd rather get some fresh and interesting music with proper lyrics and music, with more subtle messages. If a joke must be told over and over again, shoved down on the audience's throat and they STILL don't get it, it doesn't mean that they aren't schooled enough. There's STILL a fine line between stupid and clever, as that famous Spinal Tap quote said. ------------------------------------------------------------ Discover the new Windows Vista Learn more!
I agree 100% with all that is said on this email. RMStringer ++++++++++++++++++ My BLOG: BOB's Thoughts <http://renigade.blogspot.com/> ... Link - http://renigade.blogspot.com/ My Camera: Sony DSLR <http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08010701sonydslra200.asp> a200 My Pictures: RMStringer <http://www.flickr.com/rmstringer> Link - www.flickr.com/rmstringer From: klf-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:klf-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of dan@danhutchins.com Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 12:10 PM To: All bound for Mu-Mu Land. Subject: Re: [KLF] Bill Drummond rejects recorded music in favour of 17-personchoirs | Music | The Guardian "Artists" get into trouble when they forget that they are entertainers. -----Original Message----- From: klfboy _ [mailto:klfboy@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 12:45 PM To: 'All bound for Mu-Mu Land.' Subject: Re: [KLF] Bill Drummond rejects recorded music in favour of 17-personchoirs | Music | The Guardian
Drummond is just a rich white spoiled brat who lives in the most fortunate place in the world to catch live music. He's got everything he needs at his fingertips and is too lazy to get off his ass and do anything relevant.
Years and years ago, if my memory serves me right, before the 2K gig and after the money-burning, there was a reader's letter in Wire or in some other mag (I can dig it up if there's interest), which used almost the very same words about B+J: "very rich and bored men". Although I still think that KLF _is_ the best band ever and ALL of their stuff is golden, I could understand what the reader meant. I think I never really got the point of the burning, the books, or Jimmy's one-off musical projects. Sure it sounds like fun, but only for the chosen. I mean, I never got the chance or money to go to the 2K gig, or any later prank. If I'd be living in London, at least I had a clue of their references. But for the usual fan anywhere else in the world... Now, not only I _fully_ understand that writer's anger, but I feel the same. Someone said actions speak louder than words, but for me, these actions are less moving than that (abandoned???) book project with Zodiac. The 17, or X$X or all that one-day projects MAY have some meaning in England, but for me over here the joke is totally lost. Or worse: I feel that the joke is on the audience and the participants, even worse: the former fans. It's like we should ALWAYS pay attention if there's a chance to get them see again in what they once did best: making music, I mean all this WAITING (lol), just to fall flat on our faces again...again...and again! It's like some elitist stuff: once the filmed trip to Jura (at least that was BEAUTIFUL), then these arty-farty projects. You MUST be there to hear it, to participate, to...then BOOM, it will be deleted. Just like their back catalogue. What next, Bill buying up the fan's collections, just to destroy them? Come ON Bill, why did You formed the JAMS/KLF in the first place? Is he REALLY that furious about his former pop career? Or is it just an act? Who knows? Who cares???? Jeez. What is available now to Average Joe is the books, the usual CD's and not much else. No new music, no old music re-released, null, zilch, I mean f**k nothing. It's OK, at least I can treasure my stuff, but it's always annoying that nowadays more people know scooter than the KLF. Seriously. At least Jimmy did some music which can be re-listened, even if it's very far from anything they've done together. Now to the "content": Drummond DOES have some points, BUT what now? Forming choirs or folk-bands, performing rave music? Deller once did that, and he _did_ have some understandable references (miner bands, poverty, etc.). Imagine your local choir singing WTIL, or Altern8 tracks, or your local music teacher trying to play Autechre or Coil or Black Dog songs. F**k no, these artist were relevant because at that time noone could re-create their sounds. Thank God that there ARE recordings! Electronic music and popular music relies heavily upon recordings. It's not like Beethoven or Mozart. It depends on the equipment too. It's the sound of now, yet some parts of it became classics and therefore sheet music. But still there's no point stepping back those hundred steps and re-create. Even when there are a zillion Elvis impersonators, noone will re-create his voice again.
Recorded music is only over for Londoners and New Yorkers who can't afford rent, nevermind a CD, but there's so many people worldwide who still find excitement in buying an LP or a CD, listening to it at home, on their way to their shitty job,
...and there's always some interesting music which deserves to be bought. That's the way to support the artist to keep doing what he does. That's why we bought our KLF (and other) stuff. It may sound silly, but I still prefer the CD over mp3. I love the 12's, the 7's and the CD's. Just the music, in poor quality, no covers, no nothing, what's that? If it's important for one, why not buy it.
Drummond needs to get his head out of his ass and leave England before he claims to speak with ANY authority.
Exactly what I thought. Bill should get his act together and do something relevant, or at least retire in style, not just trying to be relevant and put others into the lights, then put the blame on them when his pranks don't work. Let's face it, he'll always be remembered as a part of KLF, no matter how hard he tries to be (or act like) a postmodern artist or a money-burning. Think about it: even burning one million (or some sum like that) couldn't erase the memories of their hits. KLF was pop music, with hits, some veiled references, but You weren't filed as "stupid" if You haven't got all their references instantly: the music STILL made sense. I think there are some other artist who suffer the same as Bill. Orb, Bjork, FSOL and others. Once they made fun and interesting music. Now they became, like, "Serious", and all the good stuff is gone, because they're like...Serious Post-Modern Artists. And if the audience doesn't get it, "they aren't intelligent enough". If that's the case, they can count me out and continue on their ego trips up into their asses, I won't buy it. I'd rather get some fresh and interesting music with proper lyrics and music, with more subtle messages. If a joke must be told over and over again, shoved down on the audience's throat and they STILL don't get it, it doesn't mean that they aren't schooled enough. There's STILL a fine line between stupid and clever, as that famous Spinal Tap quote said. _____ Discover the new Windows Vista Learn more! <http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=windows+vista&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE>
Quoting RMStringer <rmstringer@gmail.com>: "I agree 100% with all that is said on this email." WAAAH! I CAN'T ILLEGALLY DOWNLOAD THIS PAINTING THAT BILL MADE TO BE EXHIBITED IN A SITE-SPECIFIC GALLERY SETTING, THEREFORE HE IS INSULTING ME! Drummond and Cauty owe all of us absolutely nothing. They fulfilled their side of the bargain that our money got us for their in-print records: we got to listen to that music. All of their videos, newspaper-reported stunts and conceptual background was a great bonus. Drummond is an author now, and all the magazine and newspaper coverage of The 17 recording sessions IS SOMETHING HE IS DOING TO ADVERTISE THE 17 BOOK. It's not taunting you with something that you have a right to hear and he is depriving you; it's like the NME reporter going to Sweden, or PeteR seeing them do that graffiti after the 2K show. Now you know that he has a new book coming out, and you can either spend money on it, or decide that it doesn't sound interesting and NOT THINK ABOUT IT ANY MORE. I loved Bad Wisdom, loved 45, and got halfway through How To Be An Artist before putting it aside "for now" and never going back. The latter doesn't mean that he ripped me off by not entertaining me as much as America: What Time Is Love or The Man or 45 did, and I'm certainly not entitled to have him come to my house in Australia and make me soup just because he did it for some families in Scotland. He's a man in late middle age doing what interests him at the moment, just as he did in 1978, 1984, 1990 and 1999. You can like it or not, be interested in it or not, but to feel *entitled* because he made a handful of single you liked TWENTY YEARS AGO is ridiculous. And people who make a point of not paying for artists' work having a whinge about it is just mind-boggling.
What made the KLF interesting to me was the whole world they created around their music - it was never just about their music. I don't love everything Bill D or Jimmy C have done since the KLF, but for people to moan on a KLF list about 'art' and 'stuff that isn't related to music' and general 'weird shit', is absolutely bizarre to me. We're talking about the KLF for chrissakes. The KLF!! The finest weird art pop rave band of all time! If you don't like, or at least tolerate the weird shit, then why on Earth could you be arsed to be on this list?
What made the KLF interesting to me was the whole world they created around their music - it was never just about their music. I don't love everything Bill D or Jimmy C have done since the KLF, but for people to moan on a KLF list about 'art' and 'stuff that isn't related to music' and general 'weird shit', is absolutely bizarre to me. We're talking about the KLF for chrissakes. The KLF!! The finest weird art pop rave band of all time! If you don't like, or at least tolerate the weird shit, then why on Earth could you be arsed to be on this list?
Andrew.........Thats probably the best reply ive read in ages....Brilliant Regards Mark
Art is OK, if the audience gets the message. But saying that recorded music is over, and time to move on to 17-person choirs, all this by a person who's become famous as a manager for bands AND a recording artist in his own right, with some pretty collectable albums and singles under his belt, is pretty confusing, isn't it? So if that was the point, to confuse, it succeeded :D You are right about tolerating the weird shit, but for me, it still seems like Bill's trying to distance himself from everything he's ever done musically, and doing it with a spoiled boy's attitude, as John Whitney said.
From: andrew@andrewfox.co.uk To: klf@mailman.xmission.com Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:56:03 +0100 Subject: Re: [KLF] Bill Drummond rejects recorded music in favour of 17-personchoirs | Music | The Guardian
What made the KLF interesting to me was the whole world they created around their music - it was never just about their music. I don't love everything Bill D or Jimmy C have done since the KLF, but for people to moan on a KLF list about 'art' and 'stuff that isn't related to music' and general 'weird shit', is absolutely bizarre to me. We're talking about the KLF for chrissakes. The KLF!! The finest weird art pop rave band of all time! If you don't like, or at least tolerate the weird shit, then why on Earth could you be arsed to be on this list?
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participants (6)
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dan＠danhutchins.com -
klfboy _ -
Mark Weston -
RMStringer