Roky Erickson/13th Floor Elevators

He is very cool. Right now I am listening to Never Say Goodbye which I believe was recorded while he was getting electroshock in a mental hospital. Anyway, it is great. Anyone else a fan?

 

Yeah, The 13th Floor Elevators were amazing. I have and love their first two albums. Their debut is one of my favorite psychedelic masterpieces. Roky Erickson was a psychedelic genius, in my opinion. And you HAVE to love that electric jug...

 

I love the 13th Floor Elevators' first two albums, especially Easter Everywhere. I've heard some of Roky's solo stuff, but I wasn't too keen on it. Roky was pretty far gone by that time anyway.

 

Yeah, he was pretty far gone. Drugs and electro-shock will do that to people.

 

i remember the album he did with all the horror themed stuff, "night of the vampire" and songs like that were cool. that was in the 80s.

 

i love the 13th floor elevators. The Psychedelic Sounds is one of the best albums i've ever heard. I think they are even better live, for what i've heard. But why is everyone saying 'i love their first 2 albums'? The third one, Bull of the Woods, is also great, even though roky sang on only 4 songs. A very underrated album. I haven't heard any of roky's solo stuff.

 

I think Tommy Hall was the real genius of the band, and not Roky. Tommy Hall wrote the lyrics and played the jug.

 

I've only heard their first two albums...

 

then you should definitely check out the third album!

 

Heh, ok, I will... as soon as I can find it around here. Which, by the way, will likely be never.

 

oh well, then just download the best song from the album, Street Song.

 

That sucks that you can't find it where you are at. I guess that I am spoiled since I didn't even realize that music such as this isn't available in all areas.

By the by everyone, his name is spelled "Roky" not "Rocky"

 

i can't find any of the elevators albums here (not even a best of). It really sucks. But that shouldn't stop me from listening to their music.

ok

 

True. But you cannot deny Roky's singing ability. The guy sang with such passion and intensity, especially on songs like 'Slip Inside This House'.

 

Absolutely!

And incredibly influential too. Check out his Texan contemporaries Golden Dawn and Cold Sun to see how he was emulated even in the sixties, also check out this comp from 1990 for some slightly more "modern" bands paying homage. I don't know about anyone else but always thought Michael Stipe owed something major to Roky style wise


1: Reverberation (Doubt) - ZZ Top
--2: If You Have Ghosts - The Good Liars/John Wesley Harding
--3: I Had To Tell You - Poi Dog Pondering
--4: She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own) - The Judybats
--5: Slip Inside This House - Primal Scream
--6: You Don't Love Me Yet - Bongwater
--7: I Have Always Been Here Before - Julian Cope
--8: You're Gonna Miss Me - Doug Sahm & Sons
--9: It's A Cold Night For Alligators - Southern Pacific
--10: Fire Engine - Richard Lloyd
--11: Bermuda - Vibrating Egg
--12: I Walked With A Zombie - R.E.M.
--13: Earthquake - Butthole Surfers
--14: Don't Slander Me - Lou Ann Barton
--15: Red Temple Prayer (Two Headed Dog) - Sister Double Happiness
--16: Burn The Flames - Thin White Rope
--17: Postures (Leave Your Body Behind) - Tabby Thomas/Chris Thomas
--18: Nothing In Return - T Bone Burnett
--19: Reverberation (Doubt) - Jesus & Mary Chain

 

the golden dawn are good, but they don't have the genius of the elevators... i haven't heard cold sun, i'll check them out.

 

You know, I was just listening to Easter Everywhere, and I seriously think that "Baby Blue" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Just wanted to share that...

 

Baby Blue is the best dylan cover i've ever heard. I've been listening to the 13th floor elevators all week. I just can't stop listening to The Psychedelic Sounds of. It's becoming my favourite album of all time...

 

I'm in the middle of mowing the grass right now, and I plan to listen to The Psychedelic Sounds of... next. Right now I'm listening to The Small Faces' Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.

 

That's a good one. I think it's far superior to Dylan's original version of the song.