The KLF Burn A Million Quid - Watch and Discuss

[bballarl]

I don't pretend to understand this in an art sense, but I think it is an interesting discussion point. Watch the videos and share your thoughts.

[Hannahrain]

I don't understand how they can just burn space money like that. We haven't even had a chance to spend it yet.

[cansei de ser sexme]

put all that in a bank account back then and come to america now and your set with interest and the exchange rate.

[C DUB YA]

that silly lil stunt didn't help them sustain any sort of career.

[shakermaker113]

that silly lil stunt didn't help them sustain any sort of career.

we're talking about them, aren't we? besides, they had quit music two years earlier.

klf reunion for coachella 2009! give them another million to burn!

[C DUB YA]

Well if we are talking about them - then may I say how fucking retarded that was... and still is. I remember at the time thinking - fucking twats - look around there are many things that could be more artistic and more useful and more constructive with that kindling.

And I never thought that highly of their tunes either.

[shakermaker113]

yeah I'm not sure what to think. nobody else can claim to have done that. they didn't make any profit from their band. I have a certain amount of respect for doing it despite everyone's reaction. I don't think it's artistic. it's a social stunt. or some kind of psychological experiment. it's not art though.

[jazzz]

Well if we are talking about them - then may I say how fucking retarded that was... and still is. I remember at the time thinking - fucking twats - look around there are many things that could be more artistic and more useful and more constructive with that kindling.

And I never thought that highly of their tunes either.

Bill Drummond was brilliant especially BIG IN JAPAN.

[bballarl]

I don't think this was retarded. Maybe you would not do the same in their position, but it was their money. Are there more productive things they could have done with it? Certainly. Was it a publicity stunt? I think that was going to factor into it no matter what, but I don't think it was the primary motive.

What I am more interested in is whether it is art or not. This is endlessly debatable because different people define it in different ways. I guess it all depends on intent, and even they don't really know what the intent was exactly. But does that devalue what they did (no pun intended)?

I mean, look at the reaction it provokes. It is a strong statement, and they obviously intended to make a statement or they would have done it privately, no film or publicity.

We can assign all sorts of meaning to it if we want to.

[bballarl]

And the tunes are great. But that is not what this is about.

[M Sparks]

that silly lil stunt didn't help them sustain any sort of career.

They clearly weren't interested in sustaining a career. Actually, weren't they already K Foundation by this point? (I didn't watch the vids, but I've seen them long ago.

I mean...they did this at the peak of their career...



Afterwards, they dumped a dead pig outside an afterparty.

Their "comeback" (as 2K) was a 20 minute show.

[TomAz]

I don't think this was retarded. Maybe you would not do the same in their position, but it was their money. Are there more productive things they could have done with it? Certainly. Was it a publicity stunt? I think that was going to factor into it no matter what, but I don't think it was the primary motive.

What I am more interested in is whether it is art or not. This is endlessly debatable because different people define it in different ways. I guess it all depends on intent, and even they don't really know what the intent was exactly. But does that devalue what they did (no pun intended)?

I mean, look at the reaction it provokes. It is a strong statement, and they obviously intended to make a statement or they would have done it privately, no film or publicity.

We can assign all sorts of meaning to it if we want to.

I don't disagree with any of this. It does provoke a reaction. It does stir debate.

I'm pretty ambivalent about it myself. On the one hand, it strikes me as a profoundly narcissistic thing to do: "Me! ME! Look at my disdain for filthy lucre!" When there are billions of people around the world living in poverty (insert Bono picture here), it's a hugely irresponsible thing to do.

But then I think.. maybe that's the point. Aren't we doing the same thing with our gas guzzling SUVs and our Big Macs and our blah blah blah? And then I think, hmm, that's pretty cool. We can have this visceral reaction against their irresponsiblity, and yet upon reflection we can see that western society does the same thing in different ways.

And then I think, ok, whatever, it's still pretty sophomoric.

[bballarl]

The reactions/questions from this interview are interesting.

[bballarl]

The best part is during the last part of the interview, where some twat musician whose name I missed tries to get all self-righteous about money and music.

[M Sparks]

The best part is during the last part of the interview, where some twat musician whose name I missed tries to get all self-righteous about money and music.

I'm pretty sure that's the singer from Def Leppard.

[M Sparks]

Those interviews were really interesting. I kept going back and forth between agreeing with them and hating them.

My favorite quote- "We wanted the money...but we wanted to burn it more."

[bballarl]

I tended to agree with them on most of it. People were getting so caught up in the charity angle. But what is the difference between burning it and blowing it on coke and cars and women, like people expect pop stars to do?

[fatbastard]

I don't disagree with any of this. It does provoke a reaction. It does stir debate.

I'm pretty ambivalent about it myself. On the one hand, it strikes me as a profoundly narcissistic thing to do: "Me! ME! Look at my disdain for filthy lucre!" When there are billions of people around the world living in poverty (), it's a hugely irresponsible thing to do.

But then I think.. maybe that's the point. Aren't we doing the same thing with our gas guzzling SUVs and our Big Macs and our blah blah blah? And then I think, hmm, that's pretty cool. We can have this visceral reaction against their irresponsiblity, and yet upon reflection we can see that western society does the same thing in different ways.

And then I think, ok, whatever, it's still pretty sophomoric.

...

[bballarl]

Hahahaha well played.

[bballarl]

I wish The KLF would come back.