John Higgs - The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds

Nigel’s choices

THEME: Hail Eris! All Hail Discordia!

We met on Thursday 12 June 2025 to discuss Nigel’s choices around the theme Hail Eris! All Hail Discordia!

Robin, Nick, and Roland were unable to attend but all sent in reviews.

Nigel explained that he had recently been revisiting classic five star books he’d read before and finding the experience very rewarding. He decided to extend this idea to this HBG choice.

He had been blown away by The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds (2015) by John Higgs when he first read it and thought it would make a suitable choice and which he hoped would hit the collective HBG sweet spot. 

It’s a pop biography for people who don’t read pop biographies. Higgs makes like Adam Curtis brainstorming all manner of magical thinking and conspiracy theories. Touching on Dada, Doctor Who and Discordianism, it’s as playful and unique as the KLF themselves.

Keen to avoid the obvious theme of The KLF, Nigel hit on the idea of Discordianism which would provide a coherent and humorous unifying theme and the opportunity for some interesting complementary choices.

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READ: John Higgs - The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds

Nigel fessed up that he is a massive fan of local boy John Higgs, has read all his books, and seen him give many talks. He’s a great hero to Nigel and an essential writer. 

Like all John’s books, The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds uses its central subject as a jumping off  point into a bigger and much stranger world.

The KLF were the bestselling singles band in the world, garnered with awards, credibility, commercial success and creative freedom - and this despite being enigmatic, highly unorthodox and disruptive, Situationist-inspired, surreal, confusing, and deliberately anti-establishment. 

At the peak of their global success, they famously deleted all their records, erased themselves from musical history, and burnt their last million pounds in a boathouse on the Isle of Jura. And yet they couldn’t explain why.

The way Higgs tells it this is not just the story of The KLF. It is a story that embraces Carl Jung, Alan Moore, Robert Anton Wilson, Ken Campbell, Dada, Situationism, Discordianism, magic, chaos, punk, rave, the alchemical symbolism of Doctor Who, and the special power of the number 23, amongst many other things.

Second time round Nigel still loves this book. Here’s a few examples of made it so interesting and thought provoking:

Characters being in a story they don’t know they’re in

The human tendency to retrospectively and consistently create false narratives

The weird and wonderful history of Discordianism

The self reverential reality tunnels which trap us all to an extent. The menu is not the meal, the map is not the territory etc. Models are not the real world. We are free to use and discard contradictory models as circumstances change

The central question the book asks is were Jimmy Caulty and Bill Drummond attention seeking arseholes? Or did they came across the idea of burning a million quid in “idea space” (Alan Moore) or the “collective unconsciousness” (Carl Jung) and were so moved by it they had no choice but to act? Nigel thought Higgs makes a very convincing case for the latter. 

Hamish thought it was entertaining bollocks which he thoroughly enjoyed. Hamish has a lot of love for Bill Drummond primarily because of his connection to the peerless Liverpool music scene of the early 1980s.

Keith concluded John Higgs weaves a fabulous story and this was an engaging book with lots to follow up on.

Tristan diligently researched The KLF before getting stuck in, reminding himself of the Time Lords and some of The KLF's tunes and videos, including the infamous appearance at The Brits with Extreme Noise Terror. 

Tristan enjoyed the tangents that played with his head and emerged from the experience with a lot more sympathy towards Drummond and Caulty, and their motives for burning their final million quid, deleting all their music, and exiting the music business, souls still intact. He can really get behind fun non-fiction books. More please.

Roland was unimpressed. He felt that, by the end of the book, Higgs had delivered a story based on very little, full of conjecture and flights of fancy and which was ultimately quite boring. 

Robin felt this was a timely read as we arguably live in an age of Discordianism. He felt there was much to enjoy and appreciate, and concluded this is a thoroughly enjoyable book. He also intends to read The Manual in order to have his own number one single. 

Nick described the book as strange and pretentious, a bit like The KLF, however acknowledged that a regular music biography would not have done justice to the seriously weird story of Messrs Cauty and Drummond. Higgs is the Adam Curtis of the literary world, using the story of the KLF as a starting point into all manner of things, and populated by a cast of big thinkers and bonafide weirdos including the geniuses who are Alan Moore and were Ken Campbell. 

Nick now loves The KLF more than before he’d read this book. They threw away a glorious career and kept their dignity whilst burning a million quid. 

A great read

Nick 8.5 / Tristan 7.5 / Nigel 10 / Keith 9 / Roland 3 / Robin 8 / Hamish 7.5

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LISTEN: Pixies - Surfer Rosa (1988)

Roland did not review Surfer Rosa.

Nigel remembered being blown away when John Peel played tunes from this and Come On Pilgrim. Instant love. He bought them both. Pixies really set the template for so much that was to follow in rock. Quiet introspection followed by explosive riffing and noise. Beauty and chaos, and those often surreal and ambiguous lyrics, meld to disconcert and leave the listener questioning and uneasy. 

Nick feels this album still sounds subversive and wonderful. What a band. Often copied, never bettered. As important as Brian Wilson.

Tristan found it loud and chaotic filled with noise and non-sequiturs. He knows of what he speaks. His brother insisted they both watch them at the Reading Festival. 

Robin has to be in the right mood.

Keith thinks this is a good album with its spare arrangements and powerful tunes.

Hamish bought this back in the day but didn’t get into it however 37 years on he thinks it sounds much better and really generates power.

All hail Pixies

Nick - / Tristan 6 / Nigel 8 / Keith - / Robin - / Hamish -

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Watch: Fight Club (1999)

Like huge numbers of people, Nigel loved Fight Club when it came out but had not seen it since watching it in the cinema in 1999. 

After rewatching it, Nigel was delighted with how well it fits with the Discordian theme and wondered if the film's other themes had become even more relevant. For example, the film’s central critique about the emptiness of materialism and the pursuit of consumer goods, the narrator's disillusionment with his IKEA-filled life, Tyler Durden's anti-establishment rhetoric and how - in the modern world of Andrew Tate, toxic masculinity and incels - the film's portrayal of men seeking connection and purpose outside traditional norms. Not to mention mental health, isolation, and the dangers of extremism.

It’s also a visceral, wild ride of a viewing experience: the insomniac insurance drone haunting self-help groups for fatal illnesses until he encounters Tyler Durden the charismatic anarchist who invites him to move into his decrepit house leading to recreational fist-fights, and ultimately an underground masculinist movement.

Nick had completely forgotten the whole plot of the movie and so really enjoyed the twist again. He loved it all over again.

Robin loves Ed Norton and enjoyed the film

Keith called this great entertainment. Whilst not subtle this adrenaline filled film still stands up

Roland was generally underwhelmed and felt it was a bit superficial despite the wonderful fight choreography and scenes of urban terrorism. The malaise felt thin and Roland wondered what motivated the characters. More of a vehicle for Brad Pitt than anything more substantial.

Hamish felt the film's ideas are still relevant and overall it's good despite also being a little unsubtle and occasionally clunky.

Tristan did not have a chance to rewatch so was relying on his memories from 1999. He has fond memories and intends to rewatch it given the group’s positivity.

Nick - / Tristan - / Nigel 9 / Keith 7 / Roland 4 / Robin 7 / Hamish -

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ENDORSE IT 

HBG endorse it: 8 May 2025 - 12 June 2025

Some music…

Spoiler - Baloji

The Fatback Band - (Are you Ready) Do the Bus Stop

The Pill - Mullet

Amadou and Mariam (RIP Amadou)

Pulp - More (2025)

MUBI - the film streaming channel

The Ballad of Wallis Island (Film)

Empire (History Podcast) - episodes about Ireland

Geoff Robb (Robin’s guitarist pal) - see website for gigs

Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever (Netflix)

Martin Parr and JJ Waller Exhibition at Hove Museum - Free entry. Ends 14 Sept 25 (Photography)

The Rehearsal (Sky Comedy)

Caitlin Moran "How To Be A Woman"

Caitlin Moran on hearing Don's comments

On Tuesday 19th March 2013 Hove Book Group met up for another evening of top flight cultural discourse.  Here is an eye witness account of what went down.

Nick implored the group to explore their female sides with three selections that took us down Equality Avenue.  We came to the event having all read Caitlin Moran's best selling book "How To Be A Woman".  Nick felt the book was mis-sold and was more about Caitlin than a generic book about women.  Nick likes to think of himself as someone sympathetic to feminism, as long as it doesn't involve too much shouting at men that is. Despite this modern and enlightened approach Nick felt the book did not offer much more than some great one-liners and sporadic wisdom - specifically the sections on abortion and child birth.  A good read.  6/10

To Nigel, a renowned 50 something liberal male, Caitlin Moran is preaching to the converted.  There's very little in her book for him to disagree with.  He will encourage his daughter to read it once she is 15 or 16.  Nigel felt there were some parts of the book where Caitlin could have been far more succinct without diluting the message.  Nigel ran through the notes he had made at the end of each chapter.  Some chapters were far more successful than others.  The ones that Nigel thought were most effective included "I Start Bleeding", "I Become Furry" ,"I am Fat", "I Encounter Some Sexism", "I Am In Love", "I Get Married", "I Get Into Fashion", and "Abortion".  Nigel took issue with Caitlin's support of celebrity gossip magazines, "Buying them only encourages them and their agenda to undermine women Caitlin".  Her style is fairly strident and opinionated which might not be to everyone's taste, and some sections are a little overlong, but fundamentally it's a wise and funny book with some helpful and thoughtful insights.  7/10  

Before the meeting there had been some speculation about Don's reaction to this book.  Previous books that Don disliked having been shredded, thrown on a compost bin etc. Don confessed that this was a new genre for him and that he really liked Caitlin's column in The Times newspaper.  So far, so encouraging, alas he then stated that a lot of the content had already appeared in her newspaper columns, that she was "fine in small doses" before a parting shot that this book was "witless, turgid and unfunny".  Don stopped reading on page 161.  Ouch.  Take that Caitlin Moran.

Don said what?!

Jason's wife had read him some funny sections of the book a few months before this gathering, and so inspired Jason to read the whole thing.  Once Jason sat down and started reading "How to Be a Woman" properly he felt he'd already heard the best bits.  That said, by the time Caitlin Moran stated "in many ways, there is no crueller or more inappropriate present to give a child than oestrogen and a big pair of tits. Had anyone asked me I think I would have requested a book token or maybe a voucher for C&A instead", Jason realised he was reading a helpful book and as Caitlin states, "I'm neither 'pro-women' nor 'anti-men'. I'm just 'Thumbs up for the six billion."  "Right on", murmured Jason. 6.5/10

Robin lost his kindle on a plane and, with it, his copy of this book.  Nigel's copy arrived too late for him to finish it.  Doh!  Robin then digressed, and described how none of his girlfriends had ever engaged in masturbation.  Whilst the group digested this sensational news, Robin then questioned the extent to which Caitlin had masturbated.  Robin felt this was a book that might as well have been subtitled "common sense, with some jokes and improbably high levels of masturbation". 5/10

Caitlin hears Robin's remarks about female masturbation

Hamish felt this was not a book about feminism, rather a book about Caitlin and modern life.  His wife had found it hilarious, Hamish less so.  Was it more funny to female readers?  The jokes are integral to the book. Hamish thought her account of the birth of her first child was absolutely brilliant; and her husband's tears at her suffering is beautifully and memorably described. She can also squeeze in a gag on how the whole experience has given her perspective: "I doubt that I will get angry about Norwich Union changing its name to 'Aviva' ever again." 5/10

Keith stated that this was his kind of feminism and Caitlin was his kind of woman.  Great news.  Persuasive, honest, passionate, inclusive.  Keith was impressed by Caitlin and her book. The book's achievement is to make feminism seem unthreatening and simple. Caitlin is not anti-men and believes that we're all just "The Guys", that sexism is just a form of bad manners, and that one thing that would help is more imaginative porn.  Keith says a hearty "Yes" to all of the above.  9/10

Tristan heartily enjoyed it.  A funny, liberal book.  Tristan then distributed an eye opening photo of Germaine Greer to illustrate a point about female-centric pornography.  Tristan stated that it is really important that we talk about this stuff and understand it.  That Caitlin Moran's book is also engaging, brave, clever, and funny is a bonus.  Everybody should read it.  8.5/10 

An interesting debate with a variety of views - with most participants from Hove's number one book group feeling that this was a well written book with humour, insight and power.  Thank you Caitlin Moran.


The Pixies' legendary female bassist informed Nick's musical choice "Doolittle" by The Pixies....

Sadly at this point the notes became a series of illegible scrawls and crude and childish drawings.

The Allmusic review concludes with "A fun, freaky alternative to most other late-'80s college rock, it's easy to see why the album made the Pixies into underground rock stars."  Broadly speaking: 

Nick and Nigel are fans and very positive about the band and this album.

Jason and Robin don't like it.

Keith, Hamish and Tristan were only partly convinced by it.

Thelma and Louise

Finally the group discussed the film "Thelma and Louise".

Despite some dreadful music, Nick really enjoyed this film.

Nigel loved it when it first came out, however felt it had dated badly and was struck by the almost universal overacting.  Still watchable but not as good as it seemed all those years ago.

Once again, at this point the meeting notes degenerate into stream of consciousness mumbo jumbo and arcane symbols that not even the experts at the British Museum could interpret.  

The end.