paperback, 310 pages
Published Jan. 25, 2001 by Orion Hardbacks.
They were the bestselling singles band in the world. They had awards, credibility, commercial success and creative freedom. Then they deleted their records, erased themselves from musical history and burnt their last million pounds in a boathouse on the Isle of Jura. And they couldn't say why.
This is not just the story of The KLF. It is a book about Carl Jung, Alan Moore, Robert Anton Wilson, Ken Campbell, Dada, Situationism, Discordianism, magic, chaos, punk, rave, the alchemical symbolism of Doctor Who and the special power of the number 23.
Wildly unauthorised and unlike any other music biography, THE KLF is a trawl through chaos on the trail of a beautiful, accidental mythology.
I have enjoyed the book immensely - it is a great story-telling about madmen that live among us.
The book gave more than I have bargained for. I have learnt new things about and better understanding of RAW and Illuminatus! Trilogy, how Magick is applied and have added more books to read.
Alternative endings are awesome and I will never be the same after reading this book.
An excellent birthday gift that I read in the space of 36 hours. I enjoyed the heck out of this. Essentially John Higgs has a thesis about why The KLF torched their money. It's far-reaching both backwards and forwards in time, and into spaces of art, chaos and magic. Possibly explains why I was drawn to the band as a tween - from now on I will say yes when such forces come knocking.
I'd never expected to enjoy this book so much.
