Roky's Inferno

[Dave Monroe]

Roky's Inferno
The unlikeliest (and wildest) of comebacks roars
improbably on
by Jason Gross
April 17th, 2007 11:13 AM

Fitting for a guy who spouts the supernatural, Roger
Kynard Erickson sported a bright-red shirt for his
first-ever East Coast show, held on Friday the 13th.
As chilling as his songs are, they're no match for the
frightening real life of the Austin singer-guitarist,
who's second only to Dante in chronicling the lower
depths. "You're Gonna Miss Me," Roky's 1966 garage hit
with the 13th Floor Elevators, was followed by a
descent into a cycle of prescribed and unprescribed
drugs, schizophrenic episodes, and asylum visits. In
the mid '70s, he gathered himself up to create graphic
and extraordinary songs about demons, aliens, and
other strange creatures. Over a decade, he produced a
series of singles, two albums, and the occasional
local gig before his career ground to a halt in the
late '80s. After an '89 mail fraud bust, he lived a
secluded life, though a 1990 tribute album (featuring
ZZ Top and R.E.M.) furthered his legend. As documented
in the recent film named after his Elevators hit, an
intra-family court battle let his brother Sumner take
over Roky's care in 2001—this got him back to his
regular medication regimen and rekindled his interest
in music, starting with a series of 2005 shows.

All this drama and history left the packed house in
Brooklyn drooling. Backed by his faithful '70s–'80s
trio the Explosives, his hour-long set reviewed his
solo years, including only two Elevators tunes (what
other '60s legend besides Stevie Wonder could rely on
his later work without pissing off a crowd?). With
Roky only adding a pleasant "thank you" at each song's
end, guitarist Cam King played de facto emcee,
cramming as many guitar breaks as he could into each
song, mugging for both Roky and the audience.

But what made the show was Roky's presence and
intensity. When he played a lead, it was simply
awe-inspiring—on the (self-referential?) "The Beast Is
Coming," he juiced a stinging, sharp line of notes
with feedback, and unleashed a wild torrent of Elmore
James slide noise at the start of "Before You Accuse
Me." Even more penetrating were his grim face and
unearthly, shrieking voice. Brimming with conviction
like a fire-breathing minister, his cold, hard
eyes—topped by thick, menacing brows—peered straight
past the audience like they weren't even there. Even
if he couldn't communicate much otherwise, Roky
shouted the lyrics as if they were permanently burned
into his brain. That's what keeps the '50s Cold War
paranoia of his self-proclaimed "horror rock" from
sounding like corny goth shtick. More like fellow
troubled Texan Daniel Johnston and the also troubled
Sly Stone (circa "Thank You") than Robert Johnson,
Roky savors a good rumble with the devil himself, even
if it means he sometimes gets his ass kicked.

Dangerous bravado notwithstanding, his unlikely
comeback continues. Cheers greeted the opening riff to
"Bermuda" (as in the devil's triangle). Dozens of
voices joined him on the chorus of "Creature With the
Atom Brain." And the heavily requested "Bloody Hammer"
got a smile even out of Roky himself, leading up to
the excitement of the inevitable "You're Gonna Miss
Me." At show's end, he retreated to the back to
graciously sign memorabilia. All in a night's work now
for a one-man axis of evil.

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0716,gross,76383,22.html

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com