Last week I finally got around to watching the Flaming Lips documentary, "Fearless Freaks". For whatever reason, there's not much about the early years. But whatever. Maybe someone will make tell that story later? Ever since watching the movie I've been listening to their albums quite a bit and thinking about their shows from 1985 to around 1989, which I think was the last time I had seen them. My favorite show from them was around 1988, or so. They had the smoke machines, bubbles, and colored stage lights. They had a "The Exorcist" theme that night - Wayne as Reagan (Linda Blair), Richard English as the devil, and Michael as the priest. To this day, that's one of my all time favorite shows from any band. Prior to that, all my show experiences where just bands setting up playing the songs without any stage theatrics. Then to see this band who went all out, it raised the bar.
It's funny when you think about how back then there would hardly be anyone at their shows, where nowadays there's tons. And even funnier that Oklahoma City has a street named after them. Whereas back then, I can remember the jocks and rednecks having really adverse reactions to the mere mention of the band. "What is that? Some weird freako-commie shit?!?" Hopefully their kids are now die-hard Flaming Lips fans.
Some of the best flyers in Oklahoma during the 80s were the Flaming Lips flyers that Wayne Coyne would illustrate (Rusty Short, aka Kltuch, also did some great flyers for NOTA, Brown 25, etc as well - I'll make a specific post of those down the road). Everytime I'd see these on the telephone posts I'd have to jump out of the car and grab one. Or take them off the wall at shows (of course once the show was over!).
I remember one time going to Michele Vlasimsky's apartment when she was showing a friend and I how to organize shows and seeing a few more flyers Wayne had done. My mind was completely blown. The stuff was cartoonish, raw, psychedelic, and just all around cool as hell.
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| I believe this flyer is from 1988. |
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| Promo photo from 1985/1986? |
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| From 1986. I hear the building where the Velvet Underground is now gone. |
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| I think the Subterranean was the only all-ages show space in Oklahoma during the 80s. I just wish they had more hardcore shows there.... |
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| From 1987. Nate's Cafe was a dance club like space on the Northside of town. |
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| One of my favorite flyers. I think this was in 1986. |
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| I remember this show well. From 1986. The drive home that night was really bizarre. |
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| 1986. |
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| 1988. Whatever happened to Janis Eighteen? I remember there being a local buzz for them. |
