Creepy Halloween Songs Part II: Roky Erickson!!

Last night I posted a whole creepy slew of weirdo songs about murder, murder, and, well, more murder for the upcoming Halloween holiday. It was made up of a variety of artists, from fiddle pickin’ country legends to avant metal maniacs, but, honestly, if you want creepy Halloween themed music you need only turn to one artist: legendary Austin, TX musician Roky Erickson.

Erickson is one of the most important figures in modern music, but his work is largely unknown outside of music geeks. As the vocalist for Austin’s psych pioneers the 13th Floor Elevators, Erickson seemed destined for rock stardom, but things all sort of fell apart after a drug bust and a stint in a mental institution (in Texas, of all places), after which he languished in relative obscurity for decades, slipping into a horrible seclusion that was documented in the film You’re Gonna Miss Me. Recently Erickson has begun to emerge from that seclusion. His work as a solo artist, which he has dubbed horror rock in the past, is some of the most unsettling ever recorded. So it’s perfect for Halloween! Here’s a few of my favorites from ol’  Roky. Hope ya dig ’em.

“Bloody Hammer”

“Night of the Vampire”

“I Walked With a Zombie”

“If You Have Ghosts”

“Creature with the Atom Brain”

“Two Headed Dog”

“Night of the Vampire” reprise

And check this fucking thing out, an insane documentary in which Mr Erickson explains how he sold his soul to the devil. Fucking Austin.

Again, Happy Halloween everyone.