Hailing from Texas the Elevators are now acknowledged as being one of the key progenitors of psychedelia. Although debateable, this album may have been the first to use the word 'psychedelic' in its title. Drug troubles would dog the band, especially its zoned-out frontman Roky Erickson. And that funny sound… it's a guy blowing into a jug.
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Parable of Arable Land The Red Krayola 1967 [International Artists]
A spaced-out cacophony of avant-garde psych from a bunch of Texan art students who managed to get onto the same label as the legendary 13th Floor Elevators. This was the Lone Star State at its freakiest, with around 100 hangers-on in the 'Familiar Ugly' making an astounding array of sounds with just about anything they could find. Far-out!
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Power Plant The Golden Dawn 1967 [International Artists]
Another of the great Texan psych bands on the International Artists label and, not surprisingly, very similar in sound to the Elevators. In fact lead vocalist George Kinney had previously played in a band with Roky Erickson and later provided support when the legendary Elevators singer ended up in a mental institution. Worth seeking out.
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Easter Everywhere The 13th Floor Elevators 1967 [International Artists]
The follow-up to Psychedelic Sounds plants the band firmly in the ozone, with some of the most graphically bizarre psych lyrics ever heard. By 1968 frontman Roky Erickson had convincingly pled insanity to escape a drug charge, ending up in a mental institution copping electroconvulsive therapy. This is where the pyramid meets the eye.
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Flash The Moving Sidewalks 1968 [Tantara]
Although they only made one album the Sidewalks are often regarded as the 'other' legendary psychedelic band from Texas thanks largely to the eventual megastar status of ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons. The CD reissue has the concluding 'Eclipse'/'Reclipse' trip-out leading nicely into the smokin' garage classic single '99th Floor'.
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Fever Tree Fever Tree 1968 [Uni]
Well-known in their home state of Texas, Fever Tree is commonly associated with the San Francisco scene. Lushly produced by Scot and Vivian Holtzman who also wrote most of their original material, Michael Knust's fuzzy guitar work is a highlight. The group scored a minor hit with the superb 'San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)'.
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Everybody's Here Lost and Found 1968 [International Artists]
Topnotch psych band from Houston, Lost and Found shared the same label as the 13th Floor Elevators and sounded a lot like them. The group was not so much attracted to label as it was to its lawyers - something to do with trouble with the law and LSD. It may not be where the pyramid meets the eye, but it's not far from it.
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A Gathering of Promises Bubble Puppy 1969 [International Artists]
A capable psychedelic outfit from the Houston-based label that brought us the Elevators and the Red Krayola. 'Hot Smoke and Sasafrass' was a Top 20 hit, but by 1969 hits were becoming less important for the 'serious' bands. It may not have been too serious, but the rest is a more than pleasing palette of psychedelic pop.
