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The "What Time Is Love?" Story

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The "What Time Is Love?" Story
Compilation album by
Released25 September 1989
Recorded1988–1989
StudioTrancentral
Genre
Length39:23
LabelKLF Communications
ProducerThe KLF
The KLF chronology
Shag Times
(1989)
The "What Time Is Love?" Story
(1989)
Chill Out
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
New Musical Express8/10[1]
Q[2]
Spin Alternative Record Guide5/10[3]

The "What Time Is Love?" Story is a compilation album by British electronic music duo The KLF, comprising six versions of their techno track "What Time Is Love?".[4]

Origin

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By 1989 (see 1989 in music), the popularity of the "Pure Trance Original" of "What Time Is Love?" in European clubs had reportedly spawned eighteen unauthorised cover versions and sound-alikes.[5] In a novel move, some of these were collated by The Orb's Alex Paterson at The KLF's behest, and released as a compilation album entitled The "What Time Is Love?" Story, which was sold commercially for half the price of a conventional album.

Released on 25 September 1989 on LP and CD, The "What Time Is Love?" Story used the same basic design lay-out as the "Pure Trance Original" singles, but the colour scheme was altered: lurid pink writing on lurid green (for the vinyl), and lurid green on lurid pink (for the CD).

Authorship

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Many commentators have speculated that all of these 'covers' were in fact the work of The KLF themselves. Q magazine, for example, commented that "one wonders why all the vocalists sound so alike (and British, even when praising Allah)" and asked of their readers "wouldn't it be a good scam if you released 18 differing versions scattered across Europe?".[2] However, of the artists featuring on the LP, all possess an independent discography: Liaisons D, a collective that includes techno producer Frank De Wulf, has an extensive discography;[6] Neon is Belgian producer Jean Pierre Bulté of Target Records;[7] Dr. Felix is a pseudonym of Italian producer Claudio Donato.[8] And finally, K.L.F.S., albeit being a one-off shoot, was actually the brainchild of two Italian Hi-NRG producers M. Parmigiani and Marcello Catalano.[9]

The album also includes a live version of "What Time Is Love?", performed at the "Land Of Oz", the chill-out room of the London nightclub Heaven, where Paterson regularly DJed alongside The KLF co-founder Jimmy Cauty. The track was recorded on 31 July 1989, one week after a single release of further "What Time Is Love?" remixes. The date also marked the release of The KLF's pop single "Kylie Said to Jason".

Track listing

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  1. The KLF — "What Time Is Love?" (Original) – 7:05
  2. Dr. Felix — "Relax Your Body" – 6:32
  3. K.L.F.S. — "What Time Is Love?" (Italian Mix) – 6:10
  4. Liaisons D. — "Heartbeat" – 5:55
  5. Neon — "No Limit" (Dance Mix 4'58) – 4:58
  6. The KLF — "What Time Is Love?" (Live at the Land of Oz) – 8:43

Notes

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  1. ^ Mead, Helen (21 October 1989). "Long Play: The KLF — What Time Is Love? (KLF Communications)". New Musical Express. London: IPC Limited. p. 39. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved 5 June 2023 – via Flickr.
  2. ^ a b Cranna, Ian (October 1989). "The "What Time Is Love?" Story". Q (Review). Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.Wikipedia:WikiProject The KLF/LibraryOfMu/485
  3. ^ Strauss, Neil (1995). "KLF". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 213–214. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  4. ^ Robbins, Ira. "KLF". Trouser Press.
  5. ^ Cauty, Cressida (August 1989). "KLF Info Sheet 6". KLF Communications. Archived (via the Library of Mu) on 16 September 2016.Wikipedia:WikiProject The KLF/LibraryOfMu/506
  6. ^ "Liaisons D Discography", Discogs (link). Retrieved 6 April 2006.
  7. ^ "Jean Pierre Bulté Discography", Discogs (link). Retrieved 6 April 2006.
  8. ^ "Claudio Donato Discography", Discogs (link). Retrieved 6 April 2006.
  9. ^ "K.L.F.S. Discography", Discogs (link). Retrieved 25 May 2007.

References

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