Steven Gregory Drozd (born June 11, 1969) is an American musician. He is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the Flaming Lips, Electric Würms, and other projects.
Steven Drozd | |
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 Drozd in 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Steven Gregory Drozd |
| Born | June 11, 1969 Houston, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Drums, guitar, piano, keyboards, bass, vocals |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros. |
| Website | Official Flaming Lips site |
Early life edit
Drozd was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Richmond and Rosenberg, Texas, with three brothers and a sister. He attended George Junior High & BF Terry High School. His father, Vernon, was a member of the polka band Vernon Drozd and the Texas Brass.[1] At the age of ten, he began playing drums with his father's band and later played piano in various country honky-tonk groups. After high school, Drozd moved to Oklahoma City and performed, mainly on drums, with a number of underground bands in the area.[2]
The Flaming Lips edit
Drozd joined the Flaming Lips in 1991 as a drummer. While his style is influenced by the drum sounds of the 1970s, his time spent with his father's polka band helped him develop a sense of delicacy and syncopation.[3] His thick grooves, with episodes of odd-time funk, are interspersed with straight-ahead rock, mixing various genres. In 1999, while touring The Soft Bulletin, Drozd decided to assume guitar duties as well as bass, keyboards and backing vocals, using his drum tracks during live performances, but he still drums on the studio albums to this day.[4]
Other ventures edit
He is the songwriting/musician half of You in Me, a Neil Diamond-inspired duo, with Alan Novey on vocals. Drozd writes the songs, and he and Novey perform them as a tribute to Diamond.
He and Steve Burns created the band StevenSteven, a children's psychedelic music project.
The artist Imagene Peise is an elevator music-style covers and originals, culled from the home recordings of Drozd with the imagery and myth being from the imagination of Wayne Coyne.
Drozd and Coyne have a second group together called Electric Würms, with Drozd taking the lead role in the band. Influenced by prog rock, krautrock, and punk rock, their goal is to explore the outer reaches of traditional "rock" music, as well-performing Flaming Lips deeper cuts. Nashville-based Linear Downfall completes the ensemble.[5]
Contributing work edit
Drozd has appeared on a number of recordings of other artists, including Elliott Smith's From a Basement on the Hill, Jay Farrar's Sebastopol[6] and ThirdShiftGrottoSlack[7] and Steve Burns' Songs for Dustmites. Drozd is featured on the online release of Cake's B-sides and Rarities (2007).[8]
In 2013 Drozd created and directed a volunteer group of music students at ACMUCO called the Mutating Cell Ensemble, whose goal is to experiment with polyrhythm and repetition. They have performed once.[9] Drozd composed and performed on the song "Mattress Warehouse" by Foxygen, off their album ...And Star Power, released on October 14, 2014.
Film work edit
In the Flaming Lips' film Christmas on Mars (2008), he plays Major Syrtis, the main character of the film.[10] Drozd has appeared on Noggin's Jack's Big Music Show, with Jon Stewart and Steve Burns.[11]
In 2020, he scored the TV series Moonbase 8.[12]
Discography edit
Solo edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Ten Commandments | collaborative soundtrack album to the 1923 film, with Scott Amendola and Steve Berlin.[13] |
Imagene Peise edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Atlas Eets Christmas | collaborative project with Wayne Coyne |
You in Me edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Hot Coffee"/"The Drifter" | Neil Diamond-inspired collaborative project with Alan Novey.[14] |
Electric Würms edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Musik Die Schwer zu Twerk | band project including Wayne Coyne[15] |
StevenSteven edit
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Foreverywhere | collaborative project with Steve Burns |
References edit
- ^ "Vernon Drozd: Reflecting on God's Gift". polkabeat.com. April 9, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
- ^ "Steven Drozd - The Flaming Lips (1991-present)". www.angelfire.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
- ^ "Flaming Lips musician brings polka to students". Oklahoman.com. February 11, 2010. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips hospitalized". Drummerszone. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Electric Wurms: Musik, Die Shwer Zu Twerk Review". pastemagazine.com. August 18, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Jay Farrar - Sebastopol". Discogs. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Jay Farrar – ThirdShiftGrottoSlack (2002, CD)". Discogs.com. August 13, 2002. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Cake - B-sides And Rarities". Discogs. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ Hilleary, Mike. "The Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd To Premiere New Project, The Mutating Cell Ensemble". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ Ho. "The Flaming Lips- Christmas on Mars". fasterlouder.junkee.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
- ^ "Stream Steve Burns and Steven Drozd's Psychedelic Kids Album, Steve-n-Steven". thefutureheart.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
- ^ 131. Dr. Michael Greger, Steven Drozd (The Flaming Lips), Skinner, Mikey Kampmann, Podcasts.apple.com
- ^ "Ten Commandments: A Film Rescored". Reboot. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "You In Me – Hot Coffee (2011, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ "Electric Würms - Musik, Die Schwer Zu Twerk". Discogs. Retrieved September 26, 2021.