BEYOND 13 FLOORS
The passage of Roky Erickson in May 2019 brings the conclusion of what has been perhaps the most rock and roll of all rock and roll stories. The story of the musical genius who fronted a band that quite literally created an entire genre of rock is filled with tragedy, drugs, innovative music, mental institutions, electroshock therapy, mystery, mysticism, redemption, and an untouchable voice, the exemplary voice for all rock music that preceded and followed.
You can hear it in the first seconds of the first album by The 13th Floor Elevators. It starts with a raw riff on electric guitar, quickly joined by drums and a whirling, windy sound effect that turned out to be a Texas hippie blowing into a jug. Then just nine seconds in, the voice breaks out with a terrifying scream, “Aahhhhhhh yeah!!!!,” in falsetto wail. Then came the words.
You’re gonna wake up one morning
As the sun greets the dawn
You’re gonna wake up one morning
As the sun greets the dawn
You’re gonna look around in your mind, girl
You’re gonna find that I’m gone
You didn’t realize
You didn’t realize
You didn’t realize
You didn’t realize
You didn’t realize
Awwwwwww, YOU’RE GONNA MISS ME, BABY!!!
That’s how and when and where psychedelic rock music was born, given a name right there in the album’s title:
