The First Rock Musical: Drawing from Hippies and the Psychedelic Movement

The First Rock Musical: Drawing from Hippies and the Psychedelic Movement is a powerful and moving new musical that tells the story of a generation.

The First Rock Musical: Hair

Hair was the first rock musical. It was a product of the hippie counterculture and psychedelic movement of the late 1960s. The musical’s title song “Hair” became an anthem for the anti-Vietnam War movement. The show’s creators, James Rado and Gerome Ragni, were part of the bohemian underground scene in New York City. They wrote the show with input from many of their friends, including some who were members of the “counterculture” and others who were not. The show premiered off-Broadway in 1967 and then moved to Broadway in 1968. It was a hit on Broadway, running for 1,729 performances. The original production was nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and won four.

The Psychedelic Movement

The psychedelic movement was a countercultural phenomenon that originated in the early 1960s. Psychedelic drugs, such as LSD and psilocybin, became associated with the movement, as they were believed to promote creativity and spiritual awareness. The music of the time also reflected the psychedelic experience, with bands like The Beatles and The Grateful Dead creating songs that captured the feeling of an acid trip.

The first rock musical to attempt to capture the psychedelic experience was Hair, which premiered on Broadway in 1967. The show followed a group of hippies living in New York City, and their struggles to fit into mainstream society. Hair featured a number of classic rock songs, including “Aquarius” and “Let the Sunshine In,” which became anthems of the psychedelic movement.

Despite its largely positive reception, Hair was not without its detractors. Some conservative critics denounced the show as obscene and vulgar, due to its frank depiction of drug use and sexuality. Nevertheless, Hair proved to be hugely influential, both on Broadway and in Hollywood. It paved the way for other rock musicals, such as Jesus Christ Superstar and Tommy, and helped to legitimize the counterculture of the 1960s.

Hippies

Hippies were a youth movement that arose in the late 1960s and early 1970s.young people who rejected traditional values and advocated for peace, love, and personal freedom. They were often associated with left-wing politics, anti-war activism, and the use of drugs such as cannabis and LSD.

The First Rock Musical: Jesus Christ Superstar

The first rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It debuted on Broadway in 1971 and was made into a film in 1973. The story is based on the final week of Jesus’ life, beginning with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ending with the crucifixion. The musical tells the story from the perspectives of Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate.

The hippie culture and psychedelic movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s heavily influenced Jesus Christ Superstar. The show’s creators were inspired by countercultural icons such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Bob Dylan. They sought to create a different kind of musical than had been seen before, one that would speak to the young people of their generation.

The music of Jesus Christ Superstar is a mix of styles, including rock, blues, gospel, and folk. The lyrics are sometimes irreverent and blasphemous, which caused controversy when the show first opened. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, Jesus Christ Superstar was a huge success both onstage and on screen. It cemented Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice as two of the most important names in musical theater, and its place in popular culture is secure.

The First Rock Musical: Tommy

It’s difficult to overestimate the influence that the hippie and psychedelic movement had on music in the late 1960s. One of the most important products of this period was Tommy, the first rock musical.

Tommy was written by the English rock band The Who and released as a double album in 1969. It tells the story of a young boy who is traumatized by witnessing a murder, and as a result, becomes deaf, dumb, and blind. Despite his disability, he becomes a pinball champion and is eventually healed by a miracle.

The story is based loosely on the life of British violinist Joseph Carey Merrick, better known as the “Elephant Man”. Merrick was born with severe deformities that made him a social outcast, but he found fame after being displayed in freak shows.

The album was an instant success, reaching number four on the UK charts and number two on the US Billboard 200. It received critical acclaim for its innovative use of electronic music and featured some of The Who’s most iconic songs, including “Pinball Wizard” and “I Can See for Miles”.

In 1975, Tommy was adapted into a film directed by Ken Russell and starring Roger Daltrey as Tommy. The film was not well received by critics, but it did win several awards, including an Oscar for Best Original Score.

In 1992, Tommy was staged as a Broadway musical with music by Pete Townshend and book by Des McAnuff. The production won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It ran for 899 performances before closing in 1995.

In 1996, The Who released a new album called Tommy: The Album, which featured re-recorded versions of the songs from the original album performed by an all-star cast that included Elton John, Patti Labelle, Tina Turner, Steve Winwood, and many others. In 2002, Tommy was adapted into an opera with music by Townshend and libretto by McAnuff. It premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego and has since been staged in several cities around the world.