Song:You're Gonna Miss Me
Album:Absolutely The Best
You're Gonna Miss Me was the only chart single for the legendary psychedelic band The 13th Floor Elevators. Some folks think the band invented psychedelia. I don't know about that but there's no question this band's legendary status has grown to mythic proportions. The 13th Floor Elevators were from Austin, TX led by Roky Erickson on lead vocals, guitar and harmonica, Stacy Sutherland on guitar and Tommy Hall on electric jug. Electric jug? You'll see in the video. There were other members but they were the three main songwriters. The group emerged in late 1965 out of Erickson's band The Spades. Benny Thurman played bass and John Ike Walton played drums. He came up with the group name. So they were brought to Houston to record You're Gonna Miss Me and it was picked up for national distribution by International Artists, a label run by Kenny Rogers' brother Lelan Rogers. There were other psychedelic bands on the label including The Red Krayola & Bubble Puppy. Bassist Benny Thurman was replaced by Ronnie Leatherman in July 1966. When IA re-released You're Gonna Miss Me in the summer of 1966, it reached #55 on the Billboard Hot 100. They released their second album Easter Everywhere in 1967. The 13th Floor Elevators had the potential and talent to be successful but the drug culture killed them. John Ike Walton left when Hall insisted that he use LSD. The end came when Roky Erickson pleaded insanity to 1969 drug charges and was institutionalized. This comp from Varese is a great intro to their music. Roky Erickson has made sporadic attempts at a solo career over the years. But he's still around and appeared on Austin City Limits a few years ago. Stacy Sutherland's heroin addiction landed him in jail and he was accidently killed by his wife during a domestic dispute Aug. 26, 1978. Tommy Hall lives a drug fried existence in San Francisco. The bottom line is that The 13th Floor Elevators were a very influential band and their music is worth checking out. Here's The 13th Floor Elevators performing You're Gonna Miss Me 1966.
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