"1987 (What the Fuck Is Going On?)" is the debut studio album by the British electronic band The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (the JAMs), later known as the KLF. Released independently in June 1987, the album stirred controversy due to its extensive use of unauthorized samples that borrowed from a wide array of musical works. This approach was consistent with the band's earlier single "All You Need Is Love," setting a tone of deliberate provocation through beatbox rhythms and cryptic, politically charged raps.
The album faced legal challenges swiftly after its release when the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society ordered the JAMs to destroy all unsold copies following a complaint from ABBA about the unauthorized sampling. In response, the JAMs engaged in unconventional and highly publicized acts of disposal for many copies of "1987," cementing its reputation as a controversial cultural artifact.
As a creative response to the legal issues, the JAMs also released an altered version titled "1987 (The JAMs 45 Edits)," which effectively removed all unauthorized samples, leaving extended periods of silence and minimal audible content. This reimagining transformed the album into a format formally classified as a 12-inch single, highlighting the band's innovative approach to navigating legal and artistic boundaries.
Overall, "1987 (What the Fuck Is Going On?)" remains a significant entry in the KLF's discography, reflecting their early experimentation with sampling, their confrontational stance toward copyright norms, and their pioneering role in the electronic music scene of the late 1980s.
