The Flaming Lips

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  • 1983
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About The Flaming Lips


Even within the eclectic world of alternative rock, few bands were so brave, so frequently brilliant, and so deliciously weird as the Flaming Lips. From their beginnings as Oklahoma weirdos to their mid-'90s pop culture breakthrough to their status as one of the most respected groups of the 2000s, the Lips rode one of the more surreal and haphazard career trajectories in pop music. An acid-bubblegum band with as much affinity for sweet melodies as blistering noise assaults, their off-kilter sound, uncommon emotional depth, and bizarre history (packed with tales of self-immolating fans and the like) firmly established them as true originals.

The Flaming Lips formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1983, when founder and guitarist Wayne Coyne allegedly stole a collection of musical instruments from an area church hall and enlisted his vocalist brother Mark and bassist Michael Ivins to start a band. Giving themselves the nonsensical name the Flaming Lips (its origin variously attributed to a porn film, an obscure drug reference, or a dream in which a fiery Virgin Mary plants a kiss on Wayne in the back seat of his car), the band made its live debut at a local transvestite club. After progressing through an endless string of drummers, they recruited percussionist Richard English and recorded their self-titled debut, issued on green vinyl on their own Lovely Sorts of Death label in 1985.

When Mark Coyne soon departed to get married, Wayne assumed full control of the group; in addition to remaining its lead guitarist, he also became the primary singer and songwriter. Continuing on as a trio, the Lips released 1986's Hear It Is, followed a year later by Oh My Gawd!!!...The Flaming Lips. While touring in support of the Butthole Surfers, they played Buffalo, New York, where they were befriended by concert promoter Jonathan Donahue; after a jam session with Donahue's nascent band Mercury Rev, he and Coyne became close friends, and Donahue eventually signed on as the group's sound technician.

After recording 1988's difficult Telepathic Surgery, English exited, reducing the Lips to the core duo of Coyne and Ivins; after adding drummer Nathan Roberts, Donahue adopted the name Dingus and became a full-time member in time to cut 1990's stellar In a Priest Driven Ambulance while simultaneously recording the brilliant Mercury Rev debut, Yerself Is Steam. Following a series of hopeful phone calls to Warner Bros., the company signed the Lips in 1991, and in 1992 their oft-delayed major-label debut, Hit to Death in the Future Head, appeared to little commercial notice. Donahue soon exited to focus his full energies on Mercury Rev, followed by the departure of Roberts.

With new guitarist Ronald Jones and drummer Steven Drozd, the Flaming Lips cut 1993's sublime Transmissions from the Satellite Heart, which they supported by playing the second stage at Lollapalooza and touring the nation in a Ryder truck. Initially, the album stiffed; however, nearly a year after its initial release, the single "She Don't Use Jelly" became a grassroots hit, and against all odds, the Flaming Lips found themselves on the Top 40 charts. They took full advantage of their requisite 15 minutes of fame, appearing everywhere from MTV's annual Spring Break broadcast to an arena tour in support of Candlebox to a memorable, surreal, lip-synced performance on the teen soap opera Beverly Hills 90210, where supporting character Steve Sanders (portrayed by actor Ian Ziering) uttered the immortal words, "You know, I've never been a big fan of alternative music, but these guys rocked the house!"

After the 1994 release of a limited-edition sampler of odds and ends titled Providing Needles for Your Balloons, the Lips returned in 1995 with Clouds Taste Metallic, a strikingly mature and diverse collection highlighted by the singles "Bad Days" (also heard in the film Batman Forever), "This Here Giraffe," and "Brainville." Despite the inclusion of the remarkably melodic "Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles," "Christmas at the Zoo" (rumored to be under consideration for inclusion on an upcoming John Tesh holiday record), and the epic "Guy Who Got a Headache and Accidentally Saves the World," the album nonetheless failed to live up to the commercial success of Transmissions, and the band was once again relegated to cult status.

In 1996, the Lips' world went haywire; first, Jones disappeared to undertake a spiritual odyssey from which he did not return, then Drozd's hand was almost needlessly amputated after he was bitten by a spider. At about the same time, Ivins was the victim of a bizarre hit-and-run accident after a wheel came off of another vehicle and slammed into his car, trapping him inside. Ironically, Coyne was having car problems of his own when rumors of his latest sonic foray -- conducting an orchestra of 40 automobiles, all with their tape decks playing specially composed music at the same time -- prompted fan discussion of his possible psychological collapse. "I would try to tell people what I was doing and found that I couldn't explain it very well," Coyne later remarked about the project, dubbed the Parking Lot Experiment. "Plus, I had a sore on the side of my tongue for a week and it made me talk kind of weird. I'm sure they thought I was retarded."

By the following year, the Flaming Lips (who continued as a trio, opting not to attempt to replace Jones) were back in the studio, recording an album that, according to Coyne, would be "so different and exciting it will either make us millionaires or break us" -- in short, 1997's Zaireeka, a breathtaking and wildly experimental set of four discs designed to be played simultaneously. A previously unreleased track, "Hot Day," also appeared earlier that year on the soundtrack to Richard Linklater's film SubUrbia. A Collection of Songs Representing an Enthusiasm for Recording...by Amateurs, a retrospective of their Restless label material, followed in 1998, and a year later, the Lips returned with a breathtaking new studio effort, The Soft Bulletin, co-produced by Mercury Rev founding member and bassist Dave Fridmann.

After a three-year absence from the shelves, 2002 brought several new releases, including the new record Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and a two-volume retrospective of the Restless years. Yoshimi won the group even more popular and critical acclaim than The Soft Bulletin, which the group maximized by spending half of 2002 appearing with Beck on his Sea Change tour as both his opening act and backing band. The Lips kept busy over the next two years by touring in support of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and working on their movie Christmas on Mars. They returned to the studio in 2004 and spent much of 2005 recording; that year, the Flaming Lips documentary The Fearless Freaks and their VOID video collection were both released, whetting fans' appetites for the band's 2006 album, At War with the Mystics.

In 2007, the Flaming Lips were nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album for Mystics and won a Grammy for Best Engineered Album. One year later, the band's long-awaited, seven-years-in-the-making film Christmas on Mars made its debut at the Sasquatch Festival in George, Washington; that fall, the movie and its soundtrack were released as a CD/DVD set. During 2007 and 2008, the Lips began working on the follow-up to At War with the Mystics, taking a looser, more experimental approach than they had in years. The results were released as Embryonic in fall 2009, followed by the band's quirky remake of the Pink Floyd classic Dark Side of the Moon. The Flaming Lips worked with several different artists on the latter album, which was billed as The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing the Dark Side of the Moon.

The band continued to shy away from full-length releases for the next couple years, opting instead to work with a number of collaborators on various limited-edition EPs. Working with artists like Neon Indian, Prefuse 73, and Lightning Bolt, the Lips released tracks over the next couple of years in various non-traditional formats including USB keys embedded in gummy skulls, limited-edition vinyl, and candy fetuses. Their series of team-ups came to a head in 2012 when the band released The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, which collected songs from their previous collaborations as well as new material recorded with artists like Ke$ha, Bon Iver, and Erykah Badu. For 2013's bleak The Terror, the Lips reteamed with Dave Fridmann, recording in a matter of days and using their collection of vintage synths as the album's musical focus. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

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Music

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  • Heroes
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    Heroes
  • Do You Realize (Jackson)
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    Do You Realize (Jackson)
  • Do You Realize (Hattiesburg)
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    Do You Realize (Hattiesburg)
  • Race For the Prize
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    Race For the Prize
  • 2012 (You Must Be Upgraded) (feat. HOTT)
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    2012 (You Must Be Upgraded) (feat. HOTT)
  • Be My Head
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    Be My Head
  • She Don't Use Jelly (Live)
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    Video
    She Don't Use Jelly (Live)
  • Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (New Orleans)
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    Video
    Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (New Orleans)
  • These Days (feat. Jackson Browne)
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    These Days (feat. Jackson Browne)
  • Ashes in the Air (feat. Jackson Browne)
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    Ashes in the Air (feat. Jackson Browne)

Interviews & Exclusives

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  • Weird Vibes Episode #16: I Am Marnie Stern
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    Weird Vibes Episode #16: I Am Marnie Stern
  • The Flaming Lips New Album, 'Terror,' Is 'Dark'
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    The Flaming Lips New Album, 'Terror,' Is 'Dark'
  • The Flaming Lips Bring The Terror With Their Latest Release
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    The Flaming Lips Bring The Terror With Their Latest Release
  • On Recording 'Clouds Taste Metallic' (From The Fearless Freaks)
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    video
    On Recording 'Clouds Taste Metallic' (From The Fearless Freaks)
  • WTF Wednesday: The Flaming Lips
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    WTF Wednesday: The Flaming Lips
  • VH1 News: Bands Rock Out and Dress Up at 2010 ACL Music Festival
    the-flaming-lips
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    VH1 News: Bands Rock Out and Dress Up at 2010 ACL Music Festival
  • On His Approach To Songwriting
    the-flaming-lips
    video
    On His Approach To Songwriting
  • On How Their Musical Style Developed In The Beginning
    the-flaming-lips
    video
    On How Their Musical Style Developed In The Beginning
  • On The Origin Of The Title 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots'
    the-flaming-lips
    video
    On The Origin Of The Title 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots'
  • On Wayne Being A Hard Worker (From The Fearless Freaks)
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    On Wayne Being A Hard Worker (From The Fearless Freaks)

Photos

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  • Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" attends the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" attends the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    VH1
  • Michael Ivins of "The Flaming Lips" attends the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Michael Ivins of "The Flaming Lips" attends the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    VH1
  • Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Mark Davis/AP Images for VH1
  • Wayne Coyne of 'The Flaming Lips' performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne of 'The Flaming Lips' performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Kevin Winter/Getty Images
  • Michael Ivins of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Michael Ivins of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Kevin Winter/Getty Images
  • Wayne Coyne (L) and his wife Michelle arrive at the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne (L) and his wife Michelle arrive at the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
  • Kliph Scurlock (L) and Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" perform onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Kliph Scurlock (L) and Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" perform onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Kevin Winter/Getty Images
  • Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Kevin Winter/Getty Images
  • Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne of "The Flaming Lips" performs onstage during the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Kevin Winter/Getty Images
  • Wayne Coyne (L) and his wife Michelle arrive at the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    The Flaming Lips
    Wayne Coyne (L) and his wife Michelle arrive at the 3rd Annual VH1 Rock Honors at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
    Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

News

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  • The Flaming Lips
    Questlove to Join Andrew W.K. in 24 Hour Drumming World Record Attempt
    MTV Hive
    June 17, 2013
    This Wednesday, the fourth O Music Awards gets underway at 7pm and to kickoff the festivities, eccentric rocker/ proud Brony Andrew W.K. will be ...
    Read More
  • The Flaming Lips
    Andrew W.K. Attempts To Drum Up World Record At O Music Awards
    MTV News
    June 17, 2013
    The 'Party King' set to play drums for 24 hours during O Music Awards, the Jonas Brothers also join the show!
    Read More
  • The Flaming Lips
    Andrew W.K. Attempts To Drum Up World Record At O Music Awards
    MTV News
    June 17, 2013
    The 'Party King' set to play drums for 24 hours during O Music Awards, the Jonas Brothers also join the show!
    Read More
  • The Flaming Lips
    Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Flaming Lips Lead New Year's Eve Concerts
    MTV News
    Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi. In Las Vegas, the John Mayer Trio will share a stage with buzz singer Meyer Hawthorne at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel ...
    Read More
  • The Flaming Lips
    Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Includes Jay-Z, Weezer, Flaming Lips
    MTV News
    Steve Martin (with his Steep Canyon Rangers), Wale, Regina Spektor, John Fogerty, the Avett Brothers ... Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Includes Jay-Z, Weezer, ...
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  • The Flaming Lips
    Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd Hospitalized, Cancelling Appearances
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    Beach, Florida, when longtime guitarist/keyboard-player Steven Drozd was hospitalized ... Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd Hospitalized, Cancelling Appearan...
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  • The Flaming Lips
    Flaming Lips Yoshimi Musical Gets A Release Date | Prefix
    www.prefixmag.com
    Tweet There's never really a bad time to go to San Diego, but fans of Flaming Lips and legitmate theater might want to make plans some time between No...
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  • The Flaming Lips
    Ke$ha & The Flaming Lips Are Recording An Album Called ‘Lip$ha’: Morning Mix
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    Did You Hear? :: The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne revealed during a Reddit AMA that the group is working on an entire album with Ke$ha, and that ...
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    Watch The Flaming Lips' Performance on Letterman
    Paste
    Last night, The Flaming Lips appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, and fans who were expecting frontman Wayne Coyne to bring something weird...
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    The Flaming Lips Wonder: Does Justin Bieber Get Depressed?
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    For anyone who's been following the Flaming Lips' career trajectory over the past decade -- during which time they've released three increasingly clau...
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  • The Flaming Lips
    Photos: The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips @ Aaron's Ampitheatre At Lakewood, Atlanta 5/2/13
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    23 Photos » The Black Keys and the Flaming Lips, who released a 7″ split for Record Store Day 2009, are currently on a little mini tour together. Last...
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    Bottle Rock Napa - Friday (Pics - The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips | Prefix
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    Tweet Photo gallery of Bottle Rock Napa Valley - Friday, May 10, 2013. Dirty Projectors Alabama Shakes Andrew Bird Blues Traveler The Shins Flaming L...
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  • The Flaming Lips
    The Flaming Lips, Kendrick Lamar, Miguel to Play Budweiser's 50/50/1 Festival
    Paste
    On Aug. 1, Budweiser will celebrate a summer full of music with "50/50/1," a new live music event in which each of the 50 states hosts a concert on a ...
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Tour Dates

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  • Jul 11 Thursday
    Raleigh, NC, US Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 12 Friday
    Simpsonville, SC, US Charter Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
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  • Jul 12 Friday
    Louisville, KY, US Waterfront Park
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  • Jul 13 Saturday
    Louisville, KY, US Waterfront Park
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  • Jul 15 Monday
    Simsbury, CT, US Summer Concerts at Simsbury Meadows
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  • Jul 15 Monday
    Wallingford, CT, US Toyota Presents the Oakdale Theatre
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  • Jul 16 Tuesday
    Pittsburgh, PA, US Stage AE
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  • Jul 17 Wednesday
    Lewiston, NY, US Artpark
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  • Jul 23 Tuesday
    Oklahoma City, OK, US Chesapeake Energy Arena
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  • Jul 25 Thursday
    Salt Lake City, UT, US Pioneer Park
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  • Jul 26 Friday
    Seattle, WA, US Capitol Hill Block Party
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  • Jul 27 Saturday
    Troutdale, OR, US McMenamin's Edgefield Amphitheater
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  • Jul 28 Sunday
    Seattle, WA, US Capitol Hill Block Party
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 30 Tuesday
    Reno, NV, US Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 31 Wednesday
    Costa Mesa, CA, US Pacific Amphitheatre
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 1 Thursday
    Las Vegas, NV, US House of Blues
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 17 Saturday
    Omaha, NE, US Stinson Park at Aksarben Village
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  • Sep 5 Thursday
    Arreton, UK Bestival
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 3 Thursday
    Philadelphia, PA, US Festival Pier at Penn's Landing
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  • Oct 21 Monday
    Tokyo, Japan Akasaka Blitz (赤坂ブリッツ)
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 22 Tuesday
    Tokyo, Japan Akasaka Blitz (赤坂ブリッツ)
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  • Oct 23 Wednesday
    Osaka, Japan Namba Hatch (なんばハッチ)
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Discography

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  • The Terror (2013)
    The Flaming Lips
    The Terror (2013)
    WEA Japan
  • The Terror (2013)
    The Flaming Lips
    The Terror (2013)
    Warner Bros.
  • The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends (2012)
    The Flaming Lips
    The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends (2012)
    Warner Bros.
  • Bad Days (2010)
    The Flaming Lips
    Bad Days (2010)
    Warner Bros.
  • The Dark Side of the Moon (2009)
    The Flaming Lips
    The Dark Side of the Moon (2009)
    Warner Bros. Records
  • Embryonic (2009)
    The Flaming Lips
    Embryonic (2009)
    Warner Bros.
  • Christmas on Mars (2008)
    The Flaming Lips
    Christmas on Mars (2008)
    Warner Bros.
  • At War with the Mystics (2006)
    The Flaming Lips
    At War with the Mystics (2006)
    Warner Bros.
  • Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
    The Flaming Lips
    Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
    Warner Bros. Records
  • The Soft Bulletin (1999)
    The Flaming Lips
    The Soft Bulletin (1999)
    Warner Bros.
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