 the flaming lips are an american rock band formed in oklahoma city, oklahoma in 1983. instrumentally, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titlesâsuch as "what is the light? (an untested hypothesis suggesting that the chemical [in our brains] by which we are able to experience the sensation of being in love is the same chemical that caused the "big bang" that was the birth of the accelerating universe)". they are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which feature costumes, balloons, puppets, video projections, complex stage light configurations, giant hands, large amounts of confetti, and frontman wayne coyne's signature man-sized plastic bubble, in which he traverses the audience. in 2002, q magazine named the flaming lips one of the "50 bands to see before you die." the band is best known for its associations with 1960s and 1970s psychedelic subculture, with elements of this culture permeating the group's instrumentation, effects, and composition. coyne's lyrics, in particular, both reference and embody the fascination with the science fiction and space opera genres of fiction that were popular during the golden age of psychedelic subculture. his lyrical style tends to use the imagery and plot conventions of space opera to frame more abstract themes about the unfolding cycles of romantic love, highlighting its vulnerability while delving into its metaphysical implications. the group recorded several albums and eps on an indie label, [[restless reco
1983_establishments_in_Oklahoma Alternative_rock_groups_from_Oklahoma American_experimental_rock_groups American_indie_rock_groups Grammy_Award-winning_artists Musical_groups_established_in_1983 Musical_quartets Musical_quintets Musical_trios Neo-psychedelia_groups Noise_pop_musical_groups Psychedelic_artists Psychedelic_pop_music_groups Space_rock_musical_groups Warner_Bros._Records_artists