Bill Drummond | Has The iPod Changed Our Relationship With Music?

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Imagine waking up tomorrow and all music had disappeared. Bill Drummond, as choirmaster of The17, led a performance of three scores and gave a talk (only the talk was recorded).
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Bill Drummond is a South African-born, Scottish artist, musician, writer and record producer.
He founded 80's avant-garde pop group The KLF and later, The K Foundation; the band well known for burning a million pound in a disused boathouse in Scotland.

[@Hiajarock]

You can't help but love this guy

[@skriptico]

50+ KLF fan here. Bill is 100% genius, forreal! No thin lines there.

[@martynweigh4541]

For sure! Agreed

[@jimihendrix6969]

It is The K Foundation.

[@conradtwonine9414]

The KLF is FOREVER trendsetting in music, I hope they come back with some great innovations in 2023, we could use it!

[@TheComputec]

When I was young you took a trip to your favourite music store after school or going into your nearest big city. You flicked through albums sorted by genre and artist. I would invariably grab the album I had specifically gone out to buy but I'd always take the time to look through the other music. i'd often chat to the owner of the shop, who would usually be a music lover with specific tastes. I'd ask for recommendations. I'd take home my cherished new album together with the shop owners recommended purchase. getting home you'd break the polythene seal on the album cover and if it was a double album or a gatefold (ask your mum or dad...) you wanted to see sleeve notes... the story of the album, the narrative , it's origins and possibly the lyrics and some artwork or photos. You would see the list of musicians and guest appearance players on some tracks. You might also see a list of the keyboards used and outboard effects used. This is where you learned about the band you were getting into Despite having a decent choice in my growing library I would take the time to listen to the album front to back a couple of times... all the way through with no skipping. there would then be a sift as you noticed a couple of tracks (not always the commercially released singles) that struck a chord. This is how music was consumed before CD's and the Ipod. I don't care if it makes me sound old when I say that kids these days are missing out. As bill says it is now just one indexable commodity... The soul is missing and we have lost the connection with the physical entity

[@Yungrexy]

What's not to love about the curious workings of Bill drummond's brain.

[@bengunns9500]

I think we should try and appreciate what we have on this earth, we can all go anytime anywhere, enjoy your life, about 1 million people don't wake up in the morning, so celebrate when you wake up if you do, one day you won't.

[@douglasjohnthorp7181]

This has made more sense than anything I've heard over the past year, THE YEAR OF THE PLAGUE. Thank you, Bill. And thanks for coming back when we needed you most x

[@evilcraftknife5705]

Agreed, bonkers in the Greatest British tradition.All the best Brits are bonkers! When I turned 45 I read his book 45, which was released when he was 45 in 2000, when I was 29 and I waited until 2016 to read it. Good things come to those who wait I suppose. I'm currently looking forward to him turning 78 for the follow up.

[@shanjayaweera3036]

Wow - this is some mind blowing magical stuff. I love it. Thank you Mr Drummond

[@jeffreydombrowski7339]

Albums as an art is lost, The White Room is an example of what a great full album should be.

[@KieranShort]

That is bollocks. It is alive and thriving.

[@RunOfTheHind]

@@KieranShort Nah. Even 'proper' artists put out stuff in a 'short attention span' way these days. i.e. Burial stopped doing albums and puts out EPs or singular songs and The Smile release all their songs as individual videos with the album as an afterthought. Just off the top of my head.

[@demianmega]

Bill is not only one of my favourite artists, he is one of my most beloved ones. I enjoy listening to his talk as much as listenig to his music. His voice is music, reason, and passion to my ears.

[@lenfirewood4089]

Back on 1964 as a 14yr old schoolboy I was on my way with a classmate to have dinner at his house - we were about 150yds from his home when I had an idea. I stopped him in his tracks and said let's do an experiment - he being curious said ok. I then asked him to copy what I was doing which was to move each foot forward about an inch in turn with a good two seconds between each movement. Soon other kids in the street spotted what we were doing and started to here and taunt us. I can't remember exactly how long it took to reach his doorstep but it must have been at least 90 mins and by then there was quite a crowd watching that actually cheered us on once we got there. To be honest I was hardly conscious of their presence after a while because I had entered a state hard to describe. I just felt deeply in touch with a part of my being and its rich depths that most of the time I was hardly conscious of. I think my friend felt something the same although we never discussed it nor have I repeated that experiment since but it did have a profound effect on my outlook on things.

[@TheMontyfire]

The white room had a profound effect on me as an 18 year old ,just nothing like them around now ,thank god for the streaming of lots of their old stuff

[@SkinnyEMedia]

I want to be like Bill Drummond in my life!

[@walteredstates]

Do it. Be bold and experience profound joy and satisfaction.

[@SleepSerenityRelaxation]

I woke up one day and all of Bill Drummond's music had disappeared. The KLF notoriously deleted their back-catalog. Of course, it was ultimately re-released. Phew!

[@podsanddocs2302]

Legend. Such an Innovator and Maverick

[@MJN_SEIFER]

Speaking for myself, the flipping through your iPod thing is a phase, at best. I did it when I was younger, but it is different for me; I tend to listen to my MP3 Player on journeys, and in the past, I would be very desperate to hear a specific song at that point, for whatever reason, like the song was my current obsession, or I wanted to specifically think about what that song brings to mind (I loved to imagine specific things when I listened to music, and still do, although I "multitask" with my thoughts more now - like I can think of more than one thing), but basically I would want to make sure I heard a specific song before the journey ended. Today, however, I usually tend to just let the music flow - I set my MP3 Player to shuffle, and just let it play what it "decides" to, and basically enjoy the ride. They are all songs I love anyway, since I wouldn't have chosen them otherwise (though, believe it or not, there are very few songs in the world that I don't like these days, if any) so it's not like I'll have any problem with what comes next. However, I am not perfect, and sometimes I will fall back into searching for a specific song, simply because I want to hear that song now, for whatever reason, the same as I will specifically choose to listen to a song on KZbin sometimes, and actively play a CD or the radio and let them decide for me. Basically I just really love music, and am at the stage where I am happy to either let it flow or decide specifically "I'd rather listen to that instead of this" if I feel that way. Actively selecting a song to listen to at the click of a button, or just kicking back and waiting to see what plays next - both are fine to me. Also, I'm actually the opposite of the listen for a few seconds thing - if it's just me listening to it (I'm on my own, or it's my MP3 Player) I'll actually tend to keep going back at times, like I didn't take in that specific part of the song enough that time, or I want to get my specific thought on that part just right. I end up listening for more than what the song's duration is. Hope you didn't mind the long comment.

[@newforestpixie5297]

I had this guys’ work on cassettes of the sessions that bbc radio one played in evenings - adeptly pause-buttoned to keep chat except who and title . Still have 3 from 87 88 89 . I’m sure the jamms sampled Jim is’ foxy lady with tons of song snips- inc one of them 7” floppy singles featuring an English lady giving dance moves and a Glaswegian crowing about a “ candyman “....maybe this was Bill. Trippy and so much cooler than the iron maiden I’d blasted as a spotty 16 yr old at the beginning of that decade - this end of 80s was my fave but I am today struggling with this period being 30 years away. Thought I was mature in 89.....which makes the TimeTravel to 2019 a sudden scary concept when 30 years from today I can only best hope I’ve some traces of that Chillout Stuff in my memory if not me blood vessels......assuming there’s air fit to breathe in 2049.......... 😃from wessexshire

[@ninokogoio9633]

@@newforestpixie5297 wonderful comment.

[@saturn1returns]

Thank you for the long comment.

[@brubeck1]

Bill Drummond Said.

[@darrenl.woodward9168]

This guy inspires me to do many things...not all legal.Hes the man

[@Gioagla]

Bring back THE KLF Bill....we miss it man...

[@TurkPowers]

I love the KLF... but I think they are best left in retirement. It makes for a hell of a mystique.

[@zaiux]

2017.wtf

[@Rockaria23]

The countdown begins - 23/08/2017 ;)

[@ninokogoio9633]

@@Rockaria23 maybe in 2023

[@Paul-lf1bq]

They're Baaaack

[@MrEwant1980]

The industrial town which Bill lived in is Corby in Northamptonshire. A rail bridge on the way to the next biggest town suddenly had the graffiti "what if you woke in the morning and all music had gone". I'm now thinking this was Bill!!

[@turokforever007]

you can watch a video of him doing it.

[@curbboy]

Great job Bill!

[@turokforever007]

many years ago my i pod started life as whole albums but i started to remove tracks that were not that good then i started to make sort of mix albums. But in the end i just had enough of all music. Even my very expensive HIFI never got touched. But after a few years of no music i got back into listening and my new MP3 player has full albums so if i want to play a album i will clear some time in the day and just sit and listen.

[@fugosushi]

I love this man.

[@felicitydeikos5250]

Now, as a dj, in the last 24 years, we have software and launch pads.

[@PrinceLX]

I’m from Derby and had no idea about this! Legend. Before my time but looking back he’s a true genius.

[@Pauldjreadman]

I knew about it a few years ago, but not the scale of it.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

Bill Drummond may not the be the smartest Brit of all time, but he'd be in the top 10. I feel like I've gained a few IQ points just by watching this talk.

[@awrygargoyle]

The more I know about Bill, the more I admire him

[@robertstevenson6715]

god bless you Bill :)

[@Pauldjreadman]

Ah, I see this for “The 17” if I recall this the project he then deleted. I see the words “genius” and “insanity” thrown around a lot. I think it’s a nice mixture. Oh, Bill, put your name on it and they will. I no idea The 17 was this big. Wow

[@bushelled]

Legend.

[@natev1956]

You never think that this was the guy behind 90's pop band KLF's massive hits like Justified and ancient (of mumu) 3am Eternal

[@stitchmaxschmoo6296]

I remember watching films because they were on tv even though I had them on tape.

[@tc556guy]

Like anything else its a tool and whether its good or bad is up to you. I enjoy having my entire collection on a format the size of a cassette tape. It made my years in Afghanistan and the slow times at work so much easier. The bad aspect of modern music is the re-emphasis on single hits rather than putting out quality complete albums...but that's not just the fault of the Ipod

[@theindividualizt]

Bill is a genius!

[@crashroots]

fantastic prankster, bravo!

[@saturn1returns]

It's funny in the John Higgs KLF book Ken Campbell says Bill is "totally mad" coming from Ken Campbell who is totally mad.

[@user-qh9to4fy9b]

Punchline sttarts at 21:46

[@umdesch4]

"Obviously, I'm not a prophet." - Bill Drummond Some of us would beg to differ.

[@sprucy434]

He is wonderful. I love him. :)

[@arbitScaleModels]

When you are over saturated with media, books, music, art, and everything is available online in the thousands and thousands, nothing has any value.

[@brian3174]

talking of songs to played at my funeral was aways a toss up between last train to transcentral or ttf THE TIME FREQUENCYS YOU TAKE ME AWAY or the pink floyd song dark side of the moon ive been in bills company lots years ago out my nut on disco biscuits bein a scot we related to each other and he changed my outlook on life opened my eyes as an 18yr old raver and ill never forget how kind a man he is and a genius who we lost because of the corporate machine tryn to kill independants to this day i fire K.L.F on my seperates system 1500watts up as loud as poss and im set for the day long live klf the jamms etc and long live bill and jimmy from bdubz in renfrewshire

[@thegreatbungholio21]

Cool.

[@flare242]

Either my instrument is out of tune really bad, or - it seems to me that Bill hummed B, D#, D instad of G, B, A. Soo, what's up with that? I just never know when i'm being trolled by this guy. :-)

[@roshanmanilal5315]

Klf king

[@davefloyd9443]

"King Boy D"

[@seanankerr]

He's right about the iPod, it's the laws of supply and demand, an over abundance of music and access diminishes the value, ease in access and selection, no longer having to physically load a vinyl record into a record player, diminishes the effort involved and also diminishes the value, the flip side though is it increases the value of those elements that can't be experienced via an iPod, live music, the experience, etc. recorded music is only a very small part of the history of music, it's been good, but it's also been bad, for example before the invention of recorded music, sheet music was considered a guide, not a rigorous template, but once you had recorded versions the first recorded version became the definitive proper version. I agree though it is one of the greatest art forms of the 20th century and I think it's a good thing it's dead, it gives space for something new (or old) to take it's place.

[@__________________________252]

yeah mate, stop chatting our kid, long live vinyl or fuck about with MP3, Those in the know go wax! bleep.com/release/51092-nightmares-on-wax-now-is-the-time-deep-down-edition

[@oldskoolpaul89]

Yeah but the true difference is the warmth as they say. or onto which it was recorded or the medium you play it . I.e cds are played through a cd player which reads only one infared signal . where as a record player reads mutiple signals as the needle is considered a minute microphone. This microphone will pick up lots of different frequencies including feed back etc very faint i mean very faint noises onto which it is paying or being recorded. Even playing vinyl out live sometimes the crowd would be heard on recordings coming through the minute needle ?microphone I know i transfered hundreds of analog recorded 90 minute tapes and converted them through audiocity to digital but never mastered them as for time and the other fact is they sound better with the fuzz and stuff (like they were recorded live) instead of a mastered mp3 cd does taking the element of live recording out . Djs playing vinyl today even still prefer the vinyl as it has a better sound than the one robotic digital frequency. The other problem you have to the mp3 cd recording is that it could be still played through a sound system that was made for analog progress only and not digital. This is if for instance if you have worked in the dj industry , or have had live instruments playing through a big sound system. maybe they have 10 12 15 -18 inch speakers now that sound better for digital . go rent a huge p. a and i bet its for live instruments and not for mp3 cds .. thus where the vinyl will sound better and its inpurities .. Just a thought long live the vinly and mp3 copys of rare or oldskool vinyl through vinyl scratch (contradiction LOL)

[@olivergill2903]

Anthony Gormless had a genius brother

[@ButherLi55ett]

A commodity is something that is produced for monetary exchange. If something is produced not for this purpose it fails to become a commodity. Whether is music is recorded is neither here nor there. The real issue is that, emotion, creativity etc has been completely commodified by imperialism.

[@MrDeeeLite]

This man realized that people in the world are alive and is trying to demonstrate the difference in between 'be alive' and 'be the Life'.

[@MrEwant1980]

believe you me Bill 4 O'Levels from that school probably was a lot better than average, my boy is there now!

[@dundeedolphin]

Kevin Macleod's brother

[@magoon993]

Bill has flipped it

[@RunOfTheHind]

Digital (both recording and distribution) ruined music.

[@InfiniteRhombus]

(k cera) its really fuckin good, im glad it got leaked, its probably the best anything ive heard, its great art but its hard to describe it as anything less

[@FinalRustyNails]

this idea reminds me of the "plop" i did at the world scout jamboree , search it... world scout jamboree the plop

[@virginiaham5464]

That was really impressive. I've done a few things similar myself, but yours was really stelar. I have a somewhat interesting project I've done called "blue waffle". Give it a Google and let me know what you think. Cheers!

[@newforestpixie5297]

You shat at a scout jambouree perhaps ? I promise to search this when I next get some fffing peace . My spaniel collie cross threw up extremely stinky and runny diaorreahh at the back of the 122 - and the downward slope into the bus station enhanced the situation so’s everyone on board could share the fun . I offered to clean it up - Sorry Wilts&Dorset . I could listen to Mr Drummond all day incidentaly - he can’t play Lymington Bus Depot cos it’s re developed into Luxury Apartments for ladies miles older and financially better off than us. An Ice-Creme Coloured Van will do in summer thank-you.

[@iiovetelaviv8094]

Few mistakes 1.It was not Menachem Begin it was Yitzhak Rabin 2.It's not Israeli accent it's New york Jewish accent 3. The song was never a number one in the west bank they didn't even had a music charts. they barely listen to western music back then.

[@kaksikymmenta3]

I saw the graffiti under the Hakaniemi bridge...

[@Juha_Virtanen]

What?? When?? What u talkin about?

[@kaksikymmenta3]

@@Juha_Virtanen It was there around 2013. Kuvittele, että heräät huomenna ja kaikki musiikki on kadonnut. It was on the side of Kruununhaka best place to see it was Hakaniemenranta or on the Korkeasaari zoo ferry.

[@Juha_Virtanen]

@@kaksikymmenta3 u think it was Bill? :O

[@kaksikymmenta3]

@@Juha_Virtanen Yes. Pic is gone but: www.the17.org/tours/coast-to-coast/helsinki/graffiti

[@kaksikymmenta3]

@@Juha_VirtanenHe was here few times: yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2017/03/03/klfn-bill-drummondin-tuntematon-suomi-projekti

[@LampoonGoon]

223rd Like ;)

[@rossturcotte419]

prat

[@dirkmarkham]

do

[@loosezilla]

This guy still alive?

[@MrDragon1968]

No, he's justified and ancient.

[@SeniorDigitalMarketing]

ipod killed music. lol

[@lewisroberts1899]

ok boomer

[@robertsmithee1455]

I wonder if Mr. Drummond knows about Sacred Harp music. It feels like he (in a way with The 17) was working on re-inventing the 'magic' that is a 'human' expression in sound. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Harp