The Hard Rock and Psychedelic Rock of the 60s

The Hard Rock and Psychedelic Rock of the 60s was a time of change and experimentation. The music was louder, the drugs were stronger, and the fashion was more outrageous. This was a time when the youth culture was rebelling against the establishment and forging their own path.

The Hard Rock of the 60s

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a diverse style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The hard rock of the 60s was a direct reaction to the overproduced and polished pop rock of the time. Psychedelic rock is characterized by distorted guitars, LSD-inspired lyrics, and trippy sound effects.

The Beatles

The Beatles, who are often credited with being the originators of hard rock, began experimenting with heavier electric guitar sounds on their 1966 album Revolver. The British Invasion band incorporated feedback and distorted guitars on tracks like “Taxman” and “I’m Only Sleeping.” The following year, they made history with the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, an album that many consider to be the beginning of psychedelic rock. With its trippy sound effects and distorted guitars, the title track was a perfect example of the new genre. Other songs on the album, such as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Within You Without You,” also displayed these psychedelic elements.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. Jones departed the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor’s departure, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and continues on guitar in tandem with Richards. Since Wyman’s retirement in 1993, Darryl Jones has served as the band’s bassist.

The Stones have released 30 studio albums, 23 live albums and numerous compilations. Let It Bleed (1969) was their first of five consecutive number one studio albums in the UK. Sticky Fingers (1971) was the first of eight number one studio albums in the US. In 2008, the band ranked 10th on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists chart. In 2012, the band celebrated its 50th anniversary. “Streets of Love”, “Beast of Burden”, “Undercover of the Night” from Undercover video compilation May Find release date 3 October 2017 retrieved 15 September 2017

Led Zeppelin

The English rock band Led Zeppelin first came to prominence in the late 1960s with their debut album, Led Zeppelin. The album featured a mix of original material and reworked versions of blues songs, and it was a commercial success, reaching number four on the UK charts. The band’s follow-up album, Led Zeppelin II, was even more successful, reaching number one in both the UK and the US.

The band’s third album, Led Zeppelin III, featured a more experimental sound, with folk and Celtic influences. It was a commercial success, reaching number one in the UK and number two in the US. The fourth album,Led Zeppelin IV, was released in 1971 and is often considered the band’s masterpiece. It features the classic track “Stairway to Heaven” and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The band’s fifth album, Houses of the Holy, was released in 1973 and reached number one in both the UK and the US. The sixth album, Physical Graffiti, was released in 1975 and is a double album featuring some of the band’s most popular tracks, including “Kashmir” and “Trampled Underfoot.” The seventh and final studio album by Led Zeppelin was In Through the Out Door, released in 1979.

The Psychedelic Rock of the 60s

Psychedelic rock, also known as “acid rock”, is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s. Psychedelic rock is characterized by distorted guitars, extended solos, and a trippy, “out of this world” atmosphere. The genre is strongly influenced by psychedelia, an umbrella term coined to describe the mind-altering experiences brought on by drugs such as LSD.

The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, gospel, and psychedelia. They performed mainly as a live band but also released several studio albums. The Grateful Dead have been ranked 57th on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Jefferson Airplane

Jefferson Airplane was a psychedelic rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. The group was one of the first American bands to achieve widespread success with a psychedelic sound, and their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow is regarded as one of the key works of the genre. The band’s original lineup featured singer-songwriter Marty Balin, guitarist Paul Kantner, guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, bassist Jack Casady, drummer Spencer Dryden, and singer Grace Slick.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington, on November 27, 1942. The son of a teenage single mother and an absent father, he was raised in various foster homes and by his maternal grandparents. He began playing the guitar at age 15 and became adept at blues and rock-and-roll. In 1961 he enlisted in the U.S. Army, but his musical talents quickly led to his discharge.

Hendrix then began performing with various rhythm-and-blues and soul bands in the American South before moving to New York City in 1964. There he backed up such artists as Little Richard and the Isley Brothers before forming his own band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. The group played mostly covers of popular songs but also included some of Hendrix’s original compositions. In October 1965 they traveled to Europe, where they performed to enthusiastic audiences at nightclubs in London and Paris; Hendrix soon became a sensation on the international music scene.