13th Floor Elevators

One of the first psychedelic bands was the 13th Floor Elevators. They put out four albums between 1966 and '69 and influenced bands like R. E. M. and ZZ Top. They were on the Dick Clark Show twice, and played in San Francisco at the Avalon and Fillmore. They shared billing with the likes of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grace Slick and the Great Society (Pre-Jefferson Airplane) and Moby Grape.

One would think a band like them would have originated in San Francisco, Chicago, or New York. But they didn't. At a time when you were be suspect and could get picked up by the police for having hair touching the collar or for wearing a goatee, these guys definitely pushed the envelope, stepped out of the box. So it's interesting that they came out of Austin and the Texas Hill Country.

Who would have thought the first band to actually promote psychedelics would spring out of such an ultra-conservative (for the time) environment?

Below is a clip of them from the Dick Clark Show playing they're biggest hit, "You're Gonna Miss Me." Of course, they aren't doing it live, but...who cares?


And yes, that guy really did play the electric jug. It's that funny little rapid noise you hear in the background.

Some of the band members are still around, not together or as the Elevators, but they're out there doing their thing. Some of them are right here in the little town where I live, making music.

Cool.