Steven Drozd has spoken out about his quiet exit from the Flaming Lips, offering clarity on what led to the split and why staying with the band without touring ultimately did not work.
The longtime multi-instrumentalist compared the situation to how the Beach Boys once handled Brian Wilson, but said the idea did not fit the Flaming Lips after more than three decades together.
In an interview with a local Fox station in Tulsa, Drozd explained that a personal crisis near the end of 2024 pushed him to step away from touring.
While he chose not to share details, he made clear that the decision affected how he could move forward with the band.
He said he hoped to remain a member by continuing studio work, even if he stayed off the road.
"That was my hope," Drozd said, adding that he and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne did not agree on that plan, Yahoo reported.
"Wayne and I disagreed on what I should do moving forward, so we just kind of agreed that I would step back. Then stepping back turned into not coming back."
Drozd pointed to the Beach Boys as an example of a band that kept a key member who did not tour.
Brian Wilson famously stopped touring in the 1960s but continued to shape the group's music in the studio.
Still, Drozd admitted the comparison only went so far. "But we're not the Beach Boys," he said. "That just seemed like an odd fit. After 33 years, moving on felt kind of right."
Steven Drozd came on my podcast to talk about leaving The Flaming Lips for the first time since the news broke last month. We talk a lot about him leaving the band but about his fond memories and what he's proud of about his 30+ years in The Flaming Lips: https://t.co/7dUKew0DT7 pic.twitter.com/LHFEd0YNAI
— Nathan Thompson (@NathanDThompson) January 22, 2026
Fans Noticed Steven Drozd's Absence
The Flaming Lips have not publicly commented on Drozd's remarks, and a representative for the band and Coyne declined to respond. Drozd's comments came after fans noticed his long absence from live shows.
His last performance with the group was on Oct. 12, 2024, and by January 2025, the band had brought in A.J. Slaughter to fill his role onstage.
According to RollingStone, Drozd first hinted at his exit in December when he replied to a fan online, saying he was "moving on" because the band was "done with" him.
He later deleted the comment and poked fun at himself for posting it, joking about making a public mistake online.
Drozd joined the Flaming Lips in 1991 and became a central part of their sound, playing nearly every instrument over the years.
He co-wrote the band's breakout song "She Don't Use Jelly" and helped shape beloved albums like The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
The band's most recent album, American Head, was released in 2020, and they have not recorded new music without him.
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