The golden age of psychedelia certainly had its well-known icons. But for every big name in the genre, there’s at least another underrated musician who helped make the genre what it is today. I’d consider Roky Erickson, co-founder of the 13th Floor Elevators, to be one such musician.
While Roky Erickson wouldn’t be considered “underrated” to any diehard psych-rock fan, I can’t help but think that his name eludes many people when they think of psychedelic rock music from the 1960s and 1970s. That shouldn’t be the case. Erickson was absolutely incredible.
Born in Texas, Erickson faced much backlash from his stern father, who once forced his son to cut his hair instead of rocking a Beatlesque mop top. Fortunately, his mother, an opera singer, encouraged his interest in music and taught him how to play the guitar.
Erickson’s first songs, written as a teenager, were “We Sell Soul” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me”. From the very start, it was clear that Erickson had an incredible talent. And, by 1965, that talent would translate into one of the greatest psychedelic rock bands of the 1960s.
Roky Erickson: A Somewhat Underrated Psychedelic Rock Icon
Roky Erickson formed the 13th Floor Elevators with Tommy Hall in 1965. Few might know that a well-known singer named Janis Joplin actually considered joining The 13th Floor Elevators before a music promoter encouraged her to move to San Francisco.
The group’s debut album, The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators, was released the following year. Erickson’s song, “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, was the band’s only charting hit, making them a bit of a one-hit wonder.
However, Erickson’s legacy goes far beyond that one claim to fame. He was a primal, incredible vocalist who continued to contribute his talents to The 13th Floor Elevators for years.
Sadly, Erickson struggled with his mental health. In 1968, after being apparently incoherent during a performance, he was involuntarily sent to a psychiatric hospital and given electroconvulsive therapy. The stint put a spotlight on the band, who often supported the use of psychedelic drugs. And shortly after his stint in the psych ward, Erickson was arrested for possessing m*rijuana.
Erickson was sent back to the hospital and remained there until 1972, but he continued to write music. After the end of The 13th Floor Elevators, he formed the band Bleib Alien and worked with The Resurrectionists, and would later go on to write and perform more music. The 13th Floor Elevators would reunite with Erickson off and on through the years.
Today, Roky Erickson is considered a pioneer of the psych-rock genre. Few musicians have matched his ragged, booming vocal talent, though plenty have tried. Erickson passed away in 2019, and I truly wish his work would be brought up in conversations about bands like Pink Floyd and other psychedelic giants more often. He was a once-in-a-lifetime talent.
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