Steven Drozd has spoken about his departure from The Flaming Lips, saying frontman Wayne Coyne stopped communicating after he returned to addiction treatment. The multi-instrumentalist described the end of his 33-year tenure as sad and unexpected. He is now focusing on a solo album expected this autumn.
Steven Drozd said he went back to treatment over the holidays following a relapse and that Coyne then ceased all contact. He had last heard from the singer on January 3, 2025. Drozd assumed communication would resume after some time but it never did, leaving him to accept that his time in the band was over by summer 2025.