13th Floor Elevators, the ORIGINAL psychedelic band!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYSnJfmxsgg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYSnJfmxsgg

 

Wow, can't believe I was 16 when I first got into the Elevators ... crazy.

And yeah, that "Sign of the 3-Eyed Men" set is a beauty, but the sound quality is trash. Don't buy any of the reissues, not even the latest ones. Go on the Internet, and you'll find original vinyl rips that sound a whole lot better.

Here are most of your Elevators needs fulfilled on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQXp23lQKIk"]{Audiophile Edition} The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (1966) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twLUt6i1cos"]{Audiophile Edition} 13th Floor Elevators - Easter Everywhere (1967) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF9fHnDzekI"]{Audiophile Edition} 13th Floor Elevators - Bull of the Woods (1969) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOx_r3Switw"]{Audiophile Edition} 13th Floor Elevators - Headstone (1966 Unreleased Mono LP) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKP-VjoKYVc"]13th Floor Elevators full broadcast KAZZ Austin March 1966 - new pics - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoMlTEVyzIE"]13th Floor Elevators - Out of order - Live at Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco (1966) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tih5R-dILlo"]The 13th Floor Elevators - Roller Coaster (Live At La Maison) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjb7FsHwzbU"]The 13th Floor Elevators with The Conqueroo-She Lives "Live" (1967) - YouTube

The live stuff ought to convince anyone of their impact on the San Francisco scene. They were pretty much playing heavy acid rock in early '66. And if that's not enough, the version of "Gloria" on the KAZZ FM broadcast showcases them at a Velvet Underground level of experimentation.

This history of Texas they don't want you to know about.

 

Not actually the 'original' trackorder since it was never used. More accurately the 'band preferred' order.

Rip the Mono and re-arrange it in the band preferred order for the real deal.

 

FYI, the 'audiophile editions' I posted from YouTube are the original vinyl stereo mixes, which are NOTHING like the CD remasters. I'm usually the guy who strongly rallies for mono, but in the case of the Elevators, the fidelity of the stereo on the first album BY FAR outshines the quality of the complete mono mix. Not to mention, it's a really good mix, the drums are centered, and it's like being right in the studio with the band.

The "Sign of the 3 Eyed Men" set is trash. If I could remove the posts I made about it when I was 16, I would. As a new fan, I got sucked into the hype. That was before I learned about the 'loudness wars', the inferior sources they used, etc. No wonder I had such a hard time listening to it!

 

So what exactly is the 'audiophile' stereo version you refer to ?
Is it the mix that was used on the very first stereo release and then never used again that I've heard about ?

There is so much bullshit back and forth it's easy to lose track and interest.
It's been about 25yrs since I first heard them by way of pirate/grey press vinyl cos there was nothing else available at the time.

 

Yes sir! That's what I said, and that's why I posted them! You can't get any better than the vinyl originals! Details are in the YouTube descriptions.

 

In china they don't have a 4th floor on elevators, or any floor with a "4" in it (14th, 24th floor etc). Or so I've heard.

 

Why are they so long ?

 

Check the descriptions on YouTube, please? They're bonus tracks. The ones for "Bull of the Woods" are especially essential. I wouldn't have been able to get into that era otherwise.

 

When I came to SF to stay I was traveling with Kitten the one person Roky would relate to in one of his 'withdrawn' phases and start talking enough to get himself out. Not long after we arrived in the Haight ('69) some of the band came looking for Kitten asking her to return to Austin and talk to Roky.

 

^^
So Roky was having major problems before the 1969 arrest ?
Did you know him directly yourself ?

 

Not to speak to, but he and Kitten (Casandra) would sometimes hang near my shop at the Landing in Houston and I met some of his folks/band (chick who's name started with a C) when they came to SF to ask her to come talk to him.

 

Chick started with C might be Clementine ?
Just remembering the start letter is impressive all these years later.

What sort of shop did you have ?
I'm always in wonder at how hard it must have been for 'freaks' in Texas at the time given that rednecks even now aren't very........flexable/tolerant.

 

Not as impressive as remembering the name. lol I'm pretty sure that's the name. I had a 'head shop' at Alan's Landing. All the shop keepers were armed mostly biker types and the Bandito's pool hall was upstairs.

 

Allen's Landing ?

Public may have rather thought 'Aliens Landing' ?

 

I'm sure some do. LOL

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMRXEW1yEiI"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMRXEW1yEiI

 

There was a pretty good documentary about Roky, called You're Going to Miss Me. It was on netflix a fews years ago.

 

Roky was the man ! Reverberation is my fav song by the Elevators