Okkervil River, Dinosaur Jr., Mark Lanegan & more pay tribute to Roky Erickson
Psych rock icon and 13th Floor Elevators frontman Roky Erickson sadly passed away at the age of 71 on Friday (5/31). His fellow artists have taken to social media to pay tribute to the hugely influential musician, including Okkervil River, Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, Primal Scream, Dinosaur Jr., Mark Lanegan, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Clinic, Ryley Walker, Spoon, Chuck Prophet, Damian Abraham of Fucked Up, Power Trip, Cedric Bixler-Zavala of At The Drive-In, Carl Newman of The New Pornographers, Neko Case, Garbage, Sean Lennon, Death Valley Girls, Oneohtrix Point Never, Optimo, Levitation Festival (which was named after a 13th Floor Elevators song, and hosted their 2015 reunion), pioneering cyperpunk writer William Gibson, record store Amoeba Music, Matador Records co-owner Gerard Cosloy, Tom Scharpling, and more. See their tributes below.
rest in peace rocky https://t.co/SjB55XWehR pic.twitter.com/c34LauqeJT
— anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) May 31, 2019
If you have ghosts, then you have everything. #roky https://t.co/SVb0nge4ma
— stuart braithwaite (@plasmatron) May 31, 2019
Speaking to The Guardian, Billy Gibbons said, “It’s almost unfathomable to contemplate a world without Roky Erickson. He created his own musical galaxy and early on was a true inspiration.”
Devastated to hear of Roky Erickson's passing. One of the reasons I began singing. A huge inspiration and giant in the history of rock. I used to call him every day in the 80's, he would actually pick up once every couple months and talk horror films with me. Such a loss. RIP pic.twitter.com/6HE4HHsZnS
— mark lanegan (@marklanegan) May 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/clinicvoot/status/1134603649869602817
https://twitter.com/ryleywalker/status/1134603629913092096
https://twitter.com/ryleywalker/status/1134597224686657537
Much love to #RokyErickson – one of the greats. pic.twitter.com/5CRnUf8pdc
— SPOON (@spoontheband) June 1, 2019
“People think of me as this demonic fellow. But I have the heart of a young child…. in a jar under my bed.“ – Roky Erickson #RIPRoky
— Chuck Prophet (@ChuckProphet) May 31, 2019
There is simply no better rock song ever! https://t.co/DHYBkZtnjI
— Damian Abraham (@leftfordamian) May 31, 2019
REST IN POWER TO THE EVIL ONE ROKY ERICKSON WE WILL MISS YOU
— POWER TRIP (@powertriptx) May 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/cedricbixler_/status/1134599525656477697
RIP Roky
The Spades – We Sell Soul https://t.co/oDkYHjZsrT
Roky Erickson – You Don’t Love Me Yethttps://t.co/dIWuCfRq5t
— @ACNewman (@ACNewman) June 1, 2019
I need to go off in the woods. This fucking hurts. https://t.co/epJRlrGxry
— Neko Case (@NekoCase) June 1, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByJng8iA6Ps/?utm_source=ig_embed
Roky Erickson. RIP. 🖤
— Garbage (@garbage) June 1, 2019
I've been working in the Kremlin
With a two-headed dog. RIP ROKY— oneohtrix point never (@0PN) June 1, 2019
So long Roky Erickson, psychedelic übermensch. I used to do a live dj mix of "Slip Inside This House" mixed over Plastikman's "Plasticity". I wonder if I could still pull that off? Strangely heartening to see him trending here. https://t.co/H7pUpf995A
— Optimo (Espacio) (@JDTwitch) June 1, 2019
Roky Erickson – Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer) https://t.co/yzbMVFnqDa
— William Gibson (@GreatDismal) May 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/amoebamusic/status/1134596320310714370
Roky Erickson
pic 1 :by Scott Newton, 1973
pic 2 – April 2017 at the Lil Darlin’, South Austin pic.twitter.com/0AU3jfgjVs— CSTB (@cstbtweet) May 31, 2019
Roky Erickson was the best. Created the game and then changed it. A troubled soul who hopefully found some peace in the end and a genius whose spirit will never diminish.
Maybe my favorite song of his, just breaks my heart every time I hear it. RIP Rokyhttps://t.co/nhHX5Fp70N
— scharpling (@scharpling) June 1, 2019