'Fearless Freaks' screened in Norman

By Andrew W. Griffin
Pop writer
The Norman Transcript
Posted: May 11, 2007

The sun had already set by the time folks began gathering behind the Dreamer Concept Studio and Foundation at 324 E. Main St., last Friday night. This was in anticipation of Norman’s first screening of “Fearless Freaks,” a documentary about Oklahoma art-rockers The Flaming Lips, a band with ties to Norman.
Amber Clour, founder and executive director of Dreamer, was busy talking to guests who were looking at the eclectic art hanging from the walls of her studio. Nearby, a blonde-headed moppet sold “Fearless Freaks” T-shirts and copies of “Okie Noodling,” another documentary by “Fearless Freaks” creator and Cleveland County native Bradley Beesley.
Asked about the decision to show “Fearless Freaks” during the Downtown Art Walk, Clour said she is a longtime resident of Norman and over the years had come to know Beesley and members of the Flaming Lips. When she approached Beesley to allow her to screen the movie as part of a new series of art and documentary film screenings, Beesley accepted.
“Right now Norman has a great opportunity to grow its arts community,” Clour said. “And I chose to show this film because it was a good opportunity to showcase an Oklahoma filmmaker and a successful band from this area.”
The weather was cooperating this particular night and people began unfolding lawn chairs or finding choice spots to place their blankets in the alley/parking area. Others stood, talking, sharing a beer or simply taking in the entire scene.
Beesley, meanwhile, took the opportunity to show up for the screening of his unique film about the life of the Lips, guys who have become good friends with him over the years, allowing him full access into their homes and lives.
Looking at the dirty tarp acting as a screen hanging from the brick wall near Dreamer’s rear entrance, Beesley smiled and said, “It fits the Flaming Lips aesthetic. It’s definitely appropriate.”
Beesley, who was an art media student at OU said he first met the Lips “about two blocks from here” back in 1990. Befriending the quirky, unclassifiable rock act, Beesley began filming their music videos and by the time of the recording of “Clouds Taste Metallic” in 1994, he was asking documentary-styled questions and doing video not unlike the Beatles’ famous “Let It Be” sessions from 1969.
“At the time I didn’t know I was doing a documentary,” Beesley said. “But filming them that way got me more interested in documentary-style filmmaking.”
Throughout the 1990’s and into the 2000’s, Beesley began amassing plenty of Flaming Lips footage, 400 hours worth.
“It was kind of overwhelming,” Beesley said, talking about the project that would be “Fearless Freaks.” “Wayne (Coyne, the lead singer) is just so open, open to me,he free in front of the camera and will talk about anything possible.”
In 2002, he said, he got funding to put together a documentary feature, cutting down the film from 400 hours of footage to a tight and tidy two hours. And when it was finally released in 2005, it received critical acclaim at film festivals both domestically and internationally.
“We’ve sold about 28,000 DVD’s in the past year. I’ve screened it in about 15 different countries,” Beesley said.
Talking about the night’s screening, Beesley said this isn’t the first request he’s had.
“I probably get one email a week asking for permission to show it her or in Denmark … and knowing we’d never screened it here in Norman, thought it would be cool.”
Asked about the sorts of questions he receives from viewers, particularly in Europe, he said they often ask about Wayne Coyne’s time working at the old Long John Silver’s at 30th and Classen in Oklahoma City. Oh, and the other one? The brutally real scene of multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd shooting up heroin.
“In fact, Steven (who has since kicked his heroin habit) has gotten so many accolades from people and guys in bands like The Strokes, who’ve said they never knew he was a heroin addict and are glad he’s over it. Steven’s really happy that he got that across.”
Beesley’s labor of love is quite a rollercoaster ride of inside dirt about The Flaming Lips. From the Coyne brothers early 1970’s gang-like football club called the Fearless Freaks, to the creation of the Flaming Lips and their crazy ride to stardom and critical acclaim.
When asked about his thoughts about covering this Grammy-winning band, Beesley said he has no perspective. He simply knows Wayne Coyne, Steven Drozd and Michael Ivins as his friends who happen to play music – creatively.
And where were Wayne and the guys? Well, the word was that Wayne would be there, but this reporter never caught a glimpse of the white-suit-wearing rocker.
As for Beesley, he said his latest project is a live DVD of the Lips’ 2006 show the Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheater. He is also working on various TV shows and documentaries including a second installment of his popular “Okie Noodling” documentary.
The film was well-received by the crowd and they had a chance to ask Beesley questions afterward.
“I think it’s great that Brad Beesley came to Norman to show his film and connect with young artists,” said Lisa Morales of Norman.
“I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t have any expectations since we’d never done anything like this,” Clour said. “Question and answer session was awesome.”
As for future showings at the Dreamer gallery, Clour said on June 1, she will be screening Ken Cole’s storm chaser documentary called “Tornado Glory.” Dreamer 4 art opening will also be featured that day, featuring four new artists. This will begin at 7 p.m.
For more information go online to www.dreamerconcepts.org or call 701-0048.