U.F.O.'s at the Zoo

Back when I was playing only cover songs in New York my good pal Dwight suggested to me that I should check out the song 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' by the Flaming Lips, and that I would enjoy it. Of course I had heard about the Flaming Lips from their brief success with the song 'She Don't Use Jelly', but I never knew what I was getting into when I picked up my copy of 'Yoshimi...' the album.

I was working the day I bought it and brought the album into the lab with me where there was a CD boombox I could play it on. I was blown away not only by the suggested title track, but the album as a whole. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots has easily become the one song I have probably played the most in my life since that moment.

This album in itself was genius, and on top of that, the Lips incorporated a 5.1 surround sound DVD audio disc which just added to the experience. And I asked myself...who are these Lips that are Flaming?

Only weeks later (if that) I found myself perusing a record store and found a copy of the Lips' album 'Zaireeka'. I have only listened to this album fully about twice in my entire career of owning it, because it requires four CD players to do so. Each CD contains certain instrumentation and when all played together, it forms one hell of a listening experience. Not only that but it really provides the opportunity to make each time you listen to it completely different. And this was released ten years ago.

Since then the more I hear and learn about the Flaming Lips, the more I realize how innovative and incredible they are, as they are constantly trying to make each musical experience better then the last. Even my friend George (who is an avid attendee of concerts) has claimed to me that the Flaming Lips are one of (if not the) best live act to see today.

Which is what this DVD intends to prove to me. I haven't even watched it yet, but here is what it has to offer.

I am listening to the mp3 files that you can download from the DVD as I type this for one. On top of that, I can download the booklet digitally, create ringtones of about ten Flaming Lips tracks, RE-MIX my own version of 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song' using existing arrangements, and even download buddy icons and desktop wallpaper. All this contained on an MVI (Music Video Interactive) DVD, and I haven't even checked out some of the other miscellaneous features.

Needless to say, the Flaming Lips have done it again.