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Michelle Martin-Coyne has filed for a divorce…

1:48 PM EDT on September 24, 2013

wyane and michelle coyne old photo

Nearly one year after we first reported the couple's separation, Michelle Martin-Coyne has filed for a divorce from Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne.

According to a divorce petition filed on September 18th in Oklahoma County Court, Michelle claims the couple "formed a common law marriage on February 4th, 1989" and that she is entitled to a divorce – and half of everything they own – based on irreconcilable differences. She also asks for temporary and permanent alimony. You know, pretty standard "you cheated on me with a 23-year-old cocktail waitress" ex-wife type of stuff.

In case you care, here's a copy of the petition. Just click on the JPG to view it. The whole thing is pretty standard, and unfortunately doesn't mention one thing about Martians, robots or Santa Claus:

coyne divorce

First of all, Michelle has retained the law firm of Mullins, Hirsch, Edwards, Heath, White & Martinez, PC. According to  sources, Mullins is a "as hard-ass a domestic lawyer as there is." This thing has a chance to get dirty and messy like Erykah Badu taking a bath in glitter. Wayne better lawyer up.

Overall, the news of the divorce isn't very surprising. Wayne has acknowledged in recent press interviews that the separation helped shape and influence the dark tone of the Lips' new album The Terror. Plus, the couple has essentially been living separate lives for over a year. Michelle has spent a lot of time in London trying to launch her photography career, while Wayne Coyne has been hard at work being the New Wayne Coyne (i.e. releasing weird music, getting his Instagram deleted, writing pornographic comic books, bringing grenades to the airport, chasing groupies, closing down bars along Western). You know, typical soon to be divorced rock star kind of stuff.

Anyway, when we learn more about this case, including who gets the giant bubble ball, we'll keep you informed. In the meantime, here's a video of Wayne Coyne from back when everyone seemed to like Wayne Coyne. Hard to believe that's the same guy. Sometimes I think some puppeteer found a portal to Wayne's brain while working in the First National Center and is now controlling all of his words and actions. I think that puppeteer may be Austin Winkler from Hinder. It seems plausible.

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