I never felt magic as crazy as this
Stop smirking. I know it’s a cliche to connect aliens with Roky Erickson. Oooh that kooky Texan guy who watches a few dozens televisions at the same time and they are turned ON! Whatever, I don’t give a zombie’s ass what you think. At the moment I am too busy helping you guys and girls out.
At first I thought Chris Bell would help me out. But then I realized “I am the cosmos” was a bit too etereal. His sound is too fey for some buffy aliens. I need something more rootsy, more grounded, but at the same time still non-human. Then I pondered over Trout Mask Replica. But I soon realized it was too consciously disjointed. Don was thinking about reshuffling an existing language, not really connecting with something out there. His sound is pure studium (for him and the listener), whereas Roky’s sound is all punktum (for me anyway).
Roky Erickson’s music may never have existed without his spazzed-out brain, it was a way to propel me outerspace. A decade ago I wasn’t using any blunted material, so the only thing that could help me half-way there was You're Gonna Miss Me and the Eraserhead soundtrack. Both warped my vision/hearing eternally. Roky’s records are all about psykedelick blooz trying to break out of the garage. Whereas Captain Beefheart was about creating a post-modern blues project, Roky didn’t need to think about it, he just needed to replicate the voices in his head. So if anyone would be the perfect guide, Roky’s the dude to chaperone me towards the Alien Tribune. Not that I really believe Roky or even I could justify humanity. Music is never about proving a human being is worth living, it’s about helping you get through whatever shit you’re dealing with. Or not want to deal with. So I guess, maybe, I could tell’em that “Don’t Slander Me” will make the aliens deal with whatever problems they have at the moment. Probably a broken down spaceship.
To be honest I don’t get Roky at all. Does anyone? Do you? You do? Then explain to me what “Don’t Slander Me” is all about. To me the song just sounds otherworldy. Maybe from the planet those aliens came from.