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The Life magazine tumblr posted this photo… and I instantly recognized it as the basis for the Avalon Ballroom poster for a show by the 13th Floor Elevators:
life:
Light beams create a contour map of a human head during an Air Force study of jet-pilot helmets. Originally published, as the cover image, on the December 6, 1954, issue of LIFE.
(see more here)
FRIDAY FREAK OUT!
The 13th Floor Elevators performing “You’re Gonna Miss Me”. Via Boing Boing.
(Source: Boing Boing)
Skip to about :27 in… to hear the song of the day, EARTHQUAKE by the 13th Floor Elevators.
The legendary and elusive Roky Erickson, who played the Black Cat here in Washington DC last night. If you’re a fan of Janis Joplin, rock and roll survivor stories, or the origins of psychedelic rock music, you owe it to yourself to discover this man and his work with the 13th Floor Elevators. Janis was a contemporary of the Elevators, and if you listen to Roky’s vocal track for You’re Gonna Miss Me, you’ll definitely understand that she copped her signature howl from him - and even his was something he practiced over and over to be able to do it onstage regularly.
If you’ve seen High Fidelity, the opening track of the film when the needle touches down is the 13th Floor Elevators’ tune You’re Gonna Miss Me, which Roky closed with last night. He’s still somewhat timid, turning his back to the crowd to focus on playing with the band anytime he wasn’t singing. The set was heavy with Aliens-era tunes, especially the horror film-influenced stuff like:
I believe his backing band was mostly the opener, the Happen-Ins. Their set included a cover of Slim Harpo’s Shake Your Hips, which the Elevators were known to cover too. Roky joined them after their set was over, and he did do at least two numbers from his current album on which he’s backed by Okkervil River, True Love Cast Out All Evil. They played John Lawman and Goodbye Sweet Dreams. This latter tune will break your heart when Roky performs it solo in the documentary about his life, You’re Gonna Miss Me, a film which I can recommend without any hesitation to any fan of rock music.
In Roky’s life, there are parallels to the stories of musicians like Syd Barrett and Brian Wilson, and if those are artists whose lives intrigue you, seek this film out.
I’m glad I got the chance to see this legend and I hope his recovery continues.
THIS RECORD COMES OUT TODAY! and…
The iTunes and eMusic DELUXE VERSIONS HAVE **2** BONUS TRACKS.
and you don’t have to buy the whole album to get ‘em, which I love - seeing as I preordered the CD.
Huzzah for us all! Click on the photo for the iTunes version.
Roky Erickson & Okkervil River’s “True Love Cast Out All Evil” - anxious to spend more time with these songs. This record makes me very happy.
P.S.: Lauren Gurgiolo (now a full-time member of Okkervil River) is one of the most creative guitarists that I have seen lately. Pay special attention to that young lady.
KEVIN SHIELDS PLAYS LIVE WITH ROKY ERICKSON ON NEW TRIBUTE ALBUM
Coming June 7 - UK label Sonic Cathedral is issuing a new tribute album covering the work of Roky Erickson. My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields backs Roky along with the Black Angels on a new live rendition of the 13th Floor Elevators track “Roller Coaster.”
Uncut has the story here.
Pitchfork has the first MP3 from the upcoming Okkervil River collaboration with the legendary 13th Floor Elevators frontman Roky Erickson. The song is Goodbye Sweet Dreams, which Roky performs acoustically in the film documentary about his life. If you’ve not seen the documentary You’re Gonna Miss Me about the rise and fall and recovery of Roky, you’re missing out on an incredible story of rock and roll redemption.
Word comes today that Roky Erickson, of the legendary 13th Floor Elevators will release his first music in about 14 years or so in collaboration with Okkervil River. The title True Love Cast Out All Evil sounds like he’s not quite let go his fascination with good and evil and horror movie concepts.
If you want to see an amazing story of rise, fall and redemption, get yourself a look at You’re Gonna Miss Me, the documentary about Roky’s life both in and after the 13th Floor Elevators. A fantastic film for any rock fan.
If you think you’re not heard Roky or the Elevators, you’re probably wrong. Seen High Fidelity? Well, the 13th Floor Elevators tune You’re Gonna Miss Me is the song that blasts when the needle hits the record at the film’s opening. You can hear that here, and also sample an Okkervil song.
