Steven Drozd Breaks Silence on Split from the Flaming Lips After 33 Years

Steven Drozd has opened up about his departure from the Flaming Lips.

During a Thursday, Jan. 22 appearance on FOX 23’s One More Thing, the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter opened up about his decision to leave the band for the first time.

In the conversation, Drozd said that after a “personal crisis” toward the end of the Flaming Lips’ shows in 2024, he didn’t want to tour. However, he revealed that while he didn’t want to be a touring member of the group, Drozd did still want to contribute to the band in the studio.

But Drozd claims that The Flaming Lips frontman “Wayne [Coyne] 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 said.

Drozd said that “part of me hoped I could just be like a guy that doesn’t tour but is still in the band.”

“I think that can work for some bands — I guess it worked for The Beach Boys — but we’re not The Beach Boys. That just seemed like an odd fit. After 33 years, moving on felt kind of right,” he said. 

The Flaming Lips and Coyne declined to comment to PEOPLE.

In December 2025, Drozd appeared to confirm his departure from the Flaming Lips on Threads after a fan asked him, “Are you officially done with the FLips?” according to Stereogum.

“They’re done with me — but we’re not talking about it. So yes I’m moving on. Just keep it to yourself for now. Ok?” Drozd replied before the post was deleted, per the outlet.

Per Rolling Stone, Drozd appeared to have played his final show with the band on Oct. 12, 2024, as the Flaming Lips concluded their tour with Weezer at the Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms, Calif.

On Oct. 7, 2024, PEOPLE confirmed with the Seattle Police Department that Drozd’s daughter Charlotte “Bowie” Drozd went missing two days prior in Seattle near the Space Needle.

However, the following day, the Flaming Lips’ frontman Coyne, 65, revealed on Instagram that the then-16-year-old was “safe.”

“Yessssss❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️she’s found and is safe.. her mother has spoke with her.. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️THANK YOU everyone for all your posts and all your networking and all your support and all your skills and all your trust and all your LOVE !!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️” the “Do You Realize??” musician wrote alongside a “missing person” photo of Charlotte with the word “Found” layered on top.