Steven Drozd has further discussed his split with The Flaming Lips, after more than 30 years in the group, on FOX23 Tulsa’s One More Thing podcast. Lips frontman Wayne Coyne had said, “the reason he left is sad, and infuriating,” leaving fans wondering if he was eluding to something dramatic, but Drozd paints it as more mundane.
“Touring wasn’t working for me anymore, and Wayne and I disagreed on what I should do moving forward,” Drozd said. “So we just kind of agreed that I would step back, and then step back turned into not coming back. And it just felt right to kind of just fade into the mist, really. And that’s kind of how it happened. Really, there’s not much more of a story, really. I think people want something more salacious or interesting or whatever, but for my own personal wellbeing, that’s where I keep it. So I wish them well, and I know they’ll have another great 10 years or whatever it’s going to be, and the shows will be wonderful and all that, but I’m moving on with my own thing.”
Drozd had hoped that he “could just be like a guy that doesn’t tour but is still in the band. I think that can work for some bands — I guess it worked for the Beach Boys — but we’re not the Beach Boys. That just seemed like an odd fit. After 33 years, moving on felt kind of right.”
Drozd does say that revealing the news he was no longer in The Flaming Lips in a reply on Threads was a “blunder” and that any olive branches are unlikely to be extended any time soon. “Everyone is resigned to moving on. I’m working on a solo record that will probably come out in the summer. It won’t be the Flaming Lips.”
You can watch that podcast interview below.