The 13th Floor Elevators was an American rock band from Austin, Texas, United States, formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland. The band was together from 1965 to 1969, and during that period released four albums and seven singles for the International Artists record label.
Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was a founding member and the leader of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.
Andrew Roy Gibb was an English-Australian singer and songwriter. He was the younger brother of Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, musicians who had formed the Bee Gees during the mid-1960s. Gibb came to prominence in the late 1970s through the early 1980s with eight singles reaching the Top 20 of the US Hot 100, three of which went to number one: "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" (1977), "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" (1977), and "Shadow Dancing" (1978). In the early 1980s, he co-hosted the American music television series Solid Gold. He also performed in a production of The Pirates of Penzance and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Gibb would later struggle with drug addiction and depression. He died on 10 March 1988, five days after his 30th birthday.
The Unrelated Segments were an American garage rock band from Taylor, Michigan, that were active between 1966 and 1969. The group was a popular musical act in Michigan, achieving regional acclaim for their song, "Story of My Life".
The Human Expression was an American garage and psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles that released three well-regarded singles, and made additional demo recordings between 1966 and 1967.
The Outcasts are an American garage rock band from San Antonio, Texas that released a total of five singles between 1965 and 1967. Their best-known songs are "I'm in Pittsburgh ", and "1523 Blair". Their recordings have been reissued on a number of compilation albums. According to the Ugly Things compilation album notes, they are the most recognized band of this name that were active in the mid-1960s, including another popular band from Manhasset, New York.
"You're Gonna Miss Me" is a song by the American psychedelic rock band the 13th Floor Elevators, written by Roky Erickson, and released as the group's debut single on Contact Records in 1966. It was reissued nationally on International Artists, in May 1966. Musically inspired by traditional jug band and R&B music, combined with the group's own experimentation, "You're Gonna Miss Me" with its Stacy Sutherland and Tommy Hall-penned B-side "Tried to Hide" was influential in developing psychedelic rock and garage rock, and was one of the earlier rock compositions to use the electric jug. Accordingly, critics often cite "You're Gonna Miss Me" as a bona fide garage rock song and a classic of the counterculture era.
Kenny and the Kasuals were an American garage rock band formed in Dallas, Texas in 1964. The band played at various venues, including the Studio Club, with a repertoire that consisted of material taken from the British Invasion and R&B standards. Over time the band began experimenting with early elements of psychedelic music and are often cited as one of the first groups to play in such a style. Kenny and the Kasuals released several singles including their best-known song, "Journey to Tyme". A live album, Impact, was also recorded in 1966.
Evil was a garage rock band from Miami, Florida, active between late 1965 and early 1967. They were known for a hard–driving, sometimes, thrashing 60s punk sound that combined elements of blues, rockabilly, and British invasion influences. They recorded several songs, amongst which “Always Runnin' Around” and “Whatcha Gonna Do” were released as a single on Living Legend Records in 1966. The band would eventually be signed to Capitol Records, but broke up shortly thereafter. In more recent years they have become particularly noted for several previously unreleased songs recorded in 1966, which have been released in recent years on various independent labels from acetates, such as "From a Curbstone," "Short Life," and especially "I'm Movin' On," which is now regarded as a garage classic.
Neal Ford and the Fanatics were an American psychedelic rock band formed in Houston Texas, in 1964. Led by Neal Ford and featuring members who were all capable songwriters, the band was a forerunner in the development of psychedelic music in the region, along with their contemporaries, The 13th Floor Elevators and the Moving Sidewalks. The group released one album in 1967 before disbanding later in 1970.
The Gentlemen were an American garage rock band from Dallas, Texas, who were active from 1964 to 1968. They are best known for their 1966 song, "It's a Cry'n Shame", which has been recognized as one of the greatest songs in garage rock. The band is noted for the contributions of guitarist and songwriter, Seab Meador. Jimmie Vaughan, later a member the Fabulous Thunderbirds and brother of Double Trouble guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, served a brief stint for several months in the Gentlemen in late 1965 and early 1966, but did not appear on any of their recordings. He went on to play in another Dallas garage rock band, the Chessmen.
"It's a Cry'n Shame" is a song written by Seab Meador and Mike Kelley and was recorded in 1966 by the Gentlemen, an American garage rock band from Dallas, Texas who were active between 1964 and 1968. It was originally released as the B-side to "You Can't Be True" but has become by far the better-known song. "It's a Cry'n Shame" has been included in several garage rock compilations and is now recognized as one of the greatest songs in the genre.
The Basement Wall was an American garage rock band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who were active in the 1960s. The group spent much of their career touring in Texas, and eventually became among the most recognized live acts in the southern regional rock scene. All of the band's recorded material was featured on a compilation album in 1985. In 2005, they briefly reunited with their original members for a concert to mark the occasion of their induction into the Louisiana Entertainment Hall of Fame.
"Bad Girl" is a song by the American garage rock band the Zakary Thaks, written by the whole group—Chris Gerniottis, Pete Stinson, Stan Moore, Rex Gregory, and John Lopez—and was first released for the band's debut single on J-Beck Records in July 1966. The song was an immensely successful regional hit in Texas, precipitating "Bad Girl"'s national release on Mercury Records later in the year. Since its initial distribution, the tune has received further recognition for its appearance on several compilation albums.
The Mad Hatters were an American garage rock band from Annapolis, Maryland who were active in the 1960s and had a following in the Washington DC and Baltimore area. They enjoyed brief local and regional success with their first single, "I Need Love," released in 1965, later recorded by the Time Stoppers. Though they failed to reach a wider audience, in the intervening years since their breakup they have become known amongst garage rock collectors and enthusiasts. Their 1966 song "I'll Come Running" has also become a song highly regarded amongst enthusiasts.
The Liberty Bell was an American garage rock/psychedelic rock band from Corpus Christi, Texas who were active in the 1960s. They specialized in a blues-based brand of proto-punk influenced by British groups such as the Yardbirds. The band failed to reach wider audience in the time, but have come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts in the intervening years since their breakup, with their work appearing on several compilations.
The Penthouse 5 were an American garage rock band from Oak Cliff, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and were active from 1964-1967. The band's style was highly influenced by popular British acts like the Beatles and the Kinks, as well as the folk rock of the Byrds. In 1967 they shortened their name to the Penthouse and also began to play occasional gigs with a horn section as a soul outfit under the name of Dr. William’s Soul Emporium.
The Tidal Waves were an American garage rock band formed in Roseville, Michigan, in 1964. Despite the young ages of the group members, the Tidal Waves were one of the more accomplished musical acts in the bustling Michigan garage band scene. They are best remembered for their regional hit, a cover version of "Farmer John", which managed to reach the Top 10 of several radio station charts around Detroit.
Christopher and the Souls were an American garage rock band formed in McAllen, Texas, in 1964. Recording a song inspired by the poetic writing of Christopher Voss called "Diamonds, Rats, and Gum", Christopher and the Souls became one of the highlights of the Texas garage scene. Although the group disbanded in 1967, their composition has been rediscovered and highly valued among collectors. Noted for its rarity on the already isolated Pharaoh record label, only a few copies of "Diamonds, Rats, and Gum" are known to exist; however, it is accessible on compilation albums.
The Chessmen were an American garage rock band from Denton, Texas, near Dallas, who were active in the 1960s. They were one of the most popular bands in the region and recorded for Bismark Records, where they recorded three singles including, "I Need You There", which is now considered a garage rock classic. The band is notable for including several members who went on to greater fame. Jimmie Vaughan, brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan was briefly a member, joining after the death of original band leader, guitarist, and vocalist, Robert Patton, who died in a boating accident in 1966. Drummer Doyle Bramhall later played with and wrote songs for Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Bill Etheridge later played bass with ZZ Top. Following the breakup of the Chessmen, several of their members, including Jimmie Vaughan, went on to form a group that would come to be known as Texas Storm, which eventually included Stevie Ray Vaughan on bass.
