The other day we had a UK group's 1987 cover of a 1967 Texas group's song. Today we feature a Texas group's 1967 song that was later covered in 1991 by a UK group. Both Texas groups were influences on both UK groups. More on this in a moment.
Here are 13th Floor Elevators and their eight-minute psychedelic opus, Slip Inside This House, the opening track from their 1967 album, Easter Everywhere.
The lyrics are required reading, but you can also just let them slip inside this house and then decide. They were written by Tommy Hall, the electric jug player. I suppose that since he wrote some of the most psychedelic lyrics of all time, he can play that damn electric jug as much as he wants. I know it's a big part of the group's sound, but sometimes I'm like, enough already with that jug! youknowwha'msayin? Man, but this is such a great song. Why? Because it features the always brilliant, hypnotic, and intense bordering on frightening voice of Roky Erickson. I love when he goes for the high notes and barely makes it. Like going for one more pull up.
The guitar is therapeutic listening. Focus on it when you need a break from the vocals and electric jug. There is a brief solo near the middle, and a fantastic moment at 6:12, which I wish would have developed into a solo.
Primal Scream covered Slip Inside This House on their 1991 masterpiece, Screamadelica. However, I much prefer the original to their dance rock dipped in psychedelic paraphernalia. As for Red Krayola's Transparent Radiation, I would rather listen to Spacemen 3's version. Looking at my preferred choices, I can see that both have a minimal droning aspect to them that I enjoy more than the wilder music of the other two. The guitars on each both stick to a couple of dominant chords that allow the vocals to stand out more.
Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators recorded for the Texas label, International Artists, and were from Houston and Austin respectively.
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