THE ROKY ROAD PSYCHEDELIC ICE CREAM SOCIAL, FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003

[Michael Eisenstadt]

THE ROGER KYNARD ERICKSON TRUST
Sumner Erickson, Trustee . 342 Bigbee Street . Pittsburgh, PA  
15211 . (412) 481-1311

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THROUGH MARCH 14, 2003
Press Contact:  Peyton Wimmer, (512) 789-9464

THE ROKY ROAD PSYCHEDELIC ICE CREAM SOCIAL, FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003

On Friday, March 14, 2003 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, The Roky Road
Psychedelic Ice Cream Social will be held at Threadgill's World 
Headquarters, 301 W. Riverside Dr., Austin, TX.  The event, which 
celebrates the continued improving health of Austin psychedelic 
music pioneer Roky Erickson, will feature concert appearances by 
the bands The Minus 5, Via Satellites, 127 Fascination and the 
Mystic Knights of the Sea. Roky Erickson will make a personal 
appearance at the show. Admission is free and open to all ages. 
Proceeds from the sale of ice cream and memorabilia will benefit 
The Roger Kynard Erickson Trust. The event is sponsored by 
Medicino, The Austin Musician's Health Clinic.  The ice cream is 
provided by a generous donation from Amy's Ice Cream.

The Minus 5 are the "pop collective" side project of The Young Fresh
Fellowsą Scott McCaughey.  The band consists of McCaughey and a
constantly revolving line-up of musicians, which currently includes 
R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, John Ramberg of Model Rockets, and Bill 
Rieflin of Ministry, Revolting Cocks, and Pigface.  The band's 
latest CD on Yep Roc Records, Down With Wilco, was a collaboration 
with the acclaimed alt-country band.  Expect a surprise guest or 
two at this appearance.  The Via Satelities have just begun.
Carrie Clark from Sixteen Delux and Swingset, Kevin Whitely from Ed 
Hall and Cherubs, Matt Hovis from S.N.O.T., and Cotton Mather. The 
Austin all-star collective Mystic Knights of the Sea (Speedy 
Sparks, the Sexton Brothers, Mike Buck, and John Reed) have always 
been great friends to and supporters of Roky. Austin's own 127 
Fascination (Bryan Jamail, Daniel E, snc6 and Pat Manske), bring 
a synthesis of creative sensations, overlaid with a color 
spectrum of instrumentation and imagined with imagination 
whereever they play.

Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson is, in the words of music writer 
Richie Unterberger, one of "the unknown heroes of rock and roll."  
As singer, songwriter, and guitar player for the legendary Austin, 
TX band The 13th Floor Elevators, the first rock and roll band 
to describe their music as "psychedelic", Roky had a profound 
impact on the San Francisco scene when the group traveled there 
in 1966.  While bands such as The Grateful Dead and The 
Jefferson Airplane had the their roots in traditional acoustic 
folk music, the Elevators unique brand of heavy, hard-rocking 
electric blues pointed to a new direction for the music of the 
hippy generation. The Elevators only had one chart hit, the 
Roky-penned You're Gonna Miss Me, but their influence was far 
reaching.  R.E.M., ZZ Top, Poi Dog Pondering, The Judybats, 
T-Bone Burnett, Julian Cope, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The
Cramps, The Minutemen, Television, The Cynics, The Lyres, 
Teisco Del Rey, The Fuzztones and Radio Birdman have all 
either recorded or played live versions of Roky's songs.  In 
addition to these performers, Roky is an acknowledged 
influence on such diverse musicians as Robert Plant, Janis 
Joplin, Patti Smith, Henry Rollins, Mike Watt, Sonic Youth, 
The Butthole Surfers, Jon Spencer, The Damned, The Red 
Krayola, Pere Ubu, and current indie hit-makers The White 
Stripes.  His songs have appeared on the soundtracks to the
movies High Fidelity, Drugstore Cowboy, Boys Don't Cry, 
Hamlet (2000), and Return of the Living Dead.  While he 
may not be a household name, Roky has enjoyed the support 
of a small but fiercely loyal cult following throughout his
career.

Unfortunately, Roky's struggles with drug abuse and mental 
illness took a serious toll.  His 1969 arrest in Texas for 
possession of a single joint led to his being committed for 
three years to Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally 
Insane, where he was reportedly subjected to Thorazine,
electroshock therapy, and other experimental treatments.  
Most agree he was never the same after his release.  Roky 
has had prolific periods of creativity in the intervening 
years, but unscrupulous managers and record label 
executives often took advantage of his condition, leaving 
Roky to live in poverty while others profit from his music.

The last eighteen years have been a particularly bad 
period for Roky, but he is recovering.  His youngest 
brother, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Principal Tubaist 
Sumner Erickson, was appointed Roky's legal guardian in
June, 2001.  Sumner has established The Roger Kynard 
Erickson Trust to address Roky's living expenses, medical 
bills, and other financial needs.

>From June, 2001 until July, 2002, Roky lived with his 
brother in Pittsburgh, where he finally began to receive 
the treatment and care he needs.  Roky is now back in 
Austin, where his health continues to improve.  More
information is available at the trust's official web 
site: http://www.rokyerickson.net.

For more information please call (512) 789-9464.