13th Floor Elevators

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13th Floor Elevators

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About

Hailing from Austin, Texas, the members of 13th Floor Elevators were quite possibly the first artists to describe their music as psychedelic. Their lyrics and sleeve notes openly and religiously endorsed the use of drugs (particularly LSD) to alter human consciousness for the better.

The band rattled to the middle of the Hot 100 in 1966 with You’re Gonna Miss Me, anchored by Roky Erickson’s unforgettable yelping vocals, Stacy Sutherland’s guitar, and Tommy Hall’s electric jug runs. According to myth, Tommy’s jug was tuned by the amount of marijuana stored in it.

The group pioneered some of the first garage psychedelia on its albums The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators 1966, and the followup Easter Everywhere 1967.

However, Texas at that time was an extremely conservative area that still hadn’t come to terms with 50’s rock ‘n’ roll. The authorities and the police set out to bust the entire band for pot (and—not surprisingly—succeeded).

Stacy Sutherland was jailed. To avoid a prison term, Roky pleaded insanity—a misguided ploy that landed him in Rusk State Hospital for the criminally insane for 3 years. That turn of events spelled the end of the band, although there was a posthumous 1968 LP, Bull of the Woods.

Roky Erickson was released from hospital in 1973 and embarked upon a successful solo career that resulted in a CBS album produced by Stu Cook from Creedence Clearwater Revival. During the 1980s he struggled with mental illness and withdrew from public life for many years. However, in the 2000s he has re-emerged with one of his late 70s/early 80s backing bands, The Explosives, playing regular gigs including the Austin City Limits festival in September 2008, as well as Coachella in California, the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden and Montreal World Film festival in Canada.

Data provided by Discogs

Top Tracks

Most popular songs on Last.fm · click ▶ to preview on Spotify

1

You're Gonna Miss Me

13th Floor Elevators

2

You're Gonna Miss Me (2008 Remastered Original Mono LP Version)

13th Floor Elevators

3

Roller Coaster

13th Floor Elevators

4

Kingdom of Heaven

13th Floor Elevators

5

Fire Engine

13th Floor Elevators

Releases

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Setlists

20 live performances · data from Setlist.fm

All · 20
2024
2015
1984
1977
1973
1968

Setlist data provided by Setlist.fm

April 13, 2024

MAINSTAGE Brabanthallen

's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant, Netherlands


May 10, 2015

Carson Creek Ranch

Austin, Texas, United States

  • 1. She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)

  • 2. Fire Engine

  • 3. Earthquake

  • 4. Tried to Hide

  • 5. Slip Inside This House

  • 6. I've Got Levitation

  • 7. Splash 1 (Now I'm Home)

  • 8. Kingdom of Heaven (Is Within You)

  • 9. Nobody to Love

  • 10. Reverberation (Doubt)

  • 11. Roller Coaster

  • 1. You're Gonna Miss Me(The Spades cover)


August 11, 1984

Consolidated Arts Warehouse

Houston, Texas, United States

  • 1.

  • 2. Before You Accuse Me(Bo Diddley cover)

  • 3. Splash 1 (Now I'm Home)

  • 4. Bloody Hammer(Roky Erickson and the Aliens cover)

  • 5. Don't Slander Me(Roky Erickson cover)

  • 6. Clear Night for Love(Roky Erickson cover)

  • 7. Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)(Roky Erickson & Bleib Alien cover)

  • 8. You're Gonna Miss Me(The Spades cover)

  • 9. The Beast(Roky Erickson & Evil Hook Wildlife E.T. cover)

  • 10. Don't Shake Me Lucifer(Roky Erickson & The Explosives cover)


June 16, 1984

Liberty Lunch

Austin, Texas, United States

  • 1.

  • 2. Before You Accuse Me(Bo Diddley cover)

  • 3. The Beast(Roky Erickson & Evil Hook Wildlife E.T. cover)

  • 4. Splash 1 (Now I'm Home)

  • 5. Don't Slander Me(Roky Erickson cover)

  • 6. You're Gonna Miss Me(The Spades cover)

  • 7. Clear Night for Love(Roky Erickson cover)

  • 8. Don't Shake Me Lucifer(Roky Erickson & The Explosives cover)

  • 9. Bloody Hammer(Roky Erickson and the Aliens cover)

  • 10. Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)(Roky Erickson & Bleib Alien cover)


May 28, 1977

Ol' Dog Saloon

Kerrville, Texas, United States

  • 1.

  • 2. All Along the Watchtower(Bob Dylan cover)

  • 3. Bye Bye Love(Boudleaux Bryant cover)

  • 4. Baby, Baby, Baby

  • 5. Pretty Girl

  • 6. Slippin' and Slidin' (Peepin' and Hidin')(Little Richard and His Band cover)

  • 7. Reconsider Baby(Lowell Fulson cover)

  • 8. Stag' Lee([traditional] cover)

  • 9. You're Gonna Miss Me(The Spades cover)

  • 10. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue(Bob Dylan cover)

  • 11. She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)

  • 12. Sea Cruise(Huey “Piano” Smith & His Clowns cover)

  • 13. Sweet Little Sixteen(Chuck Berry cover)

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13th Floor Elevators' most-played tracks include You're Gonna Miss Me, You're Gonna Miss Me (2008 Remastered Original Mono LP Version), Roller Coaster, Kingdom of Heaven, Fire Engine. Listen to these songs and explore more from their catalog on this page.

Hailing from Austin, Texas, the members of 13th Floor Elevators were quite possibly the first artists to describe their music as psychedelic. Their lyrics and sleeve notes openly and religiously endorsed the use of drugs (particularly LSD) to alter h... Read the full biography on this page.

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