I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology

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I Have Always Been Here Before is the kind of anthology fans only dream about--a beautifully designed 43-track overview of an entire career. And not just any career, but that of an incredibly talented--if troubled--musician whose legacy has been ill served by a bewildering array of semi-legitimate releases. Enter the Roky Erickson Trust, established to provide for his well being and secure his artistic reputation. This Trust-approved collection spans 30 years and includes selections from the Spades, the 13th Floor Elevators, and solo Roky. Highlights from the latter include the unhinged "Don't Shake Me Lucifer," tender "You Don't Love Me Yet," and the haunting title track (but alas, no "I Walked With a Zombie"). I Have Always Been Here Before is a double-gatefold CD set with 30-page booklet. It is sure to stand as the last word on one of America's finest and most fascinating musical figures. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description
The Definitive Portrait Of A Rock 'N' Roll Genius!

Roky Erickson is one of the most influential cult artists of all time. His work with the ’60s Texas group The 13th Floor Elevators bridged garage rock and psychedelia, and cast a long shadow over the punk and post-punk movements. After a 1969 drug bust, the already mentally fragile Roky chose a stay in a mental institution instead of doing jail time, but was subjected to electroshock therapy and emerged in a highly unstable condition. He continued to write brilliant, chilling songs throughout the ’70s and ’80s, and the cult around him grew. In 1990 he was honored with an acclaimed tribute album, Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye, featuring R.E.M., ZZ Top, and Primal Scream. This led to a revival of his fortunes, which included new releases made in conjunction with Charlie Sexton and Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers.

The 2-CD set I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology is the only release to cover his entire 40-year career, making it the definitive Roky Erickson collection.

I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology

I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology,Roky Erickson,Shout Factory,Garage Rock,Pop,Proto-Punk,Psychedelic,Rock,Rock & Roll,Rock/Pop,Roots Rock,United States of America

I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology

Average customer rating:

The perfect entry into Roky
Roky Erickson-'I Have Always Been There Before:The Roky Erickson Anthology' (Shout Factory)
Interested in Roky? Buy this one.
Finally, The Tribute Roky Deserves
Roky Love forever!

I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology
Roky Erickson
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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You're Gonna Miss Me: The Best Of Roky Erickson

ASIN: B0007MRXUG
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

We Sell Soul - The Spades
Youre Gonna Miss Me - 13th Floor Elevators
Reverberation (Doubt) - 13th Floor Elevators
Tried To Hide - 13th Floor Elevators
Fire Engine - 13th Floor Elevators
She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own) - 13th Floor Elevators
Slip Inside This House - 13th Floor Elevators
Splash 1 - 13th Floor Elevators
Dust - 13th Floor Elevators
I Had To Tell You - 13th Floor Elevators
Postures (Leave Your Body Behind) - 13th Floor Elevators
Right Track Now - Roky Erickson & Clementine Hall
Red Temple Prayer (Two Headed Dog) - Roky Erickson & Bleib Alien
Starry Eyes - Roky Erickson & Bleib Alien
Bermuda - Roky Erickson
The Interpreter - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
Mine Mine Mind - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
I Have Always Been Here Before - Roky Erickson
Click Your Fingers Applauding The Play - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
I Think Up Demons - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
Dont Shake Me Lucifer - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
White Faces - Roky Erickson & The Aliens

Tracks:

Its A Cold Night For Alligators - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
Creature With The Atom Brain - Roky Erickson & The Aliens Start Start
Stand For The Fire Demon - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
Bloody Hammer - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
The Wind And More - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
If You Have Ghosts - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
Song To Abe Lincoln - Roky Erickson & The Aliens
Anthem (I Promise) - Roky Erickson
Warning (Social And Social-Political Injustices) - Roky Erickson
The Beas - Roky Erickson & Evil Hook Wildlife E.T.
You Dont Love Me Yet - Roky Erickson
Clear Night For Love - Roky Erickson
Dont Slander Me - Roky Erickson
Nothing In Return - Roky Erickson
Burn The Flames - Roky Erickson
When You Get Delighted - Roky Erickson
True Love Cast Out All Evil - Roky Erickson
For You (Id Do Anything) - Roky Erickson
Please Judge - Roky Erickson
We Are Never Talking - Roky Erickson
Im Gonna Free Her - Roky Erickson

Album Description

The Definitive Portrait Of A Rock 'N' Roll Genius!

Roky Erickson is one of the most influential cult artists of all time. His work with the '60s Texas group The 13th Floor Elevators bridged garage rock and psychedelia, and cast a long shadow over the punk and post-punk movements. After a 1969 drug bust, the already mentally fragile Roky chose a stay in a mental institution instead of doing jail time, but was subjected to electroshock therapy and emerged in a highly unstable condition. He continued to write brilliant, chilling songs throughout the '70s and '80s, and the cult around him grew. In 1990 he was honored with an acclaimed tribute album, Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye, featuring R.E.M., ZZ Top, and Primal Scream. This led to a revival of his fortunes, which included new releases made in conjunction with Charlie Sexton and Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers.

The 2-CD set I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology is the only release to cover his entire 40-year career, making it the definitive Roky Erickson collection.

Customer Reviews:

The perfect entry into Roky.......2007-02-14

Anthologies of any sort are fraught with peril for those both familiar or unfamiliar with an artist or genre. Regardless of the space allowed, there will likely always been those who complain about the inclusions and omissions and their impact on the representation. This risk will be often exacerbated by the breadth and depth of whatever is being anthologized. Nowhere is this more the case than in music. For those artists whose musical taste and styles are exploratory or progressive, the likelihood of alienation is omnipresent for both commercial releases and anthological works.

I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology manages to avoid those pitfalls. It presents both a tribute and a guide to the works and, by implication, the life of Roger Kynard (Roky) Erickson. The 43 song 2 CD package - with a 30 page narrative booklet - covers Roky's musical history from its garage rock roots with The Spades in 1965 to material from an album in 1995. In the sweep of songs - all but one at least co-authored by Erickson - we are presented with a wide range of musical styles but more so, we are presented with lyrics.

It is the words that are - if anything can be - the key to Rocky Erickson and his enduring popularity. The man has the capability to pull the most hard-wrenching emotions out of himself and the listener, exposing vulnerabilities, wishes, hopes, loves and fears. Whether garbed in the West Texas rockabilly tones of Buddy Holly (Starry Eyes) or raucous blues (Don't Shake Me Lucifer) or the most precious and loving ballad (I Don't Love You Yet), it is the message that Roky Erickson is sending that is of the greatest importance. These are stories about life and humanity; stories that are long on emotion and substance; songs that - if you listen carefully enough - mimic all that any of us think and feel.

He does this - as mentioned - in a variety of styles that is intellectually vertiginous and counter-intuitive. You will find yourself reaching for the discography often to try and understand whether the material you are hearing is leading-edge or derivative (it's the former!). There are punk-like descending chord cascades presented softly - almost delicately. Other songs seem to pre-sage modern country, though with lyrics more usually found in death-metal.

These internal musical conflicts mirror what was likely the internal conflict in the man himself. Arrested in 1969 for marijuana possession - allegedly for one joint - Rocky was convinced to plead insanity and spent three years in an asylum where he was subjected to shock treatment and psychotropic drugs. Whether this abuse caused his mental instability or heightened an existing condition if unknown and probably irrelevant. The long and short of the story is that Roky spent the next 30 odd years in an emotional maelstrom that saw him unable to care for himself, with episodes in and out of treatment centers and jails, being subjected to the usual sort of misconduct from music industry executives, and generally taken advantage if by all and sundry. The new century saw a positive swing in Roky's fortunes as friends and family were finally able to obtain a legal guardianship that established a trust to care for him and that resulted in the production of this album.

But, do not buy this out of sympathy. Buy it for the beauty and depth and flavor of the music generated by this remarkable artist.

Roky Erickson-'I Have Always Been There Before:The Roky Erickson Anthology' (Shout Factory).......2007-01-26

Nicely assembled 2-CD,43 track audio diary (sort to speak)of the former 13th Floor Elevator's vocalist repertoire. If you're a fan of '60's psych like myself, then this is an absolute must-have. Starts off with Erickson's 1965 pre-13th Floor single, performed by his early band The Spades, "We Sell Soul". Plus, we get some 13th Floor gems like "You're Gonna Miss Me", "Fire Engine", "Splash" and several others. Then there's plenty of material that I'm hearing for the very first time, cuts from Roky Erickson & The Aliens that are semi-impressive like "Mine Mine Mind", the rocking "Red Temple Prayer", "I Think Up Demons" and "Creature Of Atom Brain". Remember, there was a career 'still-happening' for Roky Erickson after 13th Floor Elevators disbanded. Essential.

Interested in Roky? Buy this one........2006-01-15

Good overview of his career and I think the tracks, which range from Dylan like to better than the Doors, are all good, plus Roky actually gets paid or this one.

Finally, The Tribute Roky Deserves.......2005-11-10

Pop Kulcher Review: As far as greatest hits collections go, it's hard to imagine one more necessary and long-awaited than I Have Always Been Here Before. I mean, seriously, just last week I saw The Essential Cyndi Lauper. The lady produced pretty much nothing I'd call "Essential," much less an entire disc's worth. Sure, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" has some fond memories, plus there was that one good song about female masturbation ("She Bop"), and... well, I think that's it. Yet she gets an entry in the Essential [sic] series? Good Lord, talk about scraping the very bottom of the barrel. Yet countless legends of the past four decades continue to wallow in obscurity. But I digress.

Roky, contrary to what you may have heard, is not God. No, that privilege is reserved for Syd Barrett. Nonetheless, on the scale of deranged acid casualties, Roky still ranks fairly high. You know the drill -- started with psychedelic garage band the 13th Floor Elevators, left after a few albums due to mental illness and/or drug abuse, spent the 70's and 80's intermittently releasing albums and singles on his own and with various backing bands, ranging from pretty acoustic ballads to straight 50-style retro kitsch to schizoid rave-ups about Satan. The usual thing. And it's all here. Unless you're a serious Roky fanatic, pretty much all the Roky you need can be found on these two discs. The 13th Floor Elevator stuff has never sounded better -- not exactly the standard bearer of high fidelity, but far superior to any other versions I've heard. Now, personally, I've always found them a bit overrated -- a few essential tracks worth of a Nuggets box set, but less psychedelic and experimental than their peers -- so for me this does a fairly decent job of cobbling together their high points. (Of course, if they did as nice a job remastering their albums, I'd probably go get 'em.) After that it's a mixed bag. The key Roky tracks are here, from the timeless beauty of "Starry Eyes" (damn, that's a great song) to the key rave-ups "Don't Slander Me" and "Don't Shake Me Lucifer" to one of my personal faves, "If You Have Ghosts." Anyway, even if you're like me and find the Erickson legend slightly more interesting than the music itself, this is a pretty amazing collection. Even after skipping through some of the meandering solo tracks, there's plenty of great music here for your money (maybe "I Walked With A Zombie" should have made the cut, or an additional version of "Starry Eyes," but that's really about it). Go get it.

Roky Love forever!.......2005-10-09

this beautifully designed deluxe 2cd set fully captures the spirit of the great Roky Erikson; a loveable and hugely influential singer/songwriter whose tunes don't just stradle the line between garage rock, folk, and psychadelic blues rock, they break down those lines to create a wholly pure and unique sound.

beginning with the first single w/ his first band, The Spades, "We Sell Soul" revels in it's own primitive simplicity and has such a spark burning under it's surface that the listener can't help but stay tuned in. every music fan with the slightest interest in garage rock or psychadelic music knows of the legendary 13th Floor Elevators and ten tracks from that band are represented here with my personal favorites being furious storm of "You're Gonna Miss Me," the controlled groove of "Slip Inside This House," and the heartwarming folk of "I Had To Tell You."

i think it's fairly safe to assume that most of the casual fans have failed to explore Roky's solo efforts and other bands that he was a part of after the demise of The 13th Floor Elevators. confusingly monikered bands like Roky Erikson & Bleib Alien, and Roky Erikson & Evil Hook Wildlife E.T. all share the same adventerous spirit of Roky's 60's glory days, but these later recordings reveal much more darkness and a fascination with occult magick and various monsters and demons.

for example, the spooky rock and roll of "I Think Up Demons" where amidst whirling reverb and a fiery guitar line, Roky lists different demonic figure's characteristics that he has created...almost like gifts for friends. the melody is so strong and solid that it actually doesn't seem like an unusual lyrical idea. mostly due to the fact, that Roky makes us feel comfortable in his strange and eccentric world. things eventually drop into bad B-movie territory; as on "Creature With The Atop Brain" which utilizes a dialogue of a news report warning viewers to be on the lookout. it could come accross as terribly hokey to some listeners, but i find it part of the Erikson charm and it makes me crack a smile.

with all the goofy creatures running around in Roky's brain (or his recording studio), there's still plenty of time for a love song and "Starry Eyes" is a stunningly beautiful one in particular. drifting along the lines of a country rock song, it's simple lyrics and beautifully catchy melody get stuck in my head for days and it quickly became not just one of my favorite Roky Erikson songs; but one of my favorite songs of all time!

a few more quick favorites: the blues rock blast of "The Beast," the creepy and intense stomp of "Bloody Hammer," the jagged (almost post-punk) rythyms of "Click Your Fingers Applauding The Play," and the heartbreaking tender touch of "You Don't Love Me Yet" and "Nothing In Return." wow. i could literally go on forever about every song on this compilation.

the songs on I Have Always Been Here Before display such a huge talent and an even larger amount of heart; it's sad to think that one day Roky Erikson will not be with us any more...and he's right...we are gonna miss him.

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