Telepathic Surgery

Infobox Album
Name = Telepathic Surgery
Type = Studio album
Artist = The Flaming Lips


Released = 1989
Recorded = 1989 Goodnite Audio, Dallas
Genre = Indie rock
Length = 38:42
64:37 (CD issue)
61:57 (3 Disc Vinyl issue)
Label = Restless/Enigma
1877-72350-2
Producer = Wayne Coyne, Richard English, Michael Ivins
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:nyen97e7krjt link]
Last album = "Oh My Gawd!!!"
(1987)
This album = "Telepathic Surgery"
(1989)
Next album = "In a Priest Driven Ambulance"
(1990)
Misc = Singles
Name = Telepathic Surgery
Type = studio
Single 1 = Drug Machine
Single 1 date = 1988

"Telepathic Surgery" is the third studio album by The Flaming Lips, released in 1989 (see 1989 in music). Beginning life as a concept album, the band initially set out to create a thirty minute sound collage. The plan was later scrapped, however the remnants of this original idea are evident within the album's loose, meandering structure and the epic "Hell's Angel's Cracker Factory". The Album is named after a line from the Flaming Lips song "Chrome Plated Suicide". [ [http://www.flaminglips.com/main.php Official Flaming Lips website] . "Telepathic Surgery" album info. "The Flaming Lips third album for Restless records was based around their desire to create a piece of music which would be a half hour long collage of sound".]

"Chrome Plated Suicide" stands out as one of the group's most accomplished early recordings, possibly due to being based on Guns N' Roses' critically-acclaimed "Sweet Child o' Mine". [ [Wayne Coyne. Liner notes of "A Collection of Songs Representing an Enthusiasm for Recording...By Amateurs", (1998) Restless Records. "I think someone showed me the chords to "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns 'N Roses"] Sub Pop asked the group to record "Drug Machine in Heaven" for their 'single of the month' series. It was retitled as "Drug Machine" and is the group's first official single. The 'A-side' was backed with "Strychnine/What's So Funny (About Peace, Love and Understanding)" a cover of both "Strychnine" by The Sonics and Peace, Love, and Understanding by Nick Lowe but based on the Elvis Costello and the Attractions cover version. [ [Wayne Coyne. Liner notes of "A Collection of Songs Representing an Enthusiasm for Recording...By Amateurs", (1998) Restless Records. "Sub-Pop asked us to do a cover of this Sonics' (they're from Seattle) song for their "single of the month" series and for some reason, which i can't remember now, we fused it with this Elvis Costello cover"]

Similar to many albums of its time, the CD release of "Telepathic Surgery" had a track listing differing from its LP release due to the time restraints of a single vinyl LP. Extra tracks on CD versions were "Fryin' Up" and "Hell's Angel's Cracker Factory" which are included in-between "Miracle on 42nd Street and "U.F.O. Story".

The album was reissued and remastered as part of the "Finally the Punk Rockers Are Taking Acid", it included the CD extra tracks but "Hell's Angels Cracker Factory" was amended to just over three minutes in length.

Track listing

# "Drug Machine in Heaven" – 2:12
# "Right Now" – 3:57
# "Michael, Time to Wake Up" – 0:29
# "Chrome Plated Suicide" – 5:41
# "Hari-Krishna Stomp Wagon (Fuck Led Zeppelin)" – 3:45
# "Miracle on 42nd Street" – 2:48
# "U.F.O. Story" – 6:41
# "Redneck School of Technology" – 2:56
# "Shaved Gorilla" – 2:58
# "The Spontaneous Combustion of John" – 0:53
# "The Last Drop of Morning Dew" – 1:58
# "Begs and Achin'" – 4:24

Limited Edition Vinyl Only Reissue

"Telepathic Surgery" was reissued in 2005 on blue vinyl. The reissue is on 3 sides and contains the bonus track "Hell's Angels Cracker Factory", a 23 minute song with backward vocals and long guitar solos. The cover depicts promotional photos including the band standing in front of a staged fatal car crash. the inside sleeve contains a story about the early Lips by Michael Ivins, the bassist and founding member of the Flaming Lips.

Side 1

#"Drug Machine in Heaven"
#"Right Now"
#"Michael, Time to Wake Up"
#"Chrome Plated Suicide"
#"Hari-Krishna Stomp Wagon (Fuck Led Zeppelin)"
#"Miracle on 42nd Street"

Side 2

#"U.F.O Story"
#"Redneck School of Technology"
#"Shaved Gorilla"
#"The Spontaneous Combustion of John"
#"The Last Drop of Morning Dew"
#"Begs and Achin'"

Side 3

#"Hell's Angel's Cracker Factory"

Personnel

* Wayne Coyne - Lead Vocals, Guitar
* Richard English - Drums, Vocals, Guitar
* Michael Ivins - Bass, Vocals

* Produced by The Flaming Lips
* Engineered by Ruben Ayala
* Craig 'Niteman' Taylor - Harmonica

References