It's Spookier: Roky Erickson at El Rey tonight!

The first ever mention I heard of Roky Erickson (solo singer founding member of Thirteenth Floor Elevators, America’s first psychedelic band) was from the mouths of Daniel Johnston and Jad Fair on a one-off collaboration effort between the two weirdo-pop heavies, appropriately titled "It's Spooky". The song is fittingly called “I Met Roky Erickson” and it’s so minimal it’s barely there: Daniel sings no more than four notes over a piano that follows his melody and sparse, erratic drums that show no regard for tempo, consistency or meter. Daniel barely mentions that Roky was a musician, let alone that he’s one of America’s most important and underrated songwriters. For me Roky shines brightest with his diversity. It makes him a standby: if I’m in a country mood, I can put on a Guy Clark record or I could just as easily play his All That May Do My Rhyme. Folk? There’s Bert Jansch, but Never Say Goodbye is just as within reach. Horror rock? Misifts, sure—but Danzig gets old and Michael Graves is a Republican: I think of Demons trumps all. It goes on.

I spoke with him not long ago and he’s way more coherent and content than he was the last time he played L.A. (which was his first show in at least a decade, btw). If you’re without plans tonight I can’t even begin to tell you how much your night will improve if you spend it with Roky and the Black Angels at the El Rey.

For more information look into the El Rey’s website. I’ll be there, you should too!

Photo taken by Flickr user get directly down and used under a Creative Commons license.