Drummond's project

Ever controversial singer/author still at war with the music industry

31 July 2008 - Ex-KLF star and musical revolutionary Bill Drummond releases his latest book, 17 , today (31 July) - about how he thinks recorded music should be made a thing of the past.

As someone who once burnt one million pounds, fired a machine gun (full of blanks) into a crowd and dumped a dead sheep at a Brit Awards aftershow, Drummond is no stranger to bold and controversial statements.

Drummond’s controversial behaviour started with his stadium rave duo The KLF, as he and his cohort Jimi Cauty mixed punk shock-terrorism with late 80’s acid house.

Before they retired in 1992 they deleted their entire back catalogue, saying they’d never release again until world peace was declared.

His new book documents his latest project Derby 17 - which involves a one-off live performance by groups of 17 diverse people, who record a choral piece of music, listen back to it and then instantly delete it.

The book also includes autobiographical elements, something that was cathartic for him to write, as he said: “I used this book to say everything I’ve ever wanted to say about music, you know? I felt I wanted to get it all out of my system.”

The South Africa-born and Scotland raised singer/songwriter/producer/writer explained how a turning point in his musical career was first listening to Strawberry Fields by The Beatles - because it opened his mind to a whole new music world.

But more recently, he cut up his ancient 45 of the song, and he told 6 Music of how he wanted to go even further.

“What I wanted to do then was completely rid the world of Strawberry Fields forever actually completely take it so none of us could ever, ever hear it again,” Drummond said. “Now I know that’s impossible but I just love the concept that to hear it you have to somehow build it up from your imagination or memory.”

"What I wanted to do then was completely rid the world of Strawberry Fields forever so none of us could ever, ever hear it again."
Bill Drummond

Disillusioned with new music

Telling 6 Music about the moment he decided to forsake CDs, Drummond explained that it happened while he was out shopping.

“I was in Oxford Street, the flagship HMV record shop there,” he said. “I was gonna go in, I didn’t know what I was gonna get but I wanted to get a CD or two and I just see it, aisle upon aisle, rack upon rack and I knew whatever I got once I got it home - it wouldn’t be what I wanted.

After he decided recorded music was over Drummond gave his entire record collection to Oxfam, and vowed never to listen to a CD again.

He said he finds all current recorded music a big disappointment: “I’ve never understood it, why a bunch of lads form a band just to sound like another band, it just doesn’t compute with me.

“I’ve always thought you’ve gotta be taking a risk and if you know what you’re doing, you’re obviously going in the wrong direction.”

He concluded: “It wouldn’t open another door in my head that I hadn’t been into before.”

This 17 project has been going on for about 4 years around Europe and a bit in the UK - but its most ambitious moment yet is the Derby 17 project, which culminates in August.

Georgie Rogers