THE FLAMING LIPS announce ‘Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots’ 20th anniversary box set

The Flaming Lips
Credit: Blake Studdard Atria Creative

The Flaming Lips celebrate the 20th anniversary of their classic 2002 album, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, with the announcement of an expansive box set that also includes B-sides, demos, remixes, radio sessions, two concerts, and other assorted rarities from the era.

The CD set includes over 50 tracks never released and dozens of rare tracks. The LP box set has 40 tracks never released on vinyl and over 30 previously unreleased tracks. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: 20th Anniversary Edition will be available, via Warner Records, on all streaming services and as a 6 CD box set (featuring 100 tracks) on November 25 to mark the 20th anniversary year.

A 5 LP package (featuring 56 tracks) will land on April 14, 2023 – released later than the CD box set due to the long vinyl production timeline. Additionally, there will be a limited edition D2C exclusive edition of the 20th Anniversary Deluxe 5 LP Vinyl box set pressed on Baby Pink vinyl – also released on April 14. Over the course of 2023, all the material released in the 6 CD box set will also make their way to vinyl. The two live albums included in the set, and the 25-minute demo “Psychedelic Hypnotist Daydream” will be available as separate vinyl releases. Additionally, the Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell and Fight Test EPs will be released on vinyl for the first time in Spring 2023.

flaming lips

Pre-order/pre-save the 6 CD and 5 LP box sets of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: 20th Anniversary Edition HERE. You can also pre-order new Yoshimi T-shirts designed for the 20th Anniversary.

To further celebrate the anniversary, The Flaming Lips have confirmed two shows that will feature the album performed in its entirety. Click HERE for ticket information.

April 28, 2023, London, UK, Eventim Apollo

May 25,     2023, Washington DC, The Anthem

Released in July 2002, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots remains the commercial high-water mark in The Flaming Lips’ wild four-decade journey, giving the GRAMMY® award-winners their first RIAA certified Gold Record. As the eagerly awaited follow-up to 1999’s masterwork, The Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi proved that singer/guitarist Wayne Coyne and multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd had yet another masterpiece in them.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is a sci-fi-themed quasi-concept album that cast The Flaming Lips’ most playful and profound songs to date in a wondrous swirl of ambient electronics, digital beats, and psychedelic splendour. The record yielded the band’s top-streamed track, “Do You Realize??” (a timeless stargazing anthem that, in 2009, was named the Official Rock Song of the band’s native Oklahoma) and also landed the Lips their first-ever Grammy Award® win for the cosmic album-closing instrumental “Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia).”

The 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition provides a complete 360-degree view of the band’s creativity during this period. Several unheard demos show a rare peak at the band’s creative process. The box set also collects B-sides and outtakes, from epic fan favourites like “Assassination of the Sun” to fun, folky serenades like “Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus You Gave Me).” There is also a treasure trove of radio sessions, including idiosyncratic overhauls of Pink Floyd’s “Lucifer Sam” and “Breathe,” Radiohead’s “Knives Out,” and Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” In addition, the set includes a lush instrumental version of “Do You Realize??,” which has been requested by fans to play at both weddings and funerals.

Of special note are the two concert discs, which showcase the two sides of The Flaming Lips’ ever-enlarging brain: the endearing, intimate storytellers (captured in a banter-heavy 2002 private show for a small crowd of radio-contest winners in Boston) and the masters of thundering, confetti-strewn stage spectacle (as heard in an electrifying 2003 performance at The Forum in London). As a whole Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is an essential portrait of rock’s most restlessly creative band at the peak of their powers.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition tracklist:

6 CD Box Set

CD 1: Original Album, plus demos

Fight Test

One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 2

In The Morning Of The Magicians

Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell

Are You A Hypnotist

It’s Summertime

Do You Realize??

All We Have Is Now

Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon

All My Life – Morning Of The Magicians (Demo)

Ego Tripping Part 2 or 3 (Demo)

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Demo)

Hypnotist: Early Version (Demo)

Epic Systems Delirium (Demo)

In The Morning Of The Magicians (Demo)

Do You Realize?? (1st Chords Wayne) (Demo)

Do You Realize?? (Steven New Part) (Demo)

CD 2 – Fight Test and Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell EPs

Fight Test EP:

Fight Test

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Live on KEXP)

The Golden Age (Live on CD 101)

Knives Out (Live on KCRW)

Do You Realize?? (Scott Hardkiss Remix)

The Strange Design of Conscience

Thank You Jack White (For The Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me)

Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell EP:

Assassination Of The Sun

I’m a Fly in a Sunbeam (Following the Funeral Procession of a Stranger)

Sunship Balloons

Do You Realize?? (T.P.S. Remix)

Ego Tripping (Ego in Acceleration) (Jason Bentley Remix)

Ego Tripping (Self Admiration with Blow-up Mix)

A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn’t So)

Ego Tripping at The Gates of Hell (Utah Saints Remix)

CD 3 – Non-LP+ 

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Japanese Language Version From The Japanese Edition of Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots)

SpongeBob & Patrick Confront The Psychic Wall Of Energy (From The Spongebob SquarePants Movie)

Seven Nation Army (from LateNightTales: The Flaming Lips)

Go (Sparklehorse with The Flaming Lips) (Alternate Version From The Flaming Lips Archives)

Do You Realize?? (Live on CD 101)

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (AOL Session)

Waitin’ For A Superman (Live on WXPN)

In The Morning Of The Magicians (Live on KCRW)

White Christmas (Live on WXPN)

The Golden Path (The Chemical Brothers, feat. The Flaming Lips)

If I Go Mad/Funeral In My Head (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 1)

Syrtis Major (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 1)

Up Above The Daily Hum (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 2)

Xanthe Terra (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 2)

The Deterioration Of The Fight Or Flight Response (B-Side of Fight Test UK CD 1)

Fight Test (Live on WXRT, May 2nd, 2003)

Duck Dodgers Theme (Duck Dodgers Demo: With Wayne Scratch Vocal)

I Know I’ve Got To Make That Dream The Real Thing (demo)

Do You Realize?? (Instrumental)

Fight Test: Primitive Demo With Helium Voice (B-Side of Fight Test UK CD 2)

CD 4 – Radio Sessions

Suspicious Minds (Live on Cover-ed)

Assassination Of The Sun (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Maida Vale Session July 2002)

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Maida Vale Session July 2002)

Do You Realize?? (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Maida Vale Session July 2002)

One More Robot (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Maida Vale Session July 2002)

Do You Realize?? (Live on KEXP) (August 5, 2002)

One More Robot (Live on KEXP) (August 5, 2002)

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Live on KEXP) (August 5, 2002)

Do You Realize?? (Live on XFM) (July 11, 2002)

One More Robot (Live on XFM) (July 11, 2002)

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Live on XFM) (July 11, 2002)

Fight Test (Live on XFM) (June 26, 2003)

Thank You Jack White (Live on XFM) (June 26, 2003)

Breathe (Live on XFM) (June 26, 2003)

Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell (Live on XFM, November 11th, 2003)

Sunship Balloons (Live on XFM, November 11th, 2003)

Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Oct 31, 2003 Janice Long Show)

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Oct 31, 2003 Janice Long Show)

Sunship Balloons (Live on BBC Radio 1) (Oct 31, 2003 Janice Long Show)

CD 5 – Live 2002+: Radio Broadcast WBOS (Live at the Paradise Lounge, Boston, October 27 2002), plus Yoshimi Demo 

Introduction

The Golden Age

Wayne Intro 1

Lucifer Sam

Wayne Intro 2

Do You Realize??

Wayne Intro 3

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Wayne Intro 4

Fight Test Intro

Fight Test

Psychedelic Hypnotist Daydream (Demo)

CD 6 – Live 2003: Radio Broadcast BBC (Live at The Forum, London, UK, January 22, 2003)

  1. Introduction
  2. Race For The Prize
  3. Fight Test
  4. Lucifer Sam
  5. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
  6. Lightning Strikes The Postman
  7. In The Morning Of The Magicians
  8. Happy Birthday
  9. She Don’t Use Jelly
  10. All We Have Is Now
  11. Do You Realize??
  12. Waitin’ For A Superman
  13. A Spoonful Weighs A Ton
  14. What Is The Light?
  15. The Observer (Fade Out)

5 LP Vinyl Box Set

LP 1 – Original Album

Side 1

Fight Test

One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 2

In The Morning Of The Magicians

Side 2

Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell

Are You A Hypnotist

It’s Summertime

Do You Realize??

All We Have Is Now

Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon

LP 2 – Demos+

Side 3

All My Life – Morning Of The Magicians (Demo)

Ego Tripping Part 2 or 3 (Demo)

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Demo)

Hypnotist: Early Version (Demo)

Epic Systems Delirium (Demo)

In The Morning Of The Magicians (Demo)

Side 4

Do You Realize?? 1st Chords Wayne (Demo)

Do You Realize?? Steven New Part (Demo)

Fight Test: Primitive Demo With Helium Voice

If I Go Mad/Funeral In My Head (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 1)

Syrtis Major (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 1)

LP 3 – Non-LP+

Side 5

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Japanese Version)

SpongeBob & Patrick Confront The Psychic Wall Of Energy (From The Spongebob SquarePants Movie)

Seven Nation Army (From LateNightTales: The Flaming Lips)

Go (Sparklehorse with The Flaming Lips) (Alternate Version From the Flaming Lips Archives)

The Deterioration Of The Fight Or Flight Response (B-Side of Fight Test UK CD 1)

Fight Test (Live on WXRT)

Side 6

Do You Realize?? (Live on CD 101)

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (AOL Session)

Waitin’ For A Superman (Live on WXPN)

In The Morning Of The Magicians (Live on KCRW)

White Christmas (Live on WXPN)

The Golden Path (The Chemical Brothers, feat. The Flaming Lips)

LP 4 – Radio Sessions

Side 7

Suspicious Minds (Live on Cover-ed)

Assassination Of The Sun (Live on BBC Radio 1) Maida Vale Session July 2002

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Live on BBC Radio 1) Maida Vale Session July 2002

Do You Realize?? (Live on BBC Radio 1) Maida Vale Session July 2002

One More Robot (Live on BBC Radio 1) Maida Vale Session July 2002

Side 8

Do You Realize?? (Live on KEXP) Aug 5, 2002

One More Robot (Live on KEXP) Aug 5, 2002

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Live on KEXP) Aug 5, 2002

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Live on KEXP) Aug 5, 2002

Breathe (Live on XFM) June 26 2003

Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell (Live on XFM) Nov 11, 2003

Sunship Balloons (Live on XFM) Nov 11, 2003

LP 5 – Radio Sessions+

Side 9

Fight Test (Live on XFM) June 26 2003

Thank You Jack White (Live on XFM) June 26 2003

Do You Realize?? (Live on XFM) July 11, 2002

One More Robot (Live on XFM) July 11, 2002

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Live on XFM) July 11, 2002

Side 10

Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell (Live on BBC Radio 1) Oct 31, 2003  BBC Janice Long Show

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Live on BBC Radio 1) Oct 31, 2003  BBC Janice Long Show

Sunship Balloons (Live on BBC Radio 1) Oct 31, 2003  BBC Janice Long Show

Up Above The Daily Hum (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 2)

Xanthe Terra (B-Side of Do You Realize?? UK CD 2)

Xsnoize Author
Mark Millar is the founder of XS Noize and looks after the daily running of the website as well as hosting interviews for the weekly XS Noize Podcast. Mark's favourite album is Achtung Baby by U2.

1 Comment

  1. For the obsessive amongst you, unless they are included on one of the two EP to be issued on vinyl, that would leave the following songs without a vinyl reissue:
    Duck Dodgers Theme (Duck Dodgers Demo: With Wayne Scratch Vocal)
    I Know I’ve Got To Make That Dream The Real Thing (demo)
    Do You Realize?? (Instrumental)

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