Among the many experimental antics in its 34-year history, the Flaming Lips once recorded four albums that were intended to form a whole while played simultaneously. Then frontman Wayne Coyne began walking on the crowds in a human hamster ball during the band’s confetti-drenched concerts. And in 2010, the group re-recorded Dark Side of the Moon with Henry Rollins and Peaches on vocals. In a Rolling Stone interview, Coyne recently detailed an ayahuasca trip with Miley Cyrus.
So really, a Dogfish Head beer made with the Flaming Lips seems like not that relatively weird a thing. Of course we'd be mistaken for thinking anything less.
Called Dragons & Yum-Yums, the pink brew is a tropical pale ale with flavors of pear, passion fruit, dragon fruit, yumberry and black carrot juice. Coyne was given a long list of ingredients to choose from. Which explains how black carrot juice made the cut.
The ale will be released on April 21, aka Record Store Day, when record stores throughout the States release unforeseen specials and curios. Dogfish has a history of making beers with or for artists, including bluesman Robert Johnson, Guided by Voices, Pearl Jam and the Grateful Dead.
And while the Delaware brewery was busy whipping up the beer and presumably tripping their faces off to design the psychedelic, microbial label with artist Marq Spusta, Coyne was busy writing and recording songs that go with the beer.
A fantasy tale about the beer’s ingredients spread amongst two singles, “The Story of Yum Yum and Dragon” and “Pouring Beer in Your Ear” will come out on Record Day as well. In the form of 100 clear copies filled with the beer itself. Coyne tells beer blog October that the move harkens back to the time the band made a record sandwiching human blood between the grooves.
It’ll also be available on a regular, boring, not-weird, alcohol-free 7”.