Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips, ‘The Soft Bulletin’, 1999. I’ve followed this band for donkeys. In 1985 I saw The Jesus & Mary Chain (with an 18-year-old Bobby Gillespie on drums) in San Francisco. The Lips were supporting. Weirdly, I met their then drummer at a party the next night and, even more bizarrely, he’d lived in my hometown of Andover, Hants, UK. So, they’ve been on my radar for years. They finally broke big with this, their ninth album. It’s a modern classic. If you like a bit of psychedelia, Prog, folk, Rock, riffs, strangeness, melodies, atmospherics, dense layered instrumentation, dream states, guitar solos, all with a whiff of jazz-cigarettes and mind altering substances, then these guys will not disappoint. Wayne Coyne the singer has a high, slightly out of tune, pitch and is a charismatic front man. Search them up on Youtube – their gigs are full of balloons, confetti, lights, unicorns, bizarre costumes and general hilarity. It’s Psychedelia, Jim, but not as we know it.
‘Race For The Prize’ kicks it off and it’s how they start gigs. Big distorted Led Zeppelin drums, strings, synths and explosive fun. ‘A Spoonful Weighs A Ton’ tinkly piano, flute, slabs of bass. ’Buggin’’ insects, strumming, guitar licks. ‘Waitin’ For A Superman’ more big drums, piano and sad tune. ’What Is The Light’ slow heavy piano, heartbeat drum, more strings.
Know what? Do yourself a favour and dig this one out. It already stands the test of time and people will still be listening to it for decades to come. There are more ideas, tunes, melodies, inventiveness and general joy here than in the whole of Britpop put together.
Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips, ‘The Soft Bulletin’, 1999. I’ve followed this band for donkeys. In 1985 I saw The Jesus & Mary Chain (with an 18-year-old Bobby Gillespie on drums) in San Francisco. The Lips were supporting. Weirdly, I met their then drummer at a party the next night and, even more bizarrely, he’d lived in my hometown of Andover, Hants, UK. So, they’ve been on my radar for years. They finally broke big with this, their ninth album. It’s a modern classic. If you like a bit of psychedelia, Prog, folk, Rock, riffs, strangeness, melodies, atmospherics, dense layered instrumentation, dream states, guitar solos, all with a whiff of jazz-cigarettes and mind altering substances, then these guys will not disappoint. Wayne Coyne the singer has a high, slightly out of tune, pitch and is a charismatic front man. Search them up on Youtube – their gigs are full of balloons, confetti, lights, unicorns, bizarre costumes and general hilarity. It’s Psychedelia, Jim, but not as we know it.
‘Race For The Prize’ kicks it off and it’s how they start gigs. Big distorted Led Zeppelin drums, strings, synths and explosive fun. ‘A Spoonful Weighs A Ton’ tinkly piano, flute, slabs of bass. ’Buggin’’ insects, strumming, guitar licks. ‘Waitin’ For A Superman’ more big drums, piano and sad tune. ’What Is The Light’ slow heavy piano, heartbeat drum, more strings.
Know what? Do yourself a favour and dig this one out. It already stands the test of time and people will still be listening to it for decades to come. There are more ideas, tunes, melodies, inventiveness and general joy here than in the whole of Britpop put together.