You’re Gonna Miss Me: A Film About Roky Erickson
Documentary directed by Keven McAlester.
13th Floor Elevators? Roky Erickson? I thought. Who were they? Of course the film revealed all. Soon as I heard the title song I remembered both it and Erickson’s distinctive voice. I’d just never known them by name.
I also hadn’t realized Erickson and his band had had such an impact in the rock world. Impressive seeing the likes of Patti Smith, Billy Gibbons and Thurston Moore attest to the Elevators’ influence. So the flawed goddess that was Janis Joplin learned some of her chops from Erickson? The Elevators were the first to use the term “psychedelic” to label their music? Wow. Who knew.
I was glad the film didn’t carry any of the sensationalizing narrative of things like Behind the Music; it’s a straightforward snapshot of the man’s situation and history. Drugs, mental illness, horrific placement in a hospital for the criminally insane where he did not belong, dysfunctional family. Erickson’s mother seemed stranger than Roky himself. Sad situation that at least doesn’t end in the usual blazing tragedy.
Despite learning things I hadn’t known before and recognizing that the Elevators’ and Erickson’s story is a piece of music history that shouldn’t be lost, I couldn’t stay interested and wasn’t much affected by the film. Liked the music, however, and found the Power Puff Girls pillows on the sofa at the close of the film intriguing.