Wayne, what are you expecting from Hong Kong?

Once we’re there we can live in the moment and will be sure to enjoy the sights, food, meeting new friends and all the experiences.  It’s one of the benefits of being able to travel around the world and experience these things.

For those who’ve not experienced a Lips show, how would you describe it?

What we do is overwhelm you with stuff.  Whether we use balloons, volume, our emotion or whatever – we get your full attention.  When everyone is engaged like that then we can all create something special together.

You want any group to command people’s attention.  The worst thing I’ve seen happen to a lot of bands I love is that the audience gets distracted.  That energy and power of the crowd is part of the experience and when a band loses the attention then the whole show suffers.

You’ve embraced Twitter (@waynecoyne) – what got you into that and kept you doing it?

What I like about it for myself is that it forces me to, five or six times a day, pause and question what am I doing? What’s interesting right now.  It gives me a good reason to do something. Even if it’s a waste of time or the greatest thing ever, I can tell people about it and am no longer compelled by just my own interest.

We need a flourishing music and art scene – what is the first step to take?

I think you already have made the first step through the frustration and felt the need to take that step.  People are often so complacent that they don’t feel the need to participate in their own culture.  I live in a place here in Oklahoma that is often so empty of culture.  But you have to remember – art isn’t made in a place and not made by collaborations or encouragement.  It’s made by weirdos who just have to make it.  You do what you must do.  And if you don’t feel like you must create art/music/film/skyscrapers or whatever, then you probably shouldn’t.  I don’t wait for permission. I’m so stupid and insane that I wake up every day and just do it, whether people care or not.

What makes you really, really, really bored?

I try to remember that boredom is really nothing.  It’s a state of mind, and if I’m bored that’s my own fault.  There’s always something to explore – to read, to draw, to listen to.  When people say they’re bored, I think there’s so much you can do.  I can always do yoga and get my mind thinking.

What’s a surefire way to combat it?

A good way is to not be around boring people, and preferably ones with money to spend.

What’s next for the Lips?

We’re playing around with the idea of releasing a track a month – record something, mix it and get it out and have that schedule for a year.  We’re thinking about that.  I like the panic and the immediacy of having to put something out. It would be absurd but could be great fun and fantastic.

After Asia we have our annual Halloween and NYE shows in Oklahoma to look forward to. This is when we can get our most freaky with 10,000 people all sharing an evening together.

Flaming Lips tickets cost $620 and are an ESSENTIAL PURCHASE from www.hkticketing.com or HMV, with two fantastic support acts thrown in, in the form of The Raveonettes and local heroes The Merriweather Deer.

Take yourself, your friends, your family and anyone else you’ve ever met to have your minds blown and lives affirmed by the spectacle that is The Flaming Lips live.

Stay tuned for the Brouhaha guide to The Flaming Lips – coming soon.

In the meantime…

Where does your sexual electricity come from?

Well, I have lots of sex! But really, it’s just part of the character of the music that we create. I was lucky enough to have a fairly open upbringing and my parents have never really taken offence to what I do. I probably watched too many Madonna videos as well.

Do you have a stage persona or is what you see what you get?

It’s definitely a different person up there on stage. It’s taking a role, like method acting. We call our act electro-cabaret and so to a certain extent we are acting, performing. But, for me, I am also overcome by the energy from the stage, like it’s from the ground itself. As soon as I step up there I’m so affected I’m no longer me.

We know that sometimes you may shock the crowd, but has the crowd ever shocked or surprised you?

Oh my god! These people! They threw their beer at me and beer is so expensive here. They were just throwing their money away. I was surprised by that, as well as how many young children there were. These people take their children to be fully exposed to our full scope which is something the last generation wouldn’t have done. It really is amazing seeing kids on shoulders while we’re singing about the things we sing about. That’s 21^st century child raising and I would do the very same.

When (guitarist and drummer) Huzi and Edo kissed on stage, was that just an act or are they romantically involved?

Oh no they are both really straight guys! Just, they occasionally like to kiss and grab each other’s butts. We have this thing for touching the improper, you know, we feel it’s a bit of a tease. We like to play with the crowd, give the audience a kick and in turn we feed off the energy it generates. I think it’s quite cathartic for the audience to see the improper.

You’ve just toured Europe – how did you find it?

The best thing was backstage they had these huge fridges full of alcohol. That’s the way it should be! They really know how to treat a performer over there.

Speaking of alcohol, what’s your favourite drink?

Well I like my drinks in large quantities and so that usually means cheap. But if we talk about my favourite drink… this sounds a bit fancy but a well made Manhattan is perfect. They’re like potato chips, I have one and I can’t stop!

Which Clockenflap act are you most looking forward to?

Oh definitely looking forward to YACHT. We promoted their Beijing shows and so we’ve had a taste of what they are like and I must say, I’m intrigued!

What do you think of all the HK musicians who are moving up to Beijing?

I think it’s great. The underground scene here is so small, difficult and most people here have to work day jobs and don’t really get time to explore the music. Moving to Beijing, where it’s so much better for the music, really is great.
You really do see a lot of Hong Kong musicians up in Beijing now. People there aren’t as quick to judge you by your name card – you are known by who you are individually and not your position. People there don’t even really hand out name cards like they do here. If they do, it’s almost embarrassing!

You’ve mentioned in a previous interview that you feel Beijing audiences are like a crowd of music critics. How has the crowd been in Hong Kong?

Oh the crowd here is great – we really got a response out of them and that was a great energy for us. The Beijing crowds are getting better but they are still really hard. But it’s good to play for a tough audience, it keeps you on your game and you really have to bring it. When it’s that challenging, it’s so much more rewarding when they finally uncross their arms and start to dance.  But in Beijing there’s so much competition and people there aren’t so easily impressed by reputation.

Would you want to come to Hong Kong again?

Oh yeah, definitely. It’s been so much more than we had hoped for. We’re hoping to do a medium sized gig in the near future, that would be brilliant.

One last question – it is our understanding that you have been naked with the band members for a photo shoot. Was that awkward?

Not really. You don’t really know your friend until you’ve seen him naked anyway.

-Alex Lendrum & Hugo Stanford (who by the above statement know each other as friends).

Pet Conspiracy MySpace

See photos from both days at Clockenflap on the Brouhaha gallery.

What’s the story behind your gallery?

All the images are of icons who I feel have heavily influenced popular culture. The reason I chose that idea as my first solo exhibition is that everyone can relate to it – instead of having a collection of random illustrations, everyone can look at these works and recognise something or someone they know. Some may see it as selling out, but I’m just trying to reach people and give my twist on it.

It’s quite an urban twist, how much has street art influenced you?

Growing up in London, the urban art scene allowed you to explore more and express yourself in ways that fine art might restrict you. In the underground scene, you can do anything, whereas the mainstream limits you. Even though street art’s become mainstream, there are still some elements of it that I’ve brought to balance my work.

You also use modern digital techniques – do you consider that cheating?

No. Digital is just keeping up with the times, but sketching will always be important. If you’re an illustrator or designer, you need to know how to sketch. Apart from one original drawing, all the images are based on photographs. But it’s not just simple tracing – there’s much more technique and depth to it, and you can still create your own image.

What sets your style apart?

I love using bold colours. I want my work to stand out, It screams at you, and that’s one thing I’ve always wanted: for my work to reach people and be noticed.

What are your influences? Are they as bold as your work?

It’s all based on my pop culture diet when I was little – 80s cartoons, martial arts films, comic books and manga. It all screams art, and it all screams a culture within itself that has affected our culture. If you look at modern society, all the elements are there.

How has the city influenced your work?

The commercial side of Hong Kong has affected it. In terms of creativity and the arts scene, Hong Kong’s very limited. But if you push yourself further and are determined you can make it, you’ll stand out because no-one’s really pushed certain boundaries.

You think you can push the boundaries?

I believe so. I believe in myself.

How have you found the local arts scene?

To be honest, I think it’s very overrated. There are some artists here who are amazing, and deservedly dowell. But you sometimes wonder why some work receives a host of media attention, when there are amazing artists who don’t get the credit.

Do you think there are enough outlets locally for local illustrators and designers?

No, there are a lot of places that claim to be, but they’re not. It’s growing, but I don’t think Hong Kong’s really the right place for it. It’s very hard for an illustrator or a creative type to make it here unless you’ve got connections.

Speaking of being noticed, your work has caught the eye of Travis Barker, the drummer of US punkband Blink 182.

Yea, Blink 182 recently reformed, so I did an illustration in the new style I’d been working in. I sent it to his clothing company, and he’s used the image on his Facebook, MySpace and Twitter accounts. It’s one thing to have your work recognised, but to have it recognised by a personal icon’s really exciting. The only other time I felt that great was my first big job, which was designing the packaging for the Pacific Coffee Company. And also when I sold a piece at a charity auction for $80,000 – that was surreal.

You own a design company 1KStyles and you also do your own personal work. What’s the difference?

I’m an illustrator at heart, so I love to draw. When it comes to business, I understand that the idea clients have in their head is totally different from the idea I have in mine, so the key thing about 1KStyles is communication. It’s called 1KStyles because I want my work to be so versatile that it not only shows my own twist on things, but also surpasses their expectations.

So the idea of having your own voice is important to you.

Yeah, definitely. I even chose my university over others because of that – it focused on research and reasoning, while others taught you how to focus on the market and be the best. Because sometimes you don’t want that. You want to be the best of who you are..

www.1kstyles.com

-TC