The Flaming Lips | Breathe

The Flaming Lips hit up Late Night Jimmy on Friday for their rendition of Pink Floyd's classic "Breathe." A fantastic performance...

Rant

When the big huh-bub over The Flaming Lips "Do You Realize??" being voted the official rock song of Oklahoma came to a head last week it was a little sad for me.  The State Senate voted for the song, the State Legislature voted against the song because Michael Ivins wore a shirt to the capitol emblazoned with the former Russian hammer and sickle.  It was sad because it just went to show how backward and conservative the state is.  My brother has that shirt and has worn it a lot the last few years and has gotten a lot of compliments on it.  But, I think the thing that was the worst is that once the song was voted in it made Oklahoma look like it was actually pretty cool.  Then when all this happened it made us once again look like dumb hicks.

However, I'm glad to see that that Gov. Brad Henry went ahead and voted it in as the state rock song.  

Wayne Takes Your Love Over The Borderline, Borderline!

In true Flaming Lips fashion the OKC group (and his nephew in Stardeath and White Dwarfs) let their freak flags fly on the video for their cover of Madonna's "Borderline."  What would a Lips video be without crazy video playing behind the band?

Under The Cover

There somethin' about Wayne that really has a hold on me.  I think it's his eccentricity that does it for me.  That plus good music and the fact he still lives in The City.  He and his nephew's band, Stardeath and White Dwarfs, have covered Madonna's "Borderline" for Warner Bros. 50th anniversary covers compilation Covered, A Revolution in Sound.  

I know what you're thinking, it's going to be some weird Flaming Lips version of her song.  Well, that's not far off.  However, the Lips (and Stardeath...) put their own stamp on it an turned it into their song.  I think even Mr. Blue would love it, as long as they don't cover "Papa Don't Preach."

MP3:  The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs - Borderline

New Christmas on Mars Tune

Christmas on Mars will be out in two weeks. Today, Stereogum debuted a new track called "Once Beyond Hopelessness" from the Lips and the movie. The song is pretty creepy, maybe even erie.

I'm not sure exactly how good the movie will be. I'm sure in it's really obsurd, weird way it will be entertaining. I'm not expecting it to be the greatest movie ever captured on film. I really kind of think it's going to turn out to be a movie generations of kids will watch while they experience their first acid trip. That would be my guess.

But, for those of you out there who absolutely, positively have to have the super-deluxe edition of Christmas on Mars, check the video below as Wayne drops knowledge on all the things you will receive.

Flaming Lips News

It may be a little late to tell you about the second annual March of 1000 Flaming Skeletons being promoted again by The Oklahoma City Gazette. If you are in or around OKC on October 25 you can get a skeleton suit and have Wayne Coyne direct you as what to do. If you missed it last year, it looked something like this.

There are some things you need to know: 1) only standard and large size costumes. 2) You can only buy two costumes. 3) NO REFUNDS!

Oh, on a side note, indier-than-though Pitchfork has a stream of The Lips new songs "Space Bible With Volume Bumps" off the "Christmas on Mars" soundtrack. Well, it sounds like a Flaming Lips Chrismas song. Or as Wayne puts it "bleepy Sci-Fi lounge music." So, it may be good chill out music after peaking at your next Flaming Lips show.

At Home With Wayne

Wayne has really come a long way since the halcyon days of kickin' it at the Peach Pit with Brenda and Brandon singin' "She Don't Use Jelly." Nowadays they put on kick-ass New Year's Eve shows in their home town and get top billing at festivals. Now Wayne can add being featured in the New York Times "Home & Garden" section.

They did a nice little write up about the wonderfully weird house that belongs to Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Coyne. I can't believe she's been with him since he worked at Long John Silver's! That's love people. But, they also have some pictures of the house and it actually looks really cool. It's looks like Wayne merged his kookiness with modern home styling. I actually wish I could live in that house.

But, I still think the coolest thing is that Wayne still reps the OKC. He lives in a shitty neighborhood and doesn't want to move out of it. Sure, he has to worry about crack dealers and prostitutes, but it's home for the Coynes.

Wayne

Wayne Coyne recently spoke with Spinner about a few songs they have worked on for their follow up to At War With The Mystics. Wayne was typcially Wayne and said true/funny shit like this regarding one of the new tracks:

"It's called 'Smoking Crystal Meth Obliterates the Ability to Enjoy Nature,'" Coyne told Spinner about one of the new numbers. "I live in probably one of the worst neighborhoods in Oklahoma City. I've lived here my whole life, but you know, you get exposed to the worst elements and all that s---. What canyou do?"

Then he had this to say about music changing the world and the tenatively titled "I Don't Understand Karma":

"Where he (John Lennon) would sing about 'Instant Karma' -- I'm 47. People forget he died when he was 40 and a lot of his overly optimistic, 'We are gonna fucking change the world' sort of stuff came in his 30s," Coyne said. "I think they believed some of what they were singing about would change the world, but after a while you realize music doesn't change the world. Music is just music, and changing the world is a big, tall, slow, boring thing, and frankly I don't know the world needs changing. The world is great. It's people that suck."

Wayne Explains Reason For Christmas on Mars

Wayne Coyne, Oklahoma (City) icon, rock and/or roll icon...all around excentric dude. He explains why he did Christmas on Mars. (Oklahoma Rockblog)

The Who Gets "Honored"

Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and The Flaming Lips will all take part in the 2008 VH1 Rock Honors: The Who.

I'm pretty pumped about this one because I like all of the participating bands. PJ routinely covers The Who in concert, and I'm sure Dave Grohl and Wayne Coyne are big fans as well.

The show will broadcast on July 17. Check your local listings. (Billboard)

Christmas on Mars Poster

I've already told you about "Christmas on Mars" is set to be released. Now you can take a look at the poster. Wayne, so stoic, so strange. (Oklahoma Rock Blog)

The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize? (Postal Service Remix/mp3)

The Flaming Lips - Life on Mars (David Bowie Cover/mp3)

Christmas on Mars

At long last The Flaming Lips will debut their movie "Christmas on Mars" at the Sasquatch! Music Festival on May 25. A buddy of mine has been anxiously anticipating this movie since he first heard about it in 2001 when the movie started filming. Filming was finished three years ago, so, I'm not sure why it's coming out now. Why did it take so long Wayne?!

But, Fred Armisen, Elijah Wood, Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse and Steve "I Hosted Blue's Clues" Burns are in it. The trailer has aspects of it that remind me of "Eraserhead" and that kind of scares me. That movie freaked my beans back in the day. I'm sure Wayne has he typical Wayne Coyne stuff in it. If it's half as good as "Fearless Freaks" then we will be in for a treat.