Flaming Lips performing tonight on “Tonight Show”
Oklahoma City-based psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips will appear tonight on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.” The show airs at 10:35 p.m. on NBC (KFOR-4 in Oklahoma City).
The band releases its first double-album, “Embryonic,” today.
Conan’s other guests tonight include Ice-T and one of my all-time favorite comedians, Eddie Izzard.
-BAM
Flaming Lips Day on BAM’s Blog
The Flaming Lips (Photo by J. Michelle Martin)
Loyal readers of BAM’s Blog know that I’ve been celebrating this fall’s big album releases from Oklahoma music stars by dedicating a day in their honor.
Oklahoma City-based psychedelic freakout rockers extraordinaire The Flaming Lips are releasing their first-ever double-album, “Embryonic,” today. In honor of the birth, it’s Flaming Lips Day here at BAM’s Blog. I’ll be bringing you Lips-related news, pictures and videos throughout the day.
I just got my hot hands on “Embryonic,” and I can’t wait to hear the freakiness the Lips have in store for us.
-BAM
Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne to help pick 2010-11 Fulbright-mtvU Fellows
Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips (Photo by Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman Archives)
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and mtvU announced today that a new slate of leading musical artists will review and help nominate candidates for the 2010-11 Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships.
The review panel includes: Wayne Coyne, lead singer and songwriter of Oklahoma City-based band The Flaming Lips; Kim Gordon, who in addition to being a founding member of Sonic Youth, one of the leading progressive-rock groups of our time, is also an established artist and curator; Tom Morello, the Grammy Award-winning American guitarist of Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, Street Sweeper Social Club and also known under his folk alter-ego The Nightwatchman; and Beth Ditto, American singer from indie rock band Gossip.
The fellowships, administered by the Institute of International Education, were established to promote the “power of music” as a global force for mutual understanding. Applications for the 2010-11 fellowships are being accepted now through Oct. 19, with more information available at www.us.fulbrightonline.org.
The final selection will be made by the presidentially-appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Winners of the 2009-10 Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships are currently conducting research abroad on their self-designed projects, each centered on an aspect of international musical culture. The winners were chosen through a multi-tiered, merit-based selection process beginning with field and discipline merit reviews by U.S. and foreign academic leaders and area experts. Each has been sharing her or his experiences with peers via video reports, blogs and podcasts on mtvU and http://fulbright.mtvu.com.
The 2009-10 Fulbright-mtvU Fellows are:
Andrew Magill, who graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) with a B.A. in Cultural Studies in May 2009, is traveling to Malawi to work with the UNC Malawi Project and AIDS organizations to video-record narratives of Malawian families and communities affected by HIV/AIDS. Andrew is collaborating with Peter Mawanga, a well-known musician and social activist, to develop a concept album whose sales will benefit AIDS social service networks.
Michael Silvers, a doctoral student in Ethnomusicology at UCLA, is traveling to Brazil to study the relationship between the culture of forró, a kind of popular dance music, and the climate of northeastern Brazil. Working with Vila Estúdio, a recording studio in Fortaleza, Ceará; accordionists from around the state; and a quadrilha square dance ensemble, he is exploring the ways in which climate change and drought have impacted how and why people make music.
Rod Solaimani, who graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in Foreign Policy in 2008, is traveling to Morocco to study and participate in the Afro-Arab-Gnawa-Western musical exchange. A skilled percussionist, he is researching the impact of U.S.-Moroccan musical partnerships in three cities, use his findings in local high school music curricula and promote cross-cultural collaboration with a student concert.
Tina Wadhwa, who graduated from Columbia University in 2007 with a BA in Political Science and Economics, is traveling to India to create a documentary exploring the impact and influence of Bollywood music on underprivileged youth in Mumbai. She is also developing the music and drama center of the Akanksha Foundation, while focusing on the role of music as a vehicle for collective expression and understanding among the children.
-BAM
Stardeath and White Dwarfs talk about what they owe The Flaming Lips
Stardeath and White Dwarfs
The Flaming Lips
In an interesting interview with the London Times, Dennis Coyne, frontman of Oklahoma City experimental rockers Stardeath and White Dwarfs, talks about what his band owes to fellow Oklahoma City-based rockers The Flaming Lips.
Of course, Dennis Coyne is the nephew of the Flaming Lips’ frontman Wayne Coyne, and before forming Stardeath, he was a roadie and “bubble tech” for the Lips.
“When they were shooting the cover for their first EP, my dad brought me along, as he was taking some of those pictures,” Dennis, who was 18 months old when they shot the art for the Lips’ 1984 debut, told the Times. “I’d be riding my bike as they practised for their first shows at the back of the office-furniture business my grandparents used to own.”
His father, Kenny, raised him after his mother left when he was 4, Dennis Coyne told the newspaper.
“My dad is one of the greatest guys in the world, and so is Wayne. He’s such a great artist and great uncle that I can’t imagine it not influencing every decision I’ve made,” he told the Times.
The Times also talked to Wayne Coyne, referred to in the story as “the eccentric uncle figure for a whole generation of experimental American rock acts,” about the Lips’ double-album “Embryonic,” due out next week.
“Some of it, I can’t believe it’s us playing. We didn’t do it with discipline, professionalism and skill, we did it like drug addicts — although we’re not drug addicts — playing music as if we were going to throw it all away,” says of “Embryonic.”
-BAM
BAM Column: Miranda Lambert, Flaming Lips, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith releasing fall CDs
Miranda Lambert
From Tuesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
Fall offers must-have new music
For Oklahoma music fans, fall holds the promise of fantastic new offerings.
The year has already seen the release of big-time albums from Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Samantha Crain, Rodney Carrington and St. Vincent, all artists with state ties. Even the late Woody Guthrie had a four-disc box set, “My Dusty Road,” released last month.
But even more major records from Okies are still to come this autumn, starting today.
If the title is any indication, firebrand Miranda Lambert will keep on rebelling against the country music establishment with her third album, “Revolution,” which drops today. The Tishomingo singer-songwriter already has notched one stunning brokenhearted ballad, “Dead Flowers,” from the new record.
Toby Keith
Norman star Toby Keith has raised eyebrows and raced up the charts with “American Ride,” the title track of his new album, due out Oct. 6. Last week, the single reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Songs chart. Riding the momentum of the politically charged video, the song has become his most buzz-worthy track since the 2001 hit “Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue.”
Also on Oct. 6, country band Rascal Flatts, which includes Joe Don Rooney of Picher, will offer new bonus content on a limited edition re-release of its “Greatest Hits Vol. 1.”
Flaming Lips
Oklahoma City-based psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips will deliver something new on Oct. 13: their first-ever double-album, “Embryonic.” The Lips performed “Convinced of the Hex” recently on “The Colbert Report” and debuted last week the video for “I Can Be a Frog.” If these tracks are any indication, we can expect many surreal delights from the Lips’ latest project.
Carrie Underwood
And recent Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inductee Carrie Underwood is sure to delight her legion fans with the Nov. 3 release of her hotly anticipated third album “Play On.” The Checotah native put out the first single, “Cowboy Casanova,” as a digital track last week, and it took only 24 hours for the sassy cautionary tale to crack iTunes’ top five list.
The fall is still young, so we may see more Oklahoma artists adding to the list of autumn’s must-have albums. Hopefully, state music lovers have been saving their pennies.
-BAM
Cross Canadian Ragweed, Flaming Lips pay tribute to Bettie Page
Bettie Page (Associated Press file photo)
In an interesting case of cross-genre coincidence, two disparate Oklahoma bands are paying tribute to legendary 1950s pinup model Bettie Page with their new music efforts.
As I mentioned here on the blog earlier this month, red dirt rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed tell the story of Page’s life and death in the song “Pretty Lady,” from the band’s new album “Happiness and all the Other Things.” Page died in December 2008 at the age of 85.
The song has a bluesy outlaw country vibe that seems to suit Page’s life story and makes the track my favorite on Ragweed’s stellar new album. You can see the band perform it live in this YouTube video:
Even better, see the alt-country rockers play it live and in person today at the Cross Canadian Ragweed Family Jam at Oklahoma City’s Zoo Amphitheatre.
Psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips are other Oklahoma band illustrating the continuing influence of Page, who has a huge cult following. The Lips released earlier this week the video for their playful song “I Can Be a Frog,” on which Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs provides the animal noises. The video features a dancer with a distinctive Page look and sensibility:
The Flaming Lips "I Can Be A Frog"
“I Can Be a Frog” will be included on the Lips’ double-album “Embryonic,” due out Oct. 13.
It’s an interesting concurrence of ideas – and further evidence of Page’s lasting mark on pop culture – that two Oklahoma bands with such different aesthetics found inspiration from the “Pin-up Queen of the Universe” at practically the same time.
-BAM
Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne talks about naked bike ride music video shoot
Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips (Photo by Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman Archives)
Oklahoma City music star Wayne Coyne, frontman of The Flaming Lips, recently talked to Billboard.com about plans for Wednesday’s naked bike ride music video shoot in Portland, Ore.
The Lips were set to shoot the video Wednesday (Sept. 23) for “Watching the Planets,” the last song from the band’s upcoming double-album “Embryonic.”
Prior to the shoot, the band was inviting fans to come to Portland’s Mt. Tabor and appear in the video – by riding bikes naked. According to Billboard, the nude bicyclists were to appear that they were emerging from one of Coyne’s trademark giant plastic bubbles covered in fake fox fur.
Coyne told Billboard he was inspired by stories of Portland’s record-breaking “World Naked Bike Ride,” an annual event where naked Pacific Northwesterners take advantage of the city’s decency laws, which permit non-exhibistionist nudity. Last summer’s event attracted more than 5,000 riders.
“I think I first heard about it on NPR,” Coyne told Billboard. “I first thought, ‘That’s preposterous,’ and then right away, ‘That would be good for a video.’”
Coyne told the trade publication that if the video shoot went as planned, the final product would be finished and edited in time for the Oct. 13 release of “Embryonic.”
Coyne also admitted to Billboard that he has a vagina fixation. According to Billboard, the Lips emerge out of gyrating video hips in the latest version of their stage extravaganza.
“I’m not sure exactly what it means,” Coyne told Billboard.com as he prepared for Wednesday’s video shoot. “But it has something to do with rebirth.”
Oklahoma fans will get a chance to see the Lips’ new stage spectacle when the band plays its New Year’s Eve Freakout #3 Dec. 31 at Oklahoma City’s Cox Convention Center. For tickets and information, go to www.coxconventioncenter.com.
The band also is planning its third annual “March of 1000 Flaming Skeletons” Halloween parade Oct. 24 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 24, an appearance at New Orleans’ “Voodoo Experience” festival, and a European tour in November.
On Tuesday, I’ll be bringing you a column about the numerous Oklahoma music stars, including the Lips, who have big-time CDs coming out this fall.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Oklahoma music videos
It’s been a big week on the Oklahoma music scene, with multiple state artists releasing albums or music videos or appearing on TV this week. Here’s the rundown in this week’s Wednesday Video Spotlight:
Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist St. Vincent (AKA Tulsa native Annie Clark) released the music video for “Marrow,” from her album “Actor,” this week:
Also, “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer announced on her Web site that St. Vincent and the indie band Bon Iver would collaborate on a song on the soundtrack for the hotly anticipated sequel “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”
Oklahoma City based psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips also released a new video this week. “I Can Be a Frog,” from the upcoming double-album “Embryonic,” features animals noises from Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Just watch it, it will make sense, for the Lips at least:
The Flaming Lips "I Can Be A Frog"
“Embryonic” is due out Oct. 13.
Tulsa-based Christian rock band Pillar released its new album, “Confessions,” on Tuesday. Check out this YouTube video of the band performing the song “Call to Action” from the album:
Also on Tuesday (well, early this morning technically), country music superstar Reba McEntire appeared on “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” See her chat with Ferguson and performance of “Consider Me Gone” in these YouTube videos. (The first is worth watching not only to get a gander at Reba’s awesome boots, but also to hear Craig call the Oklahoma native the “ShamWow of country music.”)
Also, the music video to “Consider Me Gone” will premiere Oct. 2-4 on CMT and CMT.com, according to Reba.com.
And Oklahoma-Texas red dirt band Cross Canadian Ragweed posted on its Facebook today this YouTube video of the group performing “51 Pieces,” from the new album “Happiness and All the Other Things,” at last week’s Americana Conference in Nashville, Tenn. (And surely I’m not the only Ragweed fan still trying to get used to frontman Cody Canada’s new short hair, right?)
On Friday, I’ll have a feature with interviews from Canada and drummer Randy Ragsdale about Saturday’s big Sixth Annual Cross Canadian Ragweed Family Jam at Oklahoma City’s Zoo Amphitheatre. So be sure to look for that.
-BAM
Video: Flaming Lips on “The Colbert Report”
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The Flaming Lips - Convinced of the Hex
Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor
Health Care Protests
Oklahoma City’s own psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips appeared on “The Colbert Report” Wednesday night. Frontmann Wayne Coyne sat down for a hilarious interview with host Stephen Colbert, and the band performed “Convinced of the Hex,” from their upcoming double album “Embryonic.”
In other Lips news, tickets to the band’s hometown New Year’s Eve Freakout #3 at the Cox Convention Center go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. For information, go to www.coxconventioncenter.com.
-BAM
Tickets go on sale Saturday for Flaming Lips’ Oklahoma City New Year’s Eve Freakout
Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips sings during the band’s New Year’s Eve Freakout #2 in Oklahoma City. (Photo by John Clanton/The Oklahoman Archives)
Oklahoma City’s own The Flaming Lips, will once again celebrate the new year with a hometown concert extravaganza.
The Flaming Lips New Year’s Eve Freakout #3 will begin at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Cox Convention Center.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. They are priced at $25 and $20.
If you haven’t greeted the new year with the Lips yet, you are missing a weird and joyous experience. Plus, the band is sure to play songs from its new double album “Embryonic,” due out Oct. 13.
For more information, go to www.coxconventioncenter.com.
-BAM
