13th Floor Elevators

Led by the inimitable Roky Erickson, the 13th Floor Elevators not only defined the acid-tinged sound of 1960s American garage music, they established a precedent for wild, unhinged Texas rock as well. Erickson's powerful vocals and trippy lyrics mixed perfectly with the band's blend of gritty R&B and psychedelic swirls. Add to that what is perhaps rock & roll's only electric jug player and you have the ingredients for a truly legendary band. Sadly, Erickson was placed in a mental institution after a 1969 drug bust. His exposure to electroshock therapy there ended both the band and Erikson's chances for a normal existence. Roky soldiered on, though, and released a string of albums during the '70, '80s, and '90s that were simultaneously beautiful and terrifying.