[arg_discuss] Personal Influences/Antecedents

[Kristian Leth DR]

The KLF! 

They created an alternate world, a prism that made RL look fantastic/magical/silly. I'm incredibly inspired by their ability to recast the media we already know, as vehicles for something completely different. They were amazing. Their songs and performances and lyrics hinted at a larger conspiracy, a world that had a plot, and made you look again, this time with a sense of magic wonder.

They rewrote the rules of the music industry with art masquerading as pop, and ARG-like events that made journalists members of their personal cult. In 1993 (after their initital pop career) they bought full page ads proclaiming "Abandon All Art Now". Then - as the mysterious K Foundation - they announced an alternative to the very prestigious Turner Award (20.000 pounds): They would award the worst work of art that year with 40.000 pounds. Of course, the award ended up being given to the artist who won the Turner.

Steeped in mysticism and conspiracy theory, The KLF/K Foundation then staged a fantastic event where they had the reporting journalists dress in yellow robes and travel to a mythic island where they participated in a ritual, that culminated in the burning of 1.000.000 pounds! 

Meant as a commentary on the art world's focus on money, that marked the (almost) ending of an amazing career.

Brief intro:
Bill Drummond and Jimi Cauty came from two different parts of the music business and joined forces first to make a hiphop album (as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu - The JAMS). They sampled agressively - hilariously - and were sued to hell. The copies of the album were eventually burned, even though the two travelled to Sweden (from the UK) to talk ABBA into dropping the case. They failed.

Then they created the chart topper Doctorin' The Tardis - as The Timelords - and wrote the legendary book The Manual - How To Have A Number One Hit The Easy Way. (The Manual was later used with success by another group tocreate the number one hit Edelweiss).

As The KLF (Kopyright Liberation Foundation?) they forged a worldwide success from pop melodies, genre-defining acid house and occult lyrics that hinted at a worldwide conspiracy. After the album Chill Out (that basically defined the brand new genre to most audiences) they had number one hits with guest stars like Tammy Wynette.

When they peaked, they were the best-selling singles act in the world. They were to receive several Brit Awards, but sent someone else to receive them. Then they performed one of their biggest hits 3.A.M. Eternal - or actually, they had the trash-rock group Extreme Noise Terror do it for them - and announced that "The KLF has left the music industry!" They dropped a sheep carcass at the after party red carpet. Briefly thereafter, The KLF recalled all copies of their two albums and destroyed them.

Kristian

-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org på vegne af Michael Monello
Sendt: sø 13-01-2008 19:31
Til: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG
Emne: [arg_discuss] Personal Influences/Antecedents
 
A question for y'all!

Who/what are the people/projects that have exerted a great influence  
over your work, but might not be considered part of the ARG or ARG  
like history to date?

I've been thinking about this a lot after reading a draft white paper  
that Brian Clark is writing. While I think we can all point to things  
and people that are commonly considered to have influenced the genre,  
I'd like to know what or who has particularly inspired YOU. This will  
likely be a very personal response, but I'm interested to see if there  
are any common threads to be found.

I'm working up a post for my site on one of many of my idols/sources  
of inspiration, so I'm going to hold off answering until later tonight  
but I thought I'd get the ball rolling now!

Best,

Michael Monello
Partner, Campfire
62 White Street, 3W
New York, NY 10013
212-612-9600
http://www.campfirenyc.com
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