If 2011 was the year of Buddy Holly and Nirvana covers, then 2012 is shaping up to be the year of Beatles cover. A couple hours ago, we premiered a cover of “I Am the Walrus” by NOVI, and now you can watch a video of the Flaming Lips covering the same song. That makes this their second Beatles cover of the past few months.
The Flaming Lips have made a career out of unpredictability. They are often touted as one of the best live bands around, performing on a stage full of dancing mascots and with cameras attached to their microphones, but even in a studio setting they can be downright weird. Back at the end of December, in preparation for their New Year’s Eve concert with Yoko Ono, the Lips covered the Beatles, as they did back in November. “I Am the Walrus” is one of the strangest in the Beatles’ catalog, making it perfect fodder for a Flaming Lips cover. The Lips’ version is all distorted bass guitar and shouted vocals. While the heavy and stripped down guitar makes for great head-banging, lead singer Wayne Coyne’s “singing” quickly reveals itself as more of a reading of the lyrics. Maybe he didn’t want to sound too much like the original, but a little more melody could have pushed this version over the top. He is saved, though, by a stellar performance by guitarist Steve Drozd. Although Drozd’s outfit (a space blanket) is questionable, his maniacal laughing and interjections of “WOOOO!” are spot on. Check out the antics below.
For more info on The Flaming Lips check out their website.
