John Higgs Interviewed by Nick Margerrison: The KLF, Discordianism, Chaos Magic

In 1994 Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty took a million pounds to a deserted boathouse on the island of Jura and burnt it. The writer JMR Higgs looked at this event from a magickal perspective and came up with some interesting results. The story involves the world's first joke religion, the JFK assasination, Robert Anton Wilson, Alan Moore and a bunch of ideas collectively known as "Chaos Magick".
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[@markmckinney6129]

I love RAW's approach to hearing voices in his head, whether they be the god's, aliens, or the onset mental illness, that sort of stuff would completely break any "normal" person. But Robert being Robert, he makes light of it by projecting it as giant Irish Rabbit spirit. This sort of practice should be proscribed by the NHS.

[@Spudcore]

Really interesting interview. I'll be checking out John's book for sure. PS It's an excellent book. Incredibly thought-provoking and deep, I couldn't put it down. Fair play, John!

[@matmanuk]

Top interview and easily the best book I've read for a very long time - listen and learn!

[@orgonsolo6291]

Loved the interview, hope to be able to check out the book. I m on a constant KLF binge anyhow

[@electroncommerce]

Really interesting interview. Thank you!

[@edwardlouisbernays2469]

I met Timothy Leary in Hollywood 1967, took L.S.D. in September, and am 70 now, a happy man and only smoke marijuna for my health, in S F Cal. Usa. Fog City, home of Eric Hoffer wrot 'The True Believer" in 1952, and John Waters has a home here (and in Philly & NYC as well] smut pays well, to see John Waters riding the Cable Car up California Street is a thrill!

[@xanthirudha]

Wow,i cant believe this guys talk about such great content ,at 42:20 He talks about The Situationists

[@evad520]

Thornley and Oswald weren't good friends. They were in the same unit in the Marines and kind of knew each other.

[@jaguardb8483]

guys, General Semantics,,,,,,dont forget it, this = that = it doesn't, but you say it does,,,,,the meta model might helo too! be wise, love

[@drewjohn6721]

Never been a radical materialist.

[@magoon993]

why these people are nuts

[@angel-eye1971]

You're talking about chaos magick but don't believe in magick? Btw, it's magic(k).

[@stevesmith3308]

Higgs' book is very poorly executed and a painful read. It's not far off a bad college essay, is full of waffle, repetitive and consistently wanders from one irrelevancy to another. At times you need to remind yourself you are reading a book about the KLF because often they go unmentioned for pages at a time - a sure sign he's waffling to meet the word-count. He did no interviews for this book, all detail is taken from Drummond's own publications but much is completely left out. The terrible Wanda Dee isn't mentioned once for example, Cauty is hardly mentioned as an individual, we learn nothing about the studio work of the band, their influences, who they inspired. Obviously just another money-spinner for Higg's, you can be sure his research involved nothing more than browsing the internet.

[@Spudcore]

It sounds like you were expecting a straight biography of the KLF. It's not that kind of book. Their work in the studio has nothing to do with their mythology, which is really what the book is about. It's called "Chaos, Magic and the band who burned a million pounds", not "How the KLF made their hit records". It's clear from the endnotes that Higgs did plenty of research. Put it this way: if you're a boring git with no imagination this is not the book for you.

[@jayrusty2012]

I echo Adam's comments. Steve has completely missed the point of "The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds" by John Higgs

[@cob1965]

Sorry Stephen, I totally disagree, the book is a good read, well written and far far better than many music related tomes I have read recently. The clue is in the title, It wasn't meant t be a conventional biopic full of sycophantic tosh about the band.

[@augustineriley5582]

Steve - looks like was another money spinner for Higgs to me too, but not even good value for money?