All language subtitles for You re.Gonna.Miss.Me.A.Film.About.Roky.Erickson.2005.DVDRip.x264

Judge:
I WILL NOW FORMALLY CALL 74876

IN THE MATTER
OF ROGER KYNARD ERICKSON,

MOST WELL KNOWN
AS ROKY ERICKSON. YOU MAY PROCEED.

- Woman: COULD YOU
STATE YOUR NAME, SIR? - SUMNER ERICKSON.

- MR. ERICKSON, DO YOU KNOW
ROGER KYNARD ERICKSON? - YES.

- Woman: AND HOW
DO YOU KNOW HIM? - HE'S MY BROTHER.

- Woman: IS IT YOUR DESIRE
TO HELP YOUR BROTHER? - Sumner: YES.

MY BROTHER SHOULD NOT
BE LIVING IN POVERTY...

...HAD OUR MOTHER BEEN
DOING THE RIGHT THING.

HE NEEDS
PSYCHIATRIC MEDICINE.

HE NEEDS HIS LIFE BACK

AFTER 35 YEARS
OF TRAGEDY.

Judge:
WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE?

EVELYN KYNARD ERICKSON.

Man: AND WHAT IS
YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO ROKY?

I'M HIS MOTHER.

( reading statement )
"HOW DO I CONFRONT LIES AND INNUENDOS

WHICH HAVE BEEN
TOLD ABOUT ME?

MY SON DON
BROUGHT HOME

FIVE LITTLE CERAMIC HEADS.

EACH ONE WITH A TEAR DROP
ON THE LEFT CHEEK.

HE SAID,
'THESE HEADS REPRESENT YOUR FIVE SONS.'

LAST WEEK,
I DECIDED TO MOUNT THESE FIVE HEADS IN CLAY,

PUTTING A LARGER HEAD
IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH REPRESENTED ME.

THE NEXT MORNING,

MY FACE HAD CRACKED.

THIS SHOWED ME
MY TOTAL GRIEF AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MY SONS.

I WAS BROKEN.

( guitar playing )

♪ OH YEAH! ♪

♪ OH, BABY ♪

♪ YOU'RE GONNA WAKE UP
ONE MORNING ♪

♪ AS THE SUN
GREETS THE DAWN ♪

♪ YOU'RE GONNA WAKE UP
ONE MORNING ♪

♪ AS THE SUN
GREETS THE DAWN ♪

♪ YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AROUND
IN YOUR MIND, GIRL ♪

♪ YOU'RE GONNA FIND
THAT I'M GONE ♪

♪ YOU DIDN'T REALIZE ♪

♪ YOU DIDN'T REALIZE ♪

♪ YOU DIDN'T REALIZE ♪

♪ OH, YOU'RE
GONNA MISS ME, BABY ♪

♪ OH, YOU'RE
GONNA MISS ME, BABY ♪

♪ OH, YOU'RE
GONNA MISS ME, CHILD ♪

♪ YEAH, YEAH ♪

Billy Gibbons:
ROKY ERICKSON, TO THIS DAY,

IS ONE OF THE OUT-AND-OUT
WILDEST ROCK SINGERS.

THE TALENT BEHIND
ROKY'S VOICE

IS THE MYSTERY FACTOR
THAT NO ONE COULD TOUCH.

TO THIS DAY,
HE STANDS ALONE,

AND IS REVERED

AS SUCH AN UNUSUAL ARTIST

BECAUSE HE HAD THE GIFT
OF THAT WONDERFUL VOICE.

IT WAS JUST CRAZY.

♪ OH YEAH! ♪

Chet Helms:
JANICE JOPLIN TOOK A LOT OF HER STAGE PRESENCE

IN THAT FEELING THAT
YOU WERE GONNA GET HIT

WITH A FLYING TONSIL
AT 300 YARDS.

THAT HAD A LOT
TO DO WITH THE INFLUENCE OF ROKY ERICKSON.

Patti Smith:
MY 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS RECORDS

WERE CONSTANT COMPANIONS.

IN THOSE DAYS,
YOU HAD YOUR RECORD PLAYER,

AND YOU JUST PULLED
THE ARM OVER,

SO YOU COULD JUST LISTEN
TO IT OVER AND OVER.

I WOULD JUST LISTEN
TO IT OVER AND OVER

AND WRITE
AND FALL ASLEEP.

AND THE NEXT MORNING
IT WAS STILL PLAYING, YOU KNOW.

Gibbons:
EVERY MUSICIAN HAD SO MUCH RESPECT

FOR THIS CRAZY THING
THAT THEY WERE COMING UP WITH.

THE ELEVATORS
WERE THE BIG HEROES.

THEY WERE THE GUYS.

THERE WAS NO WAY
THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT.

WELL, HERE IT IS.

WHOO!

MYSTERIOUS, HUH?

OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT, HUH?

YEAH, I GOT
A WEIRD THING TODAY.

A LETTER.

OKAY NOW, YOU
SAVE IT OR WHAT?

- Evelyn: THIS IS
YOUR CONFIRMATION-- - YEAH, OKAY.

IT SAYS,
"YOU ARE IN THE RUNNING

OF A SELECT GROUP
OF OUR CUSTOMERS

WHO BY ANSWERING
SOME QUESTIONS, COULD WIN $21,000,000.

THAT IS THE LARGEST PRIZE
EVER TO GO TO ONE WINNER,

AND HERE IS
YOUR OPPORTUNITY."

YEAH, THAT LOOKS LIKE
A GOOD DEAL, DOESN'T IT?

HOW IS YOUR FAMILY DOING?
PRETTY GOOD?

- Interviewer: THEY'RE
DOING WELL, THANKS. - GREAT.

NOW, THIS SAYS,
"AUTHORIZATION FOR THE SUPER PRIZE,"

AND THAT'S
THE ONE WE WANT. SO THIS IS WHAT YOU--

THIS IS THE ONE
YOU PUT ON IT? OH, GOSH.

NOW, HOLD ON.
WE JUST LEAVE THAT THERE.

YOU DON'T NEED TO GET IT.

IT SAYS, "SAVE THIS PHOTO
OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
THIS IS--

I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT THAT IS.

JUST GIVE IT TO YOU?
YEAH, I SEE.

- THAT'S KIND OF FISHY WISHY.
- Evelyn: THIS THING SOUNDS TOO COMPLICATED.

Roky:
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

CAN I HAVE THIS?

- Evelyn: YEAH.
- OH BOY, THAT'S GOOD, MAN.

- YOU PUT THE MONEY
IN HERE, RIGHT? - YEAH, IT'S A BANK.

AND YOU KEEP IT.

IT NEEDS A NOSE, SEE?

AND A HAT.

HUH?
WHAT?

AT SOME OTHER FLEA MARKET
MAYBE WE'LL PICK UP THE NOSE.

YEAH, YEAH.
WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO GIVE ME?

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING.

HUH?

♪ BETTER WHEN YOU TRY
TO SENDING?? ♪

♪ FROM THE EGG
INTO THE FLOUR ♪

♪ ALPHA INFORMATION
SENDING?? ♪

♪ STATES WITHIN
THE HEAVENS SHOUT... ♪

John Ike Walton:
WE WERE TWO SEPARATE GROUPS.

WE HEARD ROKY PLAY,
AND STACY SAID,

"IF WE CAN GET THAT GUY
WE'LL GO SOMEWHERE."

AND THEN WE ALL
STARTED JAMMING

AT TOMMY'S
HOUSE ONE NIGHT. TOMMY SAID,

"LET'S CALL THIS
'PSYCHEDELIC ROCK'."

♪ SLIP INSIDE THIS HOUSE
AS YOU PASS BY ♪

♪ DON'T PASS IT BY... ♪

Gibbons:
HAVING STARTED OFF WITH A FIERCE BACKBONE

FROM R&B AND BLUES,

THEY TOOK IT
INTO A NEW REALM,

BRANCHING OUT WITH
SOME OF THE WILDEST ARRANGEMENTS.

- ( electric guitar playing )
- ( siren wailing )

Roky:
TOMMY WAS A BIG JUG BAND FAN.

HE WOULD PUT A MICROPHONE
NEXT TO THE JUG TO AMPLIFY IT,

AND HE'D GO...

( crowd cheering )

HEY, GENTLEMEN,
HOW ARE YOU?

YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A LOT OF LUNG POWER TO DO THAT?

- YEAH, YOU HAVE.
- SO YOU CAN GET DIFFERENT SOUNDS OUT OF THAT TOO, HUH?

YEAH, YOU GOTTA BE ABLE
TO BLOW PRETTY STRONG.

WHO IS THE HEAD MAN
OF THE GROUP HERE, GENTLEMEN?

- WELL, WE'RE ALL HEADS.
- ALL RIGHT.

SO "13th FLOOR ELEVATORS",
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

Roky:
IT WAS REAL STRANGE FOR THE ELEVATORS

TO BE THE ONLY
ONES DOING THIS-- FEEDBACK,

AND STANDING
ON YOUR AMPLIFIER,

BANGING YOUR GUITAR.
AND HEAR GROUPS LIKE THE WHO AND THE YARDBIRDS

WHO WOULD BE DOING THAT TOO.
THAT'S WHEN WE SAID, "MY GOD!

THESE CATS ARE IN ON IT."

WE JUST CLICKED RIGHT ON.
IT WAS LIKE TAKING OFF FOR OUTER SPACE.

( guitar playing )

♪ CHAOS ALL AROUND ME ♪

♪ BUT I CAN HEAR
YOU SINGING ♪

♪ IN THE CORNERS
OF MY BRAIN...♪

Clementine Hall:
ROKY WAS SO ACCESSIBLE,

AND RIGHT IN YOUR FACE
IN THE SWEETEST WAY.

SO JOYFUL,
AND CHILDLIKE,

AND PLAYFUL,

AND ALSO GORGEOUS TO LOOK AT,
WHICH DIDN'T HURT.

♪ ...EVERYTHING IS QUIET ♪

♪ BUT THE SONG
THAT KEEPS ME SANE ♪

Clementine:
HE WAS ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED TO MEET YOU--

REALLY THRILLED TO KNOW YOU,
AND YOU CAN'T RESIST IT.

IT'S THE MOST INTOXICATING
THING IN THE WORLD TO BE AROUND.

I WANTED TO HAVE HIM
IN MY LIFE.

I WANTED TO HAVE HIM
AS A FRIEND.

AND EVERYBODY DID THAT.

MALE AND FEMALE ABSOLUTELY
FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

Dana Gaines:
ROKY'S FAME WAS GOING NATIONWIDE.

EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT
WAS THE ELEVATORS.

IT WAS JUST PACKED,
YOU KNOW?

IT WAS JUST
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL,

INCREDIBLE MUSIC
YOU HAD EVER HEARD.

I WAS JUST STANDING THERE
AT THE STAGE

JUST HUNG ON EVERY WORD
THAT ROKY PUT TO MUSIC.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

♪ ...IF YOU FEAR
I'LL LOSE MY SPIRIT, ♪

♪ LIKE A DRUNKARD'S
WASTED WINE, ♪

♪ DON'T YOU EVEN
THINK ABOUT IT ♪

Gaines:
SO I GOT INTO WANTING TO MEET HIM.

AND INSTEAD OF SEEING
A MATURE, RUGGED,

BOB DYLAN,
NEW YORK, YOU KNOW--

I SEE THIS
SWEET LITTLE BOY.

SEE, THERE IT IS.

OH, MAN.
I'M JUST SITTING HERE.

I'M JUST GOING
TO RELAX OR SOMETHING.

( TV droning )

( electronic tune playing )

( radio static )

( electric music playing )

( country song playing )

( all sounds blaring )

Roky shouts:
OKAY, I'M GONNA LAY DOWN NOW.

( all sounds blaring )

Evelyn's voice:
HE FALLS ASLEEP WITH ALL THAT STUFF ON.

IT'S WHEN I TURN IT OFF
THAT HE WAKES UP.

WE SPEND FOUR HOURS
EVERY DAY TOGETHER.

I'M THE ONLY ONE
HE'LL ANSWER FOR.

I WANTED
TO TELL MY STORY.

I FELT LIKE
EVERYBODY'S VERSION

OF WHO I WAS
WAS INACCURATE.

I MEAN,
THEY WERE JUDGING ME BY MY CHILDREN.

SO I STARTED
COLLECTING PICTURES.

AND FOR THE LAST
SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS,

I PASTED THEM UP
ON CARDBOARD.

ROKY AND DON.

HIS BROTHER.

I'D WRITE OUT
PARTS OF THE STORY AS I WENT ALONG,

TRYING VERY HARD
TO REASSURE MYSELF

THAT I HAD BEEN
A GOOD MOTHER.

NOW, IN HIGH SCHOOL,
I WAS A LITTLE BIT BOY CRAZY.

AND THIS IS ROGER,
MY HUSBAND.

WE MARRIED IN 1944.

HERE ARE THE FIVE BOYS.

IT WAS LIKE
A SUMMER CAMP HERE.

( laughs )

AND THERE'S ROKY.

THIS IS DON.

THERE'S DONNY.

AND THIS IS MIKEL.

AND HERE'S BEN,

MY FOURTH SON.

AND SUMNER
IS THE FIFTH SON.

WE NAMED HIM "SUMNER"
AFTER REVEREND SUMNERS

AT CHURCH.

I HAD HAD
AN EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS

WHEN I WAS 12,
AND I WAS BAPTIZED.

I PROMISED GOD

THAT I WOULD
GIVE HIM ALL MY SONS.

THIS WAS 1962.
ROKY'S PLAYING GUITAR, AND WE'RE ALL LISTENING.

THAT'S THE ONLY TIME
HE SEEMS COMPLETELY HAPPY.

( guitar playing )

Roky's voice:
I'LL TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN INFLUENCED

BY LITTLE RICHARD,

AND JAMES BROWN.
HE SCREAMS.

I'VE BEEN GETTING
INTO SCREAMING

LIKE THAT REAL THING
THAT HURTS YOU.

I WONDER WHERE HE IS,
YOU KNOW?

I'D BE IN CHURCH,

THERE WOULD BE
CERTAIN SONGS

THAT WOULD JUST KNOCK ME OUT,
LIKE "O HOLY NIGHT."

THERE WERE SOME
ROCK AND ROLL SONGS, MAN.

LIKE PLUGGING IN
YOUR FAVORITE STATION.

♪ YEAH ♪

♪ YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, BABY ♪

♪ IF YOU'RE EVER
FEELING DOWN ♪

♪ THAT'S RIGHT, BABY,
IF YOU'RE EVER FEELING LOW ♪

♪ YOU KNOW WHO TO CALL ON ♪

♪ YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO ♪

Clementine:
ROKY COULD PRODUCE MUSIC WITHOUT EFFORT.

IT JUST POURED OUT.

THE BAND COULDN'T LEARN
TO DO THEM FAST ENOUGH,

BECAUSE THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY
COMING OUT OF BOTH EARS AT THE SAME TIME.

♪ OH YEAH ♪

♪ OH, DO YOU FEEL IT
FEEL IT FEEL IT? ♪

♪ OH, DO YOU FEEL IT
FEEL IT FEEL IT? ♪

♪ OH, DO YOU
FEEL IT, BABY? ♪

♪ YOU MAKE ME
FEEL SO GOOD ♪

♪ OH, DO YOU FEEL IT
FEEL IT FEEL IT? ♪

John:
AFTER WE GOT TOGETHER,

WE PLAYED FOR A WHILE,

WE RECORDED
THE "PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS" ALBUM.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,

IT WAS THE NUMBER ONE HIT
IN SAN FRANCISCO.

♪ HEADING FOR THE CEILING,
I'M UP OFF THE FLOOR ♪

♪ I'VE BROKEN MY HORIZON, ♪

♪ ?? MY DOOR ♪

♪ NY HEART SWELLS?? ♪

♪ ??ON THE PLANE ♪

♪ AS YOU BEND DOWN,
YOU HEAR THE SOUND, THE MOVEMENT OF A TRAIN ♪

Gibbons:
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THE IMPACT

THAT THE ELEVATORS
WOULD HAVE

THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAN
MUSIC SCENE.

THE BANDS OF THE BAY AREA

WERE STILL DRAWING UPON

A MORE FOLK-BASED
KIND OF THING.

WHEN THE ELEVATORS
SHOWED UP,

THINGS CHANGED REAL QUICK.

♪ I'VE GOT LEVITATION ♪

♪ I'VE GOT LEVITATION ♪

♪ GOT LEVITATION ♪

Jim Franklin:
ROKY WAS NOT SEEN AS A LEADER,

BUT HE WAS SEEN
AS A JEWEL.

EVERYONE REGARDED HIM

AS A RARE TALENT.

ANYONE WHO TRIED
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM UNDERSTOOD

THAT HE WAS NOT
OF THIS WORLD.

SO HE HAD
A LOT OF RESPECT.

HE WAS A GUY
PERMANENTLY TRIPPING.

AND THEN,
APPARENTLY TOMMY HALL

ADDED SOME TEMPORARY
TRIPPING TO IT.

Mikel:
TOMMY WANTED TO CREATE THIS UTOPIA IN HIS OWN MIND.

YOU KNOW,
WHAT DRUGS TO TAKE, AND WHEN TO TAKE THEM.

MESCALINE IN THE MORNING.
LSD AT NIGHT.

AND ROKY WORSHIPPED THAT.
HE DID.

- WELL, YEAH.
- HE DID.

ROKY'S SECOND ACID TRIP...

HURT HIM.

IT HURT ME TOO.

TOMMY GAVE US
TOO MUCH.

WE O.D.'d.

I HAD A REAL BAD TRIP
AND SO DID HE.

BUT HE DIDN'T ADMIT
THAT HE HAD A REAL BAD TRIP.

HE KEPT ON
TAKING THE ACID,

THINKING EVERYTHING
WOULD GET BETTER.

I QUIT.

I DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER ONE
OF THOSE EXPERIENCES, MAN.

WITH THE WALLS DISSOLVING.

I FELL OFF MY DRUM STOOL.

WE WERE PLAYING.
WE WERE JAMMING.

I'M SITTING THERE,
JAMMING ALONG TO PLAYING "BEFORE YOU ACCUSE ME"

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WHAM-- THIS HIT ME

AND I JUST FELL BACKWARDS,
AND I FELL OFF MY DRUM STOOL.

I ALMOST BROKE MY NECK.
I WAS CRAWLING AROUND ON THE FLOOR.

I CRAWLED OUTSIDE.

BUT HE CAME AND GOT ME,

AND TALKED ME INTO
COMING BACK INSIDE THE HOUSE.

I WAS SCARED,

BUT STACY, TOMMY,
AND ROKY WERE NOT SCARED.

AND CONSEQUENTLY,
THEY GOT IN ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE.

( phone ringing )

Answering machine:
Please record your message after the beep.

( beeps )

( music playing )

Roky:
Mommy, would you return my call please?

This is Roky.
I'll call you back.

Thank you.

( beeps )

Evelyn:
ON APRIL 1st, 1968,

ROKY CAME HOME
FROM SAN ANTONIO.

HE HAD BEEN SUPPOSED
TO PLAY A WHOLE WEEK,

SO HE CAME HOME.
HE WAS EXHAUSTED.

HE WAS IN THE BACK YARD

JUST SORT OF
SPEAKING GIBBERISH.

HE WAS COVERED
WITH SORES.

HE SAID,
"I'M UNCLEAN."

I REMEMBER JUST TELLING
HIM TO GO GET IN THE TUB.

I DUMPED ABOUT A CUP
OF TIDE IN THERE.

DR. KERR--
K-E-R-R,

TOLD ME THAT ROKY
WOULD BE A VEGETABLE

THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

SCHIZOPHRENIA.

IT'S A BROAD TERM
THAT COVERS A WHOLE MANIFESTATION

OF UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.

I THOUGHT NAME-CALLING
WENT OUT WITH THE DARK AGES.

AND HERE THEY WERE,
YOU KNOW, LABELING.

HE COULDN'T HAVE
ANY PHONE CALLS OR VISITS.

TOMMY HALL HEARD ABOUT IT

AND HE WENT AND TOOK
THE DOOR OFF OF THE HINGES, AND ROKY ESCAPED.

THEY HITCHHIKED
TO CALIFORNIA.

Clementine:
HE STARTED HEARING VOICES.

THE VOICES WERE TELLING
HIM HORRIBLE THINGS.

HE SAID,
"IF I COULD JUST STOP ALL THE DAMN NOISE

THAT'S IN MY HEAD,
I WOULD BE SO HAPPY."

A BUNCH OF US WOULD
TAKE HIM TO THE BEACH IN SAN FRANCISCO,

AND LET THE WAVES POUND ON HIM.
IF YOU HELD HIM IN FONT OF THE WAVES

SO THAT THE WAVES
WOULD HIT HIM REALLY HARD,

THEY WOULD LITERALLY
KNOCK SOME SENSE INTO HIM.

Gaines:
AND THAT'S WHEN THE BAD DRUGS STARTED SEEPING INTO OUR LIVES.

ROKY STARTED
DOING THIS HEROIN.

ONE NIGHT,
HE GAVE ME $13.00,

AND SAID,
"GO GET ME SYRINGE WITH SOME HEROIN IN IT."

I SAID, "I'M NOT
GOING TO DO THIS."

AND HE SAID,
"PLEASE, GO DO THIS."

AND THIS CHICK
THAT HAD RED HAIR, HER NAME WAS CHRISTINE,

- SHE SAID, "OH, I KNOW
WHERE YOU CAN GET IT." - I WENT, "TSST."

AND THIS HUGE SOUL BROTHER

ANSWERS THE DOOR.
SHE SAID, "OH, MY FRIEND HERE,

HER BOYFRIEND
WANTS A SYRINGE,

AND SOME HEROIN,
AND SHE'S GOT $13.00."

AND THEY GO,
YOU KNOW,

"THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GET
A SYRINGE AND HEROIN."

AND I GO,
"OH, WELL THAT'S OKAY. WE'LL JUST GO."

BUT THE GUY CLOSES
THE DOOR BEHIND US.

I LOOK OVER,
AND THIS CHICK'S PASSING OUT.

HE JUST SHOT HER UP.

AND SHE'S GONE,
AND I'M THERE ALONE.

ONE MAN TAKES MY ARM,

AND THE OTHER MAN
SHOOTS ME UP.

AND I START

GOING UP REAL FAST.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
I'M TELLING THIS MAN STANDING IN FRONT OF ME,

"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH."

AND I JUST START
THROWING UP

AND CRYING,
AND I'M SCARED.

I HEARD ONE OF THEM
SAY TO THE OTHER ONE,

"SHE'S O.D.'d."

I REMEMBER BOTH OF THESE MEN
ON EITHER SIDE OF ME

FOR HOURS,
WALKING IN A CIRCLE.

WALKING ME, WALKING ME.
HE SAVED MY LIFE.

HE PUT IT IN DANGER,
BUT HE SAVED IT.

SO HE HANDED ME
A NEEDLE

WITH SOME HEROIN,

AND HE SAID,
"I'M WALKING YOU HOME."

HE WAS SO LIKE CHRIST.

I GO IN,
AND ROKY SAYS,

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?"

THE NEXT TIME I REMEMBER,

I DON'T EVEN KNOW
HOW MANY DAYS WOULD GO BY.

AND I CAN'T STAND UP,

BECAUSE I'M
SWEATING SO BAD.

GEORGE AND ROKY
WALK INTO MY APARTMENT,

AND GEORGE SAYS,
"I'M TAKING ROKY BACK TO AUSTIN.

HE'S SICK." AND I SAID,
"I KNOW HE'S SICK.

HE'S GOT SERUM HEPATITIS.

I'VE GOT IT TOO."

WE HAD GOTTEN IT
FROM THAT SYRINGE.

SO HE CAME BACK
TO AUSTIN.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH
WHEN ALL THE HEARTACHE WITH THE LAW STARTED.

Harvey Gann:
AFTER THE YOUNGER GENERATION

IN THE LATE '50s AND '60s

STARTED USING DRUGS,
WELL, THE TENDENCY WAS

TO JUST MORE OR LESS
SLAP THEM ON THE WRISTS.

THE COURTS WERE
VERY LAX ON THEM,

AND THAT WAS
A COMPLETE 180 DEGREES

FROM WHAT THEY DO
TO THE HARDENED CRIMINALS.

IF THEY GOT CAUGHT
WITH A FEW STICKS OF GRASS,

WELL, HE COULD LOOK
FOR FIVE YEARS REAL EASY.

I'VE KIND OF FELT
LIKE THEY MIGHT HAVE SACRIFICED

A FEW OF THE KIDS
WITH A FIVE YEAR LICK OR TWO,

AND IT MAY HAVE
GIVEN THEM AN IDEA. "HEY, DON'T FOOL WITH IT."

♪ SHE LIVES, NO FEAR ♪

♪ DOUBTLESS IN EVERYTHING
SHE KNOWS ♪

Burt Gerding:
EVERYBODY KNEW THAT ROKY WAS STONED ALL THE TIME,

AND THAT ROKY
WAS DROPPING ACID.

THAT ROKY WAS SMOKING DOPE.

THE VICE SQUAD WAS
VERY INTERESTED IN HIM,

BECAUSE HERE WAS A GUY
THAT THEY KNEW WAS DOING IT.

Evelyn:
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I HAD A PHONE CALL,

AND HE SAID,
"I THOUGHT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

THAT ROKY WAS ARRESTED

AND IS IN JAIL."

GREAT SADNESS AND STRESS

ENTERED OUR WHOLE FAMILY.

Mikel:
AND THAT ALL STEMMED FROM A LITTLE MATCHBOX OF POT.

SOMEHOW ROKY ENDED UP
WITH THE BLAME.

IT PROBABLY HAD TO DO
WITH HOW BAD THEY WANTED ROKY ERICKSON.

Evelyn:
THEN HE WENT TO TRIAL,

AND AN ATTORNEY IN AUSTIN
GOT HIM OFF ON INSANITY,

FIGURING THAT IT WOULD
BE SAFER FOR ROKY

TO BE IN A HOSPITAL
THAN IT WOULD BE JAIL.

THAT WAS THE WHOLE
POINT OF IT.

AND THEN I CAME
TO VISIT HIM ONE DAY, AND HE JUMPED THE FENCE,

AND WE JUST TOOK OFF.

THE AUTHORITIES
FROWNED ON THE FACT

THAT ROKY WOULD
DISAPPEAR FOR A WEEK OR SO.

THEY'D ALWAYS
RE-ARREST THEM. THEY'D KNOW WHERE HE'D GO.

HE'D GO TO DANA'S HOUSE.

ARREST HIM AGAIN,
TAKE HIM BACK TO THE HOSPITAL,

SHE'D GO IN THERE
AND GET HIM AGAIN, NOT REALIZING

THAT THEY COULD SEND HIM
TO A MAXIMUM SECURITY

MENTAL HOSPITAL.

AND THEY DID.

Bob Priest:
YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD DAYS,

THEY'D TAKE THEM
OUT AND HANG THEM OR WHATEVER HAVE YOU.

BUT IN MODERN DAY TIMES,

THERE WAS A BETTER
WAY TO DO IT.

SEND HIM TO RUSK.
SAY HE'S CRAZY.

YOU SEE,
AFTER THEY HAD THE RIOTS UP THERE,

PEOPLE WERE AFRAID
TO WORK THERE.

THE RIOTS,
I UNDERSTAND, WERE PRETTY BAD.

Jack Ball:
IT WAS A BLOODY, BLOODY MESS.

THE WARD DOCTOR,
THEY CAPTURED HIM.

THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE
HIM E.S.T. TREATMENTS.

ELECTRIC SHOCK TREATMENTS,
LIKE HE HAD GIVEN SOME OF THE PATIENTS.

THEY SAID,
"WE'RE GOING TO SHOCK HIM UNTIL HE SHITS."

Bob Priest:
IT WAS PRETTY TOUGH ON HIM,

REALLY AND TRULY.

MOST OF THE TIME,

ROKY WOULD HAVE
A YELLOW LEGAL PAD,

AND HE'D BE SITTING
IN THE HALLWAY SOMEWHERE WRITING MUSIC,

REAL WEAK,
OR SLUMPED DOWN LIKE THAT.

HE WAS A REAL
NICE LITTLE GUY.

HE DIDN'T HAVE
A WHOLE LOT TO SAY.

HE WANTED
TO WRITE HIS MUSIC.

HE WANTED
TO PLAY HIS MUSIC,

AND THAT'S ALL.

AT LEAST IT TOOK
HIS MIND OFF OF WHERE HE WAS, YOU KNOW?

Jack Ball:
WHEN I FIRST INTERVIEWED ROKY,

I HAD TO DRAW
EVERYTHING OUT OF HIM,

TO FIND OUT
WHAT HIS INTEREST WAS.

I TOLD HIM WE WERE
FORMING A BAND.

Priest: THE BASS PLAYER--
HE HAD KILLED TWO SMALL CHILDREN,

RAPED THE MOTHER,

AND STABBED HER
WITH A PEN KNIFE THING.

PUT ONE OF HER EYES OUT.

ANOTHER ONE WAS
INVOLVED IN A RAPE

OF A YOUNG BOY
DOWN IN HOUSTON YEARS AND YEARS AGO.

AND THEY MURDERED
HIM TOO, BY THE WAY, AFTER THEY RAPED HIM.

ANOTHER ONE...

HAD KILLED HIS PARENTS,
AND ONE OF HIS SIBLINGS.

HE PLAYED GUITAR.

THE LITTLE GUY
THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE GANG RAPE OF THE BOY

PLAYED A TAMBOURINE.

ROKY WAS THERE FOR
SOME KIND OF MINOR CHARGE.

NOW, YOU TELL ME
IF THAT MAKES SENSE,

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T.

Roky: I FELT LIKE
A MALE JANE EYRE IN THAT PLACE,

BECAUSE-- THIS IS IN RUSK.
RUSK CONCENTRATION CAMP.

YOU KNOW,
WITH A DOCTOR,

ALL I HAD TO LOOK
FORWARD TO WITH EVERY TRIP

WAS "YOU'RE STILL INSANE."

HE SAYS, "SON, YOU'VE
TAKEN OVER 300 LSD TRIPS,

AND YOU MAY HAVE REGRESSED,

SO WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT
LETTING YOU OUT OR NOT."

LET ME EXPLAIN
WHERE MY MEMORY HAS GONE.

"ALL RIGHT, ROKY,
WHAT'S THE DATE?"

"WHY DO I HAVE ANY
NEED FOR KNOWING THE DATE? I'M NEVER GONNA GET OUT."

SO I WOULD JUST FORGET.

I WOULD JUST SAY,
"WELL, ROKY, YOU'RE IN HERE FOREVER,

YOU MIGHT AS WELL
NOT REMEMBER ANY KIND OF SUCCESS YOU'VE HAD,

OR ANYTHING--
THAT YOU'RE A TALENTED ROCK AND ROLL SINGER--

FORGET IT.
JUST FORGET IT, MAN,

BECAUSE YOU DON'T
HAVE A CHANCE."

( theme music playing on TV )

We now return
to the Monster Movie Marathon.

WE WERE RUNNING
LATE TODAY.

- I JUST GOT ROKY HERE.
- ALL RIGHT.

I TOLD HIM, IF IT WAS
GOING TO UPSET HIM, I'D--

YEAH.

Paul Drummond:
SO WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO RECENTLY?

HAVE YOU BEEN DOING--

- BEEN TAKING
IT EASY, MAN. - YEAH.

A LOT OF INSECTS
IN MY HOUSE.

REALLY?

FLYING INSECTS
OR CRAWLING INSECTS?

- I GOT A BUNCH
OF GOOD MAIL TODAY. - DID YOU?

YEAH, FROM SOME RENTAL STORE
THAT HAD A CONTEST GOING.

Evelyn:
IT'S A SHOE BOX.

Drummond:
I GOT SOME CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR YOU, ROKY.

- Roky: THEY'RE
SAFE THOUGH, HUH? - Drummond: THEY'RE SAFE.

OH, WOW, YEAH.

Evelyn:
WHAT IS IT?

Roky:
WELL, THEY'RE EXACTLY--

THEY'RE CALLED "BOOTS."

- SANDALS.
- YEAH, BOOTS.

LOOK, DO YOU KNOW
HOW TO SAY "BOOTS"?

I KNOW HOW TO SAY "BOOTS",
BUT THOSE ARE SANDALS.

- ( all laughing )
- WHOO!

Jabber Jaw:
HELLO.

- Roky: NOW, DID YOU
PUT BATTERIES IN IT? - Evelyn: YEAH.

Jabber Jaw:
Now, did you put batteries--

Roky:
OH, HOW DID YOU GET IT TO DO THAT?

Roky:
THAT'S STRANGE, ISN'T IT?

That's strange.

OH MY GOD,
THAT'S WEIRD, ISN'T IT?

WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

Drummond:
YOU CAN'T PLAY US ANY TUNES NOW THEN AT ALL, CAN YOU?

YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING
ON THE-- YOU CAN?

OH, YEAH, WELL,
I'D LIKE A PIANO,

BUT YOU KNOW,
THEY ARE GARGANTUAN, AREN'T THEY?

I TELL YA.

Drummond: THIS IS
THE PART OF THE BOOK

I WAS TRYING TO WRITE
ABOUT YOUR OLD BAND.

OH, YEAH,
IT'S PRETTY WEIRD.

- PRETTY WEIRD STUFF.
- WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH THAT?

- I WAS WONDERING IF YOU
WANTED TO HAVE A LOOK. - OH NO, I DON'T.

Roky:
OKAY, I'LL SEE YOU, THEN. YOU ALL TAKE IT EASY!

Drummond:
SEE YOU, ROKY.

DON'T DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU DO NOT WANNA DO.

Casey Monahan:
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN PEOPLE

THAT HELPED HIM OUT,
AND I WAS ONE OF THEM,

AND EVERY ONE OF THEM
HE GOT TIRED OF.

YOU KNOW,
I HAVE NO IDEA

WHY HE LOST INTEREST
IN MUSIC LIKE HE DID.

BUT IT WAS PROFOUND,

FOR THE PAST
12 YEARS, NOW,

HE JUST HAS THIS
LITTLE BIT OF HUMAN CONTACT WITH HIS MOM,

AND PEOPLE
IN CONVENIENCE STORES,

AND THE MAIL.

CAN YOU SEE THIS ONE?

WHO IS THAT TO?

ALFRED HITCHCOCK.

P.O. BOX 40,
VERNOY, NEW JERSEY.

I MEAN, THERE WAS
A TIME WHEN HE LIVED OUT IN DEL VALLE.

WHERE YOU COULDN'T
EVEN WALK AROUND INSIDE THE HOUSE.

THERE AS A PATH LEADING
FROM THE FRONT DOOR

INTO HIS BEDROOM,

AND THEN A MUCH
SMALLER PATH

LEADING INTO
THE BATHROOM, AND THAT WAS IT.

IT WAS LIKE LIVING
IN A LIBRARY OF JUNK MAIL.

AND FREE GIFTS.

I MEAN, THERE WERE
NOTEBOOKS IN HIS HOUSE,

WHERE HE HAD LOGGED
ALL OF THIS JUNK MAIL.

ALL OF THESE LETTERS
THAT HE HAD WRITTEN,

AND ALL OF THESE LETTERS
THAT HE HAD RECEIVED.

I MEAN, PAGE AFTER PAGE
IN THIS NOTEBOOK.

SO THAT'S WHEN I SAID,

"YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE
OF YOUR SON, MRS. ERICKSON."

YEAH, JUST BEEN
RELAXING HERE.

HAVING A GOOD TIME
WALKING AROUND OUTSIDE.

Roky:
ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL,

YOU'RE GONNA GET
A SPANKY-WANK.

Evelyn:
HE JUST SEEMS JUST CONTENT

TO BE ALONE.

PEOPLE WANT
TO GET WITH HIM,

AND HE JUST
WON'T LET ANYBODY

INTO HIS LIFE
RIGHT NOW.

Interviewer:
DO YOU KNOW WHY?

NO.

Sumner:
I'M GOING TO BE HERE UNTIL SUNDAY.

SUMNER WILL
BE HERE UNTIL SUNDAY? WOW, THAT'S GREAT.

NICE TO GET
SOME TIME WITH YOU. WANNA TO GO OUT TO EAT?

OH, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT INTO
THAT MYSELF.

I'D RATHER
BE AROUND THE HOUSE.

I WISH IT WAS
THE HOLIDAY SEASON, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT'S GOOD TO BE
WITH YOU AGAIN, ROKY. I MISS YOU.

Roky:
YEAH, I WISH I HAD KNOWN YOU ALL WAS COMING.

I'D HAVE BAKED A CAKE.
BUT LIKE THEY SAY, YOU KNOW...

Mikel:
LOTS OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE DAYS

TRIED TO SAY,
"OH, WELL, THE REASON ROKY IS THE WAY HE IS

IS BECAUSE HE HAD
SHOCK TREATMENT.

OH, NO, THE REASON
WHY ROKY IS THE WAY HE IS IS BECAUSE OF ACID.

OH, NO, THE REASON
WHY ROKY IS..." YOU KNOW.

NOBODY CAN KNOW,

AND DIAGNOSIS
DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD.

WHAT WOULD BE
REALLY NICE IS IF HE COULD BE STABILIZED RIGHT NOW.

( applause )

I'M FORTUNATE.

I FOUND A REAL QUICK
APTITUDE IN MUSIC.

I WON MY JOB
WITH THE PITTSBURG SYMPHONY WHEN I WAS 18.

- I JUST FLEW STRAIGHT.
- ( tuba playing )

I HAD TO STAY
AWAY FROM AUSTIN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I WASN'T HAVING
A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY MOTHER,

BUT PEOPLE
HAD BEEN ASKING ME FOR A DECADE,

"HOW CAN WE CHANGE
THE SITUATION ON ROKY?"

SO I DECIDED
I WOULD VENTURE BACK.

IT PRETTY MUCH SHOCKED ME.

TALK ABOUT JUST
PLAIN MEDICAL CARE.

HOW ABOUT GET A PHYSICAL?
HOW ABOUT GOING TO THE DENTIST?

AND THEN IT WOULD
BE WONDERFUL IF HE GOT TO A PLACE

HE WANTED
TO PERFORM AGAIN. NOT TO CRITICIZE MY MOM,

BECAUSE I KNOW
SHE HAS VERY GOOD REASONS FOR DOING WHAT SHE'S DOING,

BUT I JUST DON'T THINK
IT'S THE BEST ROUTE

TO REALLY HELP
ROKY RIGHT NOW.

Evelyn's voice:
I REALLY DON'T TRUST DOCTORS

OR A PSYCHIATRIST.

I HAD WRITTEN
A BUNCH OF NOTES ABOUT IT.

I STARTED WRITING
SEVERAL TIMES

ABOUT MY IDEA
ABOUT PSYCHIATRISTS.

THERE'S A TV SITCOM--

"FRASIER."

"FRASIER'S A PSYCHIATRIST

WHO HAS A RADIO ADVICE SHOW.

HIS BROTHER, NILES,
A PSYCHIATRIST ALSO,

HAS NUMEROUS PROBLEMS
OF HIS OWN

WHICH HE IS
UNABLE TO SOLVE.

THEY BOTH HAVE
FAILED MARRIAGES.

THEY BOTH ARE POMPOUS
AND SUPERCILIOUS.

BOTH HAVE NEGLECTED
THEIR SPIRIT LIFE.

THEY NEVER MENTION
A SUPREME BEING.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF KNOWLEDGE

NOT BEING TURNED
INTO WISDOM."

I THINK DEPRESSION
IS NORMAL.

ANYBODY THAT SAYS
THEY'VE NEVER BEEN DEPRESSED IS REALLY CRAZY.

Interviewer:
DOES ROKY TAKE ANY MEDICATION?

Evelyn: NO.

I JUST DON'T
BELIEVE IN DRUGS.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TEACH HIM
INDEPENDENT LIVING,

AND AS LONG AS I'M ABLE
TO HELP HIM

IN SMALL WAYS,

- ( door shuts )
- HE CAN DO IT.

- ( Roky laughing )
- Roky: CHASE THE BALL.

THIS IS YOUR BALL, SAM.
LOOK!

YOU WANT IT?
OH, YOU WANT ME TO HAVE THE BALL?

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME
TO DO WITH IT, MAN?

- THAT ISN'T
HER BALL, ROKY. - HUH?

WHY DON'T YOU
GO GET HER BALL?

HERE, PUT IT IN HERE.

- Roky: YOU WANT THE BALL?
- PUT IT IN HERE.

( piano playing )

♪ I'VE SEEN YOUR FACE BEFORE ♪

♪ I'VE KNOWN YOU ALL MY LIFE ♪

♪ AND THOUGH IT'S NEW,
YOUR ??HAPPINESS CUTS ME ♪

♪ LIKE A KNIFE ♪

♪ AND I'M HOME ♪

♪ I'M HOME... ♪

Jegar Erickson:
SHE'S DEPRIVED ME OF 24 YEARS.

SHE TOLD ME THAT,
YOU KNOW,

HE DIDN'T WANT
TO SEE ANYBODY.

YOU KNOW,
ALL THESE EXCUSES.

I WOULD WALK
ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN

IN THE SUMMER
IN AUSTIN.

I'D GO OVER THERE,
AND I'D SEE HER,

AND FOR SOME REASON
I CAN'T SEE MY DAD.

FOR SOME REASON I CAN'T
SEE MY DAD.

SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T
BELIEVE IN MEDICATION.

YOU KNOW,
IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH IT, FINE--

BUT DON'T SIT THERE
AND BE HIS DECISION MAKER.

SCHIZOPHRENIA IS NOT
A MAJOR FEAR ANYMORE.

IT'S NOT SOME DARKNESS,

SOME MONSTER
THAT NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE.

THAT'S HER OWN FEAR
OF LOSING CONTROL.

Evelyn:
I WAS GETTING OLDER,

AND I HAD NO WEALTH.

AND I THOUGHT,
"THE ONLY THING I CAN REALLY LEAVE MY FIVE SONS

WERE THE GIFTS
OF THE SPIRIT."

( Evelyn singing )

I THOUGHT,
"I COULD GO AHEAD AND DO A MOVIE.

I CAN MAKE UP
MY OWN STORY

WHERE I WAS THE QUEEN,

SO I THOUGHT
OF THIS FAIRY TALE.

I WAS HOPING

THAT WOULD BE
MY HERITAGE TO THEM.

( Evelyn singing )

I TALKED TO ROKY,
WHO WAS LIVING WITH ME AT THE TIME,

INTO BEING A PART OF IT.

Don Erickson:
Roky...

you have on
the Breast Plates of Righteousness,

- and now you shall receive
the Whole Armor of God. - Okay.

And Roky,
now I place on your head

the Crown
of Salvation.

Thank you.

Evelyn:
All hail Roky,

king of the Beasts!

All:
All hail Roky,

king of the Beasts!

All hail Roky,

king of the Beasts!

IN RUSK STATE HOSPITAL.

CERTIFICATE
OF DISCHARGE.

THEY HAD A BIG
JURY TRIAL.

Tommy:
JOHN HOWARD WAS HIS ATTORNEY,

AND HE WENT
TO VISIT RUSK,

AND JUST TOUR
THE GROUNDS.

HE SAW ROKY THERE,

AND HE REMEMBERED ROKY.

ROKY'S CHARGE WAS
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA.

THIS WAS AFTER
IT HAD BEEN DECRIMINALIZED

TO A MISDEMEANOR.

HE WENT IN THERE,

AND HAD A SANITY TRIAL
FOR ROKY,

AND HE GOT OUT
OF RUSK.

Evelyn:
AFTER HE GOT OUT OF RUSK,

I SUGGESTED
THAT HE WRITE

SOME WORDS
THAT WOULD HELP HIM

TRY TO GET RID
OF THE HORROR

THAT HE HAD SEEN THERE.

( electric guitar playing )

♪ TWO-HEADED DOG
TWO-HEADED DOG ♪

♪ I BEEN WORKING IN THE KREMLIN
WITH A TWO-HEADED DOG ♪

♪ TWO-HEADED DOG
TWO-HEADED DOG ♪

♪ I BEEN WORKING IN THE KREMLIN
WITH A TWO-HEADED DOG.

Gaines:
WHEN HE FIRST GOT OUT,

ROKY STARTED GETTING
REAL PARANOID.

HE HAD HIS SONGS
ALL THE TIME.

WE HAD THEM
IN A SUITCASE.

ONE DAY, HE STARTED
ERASING "JESUS"

AND PUTTING "BEELZEBUB."

AND WE HAD A BIG FIGHT.

( guitar playing )

♪ CHILDREN NAILED
TO THE CROSS ♪

♪ PAIN DOES NOT
LOOK ??OVER HELL ♪

♪ CERTAINLY
IS NOT A SPELL ♪

♪ SWEET WAVES SWELL ♪

Roky:
I'M INTO THIS HORROR BAG

WITH ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
AND I CALL IT "HORROR ROCK".

ONE TIME
THIS DISC JOCKEY, HE ASKED ME QUESTIONS

LIKE, "THEY ALL LEAVE
THE HORROR MOVIE, BUT YOU DON'T, DO YOU?"

Interviewer:
DID YOU HAVE EXPERIENCES WITH THESE KINDS OF DEMONS

- WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?
- Roky: I'VE GONE THROUGH THREE CHANGES.

I THOUGHT
I WAS A CHRISTIAN,

THEN I WAS WITH THE DEVIL.
I SIGNED MY SOUL TO THE DEVIL.

AND THEN THE THIRD ONE,
WHERE I KNOW WHO I AM.

YOU KNOW,
I FEEL LIKE I'M A MONSTER.

I FEEL LIKE I'M THE ROBE
OF MANY COLORS.

SPOKE OF IN THE BIBLE.

IN OTHER WORDS, A DEMON,
A GREMLIN, A GOBLIN,

A VAMPIRE,
A GHOST,

AND AN ALIEN WITH
A BRAIN ABOUT THIS BIG.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

( acoustic guitar playing )

♪ THE CREATURE
WITH THE ATOM BRAIN ♪

♪ WHY IS HE ACTING
SO STRANGE? ♪

HE WOULD HAVE MOMENTS
OF LUCIDITY.

ALTHOUGH HE WASN'T
COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE, HE'D AT LEAST BE LUCID,

AND HE WOULD TALK
LIKE HE HAD BEFORE.

AND THEN HE'D FALL BACK
INTO ONE OF THESE THINGS

WHERE HE WAS VERY PARANOID.
HE KNEW HE WAS BEING WATCHED,

LISTENED TO ALL THE TIME.
DAY AND NIGHT, EVEN WHEN HE SLEPT.

♪ RIPPED HIS ARMS OFF ♪

♪ AND THREW THEM
ON THE GROUND...♪

Peggy Underwood:
ROKY KEPT SAYING THAT HE WAS AN ALIEN,

AND HE THOUGHT
THE EARTHLINGS WERE ZAPPING HIM.

SO WE WENT TO A COUPLE
OF DIME STORES

AND WE GOT SOME LASER GUNS

TO ZAP THEM BACK.

HE KEPT COMING BACK
AND SAYING THAT THEY WEREN'T WORKING,

SO I DECIDED THAT
IF WE PREPARED A DOCUMENT WITH A GOLD SEAL,

SWEARING THAT MAYBE
THEY'LL GO AWAY, AND THEY DID.

♪ ...WITH THE ATOM BRAIN. ♪

♪ HE HUNTS
WITH THE BEASTS ♪

♪ BECAUSE OF HIS SHARP TEETH ♪

♪ THE DEVIL ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ WHITE GRACES
WHITE FACES ♪

♪ ALWAYS HAUNT ME
SO BEAUTIFULLY ♪

Byron Coley:
THERE ARE VERY FEW GUYS

WHO MADE
A GOOD TRANSITION

FROM REALLY MONSTER RECORDS
IN THE '60s

TO REALLY MONSTER RECORDS
IN THE 70s OR THE EARLY 80s.

THERE ARE ALMOST NONE.

HE CAME BACK
IN A NEW SHAPE

THAT WAS AS GOOD
AS THE SHAPE IN THE 60s.

Thurston Moore:
THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY INNOCENT ABOUT IT,

BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE
IT'S JUST FLYING OUT OF HIM.

IT DOESN'T SEEM
VERY CALCULATED.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S CONCEPTUAL
A LOT OF THE TIMES WITH HIS THEMES,

HE JUST SEEMS
REALLY FREE.

♪ ?? ♪

Gregg Turner:
I SAW HIM IN 1975

PLAY AT THE PALOMINO.

IT WAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE
THING I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE.

I MEAN, HERE
IS THIS DISHEVELED,

SORT OF I'M-AN-ALIEN-
FROM-MARS CREATURE--

POSSIBLY SUB-ARTICULATE,
BUT IT WASN'T CLEAR.

GETTING ONSTAGE,
AND JUST COMING TO LIFE

IN A WAY THAT JUST
KNOCKED EVERYBODY OVER.

IT WAS LIKE A FAKE BURNOUT.

YOU KNOW, WHICH IS "REAL"
AND WHICH IS "MEMOREX"?

IT'S, LIKE, THE GREAT
THING ABOUT ROCK AND ROLL TO BEGIN WITH.

IT WAS LIKE A SPORTING EVENT
WHERE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THIS IS THE REAL THING
PLAYING ITS ANGST OUT IN FRONT OF YOU.

♪ SO COLORFUL ♪

♪ ??
UPON DRAGON... ♪

AND THEN
HE DISAPPEARS AGAIN. HE'S IN AUSTIN.

SOMEBODY SAW HIM.
SOMEBODY DIDN'T SEE HIM.

HE'S JUST THIS
MYSTERIOUS FIGURE, YOU KNOW?

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIM?
HE'S THE GREAT LOST VOCALIST OF ROCK AND ROLL.

♪ I'VE GOT A BITE
OF THE DEVIL IN ME?? ♪

YOU ABOUT READY, MOTHER?

Evelyn:
NO, I'M DRINKING A SLIMFAST.

( TV blaring )

- I THINK I'LL PUT ON--
- HUH?

LET ME PUT ON
A FEW MORE CLOTHES TO GO TO THE STORE.

- CHANGE MY CLOTHES
TO GO TO THE STORE. - PUT ON THE RITZ, HUH?

Roky:
YOU DON'T KNOW OF A LITTLE ANSWERING MACHINE

THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE VOICE
OF THE PERSON CALLING.

INSTEAD, IT JUST TAKES
THE TALKING.

THE SPEAKING ON IT,
YOU KNOW.

YOU CAN HEAR THAT,
BUT YOU DO NOT HEAR THEIR VOICE TALKING TO YOU.

I WONDER--
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT YET, DO THEY?

( phone ringing )

Evelyn:
IT'S SUMNER.

HELLO?

UH-HUH.

WHO?

WELL, IF ANYBODY'S
UPSET, IT'S ME.

I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.

I GUESS THAT'S IT.

Virginia Sumners:
WELL, I FEEL VERY DEFINITELY

THAT THE TIME HAS COME,
EVELYN, FOR YOU

TO LET THESE BOYS
TAKE OVER.

OH, THEY ALL OFFER IT.

IT'S UP TO ROKY, REALLY,

TO OPEN UP HIS HEART.

I WOULD LIKE
MORE INVOLVEMENT,

BECAUSE THE WORLD
IS REALLY SMALL THESE DAYS.

I'M TWO AN A HALF HOURS AWAY.
I'M REALLY HOPING, MOM,

THAT YOU CAN MAKE
A DISTINCTION

BETWEEN THE DRUGS
THAT CAN REALLY HELP ROKY,

DRUGS THAT ARE SUPERVISED
BY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.

THESE DRUGS SOMETIMES
HIDE ALL YOUR FEELINGS,

- SO YOU REALLY CAN'T GET
IN TOUCH WITH YOUR MEMORIES. - THOSE ARE THE OLD DRUGS.

I CAN'T FORCE HIM
TO TAKE ANY STUFF.

Sumners:
DOES HE EVEN TAKE HIS PILLS ANYMORE?

NO.

HE DOESN'T TAKE ANYTHING.

Sumner:
WELL, IF YOU CAN ALLOW, THEN WE CAN FIND

- PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS--
- I'M NOT STOPPING ANYBODY.

HE'S DOING THE STOPPING.

IT'S NOT ME.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO HATE ME.

I HATE PARKING
IN THE SUN.

I WAS IN THE SHADE
WHEN I FIRST CAME.

IT'S KIND OF
EMBARRASSING TO ME.

I MEAN,
I THINK THEY WANT

TO GET HIM OUT
PLAYING AGAIN.

I JUST DON'T THINK
ROKY IS READY.

NOW, IN THE TRUST,

IT SAYS "THE PHYSICAL
OR MENTAL DISABILITY

SHALL BE DETERMINED
BY THE TRUSTEE

IN ITS SOLE
AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION,

AFTER CONSULTATION
WITH SUCH PHYSICIANS

OR OTHER
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

AS THE TRUSTEE
SHALL DETERMINE

TO BE APPROPRIATE
UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

NOW IT SEEMS
THAT I HAVE FULFILLED

MY DUTIES.

YOU WANNA READ
THAT THERE? HUH?

- Roky: DID YOU RENT ME
THIS HOUSE, MOTHER? - Evelyn: YEAH.

Roky:
YOU HAD A VERY VERY FAT KID WITH YOU AT THE TIME.

- I'M FAT, AREN'T I?
- Evelyn: NO.

YOU KNOW I HAVEN'T DRIVEN
A CAR IN 20 YEARS?

Evelyn:
IT HASN'T BEEN THAT LONG.

- WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
- YOU HAD A CAR IN '84.

THAT LITTLE BLUE--

I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE
THAT'S NEVER DONE THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, YOU THINK
YOU CAN CHECK ME OUT OF THIS PLACE?

YEAH, SURE.

OKAY, I WANT YOU
TO GO AHEAD AND ASK THAT FAT GUY,

YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT
CAME IN WHILE I WAS SITTING IN THE BATHROOM?

I WANT YOU TO TELL HIM
THAT ROKY ERICKSON'S IS OVER HERE.

HE'S LIVING HERE,
AND YOU'VE CHASED ME OUT OF TWO HOUSES.

I'D LIKE TO TALK
TO HIM ABOUT SOMETHING.

JUST BECAUSE THIS
GUY HAS HIS TWO POLICEMEN STANDING OUT IN THE YARD,

THEY THINK
THEY OWN EVERYTHING. THEY GOTTA TELL YOU

WHEN YOU CAN BREATHE,
WHEN YOU CAN LIVE, WHEN YOU CAN DIE.

SHIT, MAN.
ALWAYS STICKING A NEEDLE IN YOUR ARM.

I CAN'T FIND
MY CIGARETTES NOW.

CAN I HAVE ONE?

IT JUST GOT HOT
ALL OF A SUDDEN.

I JUST HAVE TO RELAX.

I THINK I'M ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO THINK.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

Renee Harden:
ROKY NEVER EXPLAINED HIMSELF. HE NEVER EXPLAINED ANYTHING.

IF YOU COULDN'T
FIGURE IT OUT,

THAT WAS JUST
TOO BAD FOR YOU.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT MADE
OUR PERFECT RELATIONSHIP NOT PERFECT ANYMORE.

IT'S LIKE A GOAL
OR A LIFELONG DREAM

TO BE ABLE
TO ACTUALLY TAKE ACID WITH ROKY ERICKSON,

THE HERO
OF PSYCHEDELIC ROCK.

THAT WAS ALL
A LOT OF FUN,

BUT THERE CAME A POINT
WHERE WE HAD TO HAVE OUR OWN PLACE.

I HAD TO WORK,

AND THE PROBLEM WAS
ROKY WOULDN'T SLEEP.

HE WAS BORED,

AND HE WANTED ME TO STAY UP
ALL NIGHT WITH HIM.

I GUESS,
AFTER A WHILE,

I BEGAN TO FEEL THE STRAIN
OF TAKING CARE OF HIM.

HE DID MANAGE
TO BREAK UP WITH ME.

IT WAS SHORTLY
AFTER I GOT PREGNANT.

THAT WAS ALL HIS IDEA.

I DIDN'T REALLY CARE
THAT MUCH ABOUT KIDS MYSELF, BUT HE DID.

SO I GOT PREGNANT,

AND WE HAD
TO GO RIGHT TO AUSTIN AND TELL EVERYBODY.

WE HAD BEEN ARGUING
ON THE WAY,

AND I WAS DRIVING,
AND I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN,

AND HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR
AND WALKED OFF.

THAT WAS IT.

I THINK HE WENT
THROUGH SO MUCH

WHEN HE WAS
IN THE HOSPITAL,

THAT HE FIGURED
WHEN HE GOT OUT

THE WORLD OWED HIM
A LITTLE LEEWAY.

A LITTLE--
YOU KNOW.

HE WANTED TO DO
WHAT HE WANTED TO DO,

AND SCREW EVERYBODY ELSE.

♪ THE BEAST IS COMING ♪

♪ THE BEAST IS COMING
TO YOUR WORLD ♪

Holly:
I THINK ROKY IS EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE

IN MANY WAYS

WITH HIS PSYCHOSIS.

♪ THE BEAST IS COMING ♪

LOOKING BACK AT IT,
I COULD HAVE SEEN IT

BEFORE WE ACTUALLY
GOT MARRIED.

BUT OF COURSE,

I WAS NOT EVER
WILLING TO BELIEVE

THAT I WAS NOT JUST
WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.

♪ NEVER EVER
EVER EVER EVER??... ♪

HE WAS VERY
MUCH A SOCIAL BEAST THEN WE STARTED DATING.

THEY WERE DEVELOPING
NEW MEDICATIONS

WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER,

SO WE FOUND A MEDICATION
WHERE WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SIDE EFFECTS.

♪ IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE... ♪

I WILLINGLY GAVE UP EVERYTHING
TO BE HIS SUPPORT.

HE WAS REALLY HAPPY.

IT LASTED FOR
A GOOD TWO YEARS.

THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT
HE WAS USING AGAIN.

THE SPEED.

NOT TAKING HIS MEDICATION.

FINDING IT BEHIND
THE MATTRESS.

HE DIDN'T WANT
TO DO IT ANYMORE.

I WAS SO ANGRY.

I JUST FELT LIKE
IT WAS ANOTHER WOMAN.

I FELT LIKE HE HAD--

IF HE HAD AN AFFAIR
WITH SOMEBODY ELSE,

THAT'S WHAT IT
FELT LIKE TO ME.

I FELT,
"HOW CAN YOU BETRAY ME,

AND US, AND EVERYTHING
WE'VE BUILT?"

FOR...

A HIGH.

SO I LEFT.

I JUST WENT OUT THE DOOR,
GOT IN THE CAR,

AND DROVE OFF.

THIS IS ROKY AND HOLLY
WHEN THEY WERE MARRIED.

THEY BROKE UP.

I NEVER DID FIND OUT WHY.

HE CAME OVER TO LIVE
AT MY HOUSE.

Evelyn:
I'M GONNA LET THIS RUN TWO MINUTES.

OKAY, DID YOU START
RECORDING ALREADY?

- I JUST STARTED.
- OKAY, WHAT?

- I'VE JUST STARTED,
- OKAY.

- BUT THE FIRST PART
I PROBABLY WON'T USE. - OH YEAH, RIGHT.

SO I'M JUST GONNA LET IT
RUN FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES.

OKAY.

( acoustic guitar playing )

♪ FOR YOU ♪

♪ I'D DO ANYTHING FOR YOU ♪

♪ FOR YOU ♪

♪ THERE AIN'T NOTHING
I WOULDN'T DO FOR YOU ♪

♪ YOUR BEAUTY MAKES
THE SUN RISE FOR YOU ♪

♪ THE MOON ALSO
SHINES FOR YOU ♪

♪ FOR YOU, FOR YOU ♪

♪ FOR YOU I'M COOKED
??TO YOU SO RARE ♪

♪ YOU ARE
AND SOMEONE'S THERE ♪

♪ TO BELIEVE ME,
NEVER LEAVE ME ♪

♪ WITH YOU THERE'S SO MANY
NEW THINGS TO BE DONE ♪

♪ FOR YOU ♪

♪ WITH THE TEARS
IN MY EYES FOR YOU ♪

♪ HAPPINESS AND LOVE
MEETS MY CRY FOR YOU ♪

♪ ALONE IN MY ROOM
FOR YOU ♪

♪ I'M BROUGHT OUT
OF THE GLOOM FOR YOU ♪

♪ FOR YOU, FOR YOU ♪

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

Evelyn:
GOT ANOTHER ONE?

Roky:
YEAH, OKAY.

Monahan:
HIS LAST REAL SHOW

WAS AT THE RITZ
IN FEBRUARY OF 1987

WITH THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS.

Gibby Haynes:
HE DIDN'T WANT TO COME TO THE GIG,

AND THEY TOLD HIM
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GO TO THE STORE

AND GET SOME CANDY
OR SOMETHING.

SO HE GOT IN
THE CAR WITH THEM,

AND THEN THEY PULL UP
AT THE BACK DOOR OF THE RITZ,

HUNG A GUITAR ON HIM,
AND PUSHED HIM ONSTAGE.

( guitar playing )

♪ ?? ♪

YEAH, I JUST DECIDED
THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE.

Interviewer: WHY?

I DON'T KNOW.

ARE YOU GLAD?

I GUESS SO.

I DON'T LIKE
THIS PLACE THAT MUCH.

NOW I JUST DON'T LIKE IT.

DO YOU NOT LIKE IT
BECAUSE WE COME BY?

NO, I WAS JUST SAYING
I'D LIKE TO BE IN MORE OF...

A DIFFERENT
KIND OF PLACE.

Monahan:
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO HELP HIM OUT

HAD TO REACH A POINT

OF WHETHER OR NOT
THEY WERE GOING TO CONTROL HIM,

OR WHETHER OR NOT
THEY WERE GOING TO ENJOY HIS COMPANY.

CERTAINLY HIS MENTAL SITUATION
HAS CREATED MANY VACUUMS.

WHAT YOU SEE
IS WHAT YOU WANNA SEE

AND WHAT YOU HEAR
IS WHAT YOU WANNA HEAR.

Mikel:
SHE WAS AGAIN SPEAKING FOR ROKY

WITHOUT LETTING US
SPEAK TO ROKY.

"I DON'T KNOW.
YOU DON'T NEED TO ASK ROKY THAT."

Sumner:
"ROKY'S BEING BOTHERED BY YOU, SUMNER."

I MEAN, THAT'S BASICALLY
WHAT SHE SAID TO ME.

Don:
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT ABOUT ME.

Mikel:
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO NIP.

"ROKY," I SAID, "OH REALLY?
LET ME TALK TO HIM. I WANT TO ASK HIM.

IS THERE SOMETHING
THAT'S BOTHERING HIM? OH NO, IT'S NOT YOU.

IT'S HIM."
YOU KNOW, AS A CHILD,

SHE TRIED TO PICK MY FRIENDS.
I IMAGINE SHE DID THAT FOR YOU TWO GUYS.

- SURE, YEAH.
- SURE, I HAD BAD INFLUENCES.

AND THAT'S WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW.
SHE'S TRYING TO PICK WHO'S GOING TO BE AROUND ROKY.

Don:
YOU HAD A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP WITH MOTHER.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME
FOR HER TO TRUST ME.

BUT ISN'T THAT
KIND OF STRANGE?

IT TAKES A LONG TIME
FOR YOUR MOTHER TO TRUST YOU?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE
FOR US TO TRUST HER?

WE'RE NOT FOCUSING
ON EVELYN ERICKSON.

WE ARE FOCUSING
ON ROKY ERICKSON. THAT'S THE STRUGGLE.

Don:
MIKEL, I'M NOT TRYING TO GET INTO "STRUGGLE MODE".

I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY WHERE I'M COMING FROM,

- BUT I'M JUST SAYING MOTHER--
- SHE WILL NOT TURN IT OVER.

SHE HAS NOT
TURNED OVER ROKY.

Don:
THIS IS REALLY THE TIME. DON'T YOU THINK, SUMNER?

WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO
AN INTERVENTION.

WELL, THAT'S BEEN
TALKED ABOUT,

IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT
WITH ?? INTERVENTION.

THERE'S ALMOST A CERTAINTY.

Don:
WHEN I FIRST GOT SOBERED UP,

THEY USED THIS TERM,
"KING BABY."

KING BABY IS THE ONE
THAT RULES THE ROOST.

HE JUST DOES EVERYTHING,

AND EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD
COMES TO THE RESCUE OF KING BABY.

KING BABY
CAN DO ANYTHING.

SO KING BABY HAS ALL THESE
CARETAKERS COME IN

EVERYBODY'S LIKE,
"OH, POOR ROKY. OH, GOD."

OH, I HATED IT.

AFTER I REALLY CAUGHT
ON THAT I HAD BEEN, IN MY OWN WAY,

KIND OF WANTING PEOPLE
TO COME SAVE ME,

THEN AFTER A WHILE,
PEOPLE WOULDN'T DO THAT.

AFTER I TRIED
TO KILL MYSELF,

I THINK IT WAS
1987 OR 1988.

MY MOTHER CALLED.

I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY PILLS I WAS ON.

SHE SAVED MY LIFE AGAIN.

SHE TOOK ME INTO
THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

THERE WAS VIOLENCE

FROM THAT CHILDHOOD
JEALOUSY AND ENVY.

I FELT LIKE NO MATTER
WHAT I DID,

ANY 12 STEP PROGRAM
WOULD NOT CURE ME.

'CAUSE THAT DEPRESSION
WAS WAY BEYOND DEPRESSION FOR ME.

( piano playing )

Roky:
"I KNOW THE HOLE IN BABY'S HEAD.

I KNOW THE HOLE
IN BABY'S HEAD.

I KNOW THE HOLE
IN BABY'S HEAD.

I KNOW THE HOLE
IN BABY'S HEAD.

I LIVED TOGETHER
WITH MY FAMILY IN AN OLD HOUSE.

I HAVE A BIG FAMILY.
I HAVE LOTS OF BROTHERS AND LOTS OF SISTERS.

I HAVE LOTS OF BABY
BROTHERS AND SISTERS ALL OVER THE HOUSE

CRYING, SCREAMING,
CRAWLING, AND PLAYING IN DANGEROUS AREAS.

MOANING AND WAILING
LIKE DIRTY DISARRAYED TOYS.

THEY FALL DOWN A LOT.
MY MOTHER AND FATHER FIGHT ALL THE TIME.

MY MOTHER LEAVES
THE HOUSE DIRTY ALL THE TIME.

I'M ALWAYS FEEDING
THE BABIES.

ALWAYS LEAVING THE BABIES
CRYING AND SCREAMING

WHILE SHE CRIES
ALL THE TIME.

AND THEN SHE LOOKS UP
FROM THE BED, SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS,

HOPING SOMEONE
UNDERSTANDS HER.

MY FATHER WAS ALWAYS
EXTREMELY REAL INTROVERTED.

ALWAYS COMING IN
AND OUT OF THE HOUSE.

NIGHT AND DAY,
NEVER SPEAKING TO ANYONE.

NEVER SPEAKING
TO NO ONE,

AND NEVER SPEAKING
TO ANYONE.

I LIKE TO THINK
EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT IN MY OLD HOUSE,

MY OLD DARK HOUSE,
BUT I KNOW IT ISN'T.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD
BAD FEELINGS

ABOUT ALL THE GARBAGE
AND DIRT AND DARKNESS

AND SPIDER WEBS
AND BAD SMELLS,

AND BAD FEELINGS
SCARE YOU.

THEN AS MORE TIME WENT ON,

I STARTED THINKING
THAT MAYBE THERE COULD BE WEIRD THINGS

THAT COULD LAY DORMANT
IN THE OLD DARKNESS

OF THE OLD DARK HOUSE.

SO I TRIED TO THINK
WHAT THESE THINGS COULD BE.

THEN I GOT TO THINKING

THAT MAYBE SOMETHING
HAD HAPPENED.

SOMETHING MORE
THAN THAT THEY COULDN'T TALK ABOUT.

SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE
TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND,

??AND SOMETHING
THAT THEY WERE TOO QUIET OF

TO BE KNOWING OF
THAT IT WAS BAD.

AND THEY JUST CARRIED ON
THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE

UNTHINKING
OF ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

OH, MY GOD.

I KNOW THE HOLE
IN BABY'S HEAD."

( Evelyn singing )

Evelyn:
I WAS LIKE CINDERELLA WHEN I WOULD GO OUT AND SING.

NO MORE DISHES
FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS.

NO MORE MESSES.
NO MORE BICKERING.

♪ ?? ♪

AFTER THE FIFTH SON IS BORN,
I'M IN SAD SHAPE.

AT THE AGE OF 38,
I WAS FEELING LIKE 100.

SO I QUIT DRINKING.

I WAS STARTING
A NEW LIFESTYLE FOR MYSELF.

THAT'S WHEN
I STARTED DOING YOGA.

I COULDN'T CONVINCE ROGER.

HE HAD ALREADY HAD
TWO OR THREE DWIs.

IT WAS LIKE
HE WAS MY SIXTH CHILD.

I'D JUST SAY,
"QUIT DRINKING."

HE WOULDN'T TALK TO ME.

ROGER WOULDN'T TALK TO ME.

IT WAS LIKE,
LIVING WITH...

A STONE MAN.

IT WAS A TIME
OF BEING VERY MUCH ALONE.

VERY MUCH ALONE.

THAT'S WHEN I TOLD HIM
I'M WITHDRAWING SEXUALLY,

AND I STARTED
SLEEPING ON THE ROOF.

THERE WAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

Don:
THE FAMILY WAS OUT OF CONTROL.

THERE WAS PROBABLY
SO MUCH GOING ON.

THERE WAS PROBABLY
A PART OF HER, FOR SURVIVAL,

SHE PROBABLY
STUFFED HIM AWAY,

AND IT REALLY DOESN'T
FEEL LIKE THEY EXISTED.

SHE DID SAY ONE TIME
THAT SHE REMEMBERED

GOING IN THE BEDROOM
ONE TIME,

AND ONE OF MY BROTHERS
WAS IN THERE WITH DAD.

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THAT MEANT.

I DIDN'T REALLY WANT
TO GO SPECIFIC ON THAT.

OUR OWN DIVORCE PAPERS

WITHOUT PAYING A LAWYER.

- Interviewer: YOU DID IT
ALL YOURSELF? - YEAH.

I WROTE IT IN CALLIGRAPHIES.

AT LEAST,
I TRIED TO.

YOU REALLY LOVE
YOUR CHILDREN MORE THAN YOUR HUSBAND LATER ON,

BECAUSE YOU'RE
SO INVOLVED WITH THEM.

I THINK ROKY PROBABLY
KNOWS ME MORE--

KNOWS ME FROM
MY INNER CORE

BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.

( trumpets playing )

Sumner:
WELL, SEE, I HAD DECIDED EARLY ON IN MY LIFE

THAT I WAS JUST
GOING TO GET OUT.

THE HOUSE
THAT I ENDED UP

HAVING TO SPEND
MY GROWING UP YEARS IN

WAS DETERIORATING QUICKLY.

TO COMPLETE
UNLIVABLE CONDITIONS.

I'D HAVE TO MAKE NOISE
TO GO INTO THE KITCHEN.

I'D SAY, "HEY,"
SHOUT, DO SOMETHING, SCARE THE RATS OFF,

SO THAT I COULD
GO IN AND GET SOME FOOD.

I'VE DONE 10 YEARS
OF PRETTY INTENSIVE THERAPY.

I NEEDED IT.

MY MENTOR BELIEVES
THAT I'M A MIRACLE TO BE WHO I AM.

TO HAVE KEPT
MY LOVE IN TACT.

THANK GOD I DID,
BECAUSE I NOW KNOW THAT I'M READY

TO GO AND GIVE IT
WHATEVER IT TAKES

AND GET ROKY
WHAT HE NEEDS.

THEN HE CAN MODEL
HOW I DO MYSELF.

THEY SAY YOU CAN'T
BUY HAPPINESS.

WELL, I FOUND
A GREAT THERAPIST

AND SPENT MY MONEY THERE,
AND I BOUGHT HAPPINESS.

Sumner:
NON OF US REALLY HAD A FAMILY.

THAT'S MY OPINION.

I BELIEVE THAT
WAS A BIG PART OF YOUR STUFF.

YOU JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE

THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE

THAT ARE SUPPOSED
TO LOVE YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE

WERE THE DANGER.

ROKY CHOSE TO GO CRAZY.

FOR HIM IT WAS A SOLUTION.

Therapist:
OKAY, LET'S START YOU ON YOUR BACK.

YOU JUST SAY
THE FIRST THING THAT POPS IN YOUR MIND.

DON'T LET BIG SUMNER

AND HIS BRILLIANCE
GET IN THE WAY.

COME OVER HERE.

TELL ROKY WHAT YOU
COULDN'T SAY THEN.

( stammers )

( sobbing )

I HATE IT THAT
YOU'RE HERE, ROKY.

THAT KILLS ME.
IT KILLS ME.

THAT YOU HAVE YOUR
GRIEF AT THE HORROR

THAT THIS LIFE CAN BE
TO SOMEONE LIKE ROKY.

THEY FRIED
HIS BRAINS OUT.

AND YOUR MOTHER'S
REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THAT THAT WAS TRUE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

NO ONE'S GONNA GET YOU.

NOT WHEN I'M AROUND.

Sumner: YOU KNOW,
THE GUY'S IN LONDON WRITING THE BOOK

ABOUT THE ELEVATORS,

AND HE WANTED ME

TO GET YOU TO ANSWER
SOME QUESTIONS

FOR THE BOOK.

YOU GOT SOME HAIR
ON YOUR...

WHAT IS THAT?

- PULL IT OUT!
- NO, IT'S CONNECTED.

- WELL, PULL IT OUT.
- GOTTA SHAVE. NO.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

( laughing )

THAT'S WHAT SONS ARE FOR.

OKAY, PAUL'S
FIRST QUESTION WAS--

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT
WHEN ROKY HAD TO LEAVE TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL

FOR LONG HAIR?

I THINK EVEN BACK
IN THOSE DAYS,

IF SOMETHING DISPLEASED
ME VERY HIGHLY,

I MANAGED TO ERASE
IT OUT OF MY--

I DON'T RECALL.

WHAT PRESSURES
DID ROKY'S IMPRISONMENT PUT ON THE FAMILY?

I GUESS THAT IT
SHOULD BE OBVIOUS.

YEAH.

IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT YOU'D CHANGE

IF YOU HAD
TO DO IT AGAIN?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT,
REALLY.

I MEAN, I'M SURE
I WENT WRONG

A LOT OF WAYS,
A LOT OF ASPECTS...

BUT WHERE IT WENT
AND HOW I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK HE GOT A LOT
OF HIS WORDPLAY FROM YOU.

HIS WHAT?

WORDPLAY.

THERE'S NO QUESTION
ABOUT THAT.

OKAY, GOOD NIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT.

( guitar playing )

♪ I PROMISE, I PROMISE ♪

♪ MY GREEN
AND BLUE EYES TO YOU ♪

♪ I PROMISE, I PROMISE ♪

♪ MY GREEN
AND BLUE EYES TO YOU ♪

♪ FOR YOU I COOL THE STREETS
WITH THE WIND AT NIGHT ♪

♪ IN THE DAY
I BEAT FOR THE SUN THE COBBLESTONES ♪

♪ THE DUAL ?? ♪

♪ I PROMISE. ♪

- ( beeps )
- Evelyn on answering machine: Roky just called,

and he had said someone
was banging on the door,

and I said,
"Well, don't let them in."

Sumner had
two policemen with him,

so they're going to haul
him off to Shoal Creek.

I just think
this is awful.

( beeps )

YOU DIDN'T KNOW
THAT HE WAS PLANNING ON DOING THIS?

NO!

I MEAN, THINK WHAT
THOSE MEXICAN PEOPLE ARE THINKING.

YOU KNOW,
POLICEMEN COMING UP

AND HAULING ROKY AWAY.

HE HAS TO LIVE THERE.

SUMNER, THIS IS DONNY.

I'M REALLY,
REALLY ANGRY AT YOU.

I WISH YOU'D
ANSWER YOUR PHONE, AND TALK LIKE A MAN ABOUT THIS,

BECAUSE I'VE JUST
HEARD ABOUT IT.

I FEEL LIKE
I WAS USED TODAY--

ASKING ME WHERE SHE WENT.

( sighs )
GIVE US A CALL.

COME ON,
FACE THE MUSIC. CALL MOTHER.

CAN'T YOU CALL HERE?
BE A MAN.

Judge: I WILL NOW CALL
FOR THE GUARDIANSHIP APPLICATION

OF ROGER KYNARD ERICKSON.

AN APPLICATION FOR GUARDIAN
OF THE PERSON AND ESTATE.

IS THE APPLICANT
READY TO PROCEED?

Female attorney:
WE ARE, YOUR HONOR.

I WANT TO HELP EMPOWER HIM.

I'VE TERMED
IT A CRUSADE

JUST TO GIVE ROKY
FIRST OF ALL HIS WELLNESS,

HIS LIFE.
SECOND OF ALL, GIVE ROKY BACK HIS MUSIC.

( sniffs )
HE HAS ABSCESSES

IN HIS MOUTH
THAT THREATEN HIS LIFE.

HE NEEDS THE CARE
THAT HE DESERVES.

Attorney:
I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER, YOUR HONOR.

Judge:
MR. CONOR?? DO YOU HAVE SOME TESTIMONY?

Conor: YES, YOUR HONOR.
SINCE I WAS APPOINTED IN JANUARY,

IT TOOK SOME TIME
TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION WITH MY CLIENT.

HIS PREFERENCE IS
TO BE LEFT ALONE.

WHEN ASKED
IF HE DID HAVE TO HAVE A GUARDIAN APPOINTED,

WHO WOULD HE WANT,
AND HE INDICATED THAT HE WANTED HIS MOTHER.

Evelyn:
HERE'S WHAT I DID.

IT'S ALL NOT VERY GOOD,

BUT THAT'S WHAT I DID.

IT SEEMED VERY SYMBOLIC
AT THE TIME.

THE NEXT STATEMENT
IS THE TRUE REALITY

OF THE SITUATION
IS THAT I'VE BEEN HELPING

ROKY LIVE INDEPENDENTLY
THE PAST 11 YEARS.

I'M NOT THE ONE
KEEPING ROKY FROM GETTING HIS MEDICATION.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN IT.

I WOULD RATHER
SEE THE PSYCHIATRIST BE MORE HUMANE,

AND USE HOLISTIC METHODS,

LIKE TEACHING YOGA,

WHICH GETS YOU IN TOUCH
WITH YOUR MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

JUST GOOD HEALTHY LIVING.

Judge:
AFTER LISTENING TO THE TESTIMONY,

THE COURT DOES FIND

THAT ROGER KYNARD ERICKSON

IS IN NEED
OF A GUARDIAN,

AND THAT
SUMNER PERRY ERICKSON, IS QUALIFIED.

I'M GOING
TO APPOINT YOU, SIR,

AS GUARDIAN OF THE PERSON
WITH FULL AUTHORITY.

NOW, WE CAN GIVE HIM
WHATEVER MEDICATION.

IT IS NOT GOING TO MAKE
HIS SCHIZOPHRENIA GO AWAY.

I'LL SAY THIS TO YOU,
MS. ERICKSON--

I DON'T HAVE
A PROBLEM WITH THE IDEA OF ROKY DOING YOGA,

BUT THAT'S NOT GOING
TO SOLVE HIS PROBLEM.

NOW, WE HAVE
A BROKEN FAMILY.

IT'S A FAMILY
THAT NEEDS

TO GET BACK TOGETHER.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO DEAL WITH YOUR MOTHER.

YOU NEED
TO DEAL WITH YOUR MOM, AND MAKE SURE

THAT YOU HAVE
APPROPRIATE PERSPECTIVE.

SO LET'S LOOK
FORWARD TO THAT,

AND LET'S DO
THE BEST FOR ROKY.

Sumner:
I REALIZED OVER THE LAST YEAR

THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE
THAT COULD HAVE DONE THIS.

I BELIEVE THAT
MY BEHAVIOR WILL GIVE HIM, IN MANY WAYS,

AN ANCHOR,

AND HE CAN BECOME
COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT.

THE COURT GAVE ME
PERMISSION TO TAKE ROKY TO PITTSBURG.

I'VE BEEN REALLY
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

THAT ROKY WILL BE
ON THE PLANE WITH ME

WEDNESDAY AT 5:10.

HE ASKED ME
TO CUT HIS HAIR.

IT WAS HARD
TO GET THE SCISSORS,

BUT ONE OF THE MEN
SNEAKED HIM INTO HIS ROOM,

AND PUT A SHEET
ON THE FLOOR,

AND I STARTED WHACKING OFF
HIS BIG, ENORMOUS,

GLOB OF HAIR.

( phone ringing )

IT'S ROKY.

( phone continues ringing )

WHAT TIME IS IT?
3:25.

HELLO?

HELLO?

I WONDER WHY HE DIDN'T
SAY ANYTHING.

HELLO?

ROKY?

ROKY?

YOU THINK THAT WAS HIS WAY
OF SAYING "GOOD BYE"?

( "Silent Night" playing )

A LOT OF ENERGY
GOING OUT IN HERE.

Sumner:
HE'S JUST DOING TREMENDOUSLY.

IF I WOULD HAVE
SAT DOWN A YEAR AGO,

AND DREAMED UP
MY WILDEST HOPES,

I COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN UP
ANYTHING AS GOOD AS WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

Man on phone:
You know, that's terrific. Healing up, is he?

Sumner:
YEAH, HE JUST IS IN EVERY WAY.

- That's terrific.
- HE'S BEEN ON THE MODERN MEDS SINCE MAY,

WE GOT ALL HIS
DENTAL WORK DONE.

IT WAS A BIG
THREE HOUR SURGERY.

HE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH
TO TRY TO SAVE,

SO THE SURGEON
JUST WENT IN THERE AND...

- ...pulled them all out.
- YEAH.

HE'S ALSO SEEING--

I HAVE A REALLY
WONDERFUL MENTOR WHO HAS BEEN MY THERAPIST

FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS,
AND ROKY IS SEEING HER THREE TIMES A WEEK.

I MEAN, IN A WAY,
HE'S ALMOST FULLY PRESENT.

I MEAN, IT COULD BE
THAT HE'S COMPLETELY BACK.

Cartoon character on TV:
She was the most beautiful girl in the world!

( dishes clacking )

DID YOU HEAR THE ONE
ABOUT THE MARTIAN

THAT WENT TO A GAS STATION

AFTER HE LANDED,

AND WALKED UP
TO THE GAS PUMPS,

AND SAID, "WHAT'S
A BEAUTIFUL GIRL LIKE YOU DOING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS?"

( both laughing )

- Therapist: SO ROKY,
COME WALK FOR ME, - OKAY.

AND LET ME SEE WHAT
YOUR WALKING REFLECTS.

DO YOU KNOW WHY
I ASK YOU TO WALK?

- I GUESS TO RELAX ME.
- NO.

AS AN EXTRA FAVOR TO ME?

YEAH, BUT WHAT DO YOU
SUPPOSE I'M LOOKING FOR

- WHEN I WATCH YOU WALK?
- Roky: IF I'M NATURAL?

Therapist:
OKAY, WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT,

LET'S SEE WHAT YOU CAN GET

IN THE WAY
OF JUST WHAT I'D CALL

LIKE A MARCHING.

- ( stomping )
- THIS KIND OF THING.

BIG ONES.

REALLY LIFTING
THOSE KNEES. YEAH.

LIFT THEM HIGHER.

YEAH, AND STOMP HARD.

NOW, SUMNER,
COME IN FRONT,

AND DO IT,

AND DON'T YOU
THINK ABOUT IT EITHER.

YOU TRY TO IMITATE HIM.

HIS RHYTHM AND HIS--

OKAY, COME ON BY HIM,
AND AS HE COMES BY, YOU JOIN HIM.

- OKAY.
- OKAY, GOOD.

Therapist: THERE IT IS.
NOW, JUST LET YOUR ARMS HANG.

THAT'S IT, EASY.
THAT'S GOOD.

- ( laughs )
- GOOD!

- HEY, ROKY...
- Roky: YES?

WHAT'S THE FIRST THING
YOU WANNA DO WHEN YOU GET HOME?

Roky:
GO TO MY MOTHER'S HOUSE.

- Therapist:
GO TO YOUR MOTHER'S HOUSE. - Roky: YES.

Therapist:
AND THEN WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

PROBABLY JUST RELAX THERE
AND TALK TO MY MOTHER.

WELL, YOU'LL HAVE
A LOT TO TELL HER.

YEAH, YEAH.
( laughs )

( piano playing )

Evelyn:
??

I CALLED, I SAID,

"I WANT TO TALK TO ROKY
AND SEE HOW HE IS."

SUMNER SAID,
"IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS."

OH, I LIKE THIS CAR.

ISN'T THAT A GREAT CAR?

( laughs )

I HAVE A BUNCH
OF PICTURES AND LETTERS

THAT ARE READY
TO GO ON THE CARDBOARD.

I GUESS YOU HAVE
TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR MEMORIES.

YOU KNOW,
YOUR MEMORIES CAN SAVE YOU.

IF YOU DREDGE UP
ENOUGH OF THEM.

YEAH.

- YEAH.
- YEAH. YOU LIKE THAT IMAGE OF YOURSELF?

- YEAH.
- YEAH.

ALL RIGHT,
THIS IS LOOKING COOL.

IS THERE ANY WAY
YOU CAN BLOCK OUT THE SUN

FROM SHINING IN MY WINDOW
EARLY IN THE MORNING?

YEAH, YEAH.
I'LL HOP TO IT.

IN OTHER WORDS,
IF THESE IDEAS AREN'T FUN FOR YOU,

THEN DON'T DO THEM,
BECAUSE--

YOU BROUGHT THAT UP
A LONG TIME AGO, AND I'M SORRY.

- IT JUST GOT
LOST IN MY HEAD. - OH YEAH, OKAY.

Cartoon voice:
LET GO!

Sumner:
I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING A LOT

TO MAKE SURE I STAY
OUT OF THE NUTHOUSE,

AND OUT OF THE POOR HOUSE.

MY ORIGINAL
KIND OF NAIVE THOUGHTS

WAS THAT PEOPLE WERE
GOING TO BE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR,

TELLING ME
HOW CAN THEY HELP.

MEANWHILE,
I SOLD MY CAR TO TRY TO MAKE THE ENDS MEET.

I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT IN THE END,

IT'S GOING
TO BE A STORY ABOUT "ROKY GOT BETTER,

BUT HIS POOR
BROTHER CRACKED UP AND WENT BANKRUPT. "

NOW AFTER I'VE LIVED
WITH ROKY FOR A YEAR,

I CAN REALLY
UNDERSTAND BETTER

WHAT IT TOOK FOR HER
TO KEEP DOING

WHAT SHE THOUGHT
WAS THE RIGHT THING FOR ROKY.

- YOU REMEMBER WHAT
WE DID THE LAST TIME? - NO.

WE TALKED ABOUT--

I ASKED YOU

IF YOU HAD TO DO IT
ALL OVER AGAIN,

THE WHOLE OF YOUR LIFE,

- WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
- YES.

- DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT YOU SAID? - NO.

- YOU SAID, "NOT A THING.
NOTHING." - OKAY.

GOOD, NOT A THING.

AND THEN THE OTHER
THING WE DID

WAS I SAID,
"WOULD YOU SING A SONG?"

- AND YOU SAID, "YES,"
AND YOU SANG A SONG. - YES.

WOULD YOU SING ANOTHER ONE?

- OKAY.
- OKAY.

Therapist:
THERE YOU GO.

( acoustic guitar playing )

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ ONCE HAD A HEART ♪

♪ THAT COULD NOT BE TOLD ♪

♪ BUT NOW THESE DREAMS ♪

♪ HAVE GROWN SO COLD ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ ONCE ?? IN LOVE ♪

♪ MY LOVE ?? BURN ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

♪ GOODBYE,
SWEET DREAMS ♪

( Sumner laughs )

- BEAUTIFUL.
- THANK YOU.

I NEED TO CUT MY NAILS.

YEAH, YOU DO.

BUT I DID ALRIGHT.

( cartoons on TV )

( rock music playing )

♪ ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ INTO A WORLD THAT'S
MORE LOUSY THAN BEFORE ♪

♪ ?? OUT THE WINDOW FROM
THE NEWSPAPER TO THE DOOR ♪

♪ IT'S TIMES LIKE THESE,
LUCIFER ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ OH, THE WIND AND MORE
THE WIND AND MORE ♪

♪ THE WIND AND MORE
THE WIND AND MORE ♪

♪ WHO'S A BETTER ??
THAN THE WIND AND MORE ♪

♪ GOBLINS ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ IT'S TIMES LIKE THESE,
LUCIFER ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ OH, THE WIND AND MORE
THE WIND AND MORE ♪

♪ THE WIND AND MORE
THE WIND AND MORE ♪

♪ ?? THE WIND AND MORE?♪

♪ STARRY EYES,
HOW CAN I GET TO YOU? ♪

♪ MY TRUE LITTLE?? ♪

♪ STARRY EYES,
WHAT CAN I SAY OR DO ♪

♪ FOR YOU,
MY LITTLE STARRY EYES ♪

♪ STARRY EYES FOREVER ?? HIGH ♪

♪ WHEN I'M ALONE
I HEAR THE ?? ♪

♪ I WISH THAT I COULD
REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOU ♪

♪ BUT KNOWING YOU'RE THE ONE ♪

♪ TO GREET ME
AND MEET ME ♪

♪ ?? ♪

♪ STARRY EYES,
STARS THAT FALL ON ME?? ♪

♪ STARRY EYES ♪

♪ STARRY EYES FOREVER
STARRY EYES ♪

♪ OH YEAH ♪

♪ OH YEAH ♪

♪ ALRIGHT! ♪