This following spans the generations, as the Flaming Lips are known not only for their modern, alternative approach to rock and roll, but they’ve kept many elements of the 1960’s in their sound as well. In recent years, the band has enjoyed a much larger audience, and as they prepare to hit the stage once again, it’s a good time to take a look at their development.

Early Years

The Flaming Lips were formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, and the original members were a group of friends who simply liked to jam together. They practiced for a few months and then began to play the local club scene, and their varying influences were apparent immediately. Their live shows were psychedelic and modern all at once, and they seemed to be content to just play local clubs and record EP’s on small independent labels.

However, that all changed in 1990, when a record executive got a hold of one of their EP’s and came to see them play in Oklahoma City. He was floored with their live act, and the band was signed to the Warner Bros. label immediately. They got right to work, and over the course of the next two years they toured extensively and worked on their first major release.

Commercial Success

Two things happened to the band after signing their recording contract. Their business ties and influence got them bigger gigs, and Flaming Lips tickets became a hot item on the underground band circuit. Their access to new studios and equipment also helped to refine their sound, and their first release with Warner Bros. came out in 1992.

Hit to Death in the Future Head was a moderate success commercially, but gained critical acclaim within the industry. The biggest contribution the release made for the band, however, was to set the table for their next release. Transmissions from the Satellite Heart, released in 1993, contained the band’s first chart-topping hit with “She Don’t Use Jelly," which was played on radio stations all over the world. At this point, the Flaming Lips was a household name.

Consistent Notice

Since then, the Flaming Lips have released five subsequent albums, and each one has performed better than the last in the commercial sense. Their last three albums have cracked the charts in both the US and the UK, and the band’s concerts have become the stuff of legend with their style that appeals to almost every sense.

The band is still going strong, and their next tour will only remind people why Flaming Lips tickets are worth the effort to obtain.