rsmurphy wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 8:43 am

happyman wrote:seeing the title of this thread angered me a little.

hahaha...I understand.

However!

This thread had me revisit Priest, Clouds, and Soft Bulletin for the first time in almost 20 years. I still love them. CTM in particular has aged really well. Now I want to listen to them a lot and am afraid of someone that doesn't exist catching me : "Are you listening to (the terrible band) The Flaming Lips? You are shit and should be feeling embarrassed because that's not cool."


I had not payed to their output for a long time and also learnt of Lightening Strikes The Postman, an alternative mix of Clouds Taste Metallic that focuses on Ronald's guitar. You can't even hear Wayne. It's pretty fucking cool to hear that stuff at the forefront and truly hear it for what it is.

AdamN wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 11:27 pm Where in the world is Ronald Jones?

IIRC he performed and/or recorded with The Moles for a stint, but for the most part he doesn't want to be bothered and isn't fond of his time with the Lips. I've heard this all second hand so don't quote me, but I trust the source.

happyman wrote:I had not payed to their output for a long time and also learnt of Lightening Strikes The Postman, an alternative mix of Clouds Taste Metallic that focuses on Ronald's guitar.

That mix is so dope. Ever hear the alternate version of "The Guy Who Got A Headache And Accidentally Saved The World"? It has some of my favorite Ronald playing, all bendy, squeaky, and otherworldly.



I've been listening to a lot of Lips myself lately. I was at the Chicago leg of this tour at the Double Door. Still remains the best show I've ever seen. It's pretty easy to look back on it now and see where they were headed in terms of a visual display, but at the time it was unexpected and ecstatic. They wanted the visual aspect of their performance to look as vibrant and colorful and dynamic as the music sounds. Absolutely thrilling and smile-inducing. Indelible.

In a Priest Driven Ambulance through Clouds Taste Metallic is unfuckwithable. Diminishing returns before and after. Though I do kinda like their debut also.

Vibracobra wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 3:52 am

rsmurphy wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 2:36 pm
Respectfully disagree. Boces is peak, fucked-up, noisy, and drugged-out Mercury Rev. Sounds better as well. That is one crazy-ass loud record.

I also think Boces is great, you're basically right in what you say. I tend to rate it slighly lower than the debut because that first album contains "chasing a bee", "cancer cell" and specially the uncomparable "frittering".

After those two with David Baker I kinda lost interest in the band, tough See you and Deserter have some cool tracks. But I hate the way the drums sound on the former.

I like all of their first five albums - "The Secret Migration" is where they jumped the shark for me - but I have to say that when I saw them live in 1991 they were brain-fryingly loud and visceral to an extent that none of their recordings ever quite captured.

I'm still kicking myself for not going to see Mudhoney the year before - not because I like particularly like Mudhoney, but because they were supported by the Flaming Lips - the only gig that the Donahue / Roberts line-up ever played in Britain, apparently. By the time I got to see them they had Ronald Jones and Stephen Drozd , which was mind-blowing enough, but "In a Priest driven Ambulance" and "Hit to Death..." are my favourite Lips albums, so it sucks that I'll only ever be able to watch that line-up play live via YouTube.

I voted NC by the way. As Vibracobra mentioned upthread they've made too many great records to dismiss, but for me "Yoshimi" was their last great one, and they're nothing but a sad, cheesy spectacle now. I've read various rumours about the circumstances surrounding Michael Ivins' departure, from "he didn't want to tour anymore due to some minor health issues" to "Wayne Coyne fired him by text message because he looked too old". I sincerely hope it wasn't the latter. A pox on WC if it was.

i live in tulsa oklahoma actually so i know a lil bit about these guys

basically since wayne divorced michelle hes gotten really into coke and shrooms and fucking every 20 something girl he can. must be some old man lost thing or something. wayne seems like an asshole.

nothing the lips have done since clouds taste metallic has really been very interesting to me. ronald jones and the mercury rev guys wrote the best flaming shitz records anyways. i still like 'in a priest driven ambulance' but probably because i was super into psychedelic drugs in my 20s and that record sounds amazing on them. drozd is a ridiculously talented man and he has kept the flamin' shitz going cause wayne has nothing to say anymore. oh well.

still, they made good records back then. if mr albini got divorced and got into cocaine and made a bunch of cringey music its not like i'd quit loving 'songs about fucking' and 'two nuns and a pack mule'

if ya like it ya like it i reckon. i just wish oklahoma had more interesting music. i havent had any luck finding bandmates here sigh

also, i voted 'crap'

like i seriously have to question anyone who praises any Lips record past clouds taste metallic. after "priest" wayne adopted this high pitched voice... like if neil young made psychedelic child molester music. once you hear it, you cant unhear it.

my buddy scovil used to work the door at clubs in norman back in 86 and he HATES these guys... idk if wayne coyne is a sex pest or what but i dont know many people who have anything good to say about em.

HeavenIsInYrBeard wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 12:47 pmI saw them [Mercury Rev] live in 1991 they were brain-fryingly loud and visceral to an extent that none of their recordings ever quite captured.

Thank you for reminding me that I should pick-up tickets for their upcoming Chicago show. Strangely enough I never saw them live. Was going to a few months ago when they were on a bill with Brian Jonestown Massacre, but they cancelled due to Covid. I know it won't be as crazy as seeing them way back whenever, but I'm down with hearing some pretty shit off of All Is Dream.

stompy wrote: i just wish oklahoma had more interesting music

I could swear that I've recently just heard a killer OKC band, but the name escapes me.

Still a fan of those Radial Spangle, and Starlight Mints records.

stompy wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:09 pm after "priest" wayne adopted this high pitched voice... like if neil young made psychedelic child molester music. once you hear it, you cant unhear it.

Haha Jesus. i wont unhear this.

"This here Girafffe."

Happyman wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 2:16 am

stompy wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:09 pm after "priest" wayne adopted this high pitched voice... like if neil young made psychedelic child molester music. once you hear it, you cant unhear it.

Haha Jesus. i wont unhear this.

"This here Girafffe."

yea...

my favorite flaming lips memories is being in the walmart in roanoke rapids at 2am on christmas morning and someone changed the stores muzak to 'christmas at the zoo' off clouds taste metallic. i recognized it immediately and appreciated it lmao