PROJECT:

FLAMING LIPS ORIGINS

Retracing the five year start of The Flaming Lips. The Origins project is a collection of digital and physical creations born out of a reflection of the early days and the iconic moments that have remained in my brain.

#1 FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD

CHAPTER: #001    06/29/21

I met Wayne Coyne in 1977 on the front row of the Led Zeppelin concert in Oklahoma City. His brother Mark and I were classmates and friends in eighth grade at Moon middle school. Mark had introduced me to the Beatles White album and, of course, nothing would ever be the same. It made perfect sense that we would eventually be together in a band aspiring to be the next Beatles. view details

 

#2 BOWERY BUMS & HOSTAGE CHICKEN

CHAPTER: #002    06/29/21

The first recording sessions for the EP were made at Benson sound in Oklahoma City. Wayne‘s dad had some credit built up in a barter system and he gave us that credit, to use at the studio. We had to record late at night, after hours, so that meant Mark and I were fully engaged in the day's partying by the time we got to the studio. . Some sessions are still a blur. view details

 

#3 HERE COME THE PUNKS!

CHAPTER: #003    06/29/21

Late 70s, early 80s, the punk was on. Punk rock was taking over. Or, at least we thought. We were caught in a transition between classic rock ‘n’ roll and a new, more reactionary style. We loved it. Angry young people screaming at the top of their lungs, playing simple two chord songs. It was an exorcism for youth everywhere and the buckle of the Bible belt was not going to stay safe from it's grasp. Oklahoma had never seen such a repudiation, an out right aggression towards everything holy. To us, the punk movement was a big fuck you to the establishment and the powers that be in every way. view details

 

#4 MOSH PITS & MOHAWKS

CHAPTER: #004    06/29/21

Dead Kennedys, the Buzzcocks, Black Flag… Something good was cooking, you could smell it. view details

 

#5 Hold The Phone, Jesus Is Back

CHAPTER: #005    07/01/21

Sitting in the old station wagon with Mike and Mark outside of the Coyne's house. Wayne jumps in with some mail his mom gave him. She was all excited to tell us about it and how it looked like it was from one of the college radio stations we had sent the EP out to. We were all anxious to hear our first review. Bad or good, we were ready for it. Wayne read it out loud. I'll never forget that first line..."Hot Shit! Hold the phone!! Jesus is back!" view details

 

#6 Jesus, Mary, Pig Heads & Luck

CHAPTER: #006    07/02/21

Going to California. First time. Hollywood here we come. Wanting to make a good first impression, so we went to a meat market and bought a pigs head for the show. I remember having to strategize how to put a chain through it so Mark could wear it around his neck. The IBeam didn't seem to mind. I mean, we didn't tell em. Okie boys just do the thing and ask permission later. Or, don't. view details

 

#7 And Then There Were Three

CHAPTER: #007    07/04/21

The things that were said, not said, and said but not meant, all led up to an inevitable moment. There's nothing braver than to watch a great man struggle with adversity. view details

 

#8 Welcome To The Hear And Now

CHAPTER: #008    07/04/21

Pie Pans, Death & Delivery. Have you ever been to Spain? Well, I've been to Oklahoma. It ain't heaven. view details

 

#9 It Is, And That's All There Is

CHAPTER: #009    07/05/21

Hear It Is ~ Finally a record contract and an album. Inevitability rises to meet the day. view details

 

#10 A LOSS THAT COMES WITH WINNING

CHAPTER: #010    07/06/21

Every step of progress comes with a degree of loss. An exchange of perceptions and a trade off of values. When you got something, you got something to lose. view details

 

#11 You Are What You Eat, And We Don't Eat

CHAPTER: #011    07/07/21

Mountain Dew and a Payday and I'm good to Bozeman. Physiological studies at 80mph. view details

 

#12 Ambition Is A Helluva Drug

CHAPTER: #012    07/09/21

This is no social crisis, just a sunburn. When you reach that pinnacle you've been working towards you eventually start looking for the next one. And the next one. The focus becomes about winning and the fun turns to competition. view details

 

#13 We're On A Mission From Gawd

CHAPTER: #013    07/10/21

Official members of the sonictified road warrior asylum and a fresh blessing from Kim.. most days we just hovered above the scatterings and orphanages. view details

 

#14 Bigger Fish To Fry

CHAPTER: #014    07/12/21

Warning: The following content may contain rude, lewd, crude and nude remarks. Just kidding. That's all water under the bridge. What bridge? view details

 

#15 A Beautiful Accident

CHAPTER: #015    07/18/21

The weight of expectations brought about a greater sense of urgency. Our response was to block out the pressure by not caring, and leaping head first into the what-if. It must have looked a lot like grace under pressure. view details

 

#16 An Exorcism In Slow Motion

CHAPTER: #016    07/22/21

Ahh, the creative freedom to bash pianos mercilessly. Nothing like it! . view details

 

#17 A Sonzai Matsudai

CHAPTER: #017    07/24/21

Heading East out of New Orleans at 3 o'clock in the morning desperately looking for a good radio station on the dial. "Here's something.. ", (kinda diggin it), "wait..", "that's us!" view details

PROJECT:

Alien Message

Summer of 1972 on a baseball diamond at Wilson Elementary.
Everything changed.