Pitchfork

2001 has been an incredibly busy year for Oklahoma-based psych-pop masters the Flaming Lips. Not only have they been recording sessions for the forthcoming, as-yet-untitled follow-up to their 1999 classic, The Soft Bulletin; they're also hard at work on a feature film, and planning to let the fans in on some DVD action. Let's take a closer look:

The band has been in and out of Dave Fridmann's secluded Tarbox recording studio in western New York since late February of this year. They're reported to have made substantial progress on their forthcoming album, with the most recent sessions taking place on October 7th and November 8th. It's been said that the album will continue in the orchestral vein of The Soft Bulletin, but may be more keyboard- and guitar-based than last time out. NME recently revealed that working song titles include "Are You a Hypnotist?," "It's Summertime," "Syrtis Major" and "Utopia Planitia." The record is due out sometime in 2002, but probably closer to the end of the year.

As for the film, it's titled Xmas on Mars and is being slated for a Christmas 2002 release. Singer Wayne Coyne finished writing the screenplay roughly a year ago and is directing, as well as collecting "space junk" from their fans to use as props. All three of the Flaming Lips' current members-- Coyne, bassist Michael Ivins, and drummer Steven Drozd-- will star, as will their manager and some of their close friends.

Earlier this year, Allstar News reported that the film will be the story of astronauts who, after living on a space station for nine months, decide to celebrate Christmas. But despite the band calling the movie "a futuristic Christmas fairytale," you might wanna leave the kids at home: the film apparently takes a turn for the scary when the astronaut who is given the role of Santa commits suicide and an alien (played by Coyne) dons the beard instead. Photos were recently released on the web showing the band on the set, decked out in costumery that can only be described as "inexpensive." The guys are also working on a soundtrack to accompany Xmas on Mars, though no information has yet been released as to whether it will be issued separately from the film.

In related news, the Lips are taking their time issuing the acclaimed documentary, The Flaming Lips Have Landed on DVD. Directed by Oklahoma University graduate and up-and-coming indie film guy Bradley Beesley (who also has a hand in the making of Xmas on Mars), the finished product was shown on PBS and at independent theaters last year, as well as at the annual Austin, Texas music conference South by Southwest. The forthcoming DVD is expected to include some of the band's music videos as a bonus. However, when Allstar News asked the Lips' spokesperson earlier this year about a possible release date, the publicist's only reply was "down the road." And as for the rumored release of a Zaireeka DVD, which would mix all four of that album's separate CDs into 5:1 Dolby surround sound and include some sweet psychedelic visuals, well, it hasn't been discussed in over a year. Gotta love those Warner brothers.