Introducing the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators burst onto the music scene in Austin, Texas in 1965, instantly becoming pioneers of the psychedelic rock genre. Formed by vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, guitarist Stacy Sutherland, bassist Benny Thurman, and drummer John Ike Walton, the band fused garage rock energy with hallucinogenic lyrical themes. Their bluesy, raw sound was augmented by Tommy Hall’s innovative use of an electric jug, giving them a trippy, experimental edge. This novel combination of rock instrumentation with non-traditional electric jug highlighted their fresh new take on psychedelic music. The Elevators stood out with their alternative look too, donning all black and leather outfits. Their unique appearance and one-of-a-kind psychedelic jug rock cemented their status as originators of a bold new style emerging from the budding Austin music scene.
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators made a groundbreaking statement with their debut album The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators in 1966. Released on the local Texas label International Artists, the album took the raw garage rock energy of the band and channeled it through frontman Roky Erickson’s haunting vocals and Tommy Hall’s disorienting electric jug playing. It forged a revolutionary new sound the band called "psychedelic rock" on tracks like "You’re Gonna Miss Me" and "Reverberation (Doubt)."
"You’re Gonna Miss Me" became an instant psychedelic anthem and the band’s highest charting song, hitting #55 on the Billboard Hot 100. Propelled by Erickson’s wailing vocals and searing electric guitar riffs, the song encapsulates the band’s thrilling and dangerous sound. The use of reverb and echo on Erickson’s vocals and Hall’s electric jug further disorients the listener, creating an utterly unique sonic texture. "Roller Coaster" and "Reverberation (Doubt)" expanded on this psychedelic sound with bluesy guitar licks floating over rumbling basslines and crashing drums, all tied together by Hall’s electric jug weaving through the mix.
The album artwork featuring a screaming face in a spiral pattern perfectly captured the mind-expanding sounds contained within. The 13th Floor Elevators had announced the arrival of psychedelic rock, influencing countless bands from the 1960s onwards. Their debut remains an essential cornerstone of the genre.
Roky Erickson: Psychedelic Frontman
Roky Erickson was the charismatic frontman and primary songwriter for The 13th Floor Elevators, known for his powerful, haunting vocals and evocative lyrics that helped define the band’s psychedelic sound. With his gaunt features and shoulder-length blond hair, Erickson cut a striking figure on stage as he belted out the band’s bluesy garage rock songs laced with surreal imagery. His raw, impassioned singing style made him a captivating performer and he penned many of the band’s most famous tracks including "You’re Gonna Miss Me" and "Slip Inside This House."
However, Erickson struggled with mental illness even during the band’s heyday, exacerbated by heavy LSD use. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and institutionalized for several years in the 1970s after being arrested for marijuana possession in 1969. Erickson developed a cult-like following during this period despite dropping out of music, with fans drawn to his outsider status as a psychedelic casualty.
In the 1980s, Erickson re-emerged as a solo artist, releasing acclaimed albums like The Evil One (1981) which contained his most well-known song "Two-Headed Dog." He attracted the attention of a new generation of alternative rock musicians who saw him as an underground hero. Bands like R.E.M. and ZZ Top covered his songs, helping to bring Erickson’s music back into the public consciousness. Though he continued to deal with mental health issues, Erickson toured and recorded again periodically until his death in 2019, leaving behind a powerful legacy as one of psychedelic rock’s most legendary icons.
Tommy Hall’s Electric Jug
Tommy Hall brought a truly unique instrumental contribution to The 13th Floor Elevators with his pioneering electric jug playing. Hall essentially invented the concept of playing an electrified jug to produce cosmic drones and avant-garde sounds. His unconventional jug added an otherworldly texture to the Elevators that became a signature part of their psychedelic sound.
Beyond his instrumental innovation, Hall served as the band’s spiritual and philosophical leader. He was deeply immersed in esoteric philosophies and metaphysics, drawing inspiration from thinkers like Gurdjieff, Huxley, and Korzybski. Hall introduced concepts like ego death, altered consciousness, and transcendental meditation to the rest of the band. His eccentric beliefs heavily influenced the band’s psychedelic direction, shaping their experimental impulses and lyrical themes.
As the key architect behind the Elevators’ mystical aura, Hall pushed the group toward increasingly psychedelic territories. His jug playing was like their sonic navigator, guiding them on an inward journey toward enlightenment. Without Hall’s creative vision and cosmic ideology, the legendary psychedelic sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators would have never fully materialized.
Psychedelic Legacy
The 13th Floor Elevators left behind a powerful psychedelic legacy that influenced many future rock bands and musicians. Though they did not achieve mainstream success during the 1960s, the band developed a cult following as pioneers who were simply too ahead of their time. Their raw, experimental sound went on to directly inspire the psychedelic and garage rock movements that followed.
The Elevators’ debut album The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators is considered one of the first full-fledged psychedelic rock records. Songs like "You’re Gonna Miss Me" and "Roller Coaster" demonstrated the psychedelic experience through music and helped catalyze the Summer of Love in 1967. The band’s use of echo, reverb and disorienting jug tones created an ominous, mind-bending sound that opened the doors to psychedelia.
In the 1980s, a new generation discovered the Elevators through psychedelic rock compilations like Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets series. Musicians influenced by punk, garage and alternative rock rediscovered the band’s work and cited them as icons of the psychedelic counterculture. The Elevators also became pioneers of the garage rock revival scene.
While they did not achieve fame during the 1960s, later generations recognized the 13th Floor Elevators as revolutionary psych rockers who pushed boundaries and inspired the trippy musical experimentation that followed. Their sonic innovation and outsider status solidified their cult standing as all-time psychedelic greats.
Austin Music Scene Pioneers
The 13th Floor Elevators were central figures in the 1960s Austin music scene, helping establish the city as a hotbed for psychedelic rock. Though underappreciated in their heyday, the Elevators had a pioneering impact on the local music landscape.
Emerging from the burgeoning venue of Threadgill’s Tavern, the Elevators gained a cult following with their raw, mind-bending live shows. Along with acts like the Conqueroo and Shiva’s Headband, they forged the Austin psychedelic sound. The Elevators could often be found playing top clubs like the New Orleans Club, alongside blues acts and folk singers.
Despite their short career, the 13th Floor Elevators left an indelible mark on Austin. In 1986, they were inducted into the Austin Music Memorial. Two decades later, in 2007, the band joined legends like Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Janis Joplin in the Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame.
The Elevators’ unique sonic vision influenced countless psychedelic and garage rock bands in Austin. Their pioneering spirit could be felt in the trippy sounds of the Butthole Surfers, the Black Angels, and more. To this day, the Elevators’ legacy lives on in Austin’s vibrant local music scene and enduring appreciation for psychedelic rock.
Visual History of The 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators left behind a treasure trove of visual artifacts that capture their psychedelic vision and raw energy during their brief but influential run in the 1960s. Fans can immerse themselves in this visual history through photos, posters, handbills, and of course, the band’s iconic album artwork that has become synonymous with the psychedelic era.
Photos of the band performing live are particularly electrifying. These black and white images showcase lead singer Roky Erickson’s intense performances, where he seemed possessed by the music, often wearing dark sunglasses and reeling back with his mouth agape. Equally striking are photos depicting the band’s unconventional instrumentation, with Tommy Hall’s electric jug prominently displayed. These photos evoke the band’s primal, chaotic sound.
Many rare posters and handbills advertising the band’s shows in Texas and California have endured over the decades. These psychedelic works of art embody the trippy aesthetic of the times. Concert posters combined vivid colors, swirling fonts, and surreal imagery to entice fans to see the band live. Some highlight the band’s early billing alongside acts like The Yardbirds, representing a turning point as the Elevators gained renown outside of Texas.
But perhaps the most iconic visual legacy of the 13th Floor Elevators is their album cover artwork. The cover of their debut The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators features a striking bull’s eye design, almost daring the viewer to dive into the psychedelic sounds within. Their second album Easter Everywhere has a more understated elegance, with an enigmatic black and white cover. These covers cemented the band’s avant-garde identity. Even as their story faded, the imagery endured to represent the sights and sounds of a pivotal psychedelic era.
You’re Gonna Miss Me Documentary
In 2005, director Keven McAlester released the documentary film You’re Gonna Miss Me focusing on Roky Erickson’s life and music. The film provides an intimate look at Erickson’s rise to fame with the 13th Floor Elevators, his struggles with mental illness and drug abuse, and his attempts at a comeback in the 2000s.
You’re Gonna Miss Me features interviews with Erickson himself, as well as bandmates like Tommy Hall, his family members, and celebrity fans. The documentary showcases rare archival footage and photos of Erickson and the band during the 1960s, providing a visual glimpse into their pioneering psychedelic rock sound. Concert clips, TV appearances, and behind-the-scenes moments on tour showcase the band’s raw energy and Erickson’s mesmerizing stage presence.
The documentary received positive reviews from critics and proved influential in renewing interest in Erickson’s work. Rolling Stone called it "an indie treasure," while The New York Times praised it as "a sobering look at mental illness." You’re Gonna Miss Me went on to win Best Documentary at the 2005 SXSW Film Festival and Best Music Documentary at the Independent Spirit Awards. The intimate look at Erickson’s creative genius gained him new fans and helped resurrect his once-obscure music career.
Where Are They Now?
The 13th Floor Elevators disbanded in 1969, but many members went on to new musical projects over the years. Frontman Roky Erickson continued releasing solo albums until his death in 2019 at age 71. His mental health struggles made performing difficult, but he developed a cult following among fans of outsider music.
Guitarist Stacy Sutherland formed his own band called Dust after the Elevators broke up. He was shot and killed by his wife in 1978 at just 33 years old. Bassist Ronnie Leatherman died in 2000, and drummer Danny Thomas passed away in 2019.
Tommy Hall, the band’s electric jug player and philosophical muse, largely retreated from music after the 1960s. He earned a PhD in sociology and worked as a writer and lecturer before passing away in 2019 at age 74.
The 13th Floor Elevators’ influential debut album was reissued many times over the decades by record labels like Charly, Rhino, and Charly. The band’s catalog changed hands multiple times, making their recordings available to new generations of listeners. Their legacy as psychedelic pioneers endures, even as the surviving members pass on.
The 13th Floor Elevators’ Enduring Mystique
The 13th Floor Elevators may not have achieved mainstream success during the 1960s, but their artistic vision and psychedelic sound left a lasting mark on music. Their willingness to experiment and push boundaries created a hypnotic style that was far ahead of its time. Though their career was short-lived, the band’s output retains a sense of mystery and allure to this day.
At the core of their mystique was the quest for spiritual enlightenment and altered states of consciousness. The Elevators sought to use their music to share these transcendent experiences. Their lyrics explored psychedelic themes with vivid imagery that captured the feeling of an acid trip. Frontman Roky Erickson’s haunting vocals added to the band’s esoteric vibe. This desire to expand minds led them to pioneer psychedelic rock before most people knew what the term meant.
Decades later, the 13th Floor Elevators’ sound remains captivating in its raw power. Songs like "You’re Gonna Miss Me" and "Slip Inside This House" still feel thrillingly unhinged. The electric jug of Tommy Hall gives their music an otherworldly texture. While their records were unconventional, they inspired countless bands ranging from punk to alternative rock. The 13th Floor Elevators’ willingness to follow their own muse regardless of commercial prospects has become a model of artistic integrity.
For music fans, the Elevators retain an air of mystery. Their brief career and relative obscurity creates an allure. Some may know them only for Roky Erickson’s solo work, unaware of the band’s full history. Others are drawn to their outsider status as rebels who challenged norms. The 13th Floor Elevators explored the furthest frontiers of psychedelic rock and now exist more as legends than a tangible band. Yet their music continues to entrance new listeners looking for something visionary and different. More than 50 years since their debut album, the 13th Floor Elevators’ mystique endures.