What will the Flaming Lips do?

Wed 1st Apr, 2009 in Local News

FL HQ is still buzzing at the thought that the Flaming Lips will be back here in July, after leaving us awed at Big Day Out 2004. On that tour their set was a sensory onslaught of psychedelic colours, confetti, dancing animals and inflatable balls.

It’s this exuberant stage show that has seen the Flaming Lips earn a reputation as one of the world’s unmissable live acts, but it doesn’t please everyone. Jim DeRogatis, outspoken music writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, has this week criticised the band for “wimping out”. The Flaming Lips are set to headline the Pitchfork Music Festival 2009 in July, with the original intention to have fans pick the set-list. However, Wayne Coyne and co. have now decided against the idea and will perform the festival set as they wish. This doesn’t please Mr DeRogatis.

In an open letter to Coyne, published in the Chicago Sun-Times, DeRogatis fumes: “Hey, Wayne: You guys have been playing more or less the same set for almost a decade now; a few new songs get added, one older song gets dropped in per night, and maybe a cover, but mostly we get a lot of eye candy, with very few if any real musical surprises … What’s the matter, buddy: Afraid to deviate from the standard set list, stretch out as in the old days, and either succeed brilliantly or fail nobly?”

DeRogatis has got himself into hot water for targeting bands before. Ryan Adams famously left an abusive message on his answering machine after a “fucking bullshit review of my show”.

As far as we’re concerned, The Flaming Lips can do whatever the hell they want and we’ll still be jumping with joy…