Remembering Roky Erickson July 15, 1947 – May 31, 2019

Hearing about Roky’s passing today brought to mind “If You Have Ghosts,” his 1981 single from “The Evil One.” Much of Roky’s catalog was divided between the melancholy and the macabre, but “Ghosts” touches on both in that fragile and otherworldly tone that Roky brought to everything he wrote and sang. We all have ghosts, he seems to imply, and while that can be frightening, there’s something comforting in the idea as well. Essentially, you’re never entirely alone. Hope it’s warm and bright where you are, Roky, and there’s nothing but monster movies on the television. The Evil One on Discogs.

About Paul Gaita

Paul Gaita lives in Sherman Oaks, California with his lovely wife and daughter. He has written for The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Variety and Merry Jane, among many other publications, and was a home video reviewer for Amazon.com from 1998 to 2014. He has also interviewed countless entertainment figures, but his favorites remain Elmore Leonard, Ray Bradbury, and George Newall, who created both "Schoolhouse Rock" and the Hai Karate aftershave commercials. He once shared a Thanksgiving dinner with celebrity astrologer Joyce Jillson and regrettably, still owes the late character actor Charles Napier a dollar.
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