The Flaming Lips — creators of such albums as The Most Recent Flaming Lips Album and That Really Famous Flaming Lips Album — have announced a new forthcoming series of reissues courtesy of Rhino/Warner Bros. Starting April 20, the group behind The First Flaming Lips Album will begin releasing remastered editions of some of their earliest material. And I mean, like: for real-earliest material.
Up first is Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips, a relatively straightforward 19-track compilation of, you guessed it, the very first recordings the Flaming Lips ever did as a band! Featuring the original Flaming Lips lineup with Mark Coyne on vocals, it includes the band’s first two cassette demos, as well their first self-released EP, the latter of which was remastered from the original analog tape master.
That’s not all however — because May 25 sees the release of Seeing the Unseeable: The Complete Studio Recordings of the Flaming Lips 1986-1990. This six-CD collection includes the first four Flaming Lips albums, originally released on Restless Records (Hear It Is, Oh My Gawd!!!, Telepathic Surgery, and In a Priest Driven Ambulance) as well as two discs of rarities. Start dusting off a new place your glass-doored box set cabinet now!
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Flaming Lips also plan to release a whole bunch of vinyl remasters this year, including those aforementioned Restless Records albums. But first, there’s Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips on April 20, and Seeing the Unseeable: The Complete Studio Recordings of the Flaming Lips 1986-1990 on May 25, both being released via Rhino. Head down below to revisit those first couple of records, view the cover art for Scratching the Door, and read all the extensive, respective tracklists. And make sure to watch out for falling confetti, just in case the Flaming Lips accidentally left the door to their archives open.
Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips
01. Bag Full Of Thoughts
02. Out For A Walk
03. Garden Of Eyes
04. Forever Is A Long Time
05. Scratchin’ The Door
06. My Own Planet
07. Killer On The Radio
08. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
09. Batman Theme
10. Handsome Johnny
11. Flaming Lips Theme Song 1983
12. The Future Is Gone”
13. Underground Pharmacist
14. Real Fast Words
15. Groove Room
16. Jesus Shootin’ Heroin
17. Trains, Brains & Rain
18. Communication Breakdown
19. Summertime Blues
Seeing the Unseeable: The Complete Studio Recordings of the Flaming Lips 1986-1990
Disc One: Hear It Is
01. With You
02. Unplugged
03. Trains, Brains and Rain
04. Jesus Shootin’ Heroin
05. Just Like Before
06. She Is Death
07. Charlie Manson Blues
08. Man From Pakistan
09. Godzilla Flick
10. Staring At Sound/With You (Reprise)
Disc Two: Oh My Gawd!!!…The Flaming Lips
01. Everything’s Explodin’
02. One Million Billionth Of A Millisecond On A Sunday Morning
03. Maximum Dream For Evil Knievel
04. Can’t Exist
05. Ode to C.C. (Part I)
06. The Ceiling Is Bendin’
07. Prescription: Love
08. Thanks To You
09. Can’t Stop The Spring
10. Ode To C.C. (Part II)
11. Love Yer Brain
Disc Three: Telepathic Surgery
01. Drug Machine In Heaven
02. Right Now
03. Michael, Time To Wake Up
04. Chrome Plated Suicide
05. Hari-Krishna Stomp Wagon (Fuck Led Zeppelin)
06. Miracle On 42nd Street
07. Fryin’ Up
08. Hell’s Angel’s Cracker Factory
09. U.F.O. Story
10. Redneck School Of Technology
11. Shaved Gorilla
12. The Spontaneous Combustion Of John
13. The Last Drop Of Morning Dew
14. Begs and Achin’
Disc Four: In A Priest Driven Ambulance (With Silver Sunshine Stares)
01. Shine On Sweet Jesus - Jesus Song No. 5
02. Unconsciously Screamin’
03. Rainin’ Babies
04. Take Meta Mars
05. Five Stop Mother Superior Rain
06. Stand In Line
07. God Walks Among Us Now - Jesus Song No. 6
08. There You Are - Jesus Song No. 7
09. Mountain Side
10. What A Wonderful World
Disc Five: Restless Rarities
01. Death Valley ‘69
02. Thank You
03. Can’t Stop The Spring - Remix
04. After The Gold Rush
05. Death Trippin’ At Sunrise
06. Drug Machine In Heaven - Sub Pop 7” version
07. Strychnine/Peace, Love And Understanding
08. Lucifer Rising
09. Ma, I Didn’t Notice
10. Let Me Be It
11. She’s Gone Mad Again
12. Golden Hearse
13. Stand In Line
14. I Want To Kill My Brother; The Cymbal Head
15. Five Stop Mother Superior Rain
Disc Six: The Mushroom Tapes
01. Take Meta Mars
02. Mountain Side
03. There You Are
04. Five Stop Mother Superior Rain
05. Rainin’ Babies
06. Unconsciously Screamin’
07. Stand In Line
08. God’s A Wheeler Dealer
09. Agonizing
10. One Shot
11. Cold Day
12. Jam