An album that opens with a song referencing both Jesus and hallucinogenic mushrooms could only come from Roky Erickson.
If you’ve never heard of Erickson, you’re probably not alone; he's been missing from the music scene for the past several years dealing with his personal demons. Erickson was the lead singer for the legendary 13th Floor Elevators, widely considered to be one of the band's that created psychedelic rock. They had a unique sound (which inspired much of the garage band movement), but were mostly infamous because most of their music was created and performed while they were under the influence of LSD. In 1969, facing a felony marijuana possession charge for possession of a single marijuana joint, Erickson pled insanity and was committed to Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. For three-and-a-half years, he was subjected to shock treatments and surrounded by the deepest levels of insanity. By the time he left, he had begun his own struggle with mental illness, dealing with paranoia, depression, and dementia that forced him to withdraw from public life. Erickson’s battle is chronicled in the 2005 documentary, You’re Gonna Miss Me, but this album marks his first new release in 14 years.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2010.