Wayne M Coyne

Wayne M Coyne • Michael Ivins • Steven G Drozd • Supporting cast • Rogues gallery

Wayne Coyne was born in the early 1960's, in a hospital. He grew up part of a fairly large and very loving family, in Oklahoma City, with four brothers, one sister, a dog, two cats, and a snake. Wayne didn't place too much emphasis on going to school, preferring instead to indulge his early artistic tendencies, mostly in the form of painting and drawing in his own distinctive style. His early teenage years were also spent listening to a variety of great music, played to him by his elder brothers.

Having just about made it through high school, Wayne took employment in the local Long John Silver's restaurant. This was to be a constant source of income over the next twelve years or so, and Wayne was eventually a recipient of a diamond pin for long service. In the later part of the 1970s, Wayne was still painting, including some large oil works, as well as furthering his musical 'education' at the large rock shows of the day. These events were a formative experience, and his experiences in concert parking lots were to have an effect on his later career (see details of the Parking Lot experiments).

After saving his meagre fry-cook pay and running scams on the side, Wayne was finally able to afford his first guitar at age fifteen. Having mastered the basics inside two weeks, he went in search of some people with whom to form a band. With the help of Michael Ivins, the Flaming Lips were soon in existence and Wayne was able to fulfil his youthful dreams of making his own records. In his first seven years as a Flaming Lip, Wayne split his time between the pursuit of the perfect fish and fries and his artistic endeavours. Making music was not the only outlet for his talent in the band, as he used his artistic skills for the many flyers, posters, and other artwork associated with the Flaming Lips. Wayne still also painted the odd oil work.

At the end of the 1980s Wayne took to giving blood regularly, using the proceeds to live on while recording the band's last album for Restless Records. He also grew himself a large set of dreadlocks and decided to let his clothes wash themselves. After being thrown out of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas by the manager, for scaring off the customers, he was nicknamed 'Stinky' (as seen in the sleeve-notes to 'In A Priest Driven Ambulance', released in 1990). The band were subsequently signed to Warner Brothers records, and Wayne was finally able to quit his job at Long John Silver's to be a full time Flaming Lip. Around this time, he met Michelle Martin and they then moved in together after Wayne purchased 'the first fire-proof house in Oklahoma City' for a very cheap price at an auction. This property became the famed Flaming Lips Compound, where all things Lips were subsequently plotted and begun, as is the case to this day.

In the early 1990s the dreadlocks were shed, and Wayne met the song writing partner with whom he would enjoy the most success, Steven Drozd. The band went from strength to strength and Wayne was also able to realise a number of artistic ambitions as the decade went on. The Flaming Lips empire expanded as the band brought Wayne's ideas for experiments with multiple sound sources (both in the studio and in live settings) to fruition. The decade ended with Wayne cooking up a new plan to make his first feature film, employing the band and associates as cast, crew, and creators of an original soundtrack. As the band continued to tour their latest album, 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots', through 2003, Wayne was still plotting work on his debut feature film 'Christmas On Mars', planned to be complete in time for Christmas 2004.

Further information (May 1999):

Born: In a hospital, with no obvious physical deformities.

Educated: Some - went to public school, did not excel - in sports or math.

Other occupations: Mowing yards; giving plasma.

Favourite records: Vince Guaraldi - Charlie Brown X-mas. Bjork - Debut.

Favourite bands: Current - Aphex Twin. Oldie - Bee Gees.

Favourite films/TV/books: Film - Cool Hand Luke. TV - Life In The E.R. (Documentary - real life stuff). Books - Philosophy stuff.

Favourite phrase: "I am not on drugs!"

Likes: To exercise.

Dislikes: To be sick.

Biggest influence on career: Not dying young.

Residence: In my house in OKC.

What would you like your epitaph to be?: "There is nothing after death, and this is good news!!!!!!"

Wayne M Coyne • Michael Ivins • Steven G Drozd • Supporting cast • Rogues gallery

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