What Time Is Love?

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Pure Trance Original

The original 1988 12" single release launched the KLF's minimalist "Pure Trance" series of singles.

The "Pure Trance" version is a synthesiser composition based around an acid house riff on three low-pitched notes and one minor chord (B minor). The subtle progression of the piece occurs through the modulation of the main loops, the dub-like dropping of particular loops, and a recurring high-pitched refrain on two notes (B bending to F#). An Oberheim OB-8 synthesiser provided the instrumentation.

Two discs of different "Pure Trance" mixes, numbered KLF 004T (green writing on a black sleeve) and KLF 004R (yellow writing on a black sleeve, and a cover sticker), were given low-key releases on 24 November 1988 and 24 July 1989 respectively. The cumulative popularity of KLF 004T in continental European clubs prompted the KLF to release a compilation album of selected cover versions and sound-alikes, entitled The "What Time Is Love?" Story . [5]

As Drummond had predicted, the "Pure Trance" release received little attention from the music press. However, upon the release of The "What Time Is Love?" Story, Q Magazine hailed the track as "a whirling house stomper ... not so much of a tune but a good beat". [6]

Live at Trancentral

A 1990 version subtitled "Live at Trancentral" was the first of the KLF's upbeat "Stadium House Trilogy" and the single that introduced the KLF to an international mainstream audience, reaching No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart. It is a pop-house reworking of the Pure Trance Original, adding vocal samples, a new bassline, a new house rhythm and a self-proclaiming rap (performed by Isaac Bello). The "Trancentral" in the subtitle refers to the KLF's recording studio. An LP version of this mix appears on the album The White Room .

A remix 12", "What Time Is Love? (Remodelled & Remixed)" was released a month after the "Stadium House" version. It contains remixes by Echo & the Bunnymen—for whom the KLF co-founder Bill Drummond had previously been manager—and the Moody Boys. Both "Live at Trancentral" and "Remodelled & Remixed" were declared 'Single of the Week' at different times by New Musical Express (NME), where "Live at Trancentral" was described as a collision of "energy, humour and violence". [7] [8] The magazine also ranked "Live at Trancentral" as the 47th best single of 1990. [9] Q Magazine noted the "awesome vitality" of the LP version. [10] A retrospective review of the LP version by Splendid Magazine found the song to be "extraordinary". "It throbs and pulses in a still-riveting manner that transcends the dated beatdrops. Fusing the siren-wailing urgency of rave anthemry with the drunk-on-its-own-riff brilliance of the stupidest, simplest pop music, it's the kind of song that sends electrifying impulses through the drunken brain." [11]

America: What Time Is Love?

"What Time Is Love?"
The KLF- What Time Is Love%3F (pure trance original).jpg
Pure Trance Original (004T) cover
Single by the KLF
ReleasedJuly 1988
Genre Techno
Length
  • 7:05 (Pure Trance)
  • 5:20 (Live at Trancentral)
  • 3:55 (radio edit)
  • 9:02 ("America: What Time Is Love?")
Label KLF Communications
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Drummond and Cauty singles chronology
"Doctorin' the Tardis"
(1988)
"What Time Is Love? (Pure Trance)"
(1988)
"3 a.m. Eternal (Pure Trance)"
(1989)
"America: What Time Is Love?"
KLF America What Time is Love.jpg
Single by the KLF
ReleasedFebruary 1992
Label KLF Communications (UK)
Songwriter(s) Bill Drummond / Isaac Bello / Jimmy Cauty
Producer(s) Drummond/Cauty

The single release "America: What Time Is Love?" constituted a major reworking of the anthem and was the KLF's final UK retail musical offering. It was released in February 1992 in the UK, four months after it was first made available in the US. [12]

"America" has a markedly different tone to previous incarnations of the song: harder, heavier and more guitar-laden (featuring the riff from Motörhead's song “Ace of Spades"). It opens with a protracted narration by the KLF's regular narrator Scott Piering, about the JAMs' odyssey of 992 to discover America. [13] Like "It's Grim Up North", it features a climactic orchestral section and a spoken list of towns and cities. However, in common with the "Stadium House" tracks, the mood of the song is one of jubilation. Between verses, a male chorus chants the word "America" to the tune of the song "Aquarius" from the rock musical Hair . Isaac Bello again provided rap, and Glenn Hughes (formerly of Deep Purple) provided vocals – a turning point for Hughes which he said helped "saved his life" from drug abuse. [14] [15]

In contrast, the B-side "America No More" is a sombre anti-war statement focusing on US foreign policy. With ambient overtones, it features forlorn guitars, austere brass and a pipe band loudly playing an improvisation in the style of Scottish traditional folk music, [16] set against the backdrop of artillery noise and the recorded words of US politicians, commentators and evangelists speaking either about or during major 20th century US military conflicts. According to Drummond, it was the final track to be recorded by the KLF. [17] Evangelists feature elsewhere in the KLF's music (including Chill Out , "What Time Is Love? (Remodelled & Remixed)," and "Fuck the Millennium"), as does gunfire (in the three "Stadium House" singles).

Reviewing "America: What Time Is Love?", Melody Maker found that "the whole bizarre concoction's brilliantly bonkers", but questioned the KLF's strategy of recycling their songs. [18] "America No More" was described by The Wire in 1997 as "a devastating protest-montage of helicopters, bagpipes and carpet-bombs". [19] NME declined to make "America: What Time Is Love?" 'Single of the Week', declaring it instead to be 'Single of the Millennium'. [20]

Fuck the Millennium

In 1997, [21] "What Time Is Love?" was covered by the Williams Fairey Band, a brass band which under the stewardship of British artist Jeremy Deller pioneered the Acid Brass concept. [22] Inspired by an Acid Brass concert, Drummond and Cauty collaborated with Deller and Acid Brass on a new version of "What Time Is Love?" called "Fuck the Millennium" under the moniker 2K. [21]

Critical reception

Upon the 1989 release, Bill Coleman from Billboard commented, "As odd as it may sound, "Jesus Christ Superstar" is the hook that propels this spacy techno instrumental with an industrial edge." [23] In 1991, another editor, Larry Flick, described the song as a "refreshing rave that combines elements of hip-hop, techno, and pop." [24] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "Carving a distinctive sound in any musical genre is difficult, but especially so in rap. The KLF is an outfit whose signature is totally unique and compelling. Top five across Europe and top three in England, here's a powerful followup to "3 A.M. Eternal"." [25] Dave Jennings from Melody Maker remarked that here, they "returns with beats, sirens and whoops intact, but with cod-Russian chants and spoof American patriotic choirs shaking its foundation. The whole bizarre concoction's brilliantly bonkers as usual." [26] A reviewer from Music & Media commented, "As soon as you've decided - it's soul, they change into a hiphouse act. Sometimes they even manage to combine both on one particular track, as on "What Time Is Love?". They use samples like schoolkids clear out glue-pots: right to the bottom." [27] Sylvia Patterson from Smash Hits named it Best New Single, describing it as "an unflippin'believable power-pop anthem with mentaaahl guitars and Wall of Sound shrieks so far over the top they're binging round the sun and never coming back." [28]

Legacy

During the Pure Trance version's underground success, various cover versions and tributes appeared (some which were collected on The "What Time Is Love?" Story ). The most-well known is Dr. Felix's "Relax Your Body".

Ragga Twins' 1991 track Wipe the Needle opens with the iconic synthesizer riff from What Time Is Love?.

In 1993 "What Time Is Love?" was covered by U.K. based American Noise/Art Rock band the God Machine. The track appeared as a B-side on their limited silver vinyl "Home" single and a promo CD.

:zoviet*France: side-project Horizon 222 on their 1993 piece Liberation (Om-Pa-Na-Da) (released on the 1994 album The Three of Swans) carefully work around the melodic and harmonic structure of What Time Is Love?, ultimately revealing its source in a short appearance of a reverberated sample from the original.

In 1997 a trance cover-version was released by German producer Talla 2XLC and in 1998 Choci and Mark Sinclair released their own hard trance reworking entitled What is Love?.

Reviewing Drummond's book 45 for The Observer in 2000, Steven Poole labelled "What Time Is Love?" an "epic pop masterpiece". [29] The Observer also described the "Pure Trance Original" as a "juddering rave anthem". [30]

On 14 July 2002, the "Pure Trance Original" was incorporated into DJ John Digweed's set at Fatboy Slim's free Brighton beach show, where it was played to a live audience of approximately 150,000 people and relayed to viewers of television channel E4. Digweed's set showcased the origins of trance music, with "What Time Is Love?" used alongside Underworld's "Dark & Long" and Paul Oakenfold's "Perfecto Mix" of U2's "Even Better Than the Real Thing".

British band Kaiser Chiefs covered "What Time Is Love?" on 14 February 2006 on BBC Radio 1. [31] At the end of the performance, presenter Jo Whiley said "The Kaiser Chiefs have now left the building" in reference to the phrase used more than once by the KLF (and previously in reference to Elvis Presley).

German eurodance group Scooter sampled the music of the Trancentral version and the introductory lyrics of "America: What Time Is Love?" on their single "Behind the Cow", taken from the 2007 album The Ultimate Aural Orgasm . They had previously sampled the Trancentral version in 2001 on the song "Posse (I Need You on the Floor)" from the album We Bring the Noise! . In 2012 the group covered the song on their sixteenth album Music for a Big Night Out .

In 2006, English electronic musician Max Tundra released a single as that included a recording from 1989 doing a cover of "What Time Is Love?" [32]

Personnel

The three reworkings of the track were written and produced by Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty. Cauty also receives credit for playing electric guitar, bass, drums and keyboards on "America...", and Drummond for playing Gibson 330 on that version. [33] Additional contributors to "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" and "America: What Time Is Love?" [33] included:

Formats and track listings

As a central track in the KLF's canon, "What Time Is Love?" was given international commercial releases on many occasions and in many forms between 1988 and 1992. The following lists detail most of these, but are not exhaustive. [12]

Pure Trance 1

"What Time Is Love? (Pure Trance Original)" (catalogue number KLF 004T) was first released on 17 October 1988, and deleted following initially low UK media interest and sales. The reaction from continental Europe's clubbers and DJs led to further European releases in 1989 and 1990. In late 1989, a US edition of "Pure Trance 1" (sea-green writing on a black sleeve, and slightly different typography) was issued on the TVT label, including a live version taken from The "What Time is Love?" Story. The KLF's "Pure Trance" series was originally envisaged as comprising five "Original" 12" singles and five "Remix" 12"s. The "Pure Trance Remix" single of "What Time Is Love?" was released on 24 July 1989. KLF 004T was re-released in the UK on 15 July 1991, during the peak of the KLF's chart success, along with both "Pure Trance" mixes of 3 a.m. Eternal .

Format (and countries)Track number
123
12" single (UK – KLF Communications KLF 4T, Germany)PT1PT2
12" single (UK – KLF Communications, KLF 4R)PrTSPT1
12" single (US)OzPT1TS
12" single (Austria)PoPT2po2
CD single (Austria)po1PT1PT2

Key

PT1 – "What Time Is Love?" (Pure Trance Original) (7:05)Oz – "What Time Is Love?" (Live version, "Land of Oz") [34] (8:46)
PT2 – "What Time Is Love?" (Pure Trance Mix 2) (7:00)po1 - "What Time Is Love? (Power Remix)" (7” edit) (3:54)
Pr – "What Time Is Love? (Primal Remix)" (5:57)po2 – "What Time Is Love? (Power Remix)" (7" evil edit) (3:41)
TS – "What Time Is Love? (Techno Slam Mix)" (4:28)Po – "What Time Is Love? (Power Remix)" (7:37)

Live at Trancentral

"What Time Is Love? (Live from Trancentral)" was released on 30 July 1990, and the single of remixes "(Remodelled & Remixed)" followed on 20 August 1990. The main B-side accompaniment of "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" was the "Techno Gate Mix" of the track, which retained the title track's rhythm and bass as a backdrop to extensive samples of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)". Another UK 12" featured instead the "Wandaful Mix", which sampled from Wanda Dee's "To the Bone".

Format (and countries)Track number
1234
Live at Trancentral
7" single (UK, France, Australia),

cassette single (UK, Australia), CD single (Belgium)

lTG
7" single (Australia)lPT1
12" single (UK, US, Germany, Australia),

cassette single (Australia), CD single (US)

LTG
12" single (Denmark, Sweden)LPrPT1TG
12" single (France, Australia)LPT1
12" single (UK)LW
CD single (UK, Germany, France, Belgium)lLPT1
CD single (Australia)lPT1M
CD single (US)LTG
CD single (Japan, This Is What The KLF Is About I)lMPT2
Remodelled & Remixed
12" single (UK – KLF Communications KLF 4Y, Germany)MEV

Key

l – "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (radio edit) (3:53)W – "What Time Is Love? (Wandaful Mix)" (6:07)
L – "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (5:20)M – "What Time Is Love? (The Moody Boys vs. The KLF)" (7:35)
TG – "What Time Is Love? (Techno Gate Mix)" (4:44)E – "What Time Is Love? (Echo & the Bunnymen Mix)" (5:10)
Pr – "What Time Is Love? (Primal Remix)" (5:57)V – "What Time Is Love? (Virtual Reality Mix)" (6:50)
PT1 – "What Time Is Love?" (Pure Trance Original) (7:05)PT2 – "What Time Is Love?" (Pure Trance Mix 2) (7:05)

America: What Time Is Love?

"America: What Time Is Love?" was released in the US during October 1991, four months before its release in the UK and elsewhere (24 February 1992). The B-side "America No More", which featured anti-war sentiments directed at US foreign policy and included samples of contemporary Gulf War dialogue, was not included on the US releases. Unlike previous single releases of "What Time Is Love?", no commercial remixes of "America" were released, although five edits of different lengths were distributed.

Format (and countries)Track number
12345
Cassette single (except US), 7" singleaN
12" single, cassette single (US)A2L2M
12" single (UK – KLF Communications KLF USA 4X,

Germany, Australia, Denmark)

AN
12" single (UK – KLF Communications, KLF USA 4T)AUN
CD single (US)a2A2L2M
CD single (UK, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Belgium)aNAUn
CD single (Austria)ANAULPT1
CD single (Japan)lA2

Key

a – "America: What Time Is Love?" (radio edit) (3:30)n – "America No More (Just the Pipe Band)" (3:18)
a2 – "America: What Time Is Love?" (7" edit) (4:05)l – "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (radio edit) (3:53)
A – "America: What Time Is Love?" (7:34)L – "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (5:20)
L2 – "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (5:03)A2 – "America: What Time Is Love?" (12" mix) (8:35)
M – "What Time Is Love? (The Moody Boys vs. The KLF)" (7:35)AU – "America: What Time Is Love? (Uncensored)" (9:02)
PT1 – "What Time Is Love?" (Pure Trance Original) (7:05)N – "America No More" (6:05)

Charts

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 Cranna, Ian (1987). "1987 (What the Fuck Is Going On?) review". Q . Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 4 October 2016.
  2. Robbins, Ira. "KLF". Trouser Press . Retrieved 20 April 2006.
  3. Drummond, Bill (22 January 1988). "KLF Info Sheet". KLF Communications. Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.
  4. Drummond, Bill (2000). "Thrashed". 45. Little, Brown. ISBN   0-316-85385-2.
  5. "The White Room - Information Sheet Eight". KLF Communications. August 1990. Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 5 October 2007.
  6. Cranna, Ian (October 1989). "The "What Time Is Love?" Story". Q (Review). Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.
  7. Dickson, S. (28 July 1990). "What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)". NME (Review).
  8. Reid, J (25 August 1990). "What Time Is Love? (Remodelled & Remixed)". NME (Review).
  9. NME , http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/1990.html.
  10. George, Iestyn (March 1991). "The White Room". Q (review). No. 54. Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.
  11. Harrison, Allan. "The White Room". Splendid (review). Archived from the original on 12 November 2006.
  12. 1 2 Longmire, Ernie; et al. (2020) [1998]. "Discography: The KLF (including The JAMS, The Timelords, 2K etc.)". Archived from the original on 29 February 2020.
  13. Leif Ericson – whose name features in The Illuminatus! Trilogy – is believed to have first sighted Newfoundland somewhere around the year 1000, popularly believed to be the year 992. See also: Vinland, Knaar
  14. Press release by Glenn Hughes, "The KLF Saved My Life!", cited in Shaw, William (July 1992). "Who Killed The KLF". Select . Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 11 October 2016.
  15. Harrison, Andrew (27 April 2017). "Return of the KLF: 'They were agents of chaos. Now the world they anticipated is here'". The Guardian . Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  16. Sanderson, Adam (13 July 2012). "Re: America no more by KLF (post 5)". BobDunsire.com. Dunsire Forums. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  17. Drummond, Bill (2000). "Robbie Joins The JAMs". 45. Little, Brown. ISBN   0-316-85385-2.
  18. "America: What Time Is Love?". Melody Maker (Review). 29 February 1992.
  19. Watson, Ben (March 1997). "King Boy D". The Wire . Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.
  20. Robinson, Peter (5 January 2017). "The KLF are back (sort of) – and it's exactly what 2017 needs". The Guardian . Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  21. 1 2 Frith, Mark (October 1997). "The Return of The KLF". SKY Magazine . Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.
  22. Huey, Steve. Acid Brass - Williams Fairey Brass Band at AllMusic . Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  23. Coleman, Bill (16 December 1989). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 73. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  24. Flick, Larry (12 October 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 81. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  25. Sholin, Dave (27 September 1991). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report . No. 1875. p. 60. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  26. Jennings, Dave (29 February 1992). "Singles". Melody Maker . p. 29. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  27. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . 23 March 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  28. Patterson, Sylvia (5 February 1992). "New Singles: Best New Single". Smash Hits . p. 54. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  29. Poole, Steven (26 February 2000). "Hit man, myth maker - 45". The Observer . Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.
  30. Smith, Andrew (13 February 2000). "Burning Question". The Observer . Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  31. BBC, "Kaiser Chiefs in the Live Lounge". Retrieved 19 April 2006.
  32. "TOMLAB Catalogue" . Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  33. 1 2 America: What Time Is Love? (Media notes). The KLF. KLF Communications. 1992. KLF USA 4CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. Unlike the "(Live at Trancentral)" version, this version of "What Time Is Love?" was recorded live, at the "Land of Oz" monthly house night, DJed by Cauty and the Orb's Alex Paterson in the chill-out room of Paul Oakenfold's "Heaven" nightclub. The recording was made on 31 July 1989, the release date of the KLF's pop single "Kylie Said to Jason".
  35. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 157.
  36. "The KLF – What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  37. "The KLF – What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  38. Danish Singles Chart. 7 December 1990.
  39. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . 15 September 1990. p. V. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  40. 1 2 Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  41. "The KLF – What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  42. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The KLF" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
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  44. "The KLF – What Time Is Love? (Live at Trancentral)". Top 40 Singles.
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  47. 1 2 UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (1) Official Charts Company (2)(Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  48. "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 1 September 1990. p. 12. Retrieved 6 September 2023 via World Radio History.
  49. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  50. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  51. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  52. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 14. 4 April 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  53. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?" (in French). Les classement single.
  54. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  55. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 18. 2 May 1992. p. 34. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  56. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  57. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The KLF - America" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
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  60. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?". VG-lista.
  61. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 23. 6 June 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  62. "The KLF - America – What Time Is Love?". Swiss Singles Chart.
  63. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 7 March 1992. p. 18. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  64. 1 2 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 15 August 2008)
  65. "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 60. OCLC   29800226 . Retrieved 15 January 2020 via American Radio History.
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<span class="mw-page-title-main">All You Need Is Love (JAMs song)</span> Song by the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu

"All You Need Is Love" is a song by the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, independently released as their debut single on 9 March 1987. A politically topical song concerning the British media's AIDS furore, the track was initially given a 12" white label release because of its sampling of other records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitney Joins the JAMs</span> Song by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu

"Whitney Joins the JAMs" is a song and 1987 single by the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu. The song, released on the JAMs' independent label KLF Communications, is built around plagiarised samples of Whitney Houston in which—thanks to studio technology—she "joins the JAMs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kylie Said to Jason</span> 1989 single by The KLF

"Kylie Said to Jason" was a 1989 single by The KLF, referring to Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, then stars in the popular Australian TV soap opera Neighbours. Designed for chart success, the single nonetheless failed to enter the UK top 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The KLF</span> British electronic music duo

The KLF are a British electronic band who originated in Liverpool and London in the late 1980s. Scottish musician Bill Drummond and English musician Jimmy Cauty began by releasing hip hop-inspired and sample-heavy records as the JAMs. As the Timelords, they recorded the British number-one single "Doctorin' the Tardis", and documented the process of making a hit record in a book The Manual . As the KLF, Drummond and Cauty pioneered stadium house and, with their 1990 LP Chill Out, the ambient house genre. The KLF released a series of international hits on their own KLF Communications record label and became the biggest selling singles act in the world in 1991.

Wanda Dee is an American hip hop artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuck the Millennium</span> 1997 single by 2K

"Fuck the Millennium", sometimes spelled "***k the Millennium", is a protest song by the band 2K—Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty—better known as the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu or the KLF. The song was inspired musically by Jeremy Deller's "Acid Brass" project, where a traditional brass band plays acid house classics; these include the KLF's "What Time Is Love?". They were also inspired topically by the then-forthcoming end of the second millennium and the plans to celebrate it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burn the Bastards</span> 1988 single by The KLF

"Burn the Bastards" is a 1988 song by Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, from their second, and final before changing names, album Who Killed The JAMs?. The "bastards" of the title are copies of The JAMs first album, 1987 , which Drummond and Cauty burnt on a bonfire in a Swedish field after a copyright dispute with the Swedish pop group ABBA. The song was released as a single, along with a separate single of remixes titled "Burn the Beat". Both singles were credited to The KLF, marking a change of name and with it a change of musical genre, from The JAMs' sample-fuelled political hip-hop to The KLF's upbeat and uptempo house music.