A fascinating look at a wild time in music. I had absolutely no idea about the origins of the KLF, and the wild and wacky events that lead to the money burning. The authors approach is gripping, and unravels like a great mystery. The narration is charismatic and crisp, and feel like a conversation with old friends about the stuff we loved when things were different. I especially ate up the connections to modern pop culture and conspiracy theories and Doctor Who. A brilliant ride through a truly unique part of music history.

"They're justified and they're ancient and they drive an ice cream van..."

Thirty-plus years after Tammy Wynette joined the KLF for one of my favorite pieces of pop culture, "Justified and Ancient," I included the song on a playlist for my daughter. As the song wound down, she piped up from the backseat and asked the question that I have pondered for years -- why isn't the song called "Mumu Land"?

Finally, after all these years, I understand more about what the KLF were trying to do lyrically in the song - and in many of their other songs. All of that is thanks to John Higgs' entertaining study of the band in the appropriately titled The KLF. Knowing a bit of the group's history, the context of their songs, and their influences has suddenly put a whole new spin on a lot of their songs and lyrics, making me want to jump back into their catalog and hear it all over again.

Like a lot of Doctor Who fans, I became aware of the group when they called themselves The Time Lords and produced a single featuring the Doctor Who theme and Daleks trying to rap. It featured a lot in the intros and outros of PBS pledge drives for my favorite show and it was an utterly delightful nugget of pop culture that said to me that my favorite show wasn't on its last legs but was still going strong. Unfortunately, this may not have been the case, as Higgs details in the chapter devoted to the song. The duo were trying to have a hit record and somehow got Doctor Who back in the public eye when it was waning a bit and really only loved by long-time rabid fans like yours truly.

I had the extended single of the song, and my buddy (also a Whovian) had their album "The History of the Jams" which he loaned me and I copied onto cassette and wore out -- mostly on headphones because the first sentence on track one was "Kick out the Jams m***********r!" For some reason, I found the entire album subversive and entertaining as all get out -- from the song where they sampled Whitney Houston joining the group to the one that ended by asking "What the f*** is going on?!?" I was probably way too young and naive to scratch the surface of the deeper philosophical subjects Bill Drummond and Jim Cauty were trying to delve into with their songs.

Listening to this audiobook, I felt like layers of an onion were being peeled back and I was finally understanding some things about the group and their songs for the time. At long last, I think I know the references to "mumu" (apparently, not the type of dress) and to being called the Jams. The book fills in many details I wasn't aware of, such as the group burning a million pounds of cash and withdrawing all of their artistic output from channels for two decades. I got so fired up again that I started looking for a copy of "The History of the Jams" on CD to listen to in the order I remember it -- no, not with my daughter in the car. She's not ready for the lyrics just yet.

Honestly, I don't think any of us are necessarily ready for the lyrics just yet. But that's part of what makes the KLF so intriguing.

Higgs' examination of them is less music biography and more about putting the KLF into context -- both in the moment and now. I found myself utterly fascinated in one moment, and utterly perplexed in the next. I will admit the chapter on Doctor Who during the Sylvester McCoy era from an outsider's point of view was difficult to read but eye-opening at the same time. A bit like the KLF was and continues to be.

If you're fascinated by a group that had great success but not as many people who should know them today do pick up this book. Like me, you may find yourself scrambling for more of their music on various streaming services as you try to figure out the significance of an ice cream van...

I received a digital ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of music history or intrigued by the enigmatic tales of artists who push boundaries, The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned a Million Pounds by John Higgs is an audiobook you won’t want to miss. Narrated with the same quirky brilliance that characterizes Higgs’s writing, this in-depth biography delves into one of music history's most bizarre and fascinating stories.



The KLF, a band that dominated the charts in the early 90s, left the music world reeling when they suddenly erased themselves from history and set fire to one million pounds in cash. In this fascinating biography, Higgs doesn’t just recount the events but seeks to understand the madness behind the band’s actions. The audiobook takes listeners on a journey through music history, chaos theory, Carl Jung’s psychology, and even Doctor Who, offering insights that are as surprising as they are thought-provoking.



Higgs’s narration is both engaging and informative. He makes complex ideas accessible while maintaining a narrative that is as mysterious as the band itself. His exploration of the KLF’s story is more than just a music biography; it’s a dive into the cultural and psychological forces that shaped the band and the era they were part of.



The audiobook is perfect for anyone who loves music, mysteries, or a good story that challenges our thoughts about reality. It’s no wonder *The KLF* has been praised by publications like The Guardian, The Independent, and MOJO magazine as one of the top music books of the year. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the band or new to their story, this audiobook offers a riveting experience that will leave you pondering long after the final chapter.



Rating: 5/5

This story is crazy. It starts in the 1700s and goes all the way until the 1990s. This is the story of the KLF, two men who were inspired by hip hop and sampling to create some very catchy house/rave music. They ultimately burn $1 million pounds and don't seem to know why they did it.

In the early 80s Drummond was a music fan who started a record label and helped along the popularity of Julian Cope and Echo and the Bunnymen. When he decided to quit the music business, he realized that you didn't need to sing, write or perform music to become a musician. That's when he started the KLF with Cauty.

The book not only discusses the KLF and their music career, but the philosophy that caused Drummond and Cauty to be inspired. There is a discussion of the Illuminati, which started in the 1700s, and Discordianism, a belief system, and how both inspired the KLF to start music and do some of their antics later in their career.

John HIggs, the author, narrates the audiobook and at first I thought his reading was a bit slow and quiet for my taste, but then I decided that his calm recitation of the story slows down your reading and makes the sometimes dry details about philosophy, history and belief systems much more impactful.

I knew of the KLF before reading this book but had no idea how many interesting things impacted their career. Higgs also discusses related history, such as how the KLF could get $1 million in cash to burn, what was going on society in the early 90s when the KLF came into popularity. I found this book to be a mash up of a rock and roll biography and an Erik Larson-type nonfiction book that compares them to the society they were born into.

A really interesting book of the 1980s-90s music scene, the KLF, performance art and likely a lot of drug use.

I recieved an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

For those aware of the KLF, I think this would be an interesting peek behind the curtain. However, the KLF and the British music scene is not really my area of interest. The narrator does a great job, and it seems well-written - just not my thing.

I was surprised at this being less about the KLF's music and more about the ethos and worldview that produced it. A must-read for anyone even passingly familiar with the KLF and their work and for philosophically-inclined nerds in general.

Many readers, myself included, love a good rock music memoir; from the hardscrabble upbringing, to the heady discovery of music and like-minded band mates, to the struggles with greedy record execs/drugs/fame, to the eventual triumph. This is not that book. Reading this book is a little bit like being trapped in a bar or ferry terminal by a beardy dude who starts rambling nonsense at you. You start listening out of boredom or politeness. Then find yourself pulled down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, the meaning of art and money, the cultural moment of the early 90s, and only the lightest dusting of music. Once you stop fighting your expectations, it's quite a satisfying ride.

Wild. Provocative. Entertaining. I knew nothing about the history of this band not growing up during their hey day, but hey, it was entertaining. I think that says something about a biography when it’s entertaining!!!