The 13th Floor Elevators:

I was surprised to find no mention of Roky Erickson's psycho-delic extravaganza in this topic forum!.
They seem to me to be:Surf Music On Acid!
Having listened to the frenetic: 'Fire Engine' song I can only marvel at their adrenelin-driven acid-rock belters.
Yet they remain quirky & obscure.

Here's an example of their weird lyrics: 'Monkey Island' 1966:

"Livin' on Monkey Island,right here in the middle of a zoo,
livin' on Monkey Island;pretending to be a monkey too".

I think they are a fine Texas psych-rock outfit.Roky once dated:Janis Joplin.

Does anyone know any more about them & what is that funny bubbling noise in the background of most of their songs?.

 

amazing band

 

Yes I agree.That sums it up very well.Thanks.

 

love em

 

a jug, the guy on the left of the picture is playing it I believe.

 

If you want to see a video of the 13th Floor Elevators playing "You're Gonna Miss Me" on the TV show "Where the ActioN Is" (in 1966): http://sonicpollutions.blogspot.com/2006/01/thirteenth-floor-elevators-in-1966.html (You can actually see Tommy Hall playing the jug!)

 

one of my favorites at the moment.
i really cant get enough of them.

 

Me,too.I can't stop listening to 'em.I've got:'The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators' & 'Easter Everywhere' on 2 C.D.s.

Thanks for telling me that the strange bubble noise is:Tommy Hall playing a Jug!!!!.
Of course it begs the question.How does playing a jug create that strange noise?.
Obviously the jug noises are distorted via an oscillator or something.
That strange background noise is on most of their recordings.
Roky Erickson is something of an enigma.Because he took acid trips the Texas authorities came down hard on him.You can hear his anguish in his wailing rockabilly-like vocal style.(I assume it's him doing the singing).
I like the 'Where the action is' link.Can't get the video segment up -only the pics.




-Roky in 1967.

 

Here's another video: https://www.youtube.com/w/13th-Floor-Elevators---Your-Gonna-Miss-Me?v=ZZBll4sYOHc&search=floor%20elevators of them performing "You're Gonna Miss Me" again, this time in American Bandstand (in 1966)
(This video works! )

 

www.myspace.com/13thfloorelevators

I found out about them from a friend they blew me away the first time i heard them. they are insanely awesome.

 

I found an interesting FAQ about Roky http://www.furious.com/perfect/roky.html

Quite an interesting life and still living.

 

The Elevators, one of my favourites!

 

I don't think Hall was "playing" the jug in the usual sense--the sound was made with the mouth and lips, and directly mic'ed. The jug itself was only a resonator.

 

My band is heavliy inspired by the elevators.

www.outhousemoan.com

 

This Video getting better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZBll4sYOHc&search=floor elevators

 

Easter Everywhere rules, nice tripping music!

 

I ahve only had the pleasure of hearing one song by them.

 

someone once told me that tommy hall was actually making the sounds with his mouth, and only used the jug to make it look like he was using a jug.


but, i've read nothing more about this, so who knows... it makes sense to me though, as i cannot imitate that sound with a jug but can nearly do it with just my mouth and the air (i'm a freaking nerd, haha )

 

13th Floor Elevators has great music! They were one of, if not the first bands to call their music psychedelic

 

Hi
Check out a google group...called TEXAS PSYCH GROUP for all the 13th Floor Elevators action you need..scrapping,loving,remembering,and a open invitation to hear more of the wonderful sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators and Roky Erikson than you ever thought possible.
Check it out