“You’re Gonna Miss Me” is a terrific documentary capturing the ups and downs of Roky Erickson, whose stardom with The 13th Floor Elevators quickly devolved into drugs and schizophrenia.
The movie is harsh, capturing a dazed Erickson living in squalid conditions with his mother, who seems equally disconnected from reality. The father and four other brothers are equally bitter and troubled, although one brother -- a successful classical musician -- gains legal custody of Roky, only to then experience his own financial and emotional challenges in trying to “restore” the Roky of old.
It’s like watching a train wreck: painful to see but hard to look away. I'll never listen to "You're Gonna Miss Me" -- a classic garage rocker -- the same way again.