You're Gonna Miss Me

This documentary tells the story of Roky Erickson, formally the lead singer of 60s' psychedelic rock band "13th Floor Elevators" and the 70s' "Roky Erickson and the Aliens". It quickly establishes a modern day, shambling, overweight Roky. He now stays in a three room apartment, listening to many ear-splitting sounds at once - a TV playing cartoons, a radio playing feedback, an electronic organ playing a test tune, and more. Roky settles into this, pulls down his shades and falls asleep. His mother says: "It's only when I turn them off that he wakes up". YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME explores what's going on in Erickson's head that he so desperately needs to silence.

Erickson did a lot of drugs in the 60s'... before and after 13th Floor Elevators' "You're Gonna Miss Me" was a big hit. LSD, straight acid, weed, the usual suspects. He became known to the local police, and was eventually arrested for having a "matchbox sized" amount of cannabis. His lawyer, wanting to keep Erickson out of prison, pleaded insanity... tentatively calling him schizophrenic. Not a good move. Erickson was shifted off to the nearby insane asylum... one that recently had severe riots. In one incident, the inmates strapped one of the doctors to a table and said "Let's shock him 'til he s***s" in an attempt to recreate what they'd had to endure. As Erickson arrives, few doctors want to practice there and the inmates are the craziest of the crazy. Erickson is there for almost five years, writing music, getting Etc treatments, and eventually forming a band with child molesters, incestual rapists, and family killers. Two of the band were all three of those.

Erickson shuts off his brain to survive, but is eventually freed after a lawyer wonders why a guy locked up for marijuana and schizophrenia has been banged up with violent criminals. But, of course, the Roky that is released is even more messed up. He thinks he's a space alien, with evil voices constantly talking to him. In an attempt to help him, one friend gets him to sign a document ("with a gold seal to make it look serious") where he professes to the world that he's an alien. He figures this is the only way the voices will stop pestering him. The voices need to accept Roky is one of their own.

What's fascinating about YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME is that it continues from there. All that exposition I've just given is only a small part of the story. Everything could have easily been presented as another tale of a 60s' musician driven loopy by too many drugs. But it isn't. Erickson is cared for by his slightly batty mother, who's the only person he's willing to see. She doesn't want him taking schizophrenic meds... while one of his brothers - a renowned tuba player - wants to "save" Roky.

The documentary doesn't offer any concrete answers and it's refreshing for that. The mother is blighted by religion and borderline insanity, while Erickson's brother is in serious therapy and at one stage weeps in the arms of his therapist. Yet at various stages both are sympathetic. Even Roky is sometimes an irritation as well as being someone you feel desperately sorry for. It was also good to see a documentary without a voice-over, the power of which is evident when Roky's father leaves the brother's house for the walk home... just see where he ends up, folks.

YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME blows some of the few remaining myths about the joys of excessive drug use, but also explodes myths on therapy and recovery. It reminded me of CRUMB in that the stories of the people around the protagonist are as interesting - if not more so - than the focus of the documentary. Although a few people I had heard of (the Angry Samoans' Mike and Butthole Surfers' Gibby) turn up in the documentary, the full story of Erickson had completely passed me by. It was certainly a lucky accident to come across YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME. Unlike some of the drug literature I've read, I'm very glad I checked this out. It's insightful, and highly recommended. And, hell, the final scene even brings a good ol' tear to the eye.

This is an incredible - and incredibly fu**ed up! - story, beautifully told. I had not heard of Roky Erickson before I saw this film. A friend invited me to a screening without much warning so I had no expectations.

What I discovered was a film that's a tripped out ballad of family dysfunction on a level that is heartbreaking to bear. But it can be really funny too. It's tragic, comic, and mind blowing all at once - and in a weirdly quiet way.

It's the kind of subject matter that could be handled in a way that's glib and wonky. But the filmmakers chose a different route, one that's elegant and thoughtful – be it in the downright hypnotic compositions of the 16mm cinematography (how did they swing that in a documentary?) or the quiet style of the editing (the kind that gives you space to think, to feel) - and it leaves a lasting impression. I saw it over a week ago and keep thinking about these incredible people.

"You're Gonna Miss Me" is troubling, fascinating, captivating and hysterically funny. Do whatever you need to do to see this film; it is a true and singular find.

After seeing the movie, I still felt I didn't know the Roky Erickson story. Surprisingly little music. Too much focus on Roky's mom. She was unusual but not interesting enough to carry the movie.

The obvious comparison is to the Daniel Johnston documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" - that is the better movie. The decline into schizophrenia is more visible. Note that I am a BIG Roky fan and only a marginal Daniel Johnston fan.

Despite the review, if the movie is showing along with a performance of Roky Erickson and the Explosives - GO SEE IT! It is very interesting to compare the real Roky with the documentary Roky. Also the backing band ROCKS!!

having seen Roky play at his annual Ice Cream Social at Threadgill's for the last 3 years, I can tell everyone that watches this film that Roky is back and stronger than ever. He kills it live. They had great bands open up the Ice Cream Social each year with the like of Spoon, Secret machines, Minus 5 etc., but something happens when Roky takes the stage. His band is crack and his singing is still killer.

If your ever make it to Austin Texas for South By Southwest, you MUST pay the $30 to and join the fun of the Social. the money goes to Roky's trust fund and the music and people could not be cooler. Kick back on a beautiful day, kick your shoes off and run your toes through the grass and have some free Amy's ice cream.

Then, just as it gets dark, be enchanted by a master of psych rock as Roky kills a 75 set of totally hypnotic and ecstatic music. You will not be sorry.

Cap

In late 1965/early 1966,a band from Austin,Texas,named The 13th Floor Elevators exploded out of the garage & made a name for themselves in that era of rock & roll. The Elevators were said to coin the phrase, "Psychedelic Rock". One of the band members was Roger Keynard Erikson,coined "Roky" by his friends & fans. Roky,in the spirit of the times,experimented with various drugs (Marijuana,LSD,Heroin,etc.). After an arrest (that was obviously set up by the Texas feds)for possessing less than an ounce of Marijuana,his lawyer sought out an insanity plea & spent four years in a state psychiatric hospital,where he was diagnosed schizophrenic,emerged four years later & returned to music,but with a much darker edge,until he retired from music in 1987 and became a recluse. This well documented film manages to shed light on a troubled soul that was yanked from the limelight way too soon. Candid interviews with several of those who either knew him closely (his brothers & mother),as well as celebrities,such as fellow Texans, Billy Gibbons (Z.Z.Top),Gibby Haynes (The Butthole Surfers),Byron Coley (former editor of Forced Exposure),and a bevy of others. And then of course,the music (rare early film clips of The 13th Floor Elevators on American Bandstand,playing the film's title song,'You're Gonna Miss Me,as well as other performance footage,including the last time he was seen in public at a concert where he stood there,doing nothing,and if that wasn't enough,some rarely seen home movie footage of Roky,and the rest of his family). A sad,but insightful film. Not rated by the MPAA,this film serves up a few rude words,as well as spoken testimony of the horrors of Roky's four nightmare years in a mental institution,and descriptions of some of the more sordid aspects of the 1960's hippie counter culture (drugs,sexual experimentation,etc.)