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Podcasts Off-Ramp
Roky Erickson Returns!
Off-Ramp with John Rabe Hero Image
(
Dan Carino
)
May 15, 2010
Listen • 2:37
Roky Erickson Returns!
Back in 1965, Roky Erickson fronted The 13th Floor Elevators, arguably America's first psychedelic rock band. His life went great until 1969, when—in a tragedy of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" proportions—he pleaded insanity to a drug conviction and ended up in the infamous and terrifying Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. It took him years to fully recover from his time at Rusk, but he's back and better than ever, and for the first time in years, he's playing in LA on Tuesday. COME INSIDE for the gig details, and listen to Kevin Ferguson's 2008 interview with Roky himself, including a very rare Erickson track.
Roky Erickson, Credit: Todd Wolfson
Roky Erickson, Credit: Todd Wolfson
(
Todd Wolfson
)

Back in 1965, Roky Erickson fronted The 13th Floor Elevators, arguably America's first psychedelic rock band. His life went great until 1969, when—in a tragedy of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" proportions—he pleaded insanity to a drug conviction and ended up in the infamous and terrifying Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. It took him years to fully recover from his time at Rusk, but he's back and better than ever, and for the first time in years, he's playing in LA on Tuesday.

COME INSIDE for the gig details, and listen to Kevin Ferguson's 2008 interview with Roky himself, including a very rare Erickson track.

Back in 1965, Roky Erickson fronted The 13th Floor Elevators, arguably America's first psychedelic rock band. His life went great until 1969, when—in a tragedy of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" proportions—he pleaded insanity to a drug conviction and ended up in the infamous and terrifying Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. It took him years to fully recover from his time at Rusk, but he's back and better than ever, and for the first time in years, he's playing in LA on Tuesday.

COME INSIDE for the gig details, and listen to Kevin Ferguson's 2008 interview with Roky himself, including a very rare Erickson track.

The subject of many a top-ten list, a documentary and even a Daniel Johnston song, Roky personifies rock and roll and the American story of triumph over adversity. He's just released a new album with Austin-based indie outfit Okkervil River and is doing an extremely rare performance Tuesday, May 18 at the Music Box in Hollywood. As a bonus, L.A. Record founder and loyal Erickson devotee Chris Ziegler will be DJing the night through.

This piece also features a special NEVER RELEASED recording of an old Roky Erickson song "Bo Diddley is a Headhunter." Roky recorded this in 2008 with fellow Austin psychedelic band The Black Angels and the songs from this session have yet to be released.