The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends (2012)

Just a few days before 2012's RSD (21/4/2012), it looks as though The Flaming Lips' next magnum opus might not even make the shops in time.

Online chat hit fever pitch as most RSD releases are limited - Eager fans and ebay scalpers were all scurrying to secure a copy or more.



Not to be outdone by Jack White's blue liquid-filled single, Wayne has actually drawn blood from his collaborators and the band to make just 10 super rare blood-filled copies of the album.  Proceeds from sales (A measely $2,500 each) go to local charities The Oklahoma Humane Society and The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma.

The cover art is parody on John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Unfinished Music, Vol. 1: Two Virgins (1968) album.

Complete tracklist:

1. "2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)" (featuring Ke$ha, Biz Markie and Hour of the Time Majesty 12) – 4:09
2. "Ashes in the Air" (featuring Bon Iver) – 6:13
3. "Helping the Retarded to Find God" (featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) – 7:03
5. "Supermoon Made Me Want to Pee" (featuring Prefuse 73) – 3:17
6. "Children of the Moon" (featuring Tame Impala) – 5:32
7. "That Ain't My Trip" (featuring Jim James) – 3:47
8. "You, Man? Human???" (featuring Nick Cave) – 3:34
10. "I'm Working at NASA on Acid" (featuring Lightning Bolt) – 7:59
11. "Do It!" (featuring Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band) – 3:28
12. "Is David Bowie Dying?" (featuring Neon Indian) – 6:36
14. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (featuring Erykah Badu) (written by Ewan MacColl) – 10:04
15. "Girl, You're So Weird" (featuring New Fumes) – 3:21
16. "I Don't Want You to Die" (featuring Chris Martin) – 4:13*

*"Tasered and Maced" (featuring Aaron Behrens of Ghostland Observatory) – 2:43 replaces the vinyl track 16 for the CD/digital release owing to Chris Martins' contractural obligations to EMI.

Ashes in the Air Lyrics

The Videos

(NSFW x 3 - Nudity Alert)

The below NSFW video Featuring Erykah Badu caused an internet frenzy and had fans divided between the 2 camps:

...and had the band redo the video with an altogether willing Amanda Palmer:

Catching Up: The Flaming Lips

Psychedelic Weirdness Alert

Earlier this year frontman Wayne Coyne threatened to release a new track every month and true to his word, has actually surpassed his quota.

In February, they released Two Blobs Fucking as 12 separate tracks on YouTube to be played in sync on mobile devices ala their 1997 Zareeka 4CD experiment.  All you need to do is gather up 11 other friends and all press play together.  Some spoil sport (Thank you!) has mixed all 12 vignettes into one video with audio tracks combined and here's the result:

In March, they collaborated with Neon Indian and released a 4-track EP:

in April, they released a 4-track USB stick lodged in what was purported to be marijuana flavoured gummy skulls:

Tracklst: 1. Drug Chart, 2. In Our Bodies, Out of Our Heads,
3. Walk with Me, 4. Hillary's Time Machine

In May, they released a live recording of The Soft Bulletin (Live La Fantastique de Institution):

Tracklist: 1. Race for the Prize, 2. A Spoonful Weighs a Ton, 3. The Spark That Bled,
4. The Spiderbite Song, 5. What is the Light? / The Observer, 6. Waitin' for a Superman,
7. Suddenly Everything Has Changed, 8. The Gash, 9. Feeling Yourself Disintegrate,
10. Sleeping on the Roof

In June, they released another collaborative 4-track EP, this time with Prefuse 73:

Tracklist:1. The Super Moon Made Me Wanna Pee!!!, 2. Heavy Star Moving...,
3. Be Like That...That...That..., 4. Guillermo's Bolero

In July, we have the 3-track Gummy Song Fetus (US spelling):

Tracklist: 1. Enthusiasm for Life Defeats Existential Fear Part 2,
2. Steven's Moonbow,3. Squishy Glass

In August, we have yet another collaboration with Lightning Bolt on 12" EP:

Tracklist: 1. I'm Working Aat NASA on Acid,
2. I Want to Get High But I Don't Want Brain Damage,
3. NASA's Final Acid Bath,
4. I Want to Get Damaged But I Won't Say Hi

...and The Lips sharing a stage with Weezer at PNC Bank Arts Center.
In September, The Strobo Trip Toy!:

Tracklist: 1. Butterfly, How Long It Takes to Die
2. I Found a Star on the Ground (6hr song)
3. Evil Minds

A breather in October, followed by 7 Skies H3 and the Harvest Festival (No sideshows) in November:

Tracklist: 1, 7 Skies H3 (24hr song)