Flamingo Party! At least, that's what the song was originally about when it first took form as a big sprawling late night jam session in the old Lab in Kenner. And indeed, everybody WAS there - both current and (unsuspecting) future members of C.O.G. There were probably four guitarists playing at the same time. I was on the drums. The mead and creativity were flowing freely, everybody was tipsy, and I was coming up with some bizarre lyrics. The whole idea was so groovy that we immediately decided to preserve it.
By the following practice session, I had re-written the lyrics as our first self-referential account of a rocking geek party in a lab somewhere. I imagined all the mad scientist types from our favorite movies and TV shows throwing a party. After sitting down at the keyboard and laying down the drum parts, I fired up the Farfisa organ patch and laid down some 'B-52's style keyboard stabs.
When it came time to actually record it, I knew we had to have some female vocals for the chorus, and Caroline, the original Lab Girl, stepped up to the plate. For the guitar solo, I called up Johnny Brashear - who would later join the band for a week as 'Dr. Mysterion' - to contribute a surf solo. He brought over a small Fender and a large semi-hollow body Gibson and ripped out a great solo in one take.
The finishing touch was the environmental sound effect of an actual science party in the background. One night while Chris Flattman's band had just finished rehearsing, I was hanging out at the lab, along with about 15 other people (Chris always made his rehearsals a big party anyway.) I piped the song over the rehearsal room speakers and instructed everybody to whoop and holler in the geekiest manner possible. People were shouting out things like 'Star Trek is real!' If you listen carefully, you can pick out some great lines in the background.
Lately we've been performing this song in a slightly reconfigured 'Andrew W.K.' style, but the original version has been the most enduring.
lyrics
Late nite at the lab
Everybody's there!
Doctors!
Professors!
PhD's!
Scientists with yellow hair!
Someone's pullin up
An atomic powered Cadillac!
Geniuses with matching lab coats
Carrying a portable telescope to the
Science! Science party!
Science! Science party!
Science! Science party!
Science party tonight! Science party in the laboratory of love!
Hey! Someone spiked the test tubes!
The laboratory's out of control!
Hands off that equipment, boy!
The Sonic Mind Probe is not a toy!!!
Beakers!
Test tubes!
Wires!
Electrodes!
Microscopes!
Terrorscopes!
Electro-spectro-isotopes!
Chemicals all over the floor
The pool and the kitchen sink!
Someone get the sonic broom
When C.O.G. invades your party room!
You want more science? We'll give you lots more
You need a diploma just to get on the dance floor!
Wake up the lab rats! Turn on the party droid!
Stay away from the nuclear wasteoid!
Science Party tonight!
Science Party tonight!
Science Party tonight!
Science Party tonight!
credits
from Free Brains & Dead Bodies,
released November 11, 2000
Drums...........drumbot
Rhythm guitar...Jeff King, Keith Casebonne
Guitar solo.....Johnny Brashear
Bass............Chris Flattmann
Synthesizer.....Lewis D'Aubin
Lead vocal......Lewis D'Aubin
Backing vocals..Caroline Beals
Recorded and mixed 1998 at C.O.G. Secret Lab, Kenner LA
These guys ROCK... and they have an awesome spaceship! This may be because we have not yet stolen the aforementioned spaceship, but of course that still doesn't change the fact that they ROCK. Consortium of Genius
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