Thursday, May 20, 2010

Kids Party! Ice Cream! Roky Erickson!


So you want to put on a children's music show. Who do you book? How about someone who's been in and out of mental hospitals and prisons for decades, who sings in an anguished howl about monsters and demons? Someone who looks like this:
Sure, why not!  Yesterday I took Baby Fab to
her first concert. I was there, but I still can't quite believe it.  It was
NOT a nice little children's show, it was a full-on loud electric
rock 'n' roll extravaganza performed with absolutely no concession
to kiddie-music standards. Lots of parents did indeed bring their
children, who sat in front of the stage, some with their hands
covering their ears. But otherwise, they seemed to enjoy it.  It
was a great show, really fun, and over in 30 minutes.

I brought along a portable audio recorder. 
 
Roky Erickson - live at Echo Park Center For The Arts 5-19-10
1. I Walked With A Zombie 
2. Two-Headed Dog
3. Goodbye Sweet Dreams
4. Ooh! My Soul
5. Night of the Vampire [cut-off]

Unfortunately, due to my techno-clutziness, I didn't record the
very surreal q-and-a with the kids. He cheerfully answered
questions like:

Q: How does the drummer play so fast? Does he get splinters?
Roky: I hope that the drummer uses some magic gris-gris to
protect himself!
Q: Why was the zombie song so loud?
Roky: Because some people were wearing headbands and heavy
clothes and the music has to seep in...

They wrapped things up with a blistering version of
"You're Gonna Miss Me" (minus the jug
player). His backing band Okkervil River was excellent. I got a
free ChocoTaco. Baby Fab pretty much just slept.


11 comments:

josh said...

whoa. thanks for putting up these tracks.

J-Unit 1 said...

That is one of the weirdest things ever. Awesome. I'm really glad you got to record some of those songs...the Q&A is hilarious.

rvd said...

thank you. i always loved roky erickson.

Anonymous said...

Dear maniac, what a great and rewarding upload. I drown in my own teas, touched as I am. For your information: The little Richard song is not "True Fine Mama", but the A_side of this 58 single of the King of gay rock, "Ooh! My Soul".

Mr Fab said...

Thanks, too bad i tagged the mp3s already, drat!

Hard to tell what song it was the way Roky was delivering it.

Gourav said...

I like it.

severs2000 said...

Eagle Rock... sheesh, how did i miss this?!! Cake and ice cream, too? Damn! Just posted a blog about Creedence's Stu Cook producing Roky in the late seventies. Cale and ice cream were probably served then, as well. Read it at:
http://www.squidoo.com/roky-erickson

Jules said...

Any chance of a re-up on the Roky tape please. TIA.

Mr Fab said...

Roky walks again.

wcpaeb said...

Here's a link to a video of Night of the Vampire from that show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsoZBKfGhA8

Marque Trashman said...

unfortunatley Link dead again, any chance...... Saw Rockylast year here in Sydney {Australia)