The Flaming Lips logged on live from their studio in their hometown of Oklahoma City, OK for a conference on SonicNet. Lead Singer Wayne was on under FLAMINGLIPS and then the rest of the band Michael, Scott, and Ronald logged in later as FLAMING LIPS (with a space, that is). "She Don't Use Jelly" from their 1994 album "Transmissions From The Satellite Heart" was peaking on MTV. How did the Lips feel about their "sudden" popularity after ten years in the business? What kind of burritos do they prefer? How did they get on Beverly Hills 90210? Read on....

(FLAMINGLIPS) Hello. . .

(SONIC HOST) The Lips are here!

(CREEPBOY) Hey, Lips.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Wayne is the only one here from the Lips -- HI!

(SONIC HOST) Where's the bandmates?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Recording up in the studio.

(SONIC HOST) Working? At this hour?

(FLAMINGLIPS) We're making a new record and we like to sleep late.

(CHERI CHENG)Are the Lips Grifters fans?

(FLAMINGLIPS) We love the Grifters.

(CHERI CHENG) How much do you love The Grifters??

(FLAMINGLIPS) We love the Grifters a lot. We've had Bar B Q with the Grifters in our back yard and they like the same food we do.

(LOTTA NOTTA) HI gang. I'm a big Flame for the Flaming Lips.

(SONIC HOST) har har har What do you call Flaming Lips fans, Lipheads?

(FLAMINGLIPS) We call them the smartest people on earth.

(LOTTA NOTTA) What do you do in the band?

(FLAMINGLIPS) On record I'm the singer and in person I mow the lawn.

(SONIC HOST) How much do you charge for a backyard, no hedges?

(CHERI CHENG) What kinds of lawns do you mow?

(FLAMINGLIPS) I don't do hedges and I don't rake.

(SONIC HOST) Do you use a flame thrower?

(CHERI CHENG) An Aim n' Flame maybe??

(FLAMINGLIPS) Flame thrower is against the law here.

(LOTTA NOTTA) Do you usually write all of the lyrics? Or do the other band members? Or both?

(FLAMINGLIPS) I write the lyrics.

(SONIC HOST) SO, how do you feel about the Lips' "new" success after being around for ten years?

(FLAMINGLIPS) I'm sure it will all dissapate in a matter of weeks and things will be back to normal.

(SONIC HOST) Someone's typing with one finger, eh?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Don't make fun of handicapped people.

(CHERI CHENG) You can do a lot with one finger these days.

(SONIC HOST) Even more with two.

(CHERI CHENG) & even more with one finger & two lips!!

(CHERI CHENG) Are you big Rolling Stones fans by chance also??

(FLAMINGLIPS) We really liked that song Sympathy for the Devil until we saw that film by Jean-Luc Goddard.

(CHERI CHENG) Oh, I was just wondering if y'all named yourselves after the Rolling Stones logo?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Uhhhhhh....No. If your friends are really dumb do you consider them handicapped?

(CREEPBOY) Most of mine are, actually.

(SONIC HOST) We consider them New Yorkers.

(CREEPBOY) It's all relative, isn't it?

(SONIC HOST) Who's relative?

(CHERI CHENG) How handicapped did y'all feel after playing so many shows & putting out so many records & being soo cool; but never getting the attention you deserve..

(FLAMINGLIPS) We don't feel handicapped at all we feel blessed.

(LOTTA NOTTA) I actually saw some film with some name like Bobby Goldfinger and the Flaming Lips, the lead character and his band. What was that film?

(FLAMINGLIPS) I think some more Lips are in the room.

(FLAMING LIPS) Yes there are.

(SONIC HOST) More Lips! More lips! More lips!

(CHERI CHENG) SMACK!SMACK!SmACK!

(SONIC HOST) hallelulah!

(SONIC HOST) Bless the Lips!

(SONIC HOST) Bless the Lips!

(CREEPBOY) Are the lips playing NY any time soon?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Look for us in the summer.

(CREEPBOY) Clubs? Bars?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Big arenas baby!

(SONIC HOST) We have more than one Lip online, don't panic.

(LOTTA NOTTA) How did 90210 get permission to have your band be the special guest?

(FLAMINGLIPS) 90210 had a sudden spasm of genious.

(SONIC HOST) Was it wet?

(FLAMINGLIPS) We think it was mostly just sweaty.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Hey guys -- I have a question about your "Priest" album.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Why did you guys decide to cover "What a Wonderful World?"

(FLAMINGLIPS) It's one of the best songs in the world.

(SONIC HOST) WAS "THE LAST DROP OF MORNING DEW" INSPIRED BY AN ACID TRIP?

(FLAMINGLIPS) No.

(CREEPBOY) Or a bad Dead trip?

(FLAMING LIPS) Something.

(FLAMING LIPS) No Dead allowed.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Ok, um, I really love your albums, but the only ones I can find in New Brunswick are "Future" and "Priest" and the new one. Where can I get the first thousand albums you guys have???

(FLAMINGLIPS) Tower, Best Buy, Pier Platters, Kim's Underground.

(FLAMING LIPS) NYC.

(SONIC HOST) DO YOU MISS BEING ON RESTLESS AT ALL?

(FLAMING LIPS) No.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Did "felt good to burn" ever really happen? I mean, did you really f*ck that guy up?

(FLAMINGLIPS) My brothers beat up a lot of people when we were teenagers, over drug deals.

(SONIC HOST) HEY MIKE, ARE YOU REALLY THE ROAD MANAGER TOO?

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Why did you guys decide to do Bev Hills? I mean, it was really funny watching them groove to you guys. It was real cool, but a little too ironic...

(FLAMINGLIPS) Explain the irony

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) I mean, these are the same people who...oh I guess that was a stupid...

(CREEPBOY) No, Paul, go ahead.

(SONIC HOST) SAY IT PAUL, YOU'RE AMONGST FRIENDS

(CREEPBOY) Paaauuuuuulllll

(FLAMINGLIPS) Do you mean the same people who didn't like us in the past?

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Well, I mean, your music, I've been listening to it for so long, and it means a lot to me. And I see these people at a club and it's good they're having fun and enjoying it. But they'll probably never mention you guys again. and it seems that if that happened to me i'd be changed forever. I know its stupid but...

(FLAMING LIPS) It is just a TV show.

(SONIC HOST) It's much more than a TV show. It's a way of life.

(CREEPBOY) C'mon Paul, don't be so hard on yourself.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Really, we thought it was funny, we're not offended by people thinking it was weird or anything

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Yeah, but it's a TV show which is going to name our generation for better or worse -- like 3's Company and Happy Days, etc...

(FLAMINGLIPS) We don't speak for anybody but us.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Yeah, I understand. I guess it was funny and fun and that's the main thing.

(FLAMINGLIPS) We are individuals.

(SONIC HOST) We are the world.

(FLAMING LIPS) :)

(CHERI CHENG) How did you hook up with 90210? Do one of you guys have a thing for Shannon "hellfire" Doherty? C'mon admit it.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Shannon's not on the show ... is she?

(SONIC HOST) You guys influence the Butthole Surfers, that makes you Godfathers, right?

(FLAMINGLIPS) The Butthole Surfers have been around as long as us.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) Godfathers..that makes you guys OLD!!

(FLAMINGLIPS) I'm 34.

(SONIC HOST) I thought you beat them by a year or two.

(FLAMINGLIPS) nah

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) It's funny because I play really loud and wierd and my roomate says I'll grow out of it and I just try to eat his hamster.

(SONIC HOST) Hamsters are good with garlic and shallots, Paul.

(ELISE HARRIS) Your show in NYC was excellent. I don't care if you opened for Candlebox, but one of their fans was kind of crazy and gave me a black eye! Pretty funny, I felt kinda punk rock.

(BUZ) When did Flaming Lips first put out an album?

(FLAMINGLIPS) 1984 our self-released EP came out.

(SONIC HOST) Why did Mark leave the band back then? Do you still talk to him?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Yea he's my brother -- he just didn't dig it as much as I did.

(SONIC HOST) Is he sorry he left?

(FLAMINGLIPS) NO, he comes to see us play all the time.

(BUZ) How did you guys last so long?

(SONIC HOST) Ginseng.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Michael, are you out there?

(SONIC HOST) Michaels drifting.

(FLAMING LIPS) Sorry, went to get a burrito.

(SONIC HOST) Beef or Bean?

(FLAMING LIPS) Chicken.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) I was watching Cool Hand Luke and I heard that song you guys did in your newest album and I was really struck laughing.

(FLAMINGLIPS) We like the Cool Hand Luke movie.

(SONIC HOST) It was voted the sweatiest movie of all time.

(LOTTA NOTTA) Do any of you guys work a day job?

(FLAMINGLIPS) No not now.

(SONIC HOST) Wayne/Micheal, is it hard to keep the Lips together through the changing line ups?

(FLAMINGLIPS) The line up changes have been no big deal, they're all friends of ours.

(LOTTA NOTTA) Do you spend most of your time writing or playing out?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Playing out.

(LOTTA NOTTA) Do you write on the road or mostly in your studio?

(FLAMINGLIPS) In the bedroom.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) How do you guys get most of your psychedelosonics? Are they new toys or really old ones?

(FLAMINGLIPS) I thought it was just about sounds ... isn't it?

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) But if it is about sounds -- how do you guys get them?

(SONIC HOST) The new album is trippy on headphones. I get really scared of it sometimes.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) They say little bugs hide in headphones and make you hear strange things.

(FLAMING LIPS) We hit the do good button.

(FLAMINGLIPS) No, we're not being snotty, we just don't consider it to be pyschedelic, we just consider it to be the atmosphere of the song.

(SONIC HOST) Are you all doing Lollopolooza again?

(FLAMINGLIPS) No.

(SONIC HOST) Would you like to?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Sure it was fun.

(MIKE JORDAN) So, Flaming Lips what other bands of the past 10 years are you into?

(FLAMINGLIPS) The good ones. We don't mean to be evasive. There's just too many to name.

(MIKE JORDAN) That is true, generic question I suppose, just wondering though because people always make such a big deal over your classic rock influence...

(ELISE HARRIS) Will you all tour by yourselves next time?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Probably not by ourselves, but we'll headline. In May we tour with the Archers of Loaf and the Beatnik Filmstars on the west coast.

(MIKE JORDAN) Wow, that's a cool bill!

(SONIC HOST) Archers are in NYC this week

(FLAMINGLIPS) I heard their van got impounded and they can't get their equipmnet out of the back.

(MIKE JORDAN) People (i.e. the press) always have to bring up how they think that FL are influenced by Zeppelin et al. I was just wondering what contemporary band they were into

(FLAMINGLIPS) Some classic rock is good, (David Bowie, Led Zeppelin). Bob Seger and REO Speedwagon are bad. Even though I do like that Night Moves song.

(SONIC HOST) What about the "Heard It From a Friend" song? That was the best at Jr. High dances.

(PAUL CAPAROTTA) I gotta go. You guys are great. I just wanted to say FRogs is one of the most amazing songs ever. And do you guys have a fan club I can write to?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Yes we have a fan club: write to PO Box 75995 OKC, OK 73147

(SONIC HOST) How does it feel to be on Beavis and Butthead?

(FLAMINGLIPS) They thought we were college rock.

(SONIC HOST) thanks, that's kind of you

(DACEY) When's the new album going to be done?

(FLAMINGLIPS) It will be out in September.

(DACEY) Any title?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Nope.

(MIKE JORDAN) I think you should call it "Semi-Automatic For the People"

(FLAMINGLIPS) What do people think of Rem's last record?

(SONIC HOST) I got bored with it.

(MIKE JORDAN) I hated it at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it, but it's not nearly as good as the other stuff.

(SONIC HOST) It's like they sat down and said "let's rock this time."

(MIKE JORDAN) They did.

(SONIC HOST) What did you think?

(FLAMINGLIPS) We've haven't heard it except for What's the Freq... but I thought that was a Game Theory song.

(MIKE JORDAN) I read somewhere that they admit to ripping off that song.

(SONIC HOST) They ripped it off from Dan Rather.

(ELISE HARRIS) What other bands came out of Oklhoma? I wondered what to OK scene was like.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Musically nothing, but easy cheap living...

(DACEY) Didn't Channel 3 or NOTA come out of OKC?

(FLAMINGLIPS) NOTA came out of Tulsa

(MIKE JORDAN) SO anyway, what kind of bands do you like playing with the most? You've played with bands from Candlebox on down to underground bands. What's it like and who responds to yr stuff the best?

(DACEY) Soup Dragons?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Some of the bands we've toured with, we don't like their music all that much, but they've always been very nice people and it's better to be a good person than a famous person.

(DACEY) Well said.

(FLAMINGLIPS) We only did two shows with the Soup Dragons. We really liked touring with Tool, Lollapalooza, Red Red Meat, Grifters, Codeine.

(MIKE JORDAN) Codeine and the Grifters are great!

(FLAMINGLIPS) All the arena bands we toured with wanted to tour with us because they really liked us, and that's nice that they like us.

(ELISE HARRIS) A friend is in Codeine and he said the show you played in OK w/them was unbelieveable.

(MIKE JORDAN) Thats cool, I always wondered if arena bands liked good music.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Some. Somehow it doesn't just apply to arena bands, people often listen to great music, but the music they play sucks.

(MIKE JORDAN) Did you hear the story about how when the Grifters went to Warners office in LA all they did was talk about you guys and kept asking them why they weren't sending you back into the studio sooner?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Not what we heard.

(FLAMINGLIPS) They talked to WB about if they signed to WB would they be treated like we were.

(ELISE HARRIS) How is that?

(MIKE JORDAN) Positive or negative?

(SONIC HOST) Bad or good?

(DACEY) In or out?

(SONIC HOST) Wet or dry?

(ELISE HARRIS) Up or down?

(DACEY) Carrot or Lima Bean?

(FLAMING LIPS) :0

(MIKE JORDAN) Paper or plastic?

(FLAMINGLIPS) WB has always given us the freedom to do what we want. With that comes the consequences that we brought upon ourselves.

(MIKE JORDAN) Were you in support of their finally getting around to pushing your album 18 months after its release, or would you have rather gone back into the studio sooner?

(FLAMINGLIPS) If we want to make a record noisier than metal machine music we can do it. We went into the studio when we planned to.

(SONIC HOST) Metal Machine Music is a masterpiece.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Some people consider it a masterpiece. Some consider it noise - we think it's a little bit of both.

(SONIC HOST) It was a masterpiece f*ck You to the world.

(MIKE JORDAN) True, true.

(FLAMINGLIPS) It was a masterpiece f*ck you to RCA.

(SONIC HOST) Was it weird to hit with Transmissions so long after it had been originally released?

(FLAMINGLIPS) No. I'm sure it happens to other bands all the time. WB like any other company, puts out singles and tries to get them on the radio, sometimes its a fluke when something hits.

(SONIC HOST) How did you react to the success of "Jelly?" Surprised, bemused, awed?

(FLAMINGLIPS) Suprised - yea. Bemused - yea. We're glad people like the music.

(SONIC HOST) So what's Pilot Can at the Queer of God inspired by?

(FLAMINGLIPS) It's about a guy who used to hate the girl who used to live next door to him, and when he found out that she flew a helicopter for the army he was suddenly very turned on by her -- what a loser.

(FLAMINGLIPS) We should get back to the studio soon.

(SONIC HOST) Ah well, back to the studio for you all then.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Thanks for having us.

(SONIC HOST) Thanks for hanging out here

(ROSE HAMMER) Thanks!

(FLAMING LIPS) bye bye

(MIKE JORDAN) "Jelly" was played on the announcements at school today...it was surreal, but it made my otherwise miserable day!

(LOTTA NOTTA) Bye!

(FLAMINGLIPS) We'll see you soon.

(MIKE JORDAN) Later.

(SONIC HOST) Have a burrito for us.

(FLAMINGLIPS) Thanks.

(FLAMING LIPS) Thanks.

(MARIA) Adios!

(RUTH) See ya later Lips.