An engrossing and intimate portrait of the Oklahoma-based psychedelic pop band the Flaming Lips, cult heroes to millions of indie-rock fans. In July 2002, the Flaming Lips released an ambitious album called Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, which merged elements of orchestral pop, electronic dance music, and old-fashioned psychedelic rock with lyrical themes that were simultaneously poignant and philosophical and supremely silly. The album sold a million copies worldwide, introduced the Flaming Lips to a mass audience, and made them one of the best-known cult bands in rock history. Staring at Sound is the tale of the Flaming Lips’s fascinating career (which, in reality, began in 1983) and the many colorful personalities in their orbit, especially Wayne Coyne, their charismatic and visionary founder. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with the band, it follows the Flaming Lips through the thriving indie-rock underground of the 1980s and the alternative-rock movement of the early ’90s, during which they found fans in such rock legends as Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant, and Devo, and respected peers in such acts as the White Stripes, Radiohead, and Beck. It concludes with exclusive coverage of the creation of the group’s latest album, At War with the Mystics . Adult/High School–The Flaming Lips have been a cutting-edge rock band longer than today's teens have been alive, yet, in the last few years, they've been able to attract new young fans. They defied conventional wisdom by making their best album nearly 20 years into their career. Using interviews with most of the key players and his own experiences, music critic DeRogatis takes readers on a journey that goes around the world with the Lips, but always back to their home base of Oklahoma City. Though the author is obviously a fan, he doesn't fawn, and he allows true personalities to shine through. Singer Wayne Coyne is portrayed as a visionary, but also as a bit of a tyrant. Bassist Michael Ivins is his perfect complement–an introvert to Coyne's dynamic showman. The Flaming Lips toured relentlessly, rarely turning down gigs, and made phone calls, sent out demo tapes, and finally signed to a major label, where they outlasted countless other '80s and '90s groups that had more immediate success. Teens should find it eye-opening to learn how a band promoted itself before the Internet. Several photographs show the performers in all their incarnations, and there are even some reproductions of Coyne's early artwork. The book is well indexed, but lacks a discography. However, each album is discussed in great detail and fans will love hearing the stories behind the songs. Luckily, the original albums have been rereleased. –Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Praise for Let It Blurt “A personal journey through the wit and the world and the ferocious spirit of Lester Bangs.…It reads like rock and roll.” —Cameron Crowe “ Let It Blurt tells one of the essential rock and roll stories with great affection and panache. Lester Bangs—paradigm, mystery, great writer, tragicomic presence—has been given the biography he deserves.…A splendid book.” —Jonathan Lethem In July 2002, the Flaming Lips released an ambitious album called "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots that merged elements of orchestral pop, electronic dance music, and old-fashioned psychedelic rock with lyrical themes that were simultaneously poignant and philosophical and supremely silly. The album sold a million copies worldwide, introduced the Flaming Lips to a mass audience, and made them one of the best-known cult bands in rock history. "Staring at Sound is the tale of the Flaming Lips's fascinating, long career (which, in reality, began in 1983) and the many colorful personalities in its orbit, especially Wayne Coyne, its charismatic and visionary founder. Written with the complete cooperation of the band, it follows the Lips through the thriving indie-rock underground of the 1980s and the alternative rock movement of the early '90s, during which they found fans in such rock legends as Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant, and Devo, and respected peers in such acts as the White Stripes, Radiohead, and Beck. In the style of "Wilco: Learning How to Die by Greg Kot," Hellfire by Nick Tosches," and" DeRogatis's own" Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, Staring at Sound is an illuminating, well-researched, fast-moving, and very human portrait of one of the most distinctive rock music acts of our time. Jim DeRogatis is the pop music critic at the Chicago Sun-Times . Together with Greg Kot, rock critic at the Chicago Tribune and author of Wilco: Learning How to Die , he is the host of Sound Opinions , “the world's only rock and roll talkshow,” which is now broadcast on Public Radio. He is the author of Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester