Roky Erickson - Creature with the Atom Brain 1980

[jilewa]

2 chords you drongo. maybe 3

[freakyA]

someone please give me chords for this masterpiece!!

[GreySunMusic]

This guy understands

[mojorayjones]

Roky has an uncanny sense of rhythm. See the movie if you haven't already.

[tommyboyce]

I love that he can write such a captivating song with two chords

[mandaltby]

Roky is the real deal

[MeekDrill]

such a voice

[TheFacelessK]

my favorite line from roky erickson has got to be "dont do anything you dont... ya know... want to do"

[prospectus91]

I love these clips where Roky is just riding in a car, or walking down the street and then someone hands him a guitar and he starts into a masterpiece like this. Truly a genius.

[daliraygun]

This guy is cool. Check out Paul Bradford here on youtube. He's a bit like this. not as nuts though. (as far as I know).

cool post.

DR

[jay94271]

never knew much about this guy till after the zombie movie but I must say.. well done sir! well done indeed! although it doesnt mean much i salute you!!

[anarchy15100]

creature with the atom brain is also a good film

[Skinwalker4]

Sounds like  Charles Manson's material

[ShelleBelle69]

i remember when my dad first got the album,i was six.Some say the weird title is an incantation to summon demons.

[revttcoco]

Genius is here.Roky has the sense of the others.Those who understand stand proud. We are not of this world>

[narodniq]

"I told you I would see you die; I'm watching you now; I told you I would see you die."

Right on, Roky. Right on.

[markino1963]

genius of the elevators!

[thenortherndrones]

this is the best version of a brilliant song. pure class

[marcopervo]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS. I have been looking for this since losing an old bootleg with an edited cut of the interview and song. Best version of "Creature w/ Atom Brain".

[wikker]

I have heard all the psych-bands and I can truly say Roky is the real deal, the true psychedelic. I just wanna give this guy a hug.

[hornyronjeremy69]

love the way he says " brain "

[saltjunkie77]

@hornyronjeremy69 How they say it in Texas, Austin way.

[craggery]

I went through those changes Roky talks about in reverse...LOL... But I will never stop loving the type of music Roky plays! 'just wo't happen - Christian or not this song is fabulous! Thanks for posting!

[velopunk]

Christian-Devil-Alien

Wtf?

Awesome

[JrFLYnnIV]

The voice of a god, the voice of a demon.

[95687121]

the guitarist (Michiel Van Cleuvenberge) is my teacher..

[90sRockWhore]

man Roky went through a LOT of shit,

the government and LSD really fucked his whole life up.

anybody see "You're gonna miss me"?

he has one fucked up story.

[ernestbungle26]

yes I DID see that docunebtary and it was great but akso terribly sad.

[Canniballss]

Wow, very powerful. id love play this song, does someone know the chords? This man is a survivor

[h4723d]

B and C or something. Rock and Roll.

[TheNEWBobDylan]

@Canniballss ...work it out. it's easy... find the bass notes first...then make 'em into chords. You'll remember it more if you work it out too.

[Sealiconspirit]

or Jim Morrison.

[DragosAlex]

"I told you I'd come back...

Remember Buchanan? But you're not Buchanan...

I don't look like him, but I am him...

Don't you recognize the voice Jim?

I promised to see you die...and I will..."

anyone else think he could be talking about Roy buchanan and Jimi Hendrix.

[diddywahdaddy]

Can't be Roy Buchanan - he sadly hang himself in that cell in 1988,much later than this recording (from about '79-'80).Jim could also be Morrison, if you think there's a connection between Roky's words and famous dead people...I sure wouldn't mind get to know who he's talking about though! While at it, how about the 'claim' that Janis Joplin supposedly took Roky's screaming technique while singing with him for one or more occasions with the 13th Floor Elevators , which some say she did?

[90sRockWhore]

Yeah. in the movie about him a couple people said that she saw him and how wild his voice was and put the same energy into hers.

[marko65]

its the characters from the movie creature with the atom brain

[doktorsawade]

It's a quote from an episode of The Outer Limits

[whitetrashoutlaw]

This guy is awesome, so many psychedelic bands were boring to me because they were phony when they wrote crazy shit, this guy actually believes what he's saying, and you can tell that he's really feeling it, and not just blowing smoke, I like it.

[diddywahdaddy]

For me, this is the very best performance of this tune ever. There are many versions of his that are close, but to me this is the tops. Wish the whole show could turn up unedited in HQ though, as it still exists...

[RabidCookie]

@whitetrashoutlaw lol you could only believe that if you were on drugs or had seriously compromised sanity

[DukeRaoul55]

@whitetrashoutlaw Fuckin a right sir hit the serpent on the tongue without fear.

[fenriz218]

Why don't they make a film with Jack Black?!?

[MeesterChum]

noooooooooooooooooooooooooo

lol sorry, but please, god, no

[neudstube]

roky probably has a whole 200 atoms that make up his brain.

[lyletuck]

The power of his voice is chilling.

[gethepicture]

Yeah, he was a dude...I didn't want it to end..

[sterlingroswell]

Roky was fantastic at the forum in kentish town last night !!!

[pollywarrior]

I missed that show. Pretty dissapointed in myself. Saw the Butthole Surfers at Kentish Town Forum in the summer of 2008, though, which I'm glad I did.

[Hyperdrivespacefuck]

I have a nuclear brain.

[pshen1989]

Where is he now?

[mseales]

church.

[hegnob]

Yes, pshen. The interpreter, where is he now?

[TrashCinemaJunkie77]

This guy is unbelievable. Pure raw genius.

[zombyjesus]

this version makes me want to cry.

raw as fuck.

[PrimalSolution]

Great raw footage!

But the studio version includes some beautiful guitar work. Rocky has played with some talented individuals over the years... within that environment, his songwriting skills really seem to expand.

[deadbeat84]

Amazing... this is almost better than the studio version. The repetitive acoustic ring of his guitar blending in with his voice... Awesome!!!

[rfndgntlmn]

Roky might prefer that you don't know that he knows but it's probably okay if you know he's a genius.

[msbfd]

"I think of demons for you"

Thanks, Roky. I have other things to think about.

[slingblade65]

...there would be no R.E.M. if this guy never existed

[blondgod1999]

Thanks for posting this. I've loved this song for years and now get to see this. Awesome!

[maximumriffage]

the creator of indie & lo-fi rock!

[TheHolographicUniv]

and psychedelic rock!

[Discfiend69]

Is it just me or is Roky rockin'out in a cemetery???How fitting for this song...

[Skulldini]

The guys such a kook! I love him!

[kemboballo]

The grandfather of garagesound. Hail Roky.

HHrrmm. I enjoy my atom brai.

[sevenjokingbite]

Nivana was a bad ass band but Kurt is and was nothing EVEN CLOSE to Roky.

[alfreerickson]

yes this is brilliant, si tio very brilliant...

[LesPaulKing]

I was SO depressed after seeing nirvana, that they were so much more powerful and balls out than he was. Rocky is one of my favs and I've seen him live, but seeing nirvana live sold me man! Cobain was a fucking force of rock n roll nature!!

[AtticusStount]

I recently discovered the genius of Roky Ericksson. Roky, you have saved me from a terrible musical void. Thanks.

[Silenus6]

@AtticusStount Also Check out Daniel Johnston. See the documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston". And Jeff Mangum (Live at Jittery Joe's)... John Frusciante's latest album, "The Empyrean" is fucking amazing too.

[Fedorafiend1970]

@AtticusStount I just love him! Saved me to brother! He's an original....that's all I look for in music and film and it's such a rare bird. Thank God for artists like Roky!

[OfficialHankIII]

Cant you hear the Fleetwood Mac influence also!

Rocky was just being himself thank goblins

[keyman112]

how come now you have a clif chin and in the 60;s you didn't?

[67psych]

@keyman112 He Projects that as part of A DMT Hallucination! Its seemilngly only people with xray vision & an acute sense of smell that can hear it!!! Did i type this or is it just a dream!!

[Mouldytone]

So much wonderful music. Thanks Roky. And thanks CherieO for the clip.

[rosenkors]

-the first cool-aid-acid-test..men han e ingen låg budget-tomtä! :D

[superfuzzymomma]

Holy Christ, makes me think - do ya think Curt was doing a Roky impression??????

Waaaaaay ahead of his time and definitely

BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLAY NEW YORK AGAIN REAL SOON ROC!!!

[bradlep02]

i agree it's like a nirvana-type song but in 1980!

[dragster58]

So psychedelic!!!

[TexasTexan2]

Roky was way ahead of his Time this songs almost borders on grunge 20 yrs before it existed

[Vonnnnn]

Amazing Musician.

[austinitesince1979]

I'm going to learn this song for sure!

[theonlytruepunk]

Is he Daniel Johnstons father???

[sonicdeath10]

No because he actually can play guitar, and can sing really well. Oh he also knows how to write songs.

Daniel can't really you know, do any of those things. But we love him any ways!

[theonlytruepunk]

Yes, we do.

[sunra67]

very good version!

[bananhore]

This is AWSOME respekt.. Great voice

[Pyth8]

They shoulda packed this one on to that Voyager space ship. Just so that whatever is out there will know what they have in store if they come here.

[darKhorSe876]

Remember Buchanan? But you're not Buchanan. I promise to see you die and I will. BRILLIANT! Long Live Roky! The King of Rock and Roll!