The Flaming Lips Announce First Post-Steven Drozd Album The Teardrop Throbs: Hear “God Will Control The Werewolves”

The Flaming Lips announced a new album today, the long-awaited follow-up to 2020's American Head. The Teardrop Throbs is out in January, and it marks two important transitions for the band. For one thing, it's coming out on Jack White's Third Man Records, making it their first album since 1990's In A Priest Driven Ambulance not to be released by Warner. Not only is this the Lips' first indie album in 37 years, it's their first without core member Steven Drozd since 1991's Hit To Death In The Future Head. Drozd joined the Lips as a drummer in 1991, evolving into a multi-instrumentalist and a crucial architect of their music alongside founder and frontman Wayne Coyne. He left the band in 2024 under contentious circumstances, with Coyne claiming he quit and Drozd alleging he was fired. In an interview with Stereogum this year, Drozd told his side of the story, explaining that when he left for addiction treatment, Coyne opted to continue band activities without him: "I went back to treatment. And he just stopped talking to me. That was it. That was me basically being fired from the group. So, you know, I didn’t leave. I was fired. I guess you could say I left because I’m the one that w...