The Fearless Freaks 19 years old
Equal parts punk and psychedelia, the Flaming Lips emerged from Oklahoma City as one of the most bracing bands of the late 1980s. The Fearless Freaks documents their rise from Butthole Surfers-imitating noisemakers to grand poobahs of orchestral pop masterpieces. Filmmaker Bradley Beesely had the good fortune of living in the same neighborhood as lead Lip Wayne Coyne, who quickly enlisted his buddy to document his band's many concerts and assorted exploits. The early footage is a riot, with tragic hair styles on proud display as the boys attempt to cover up their lack of natural talent with sheer volume. During one show, they even have a friend bring a motorcycle on stage, which is then miked for sound and revved throughout the performance, clearing the club with toxic levels of carbon monoxide. Great punk rock stuff. Interspersed among the live bits are interviews with the band's family and friends, revealing the often tragic circumstances of their childhoods and early career.
Credits
The Fearless Freaks Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Wayne Coyne He was 44, now 63 years old | as Himself |
| Kenny Coyne | as Himself |
| Steve Burns He was 31, now 51 years old | as Himself |
| Tommy Coyne He was 42, now 62 years old | as Himself |
| Bradley Beesley He was 104, now 123 years old | as Narrator |
| James Drozd | as Himself |
| Dolly Coyne | as Herself |
| Marty Coyne | as Himself |
| Jonathan Donahue He was 39, now 58 years old | as Himself |
| Beck He was 34, now 54 years old | as Himself |
The Fearless Freaks Crew
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Bradley Beesley as Director. He was 104 (now 123) years old | Directing |
| Scott Booker as Producer. | Production |
| Alan Novey as Camera Operator. | Camera |
| Damon Cook as Producer. | Production |
| Andrew Mayer as Editor. | Editing |
| Ryan Dolan as Executive Producer. He was 19 (now 39) years old | Production |
| Rick Fuller as Producer. He was 38 (now 57) years old | Production |
| Dan Jacunich as Executive Producer. | Production |
| JoLynn Garnes as Editor. She was 25 (now 44) years old | Editing |
| Benjamin Lowry as Sound mixer. | Sound |
The Fearless Freaks (19 years)
- Release day: Wednesday, May 25, 2005
- Runtime: 100 minutes