I love both the flaming lips and arcade fire. But i can see win acting like a prick, and wayne is amazing..... so..... good for u wayne!

lol

"yibble yabble ho ra"
Babble Babble.

I dunno.
Yes.
No.

These kinds of outbursts are pointless to debate.

Part of the shit of rock and roll.

I thought the Arcade Fire were pretty good when I saw them at Glastonbury in 07, but took offence at Mr Butler when he said "I've just come from an Irish Wedding that was more rowdy than this crowd".
Generally, Mr Butler, Irish weddings are quite rowdy affairs and standing in the heavy mud at Glasto waiting for your band to come on stage sometimes falls short of that.

All power to Mr Coyne, he calls it how he sees it.

This whole bashing 'Arcade Fire' thing kind of sums up Wayne Coyne's intellect. The world is falling apart right now and that's the most biting bit of social commentary he can dig up? Maybe he should focus on his stage puppets and rolling around in his giant see-through ball (yawn) and just keep trying really, really hard to be "weird". If anyone is overrated it's 'The Flaming Lips'. The Soft Bulletin is a very, very good album but doesn't even come close to touching Funeral. The Flaming Lips try to disguise their lack of depth by their ridiculously indulgent stage show. Concerts for those with ADD, which I'm quite sure Wayne Coyne probably suffers from by the way.

What Would Lemmy Do?

First. Both Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire have made Classic Albums. But that is it! Both have some great songs! But that is it.
Arcade Fires last effort (Neon Bible) has some great songs on it "Sounds More Like Springsteen". But it was not the classic "Neighborhood".
That is that! Wayne is O.K, Some of the songs he as written of late sound like some old lady wrote them. Arcade Fire traded in their sound on the last album, In my opinion Arcade Fire should have gone more "Classic Bowie" than Springsteen. But staying power is very important these days. The new U2 album (no like on the horizon) has them both beat!

Arcade Fire >>>>>>>>>>>>> the Flaming Lips

I'm tired of the Arcade Fire. I'm Canadian and we have a law that on public radio a certain percentage of songs have to be by Canadian artists. It's stupid socialist crap. So on our classic rock we get lots of Rush (fine by me)on rock we get Bryan Adams (whatever)and we always have to listen to Morissette and Furtado on the pop stations (better than Celine Dion I guess).

But then we get the college and alternative artists. Of course in Canada we think Montreal is the so cultural and European, so anything from there is considered high class. But I'd much rather listen to Radiohead or other great American or British bands. We get this Arcade Fire crap fed to us and everyone up here laps it up! Personally I think there are pretentious and boring. You can have them Americans...we'll take Neil Young back.

Liz,

I actually saw the LIPS at the state fair...

But, as far as this "feud" goes, I dunno.

I'm still disgusted by the story about Hannah Montana wanting to "ruin" Radiohead.

Today's secret word: Stupid

Funeral was good but Neon Bible is gutteral crap, a 4th rate Springsteen ripoff.

And I saw them live in Kansas City and they were TERRIBLE.

I liked Funeral but Neon Bible is garbage 4th rate Springsteen. I saw them with LCD soundsystem in Kansas City and they were TERRIBLE. Everyone fawns on their live show but they suck balls. Fuck Arcade fire and fuck win. Wayne is awesome.

BECK RULZ

Because he's the mother of them all!

The saddest part is that I'm actually rsponding and buying into this shite. RS is just perpetuating some gossip rag feud. I do like both bands, and did see the Lips New Years Eve- they were great, and Wayne was gracious, honest and funny.

I dunno Wayne...KRAFT?!?

I have always loved both of these bands, but for what it's worth, lost a lot of respect for the Flaming Lips when they went around hawking Camel cigarettes on their tour a couple years ago. No telling what they'll do for publicity.

You guys were set up.
This was all big nothing, to rile you up and set your computer keyboards a-flamin'!

You fell for it. Manipulated by the media again.

But hey, it's good publicity for both these bands, and keeps their name in the press.

And THAT, my friends, is what it's all about. This is a money-making business, and I'm certain that I just heard a "ka-CHING!"

i think if you talk shit on people you dont know very well, doesnt that make you pompous?

Lips have been here for almost 20 years for a reason.. they actually write songs!!! Arcade Fire's last record was recorded in a church....oooooohhhh..big fuckin deal..maybe they should have prayed for a melody..wayne is right ..I saw bono and edge get out of their cars and walk back up the loading dock to sign autographs and tell people to make sure they got in the right line so they would be "in the heart"..I'm sure THE FIRE dont give a shit as long as they keep getting told they're the next big thing. Until they arent.

Ew...Win needs a better copyeditor. Errors aplenty!

I find both bands musically great, but both are far too pretentious for me to love in any significant way.

And if they are assholes to their audiences seems rather irrelevant. Their audiences, largely, are a bunch of bland assholes themselves, and why I skip those sorts of shows.

I'd rather go to a state fair, frankly.

So...I guess it IS all relative!

Wayne Coyne can eat a big fat dick! maybe they think they are the shit, maybe they have a right to think it - wayne coyne wishes that having a cool personality carried greater currency in the music business

Heard Acardes stuff. Heard the Lips stuff Arcade sucks Moose balls. No comparison. If they hate each other who the fuck cares?

I've known the band members of the Arcade Fire for a long time (pre-fame) and they are all extremely wonderful people. They most certainly don't feel above anybody; if anything, they've been bewildered by and uneasy with their success, which came pretty suddenly a few years ago.

The funny part is that when I went to visit those kids in Montreal, they picked me up at the airport and took me directly to a Yoshimi tour Flaming Lips show...

Gosh. This is silly.

Fuck all those bands, Wayne is a no talent hack, Win Butler is wanker but Bob Dylan is a god. And you all are a bunch of bitches.

Butler stole a dudes basketball. (True Story, look it up)

Wayne Coyne hasn't stolen anyone's basketball.

THE END.

If this was Chris Brown and Kanye trashing themsleves all the so called "indie fans" will be laughing and mocking them.

The reality is that the Arcade Fire singer is as egocentric as Thom Yorke, pretentious freaks, this generation Michael Jackson's.

Just wait ten years people, you'll see.

Anyone who has met Wayne will agree that he's unusually genuine, warm and welcoming. I certainly don't think he's "hard to get a read on" - that's just non-sense. With that in mind, I have a hard time believing that Wayne is just pulling this out of thin air. He must have his reasons. I don't think he's "stirring the pot", I think he's simply not taking shit. And, frankly, I think he's earned the right to have that attitude. The Flaming Lips have been around long enough to prove their staying power and they've released at least one all-time classic (The Soft Bulletin), which would rank much higher than Funeral on the Important Record Scale.

I've never met Win and I've never seen them in concert, so I can't comment on their attitude, but it seems pretty easy for him to defend himself in this situation (although he never denied actually being a prick). However, if he goes around presenting himself poorly, which he seems to have done, this is the expected result. It's a basic life rule: if you don't treat people with respect, it will come back to haunt you.

man, if wayne coyne says it i'm sure it's true. i always loved the lips for their humility and their inspiring dyi-ness. wayne got where he is by paying his dues, over the course of 20 some-odd years. plus he's just a really genuine person. arcade fire always seemed the opposite to me--self-important and basically a major label indie band. their first record is full of disco beats and their second one of low-rent springsteen rip-offs. they only reached the status they did because of a fluke of timing--the indie blogosphere made them. but, really, it's all hype. they're nothing all that special. history will ask why anybody cared about the arcade fire, while if he gets his due, wayne's face should be on the rock and roll equivalent of mt. rushmore (that is, minus the blatant f-you to native americans that the actual mt. rushmore represents).

Yeah thundercrotch these bands are really obscure. Whats it like under that rock anyway?

I love it when a guy from a band I barely know gets angry with another guy from a band I've never heard of.

Who is mad at who from where about what?

(Yawn)

i worked with both bands at Sasquatch Festival a couple years ago. the arcade fire rented their backline from the company i was working for. and if memory serves, the lips were on after them later that evening. anyway...the arcade fire were total dicks to everyone around them on stage. they had a negative, tired from too much travel, crappy vibe that they dished out to anyone in the vicinity. this was right when they were first getting the hype and i'm sure they were exhausted. but it's their job! nobody likes the jerk who comes to work all pissed off and prickish. at the same time they put on a pretty memorable and great show. also i didn't see that they treated their fans poorly. still...wayne was sooooo nice. soooo great. he was even loading the lips gear onto the truck. trust me...that never happens.

Wayne's just pissed cause Win didn't invite him to the band ping pong tournament.
He'll be slating Chris Martin next.

You don't see Win trash talking anyone do you? So who's the asshole here? Shame on you Wayne, you've lost my respect as a fan. So much for the phrase 'the older the wiser', Wayne has exposed himself as having the mentality of a elementary school yard bully.

i know wayne. he wouldnt make shit up like that if he didnt truly feel that way. he simply made a comment on how he feels about arcade fire. so what? he feels that way, some people dont.

i can also tell you from firsthand experience that the quote he said about beck is totally accurate. actually, wayne was being nice. beck is way worse than what wayne described.

Here comes a catfight.Archies vs.Josie and the Pussycats.

I kind of undertand what Wayne's getting at.

The first Arcade gig I saw it was around the release of their first album and they were brilliant, one of the best gigs I was ever at.

But I've see them twice since then
and they've changed. They didn't engage with the crowd at all and barely acknowledged them.
It completely ruined the vibe in the place and they seriously appeared to be a band up their own ass.

A lot bands seem to think that not engaging with crowd is ok, but it ultimately affects the overall atmosphere and the connection the crowd have with the band. Kings of Leon are huge culprits of this and I have vowed never to see them again precisely because of this reason. With regards to Arcade Fire, whereas before I wouldn't thought twice going to one of their shows, now I'm a lot more hesitant.

Wayne is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The guy always engages with the crowd and knows how to really connect with the audience. He is blessed with a good deal of charisma but also shows a real love of performing and for the crowd. Their shows are always amazing and bring out real sense of community. Long Live the Flaming Lips!

Hells yeah Wayne! Kudos for calling these little indie pop bitches exactly what they are. I can't believe this moron defends himself on the most pompous website I've ever seen. Each band member has their own "Scrapbook" or "Journal". Ooooo, how hip you guys are! But of course, one of them had to be in French. Not because the band is from Montreal, but because what pompous indie pop site would be complete without a little french, so we all know just how hip you are. And don't forget the recipe section! You've got to let us know how we all put crap in our bodies and our lives would be more complete if we had a more organic diet.

You suck Arcade Fire!

I'm a fan of both bands. But I think Wayne is trying to stir the pot and remain relevant. Flaming Lips are famous for being creative and daring (Fearless Freaks), but they've been performing the same set live for the last 5 plus years.

Yeah, wayne don't give a fuck, he'll publicly dog you if he thinks you deserve it. I'm looking at you Beck, AF, Verve.

Guess what? You BOTH suck.

The only way to settle this is to a JAM OFF. Have a concert, preferably in the south(I'm from FL). Both the bands have the time to mellow out at the beach and rehearse. Meet at a set time at an amphitheater or arena. Sell tickets at a moderate price. All the proceeds go to a most notable charity of the winners choosing. JAM OFF BABY!!! Lets see who is truly the better band, not better people, because in the end we don't all want to get to know these people...JAM OFF

As a fan of both The Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire's music... I could care less either way who says what about whom. It's like were back in the halls of high school. They both have good music and that is enough for me.

Who cares, people like bands for the music not who they are or if they are a jerk off. Thats why its called "music" and not "personality".

ARCADE FIRE IS GARBAGE. WAYNE COYNE IS THE MAN!!!

Who the fuck is Arcade Fire? Are they some pompous-ass emo band? Never heard of 'em.

But the Flaming Lips are fucking awesome.

im guessing they are jsut cracking under the pressure and stress from being so popular and playing so many shows. i lose my mind under stress too. makes you not yourself.

The redhead bassist from AF was a regular customer at a smoothie bar I worked in. He sure was fond of smiling.

Love both bands, but Coyne has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth. At lollapalooza 2006 Coyne ranted about his hate for Israel, which truly offended me. clearly the man doesn't always think before he speaks and for that matter doesn't always have all the information needed to make grandiose comments. Wayne just simply needs to learn the art of filtering, maybe a publicist would help!!!

honestly, who cares what wayne coyne thinks of the arcade fire

Win Butler is one of the only musicians to ever come into the audience after a show and walk up to me and shake my hand and thank me for coming; and, that was not at a club where I was down in front--it was at Lollapalooza when I was about thirty rows back. In my experience, then, the band doesn't treat its audiences like shit. I've also seen the band do an acoustic set in the lobby of a venue right in the middle of a throng of fans, which also goes a long way toward building a positive bond with an audience. Perhaps Mr. Coyne is just sad that someone other than his increasingly irrelevant band is being recognized for innovation and interactions with fans. I've been a Flaming Lips fan for 20 years, and I've seen Coyne & Co. do plenty of fan-friendly things, but perhaps there is also something to be said about playing music with a minimum of overzealous gimmickry.

Of the interactions with Wayne Coyne that I've experienced, he's one of the nicest and most honest musicians I've ever met. Period.

He is quirky but genuine. His friendliness is no act ... heck, he's been this way for decades. And he's definitely entitled to his opinion. He's got a little ornriness in him, but that's because he's Okie. So am I. If Beck bitched during a tour, I'd rassle in a few practicle jokes to lighten the mood, too. Way to go, Wayne!

As for Arcade Fire ...

If I was Wayne, I'd pull out those huge green Hulk hands and challenge Arcade Fire to a boxing match. Settle that score once and for all.

;-)

Coyne's just pissed I beat him 1v1 in basketball.

Win Butler Came out before a show on the LCD Soundsystem/Arcade Fire tour. Signed my ticket and other items for all of us who were waiting to see the show. Now, I don't go to many concerts, but that is the only time a band member has done that for me. I can't speak for how he treats his crew, but as far as treating the audience well, I can personally rebuke Coyne's claims that he treats the audience like shit all the time. That said, this isn't the first time when I've heard of Win Butler acting like a prick. I remember his bitching and moaning when someone at iTunes released the wrong song early shortly before the release of Neon Bible. and his whiny little rants about the album leaking early were unflattering. Hopefully Coyne calling him out on his attitude humbles Mr. Butler. Like Coyne, that kind of thing makes me hear the music differently.

I'm sorry, but Wayne Coyne has got this all WRONG as most people have already said in their comments.

Maybe arcade fire was just having a bad day...Wayne is pretty awesome and emotionally intelligent though. I don't see him spouting off total bullshit that he knows will get heard. that's for bill o'reilly.

i honestly can't see how he would think this about AF. its a little mind blowing.

WTF Wayne?

i'm sorry... but i've had the great pleasure of meeting and hanging out with the members of Arcade Fire on various occasions over the last 5 years, and I will tell you straight up they are some of the nicest people i've ever met, "famous musicians" or not, they are just truly good people, every single one of them. I won't name names, but some of the members have reached out to me way more than I would have ever expected given my position, and for that, despite that I love their music, will always mean a lot to me.

Win might just be fairly misunderstood and people maybe don't get his dry sarcastic sense of humor, but that doesn't mean he's an asshole (takes one to know one anyway) either.

maybe i'm oversharing, but I've witnessed first hand how well they treat their crew at an end of tour celebration in Berkeley in '07. I can't say that i've experienced anything else like that with other bands in the past (gifts, accolades, huge cheers, great speeches about how much they truly mean to the band, etc.)

Now i've also had the pleasure of meeting Wayne on two different occasions, and yes he was SUPER super nice... but to the point that it almost seemed like a put on too. Just ask Beck about Wayne, you might get a different perspective than he puts forth to his fans publicly...

Dude, are we seriously talking about the same Arcade Fire...?

Weird.

This does not jive with my experience of either Arcade Fire or U2.

Oh shit son! He just called you out like a bitch! Let's get it on!