Roky Erickson: The Evil One

Roky Erickson: The Evil One

Light in the Attic Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl & Compact Disc

Track Listing: Vinyl version: 1. Two-Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)  2. I Think Of Demons  3. I Walked With A Zombie  4. Don't Shake Me Lucifer  5. Night Of The Vampire  6. White Faces  7. Cold Night For Alligators  8. Creature With The Atom Brain  9. Mine Mine Mind 10. Stand For The Fire Demon 11. If You Have Ghosts  12.  Sputnik  13. The Wind And More 14. Bloody Hammer 15. Click Your Fingers Applauding The Play

CD Version:
1. Two-Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)   2.  I Walked With A Zombie  3. Night Of The Vampire  4.
It's Cold Night For Alligators  5.Mine Mine Mind  6. Sputnik  7.
White Faces  8. I Think Of Demons  9. Creature With The Atom Brain  10. The Wind And More  11.
Don't Shake Me Lucifer  12. Bloody Hammer  13. Stand For The Fire Demon  14. Click Your Fingers Applauding The Play  15. If You Have Ghosts




 Hey! Halloween is what? A month away? 

The perfect time to listen to Roky Erickson's "The Evil One" (although in reality, I listened to Traffic's "John Barleycorn Must Die" while I carved this particular pumpkin). Outside of The Misfits, I can't think of another artist who so perfectly captures the feel of a crisp autumn night spent pouring through old issues of Famous Monsters magazine, quite like Roky and this particular album...

 If for some reason you're unfamiliar with the man and his story, he was in the 60's psychedelic band, the 13th Floor Elevators (who are also an awesome band, just in a completely different way),  before he lost his marbles (medically speaking) and spent a few years in various psychiatric facilities (one such stint was to avoid prison for a drug charge). Somewhere in the mid 70's he emerged, ready to work again and that's when he released some of his best work. 

 The copy of "The Evil One" that I own is the 2013 reissue from Light in the Attic Records, and like pretty much all the stuff they release, it's a beautiful package. This was an album that had an extremely haphazard release history. Released under different titles with different songs, different tracklistings,  etc. Light in the Attic collected all 15 songs that comprised these various versions and put them in one place (although, in keeping with the spirit of random track listings, the CD and vinyl have a completely different running order, for some reason).

The vinyl is heavy fucking duty. A double record containing three sides, the fourth side has a cool etching of the famous Two-Headed Dog...Here's a picture of it that I stole from Google (I'm waaaayyy too lazy to take even a simple photo)...

It also comes with a giant book that is packed with photos, artwork and great information. Highlight? An interview containing the following exchange:

Q: What do you think are the most notable changes in rock and roll over say in the past 15 years?
A: The piano parts and the razor in the keys. 

Q: What are the things you like about England as opposed to America?
A: Oh, (coughs), uh, Friday the 13th.

This is seriously one of my all-time favorite albums. A Friday Night Record Party staple. I don't know how many Friday nights I spent spinning this one. On the surface it simply sounds like a slick, great rock and roll records. Maybe like a Harder Rocking Creedence Clearwater Revival (whose Stu Cook produced the album) or Bad Company with maybe a dash of punk. Just perfect, catchy, radio-ready rock. Even if these were just your basic lyrics about getting laid or partying all night I would hail it as the best of its kind. But it's so much more than that? Y'see, every single song is about devils, demons, ghosts, zombies, alligator people and every other sort of monster imaginable. And Roky sings the songs like he's face to face with all these horrors. If you're aware of his reputation and are expecting some Wild Man Fischer-esque loony bin outsider music, you need not fear. This guy can nail a hook. Anybody that can take, say, Alice Cooper or Ozzy Osbourne should have no problem with this.

  Even being extremely critical and overly-harsh, I would estimate at least 10 of the greatest songs I've ever heard are housed on this album. I can't pick a favorite. Maybe "I Think of Demons" which would be all over the radio if it wasn't for lyrics like:

"First I read a demon with horns with black tips,
Fangs in the day's moonlight,
Blood never touches my lips,
I read demon never sips,
Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer,
he's been waiting on you..."

It's all much more grand and uplifting than it reads on paper. The line, "I think of demons for you" comes across as so oddly sweet that your brain processes it as a love song. "If You Have Ghosts" is another textbook perfect example of how to construct a classic rock song. I don't know how he's able to wring so much soul out of such bizarre lyrics. But he makes being haunted by malevolent spirits sound like the most liberating experience ever. "I Walked With a Zombie" is also amazing. A simple, 60's Girl Group-esque pop number where Roky gives a memorable vocal performance. The whole thing is so bonkers and genius that I wouldn't recommend going your whole life without hearing it.

If you have any interest whatsoever in rock, horror or catchiness in general, then you need this record.  One of the few perfect, conceptually sound albums I've ever heard. He's done some great stuff before and after this, but this is truly his shining moment. Again, an essential Halloween record.

Let's listen to some music...Here's "I Think of Demons" by Roky Erickson. Enjoy...