Love Miles. I'm not a big band fan but have heard some recordings of smaller groups with Gil Evans that are excellent.

Just saw the The Fearless Freaks documentary about The Flaming Lips this morning. Worth a watch if you have 1:45 to spare and Netflix on demand

Wayne Coyne, the lead singer, still lives in his OK home town in the self-described "ghetto" where he grew up. The scene where Steven Drozd is shooting heroin is filmed without affectation.

Coyne made reference to Miles getting whacked in the head by police baton as inspiration for the fake blood he sometimes spurts from his skull during performances.

Cite:

"Even in crisis, Miles was camera-ready. In August 1959 he made front-page news after police officers beat and arrested him while he was standing in front of Birdland, the club where his band was performing. Between sets, he had escorted a white woman, a friend, to a cab. A photographer captured a cool but indignant Miles sporting his blood-stained white khaki jacket like a badge as he was being carted off by the police. Known worldwide as the ultimate Negro With Attitude and a skilled pugilist in his own right, ...." (NYT)

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...56C0A9679C8B63