Round 2 of the Battle of the Garage Bands Bracket: The 13th Floor Elevators v. The Sonics

In our first day of Round 2, The Misunderstood of the So Cal Region went through New York champions, The Blues Magoos, like a hot knife through butter. The Misunderstand now move on to the top three and await their next opponent. Misunderstood no more. 

Day 2 of the second round pits two epic records against each other (after 10 months of doing this, they better all be epic at this point!). 

From the highly competitive Texas region we have The 13th Floor Elevators with their debut single, You're Gonna Miss Me c/w Tried To Hide. The single was released, first on the local label, Contact and then on International Artist records in early 1966. 

The Sonics are representing the birthplace of American garage records, The Pacific Northwest. They are putting forth with their 5th single, released in the Fall of 1965 on Etiquette Records. We have the original Cinderella on the a-side and Louie Louie on the flip-side.  

Go forth judges. Look at both sides of the single and make your call. We don't envy your task. 

Here is the original post on The Elevators

Here is the original Post on The Sonics. 

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Battle of the Garage Bands: The 13th Floor Elevators v. The Bad Roads

Day two of the bracket system witnessed The Misunderstood of the Southern California region getting past the midwest region winner, The Litter. Our congratulations go out to The Misunderstood who, we have on good authority, are huddled at a restaurant in Las Vegas watching the returns with baited breath. Stand by boys, we are about to move on. 

Today we move to a bracket with two very strong region representatives: The 13th Floor Elevators representing Texas and The Bad Roads from nearby Louisiana representing The South region. Our celebrity judges will now weigh-in with eloquent words located in the comment section below and let you know who comes out ahead today. So, without further ado, let's get ready to rumble!

See the original post on the Elevators here. 

See the original post on The Bad Roads here. 

 And here is a look at how The 13th Floor Elevators and The Bad Roads came to win their respective regions.

Texas Spotlight: The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me/Tried To Hide

The region by region Battle of the Garage Bands moves on to Texas. It is a documented fact (from the1966 Census of Garage Bands) that every kid in Texas between the age of 13 and 23 was in no less than three garage bands at each time. Even that weird kid, Marvin, from Waco. He was in three bands just like everybody else. It's a fact. Look it up.

We launch our Texas spotlight with an infamous record from a legendary band. The 13th Floor Elevators. They need no introduction. The song needs no introduction. But I guess we have to say something about it.

You're Gonna Miss Me was composed by 17-year old frontman, Roky Erickson. Roky had already recorded the number in 1965 with his high school band, The Spades. When he met up with The Elevators, they gave the song a fresh coat of paint, changed the tires and added a big fuzzy jug to the song. They recorded the number in '65 and released it in the first week of '66 on Contact Records. Four months later it was released again on International Artists Records in May.

I think we all agree, this is one of the all time greats. Particularly the ominous bridge with the brilliant chord progression that lifts the song to new heights (just like a bridge should).

I gave you the warning
But you never heeded it
How can you say you missed my loving
When you never needed it
You're gonna wake up wondering
Find yourself all alone
But what's going to stop you baby?
I'm not coming home (x3)

Let's be honest, every casual 13th Floor Elevators fan knows both these songs as they are both on the debut album. But what you may not have known is that this Flip-Side, Tried To Hide, is a very different, earlier take than what appeared on the album. We present to you today, that single version. Faster, bassier, boppier. Even a little bit like Love's My Little Red Book there at the opening.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!