DVD Review: The Fearless Freaks

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Culled form over 400 hours of film, director Bradley Beasley’s latest effort chronicles The Flaming Lips rise from obscure local punk band to pop icons. Beasley, a film student, attended a local punk concert in 1986 and soon struck up a friendship with head Lip, Wayne Coyne. This friendship provided Beasley with plenty of filming opportunities and up close access for well over a decade.

The film starts in somewhat music video fashion by shot gunning the viewer with sights and sounds from Lips history and cameo’s by musicians, actors and music execs. Beasley narrates the film, giving us a quick update on how it all started, then moves on to Coyne walking through the neighborhood where he grew up. Throughout the film I got the idea that Coyne desires to live the life he knew growing up, which includes living in similar neighborhood.

While this is a rockumentary in every way, it’s also largely about family. Many interviews are done with family members, some still strung out after years of drug abuse. Beasley uses lots of home movie footage while covering each band member’s childhood through teen years. It seemed to this reviewer the footage had somehow been unnecessarily doctored to give it a “vintage” look. I also thought too much time was used on the sandlot football team in which Coyne participated, and where the movie derives its name.

Much of the film is spent on Coyne and his projects, which not only includes the band, but also a feature length film he’s making called Christmas On Mars. Coyne comes off not only as creative, but driven and obsessed with seeing his visions become a reality.

While Coyne appears to be the driving creative force behind the Lips, there is little doubt that Steven Drodz is the musical genius behind the Lips sound. Coming from a musical family (an old B&W still shows his father playing four saxophones at once) he is scary talented. The bands musical roots are directly tied to their love of acts like the Butthole Surfers. However, it’s Drodz’s arrival that moves the band from banging out three chord ditties to more lush sounds. Coyne suggests Drodz transformed his own guitar playing and admits, “…we were going to have to learn our instruments”.

Much time is spent on Drodz’ drug addiction. Coyne, while intensely worried about his band mate, remained pragmatic while being interviewed, “ If Steven dies, we’ll have a story. If he lives, we’ll have a movie”.

The one person who seems to be missing in all this is bassist Michael Ivins. While his childhood is chronicled like the others, he’s really only included when the Lips as a whole are the focus. Church of Michael Ivin’s Hair members will get a kick out of a 16 year old Ivins sporting what can only be termed a “frohawk”.

The one person I wish had been interviewed was former member and guitar wizard Ronald Jones. Alas, Jones is quite shy and a recluse. He left the band in ’96 stemming from personal differences about Drodz drug abuse.

There is no shortage of concert footage but it comes in snippets. Those wishing to explore the lips musically would be better off buying their CD’s. A great clip has the Lips onstage with The White Stripes performing Seven Nation Army.

The bonus disk includes outtakes, cutting room floor droppings, concert footage I believe to be pre Soft Bulletin, and a still photo slide show.

When it was over I felt satisfied that I had been given good look behind the scenes. The end catches us up on the current lives of the band members and leaves a good feeling.

I would suppose this DVD is a must have for all Flaming Lips diehards. For the merely curious, perhaps you can Netflix it.