The KLF

Bill Drummond's musical career began in 1977 when he founded the punk group Big In Japan. The group's membership also included future successful musicians Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood), Budgie (Siouxsie and the Banshees), and Ian Broudie (The Lightning Seeds).

After Big In Japan's demise, Drummond and another member David Balfe started Zoo Records. From 1979 he acted as manager, producer and publisher for post-punk outfits The Teardrop Explodes and Echo And The Bunnymen before leaving his home city of Liverpool to concentrate on work as an A&R man for WEA records in London. Among the acts he worked with there were Strawberry Switchblade and a group called Brilliant which had been formed by former Killing Joke bassist, Youth, and featured a guitarist called Jimmy Cauty.

In 1987 Bill Drummond joined with Jimmy Cauty to form The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (The JAMs), a collaboration that played out in various guises and media over much of the next decade, including The TimeLords and KLF.