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Rumour has it the band started when founder and guitarist Wayne Coyne stole a cache of musical instruments from a church hall and invited his vocalist brother Mark Coyne and Michael Ivins, the bassist, to start a band. Following a succession of drummers, Richard English was chosen as the band’s percussionist and who joined the band to record their self-titled album, released in 1985 on their very own label Lovely Sorts of Death.
Rarely has there been a band of such eclectic and esoteric appeal, a band’s whose proclivity for the surreal formed a sporadic pop career. The Flaming lips is often associated with psychedelic culture and many of the themes in the Flaming Lips’ earlier releases share this fascination for science fiction, space opera and the metaphysical world. A string of recordings on independent labels saw the band expand on their sound introducing tape loops and guitar and vocal effects. The band signed to Warner Bros. in 1990 after a representative of the label saw The Flaming Lips almost burn down a venue in Oklahoma, U.S. using pyrotechnics.
The album “Transmission from the Satellite Heart” released in 1993 was the first in which producer Dave Fridmann had not been involved. The album and in particular the song “She Don’t Use Jelly” saw the band have a more mainstream appeal and feature on a number of TV shows including Beverly Hills and Beavis and Butt-head, as well as long stints of touring, opening for the likes of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
There biggest breakthrough however, came following the release of 1999’s “The Soft Bulletin”, which drew similarities between it and The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” due to its orchestral sounds and traditional catchy melodies.
By 2007 after releasing two more full-length albums the band had won three Grammy Awards, one for Best Engineered Album in 2007 for “A War With Mystics” and two for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for “Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia) and “The Wizard Turns On…”. Since then the band has released a whopping 16 albums and have used their critical acclaim to collaborate with an impressive group of past and current musicians from Neon Indian, to Nick Cave and Erykah Badu. The Flaming Lips can seemingly do no wrong.
My friend is a Flaming Lips fan, but I was not so impressed. We went to a music festival together and for the sake of staying together I went with them to see them play.
My first impression from the strange people and decorations was, "oh great one of "these" bands." But once the opening song "The Fear," played I felt it really pierced into me. The rhythm vibrating through the speakers touched me mentally and physically. I felt the hum in my heart and the beat in my mind.
I could feel the same from everyone around me and suddenly we were all swaying in harmony as Michael used his bass to lull us into a rhythmic trance. When the song was over they picked up into a faster song and it was like I felt the urge to dance. The whole show played nicely together one song into the next.
When we went home that night I had to tell my friend how much I was impressed with them live. In comparison to their recordings I felt they were a band that had to be experienced live. It was a memorable time.
Incredibly, it’s been ten years since The Beta Band decided to call it quits, a decision I always wonder if they regret. Despite ill-received albums and curious decisions made by the band itself, there’s a nagging feeling that there’s still another chapter to be told in The Beta Band story. Arriving out of nowhere with the incredible 'Champion Versions' EP in 1997, Steve Mason, Robin Jones, John MacLean and Richard Greentree were four Scotsmen who played percussion-heavy indie/folk/electronic music and had a penchant for dressing up and daft videos. They released a series of EPs before three albums revealed a self-destructive and mischievous streak: containing as many rousing tracks as stupid flights of fancy, this proved to be the band’s eventual downfall. Live, though, they were something else. The highlight was always the slow build and eventual rousing sing-along of their first and best song "Dry The Rain," but we also got the crazed dance rhythms of "The House Song," the extended psych rock of "B + A" and the gentle folk swoon of "Dog’s Got a Bone." Each and every moment was greeted like it was the Beatles or the Stones on stage. How the band managed to throw it all away is beyond me. Ten year reunion tour, anyone?
AndyHannah
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