I love the Flaming Lips. They constantly remind me of the precious few oil-wells-in-the-rough that can be found in the great state of Oklahoma, my home state, a state known for its deep, red hue. A state with the redbud tree as its official state tree. A state with the red rose rock as the official rock. A state where the red men were all pushed from Florida on the trail of tears. Say the five civilized tribes out loud with me, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole. Does ’Seminole’ look like a dirty word to anybody else? A state whose world-dominating college football team’s official maroon color is about as brazenly red as can be. A state so red that it has even infused its own land with oxidizing iron in an apparent attempt to become redder. It should be noted that the word ’oklahoma’ itself is based on the choctaw words for ’red man’ – fitting, no?

A red state. And, thankfully, the state the Flaming Lips call home.*

The much-lauded documentary of the rise of the Flaming Lips is now available for purchase, and Benevolent Uncle Coyne will be hosting a Q&A this Thursday, May 19, at Cinespace in Hollywood promptly following the 7:30 screening. It’s invite-only, kids, but you might be able to snag a wristband by running to Tower records on Sunset, Sherman Oaks or Brea (is Brea red? or orange) and purchasing the dvd in advance of the screening. Make sure you demand your wristband.

For more details, contact Cinespace. This is a KCRW gig so expect the masses to crowd you, but good.

On a personal note, I have tickets for Sam Prekop Thursday and am not even sure I can make the show to see Most Auspicious Benevolent Uncle Wayne. Should somebody make it in and fail to sense my presence, please ask Benevolent Coyne if he misses Sonic’s French-Fried Pickle-O’s as much as I do. Chances are he’ll know what you’re talking about; they were fleetingly available in Oklahoma in the late 80s/early 90s.

I may also be trying to crowd the free Dears show, so it’s shaping up to be a busy Thursday any way you slice it.

I can’t vouch for the new DVD yet, but based on the filmmaker’s past collaboration with the Lips, and the fact that it has the Lips in it period, it’s a keeper.

*apologies for the brief foray into the state of losanjealoma.