Tellin’ Stories with Tim Burgess

THE FLAMING LIPS AND DINOSAUR JNR AT ALEXANDRA PALACE

There's nothing like a bit of nostalgia to help you look into the future.

And there's nobody quite so forward-thinking as the good folk at ATP with their Don't Look Back series; it's not only a great opportunity to celebrate an album you love but also to re-discover one that kind of dodged the radar.

I am a fan of Dinosaur Jr, and over the past few years have become a friend of Jay Mascis' - and seen the band play live many many times. Tonight would be a rare treat though as they would be playing the album Bug in its entirety in the faded glam surroundings of Alexandra Palace.

It was 10 years ago that the Flaming Lips' Soft Bulletin was released - I really liked it , but SOMEHOW I think I metaphorically lost it, or misplaced it and it never really found me again.

The gig was a revelation. I would say a revelation ten years too late, but since my friend Nick from OGenesis says the Soft Bulletin is the best album of all time... well, I guess time is on my side, then!

After the gig I returned to our warehouse in Seven Sisters and began to play the album (Nick had bought me a copy at the merchandise stand). I started playing the track 'Slow Motion' over and over again. At the gig earlier, Simon White, who is manager to the indie stars of today and formally the manager of Menswear (and a genuinely lovely, beardy guy and huge music fan), had declared with arms aloft and tears of joy and birthday wooziness, that 'Slow Motion' is THE BEST SONG IN THE WORLD.

At the warehouse through the night and into the following morning, I absolutely agreed - and haven't stopped playing it on repeat since. I love it when that happens. I feel the same about 'Waiting For Superman' and 'Feeling Yourself Disintegrate'.

Oh! Hold on, you all know about this record, don't you? It's just me who's been slow to catch on. It was only when my friend Nick - a sometime dancer for the Lips and an energetic fan of theirs - slowly and without pressure started to un-clench my fist to them over the course of our friendship that I opened up my arms to the world of the Lips. So here I am - dedicating the whole of the column to how much I'm in love with them!

How Wayne Coyne's smile can take me to utopia and back, and how their real cosmic, far-out trippiness touches your soul, and how the (nonSoft Bulletin track) 'Do You Realise' is the greatest song ever written (even though I do often claim that one to be 'Broken Heart' or 'Soul On Fire' by Spiritualized... or 'Disney Girls' by the Beach Boys. Or 'Nomads' by the High Llamas. Or 'Too Many Birds' by Bill Callahan... or 'Blue Monday' by New Order. Or even 'You Been Cheatin' by The Impressions or Smokey Robinson's 'Tears of a Clown').

After the show we joined the band for a drink and frontman Wayne's smile was matched by multi instrumentalist genius Steven Drozd's firm handshake and friendly demeanour. Around us their drummer Kliph, plastic sword in hand, chased imaginary dragon's with Jay Mascis's son - fighting dinosaurs with Dinosaur Jr's Jr, if you like.

The next night Nick danced for The Flaming Lips at their now legendary show at Jodrell Bank radio telescope, dressed as the tin man from The Wizard of Oz - a two acre dish that they used as a screen. The crowd was given a talk by an astro physicist in front of the 1950s behemoth and they, unprompted, broke into a chant of 'Science! Science!'

Sometimes we have to look back to move forwards and this is one of those times. That album, that smile and that handshake activates the psychedilickaleidascope whenever my mind thinks back to them.

OLD FRIENDS AND NEW RELEASES

I went to see Bernard Sumner do a speech in a tent at the Manchester International Festival. It was more like a Q&A, with Manc night-life social commentator/author Dave Haslam asking the Qs.

It was a really great thing to see Bernard being so candid - after all he's a notoriously private person - but hearing his stories, many of which I have read about already or heard from different sources - seemed heavier. His obvious affection for Factory, Tony Wilson, Ian Curtis, Martin Hannett and Rob Gretton shone through. Dave Haslam did a great job with his interview technique too.

Talking with Bernard and Dave afterwards at the party, my mate Terry Hall wandered over before his DJ set. I haven't seen him for ages and It was really great to catch up. I love running into friends like this I have known Terry since 1995 and before that I was, and still am a huge fan.

It would’ve been nice to hang out longer but I had to go back to the studio where I was mixing the debut Replicas single with Jim Spencer for our third release for Ogenesis, due out in September. Electricity in our Homes will be our August release - exciting times .

I have known Bonnie, Charlie and Paul for a few years now - worked with them a little bit here and there - but it's great to be doing something as major as a single release. I feel we have struck up a great friendship and I am looking forward to you being able to hear the songs aching, breaking, shaking for you and drumming around the room (parts 1 and 2). Hope you like it.

THE DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION

Since watching the film Blue Velvet at Notting Hill Gate Cinema in the early '90s, like many of you I've developed a great fondness for the work of David Lynch, following his output as a fan throughout. I think it's fair to say I have become occasionally a bit... well… yes!! - obsessed - but I think he does that to people, it's just his subversive gift (although maybe it is just my obsession).

Last year I was asked by the David Lynch Foundation to provide a track for the Foundation’s educational programs. In an age where music's inherent monetary value has been called into question, founder Lynch has created a record label that offers music as a wonderful reward for contributing to a great cause.

This intern-fueled non-profit organization assures that the funds raised from music sales go directly to the charitable programs and not on support staff. We asked our friends Factory Floor to remix a track of ours from the Warm Sounds EP - David loved it.