SOUNDTRACK: THE FLAMING LIPS AND HEADY FWENDS-“2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)” (2012).
2012 saw the release of this very strange collaborative album. Whether The Flaming Lips had entered the mainstream or if people who’d always liked them were now big stars or maybe they all just liked doing acid. Whatever the case, The Lips worked with a vast array of famous (and less famous) people for this bizarre album. Here it is 8 years later. Time to check in.
The first song is I believe made by Kesha (who wanted to collaborate with Wayne Coyne). I understand it is a kind of update of The Stooges’ “1969.” I’ll have to assume that’s true.
It starts with Kesha saying, “Coz I want my ass. Shit. Sorry.” And then the stomping electronic dancey but chaotic beat starts up. “2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)” features Kesha, Biz Markie & Hour of the Time Majesty 12.
It runs along with Kesha singing (incoherently) and Biz Markee chiming in (also incoherently). I don’t really know what they’re saying, but it’s oddly catchy.
The middle has some psychedelic flutes and a relatively clean vocal line from Kesha. She sings nicely and It feels like the end of the song–like its just going to fade out–but no, after a beat, the noisy dance part starts up again. At four minutes, it’s a relatively short song on this album. And it certainly sets the tone for what follows (which means who the hell knows what’s going to come next).
This song is so unlike The Flaming Lips, I’m not even sure what they contributed to it. Lyrics? Music? Anything? Who knows. The unknown contributors are Hour of the Time Majesty 12 who are Spooki Tavi and Ashi Dala an experimental pop group who “create cartoon-like psychedelic fantasy in the dusty shimmer of east Hollywood.” They have two albums out which I may have to investigate.
[READ: August 1, 2019] Strangers in Paradise XXV #1
I loved the Strangers in Paradise series. Terry Moore’s art is amazing and the story was incredibly affecting. I was really saddened when it ended in 2012.
Then in 2018 he announced that he was restarting the story–a 25th anniversary update! Hence the XXV in the title.
I subscribed to the monthly publication issues but wanted to wait until the ten issue arc was completed before I started reading it.
Issue 1 begins with a man on a subway looking at his phone. When he doors open, a kid grabs his phone, and takes off. The phone gets tossed around until a woman who looks a lot like Katchoo takes out the sim card and throws the phone down.
The man calls his wife from work to say what happened. His wife, Laura, asks about the woman who took out the sim card. He describes Katchoo and Laura freaks out. She kicks a hole in a wall, takes out a bug-out-bag and flees. Shortly, Katchoo goes into the house and sees that Laura has left already.
Then we flashback to Francine and Katchoo’s house. Their kids are playing in the pool and everyone seems content. Although Tambi, the bodyguard, seems upset. Katchoo doesn’t like the look on Tambi’s face. Of course, Tambi says she doesn’t have a look, she’s stoic. But she reveals bad news.
There’s something about an Alaskan Collider explosion (which I think was in the previous series), but the crux is that Laura, whose real name is Stephanie, was a Parker Girl (more about that backstory, I’m sure). Katchoo and Tambi were also Parker Girls and their information could be compromised–which would be very bad for them.
The end of the chapter flashes back to Laura’s house where her husband comes home. He freaks out about seeing the woman who stole his phone, but she gets to the point. Laura, Stephanie, left and if he ever wants to see her again, he needs to help.
Nothing like staring off with an exciting moment!
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