I Have Always Been Here Before

 

Zero_ii sez:
     Roky Erickson often seems to be better known for his well publicized psychological maladies & his less-than-gentle treatment at the hands of Texas' judicial system than for his music. That's a shame. While Roky's habit of informing anyone who asks that he's a Martian or is in contact with Satan makes for good 'zine copy, the best reason to be interested in Erickson is his songwriting. There's a graceful, vivid surrealism to his lyrical style that's endured far better than most of the noodlers who came out of the psychedelic rock movement & his later bursts of horror film fancy conjure up a troubling tension that's laughed at only by the shallow or ignorant. Roky first gained fame as the lead singer of the 13th Floor Elevators, ushering in an age of psychedelic rock with their debut album The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators. When Erickson's legal problems came to a head in the late 1980s, longtime fan, Sire Records executive Bill Bentley assembled Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson to raise money for Erickson, as well as drawing attention to the unique beauty of his music. Like most multi-artist tribute albums, the results are a bit uneven; some of these artists seem to have appeared out of convenience rather than any great love of Roky's music. A few of the interpretations are simple miscalculations. But there are a several moments of very real beauty & power here, especially from the artists who share Erickson's Texas heritage (Doug Sahm / ZZ Top) who rock out on their contributions, the Butthole Surfers' version of "Earthquake" is one of their finest moments on wax, & T-Bone Burnett's take on "Nothing in Return" is a heart-tugging gem. Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye is a sincere if inconsistent tribute to his work. It shows how well his songs can translate to the styles of other artists. 

 

Various – Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye (A Tribute to Roky Erickson), Sire, 1990.
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Reverberation (Doubt) - ZZ Top
If You Have Ghosts - John Wesley Harding & The Good Liars
I Had to Tell You - Poi Dog Pondering
She Lives (in a Time of Her Own) - Judybats
Slip lnside This House - Primal Scream
You Don't Love Me Yet - Bongwater
I Have Always Been Here Before - Julian Cope
You're Gonna Miss Me - Doug Sahm & Sons
It's a Cold Night for Alligators - Southern Pacific
Fire Engine - Richard Lloyd
Bermuda - Vibrating Egg
I Walked with a Zombie - R.E.M.
Earthquake - Butthole Surfers
Don't Slander Me - Lou Ann Barton
Red Temple Prayer (Two Headed Dog) - Sister Double Happiness
Burn the Flames - Thin White Rope
Postures (Leave Your Body Behind) - Chris Thomas
Nothing in Return - T Bone Burnett
Reverberation (Doubt) - The Jesus & Mary Chain

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