Consuming the Tangible

How much does history play into how we perceive music? Not our own history; that much should be clear to anyone who ever had personal connection to a song or artist. But what about history we’re not involved in? Specifically when it comes to Roky Erikson, the legendary singer/guitarist/songwriter for early psychedelic band the 13th Floor Elevators. I was aware of his tragic history the same instant I first heard him – intro’d by Henry Rollins on his KCRW radio show. Does knowing of his troubles and schizophrenia diagnosis (not to mention the abuse while detained at Rusk State Hospital and copious amounts of electro-shock therapy) color my perception of The Evil One, his debut album (depending how and where you first heard it), making it stand out differently than if I just heard it blind? I don’t know, and honestly I’m not sure it matters.

It doesn’t matter because in the end this is how I was introduced; I can’t change the circumstances or the knowledge that came with it. So let’s just talk about the music for a minute. The version as I’ve always known it is a combination of the original Roky Erikson and the Aliens album, originally released in 1980 run the UK and additional tracks added to a third side called The Evil One. A far sight removed from his more psychedelic work with the 13th Floor Elevators, the songs on The Evil One reach to the golden days of rock and roll, with lyrics pulped out of the movies and mind running wild in the same time. So lyrically you have tales of zombies, demons, atomic monsters and the Devil, accompanied by the Dark One’s own music of choice.

Which is not to say the music sounds dated at all. Opening with “Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)” which had been around as early as 1973, Erikson sounds positively raucous, his voice filled with the gravel and roar of decades pouring his soul out in his music. The music is sublimely catchy, especially the pop-inflected “I Think Of Demons” whose chorus is an absolute ear worm, as is the practically sweet “I Walked With A Zombie”. Initially recorded between 1977 and 1979, the tracks still sound fresh 40 years on, and are immaculately produced. Performance are ably assisted by Duane Aslaksen on guitars and Billy Miller on electric autoharp, Steven Morgan on bass and Fuzzy Furioso on drums. Keyboards re scatted throughout, but the real MVP there is Link Davis jr.’s organ work on the killer “Night Of The Vampire” which stands out to me as a centerpiece of the album.

The whole of The Evil One embodies this dichotomy of sweet nostalgic rock and roll and weird, left field lyrical content pulled from the pages from Tales From The Crypt or the works of Val Lewton. Side Two has “It’s A Cold Night For Alligators” with nice harmonized lead work and “Creature With The Atom Brain” featuring some great vocal work on the chorus. None of the songs are particularly downbeat (okay, maybe “Night Of The Vampire”) but “Mine Mine Mind” is good old boy rock done to the nines. It’s a bit of a dip from the killer front-loaded first side, but it all works and just hearing Erikson’s voice is enough to keep the momentum moving forward.

The final side (side 4 of the FANTASTIC Light In The Attic reissue is an etched drawing the the titular two-headed dog) are culled from separate sessions, but retain that unique magic Erikson brings to his music. “You Have Ghosts” jets into instant single territory with its title kicking the song off and a rolling bass line to propel the song into hit status if radios actually played it. Both “Bloody Hammer” and closing track “Click Your Fingers Applauding The Play” are late album classics that have the fire of hard rock and show off just how good the man was in the right conditions. It’s a shame those conditions were so hard to come by, and that at this point he was already in a state that would limit the genius inside him.

Still, we have The Evil One to remind us that Roky Erikson wasn’t just larger than life, he was real, and his voice was like no other.