In a January 2026 interview, Steven Drozd elaborated on his previously confirmed departure from the Flaming Lips after 33 years, citing a late-2024 personal crisis and disagreements with frontman Wayne Coyne that ended hopes of remaining as a studio member.
Following his December 2025 Threads comment—later deleted—confirming the band was 'done with [him],' longtime Flaming Lips multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd provided further details in a January 23, 2026, FOX23 News interview in Tulsa.
Drozd, who joined in 1991 and co-wrote hits like “She Don’t Use Jelly” while contributing to albums including The Soft Bulletin (1999) and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002), stopped touring after his last show on October 12, 2024, during a Weezer tour. A personal crisis, alluded to as substance-related without specifics ('People know some about it, but I don’t wanna get too much into that'), led him to focus on family. He was replaced live by A.J. Slaughter in January 2025.
In March 2025, Wayne Coyne told Rolling Stone Japan that Drozd's drinking and drug use impacted performances from September-October 2024, stating, “I really thought if the band continued as it was, he might not survive.”
Drozd explained: “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.” He had hoped for a non-touring role like Brian Wilson with the Beach Boys but noted, “But we’re not the Beach Boys. After 33 years, moving on felt kind of right.” The split was mutual, with no reconciliation expected.
Drozd is now working on a solo album for summer 2026. A band representative declined to comment.