Psychedelic Rock Bands You Need to Know About
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Looking for some new psychedelic rock bands to add to your playlist? Here are five of the best that you need to know about.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and on-stage antics, which sometimes caused riots. The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Origins
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s due to Morrison’s lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971 at the age of 27, the remaining members continued as a trio until disbanding in 1973. Signing with Elektra Records in 1966, The Doors released eight albums between 1967 and 1971. All of their studio albums sold well and received critical acclaim. The band’s popularity began to wane after Morrison’s death.
The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Musical style
The Doors combined many different styles of music; Jim Morrison’s lyrics were poetic prose that could be inspired by beat poetry, and occasionally contained toilet humor or political satire, while the band incorporated jazz-based improvisation into their extended arrangements. Robby Krieger’s guitar playing incorporated flamenco, jazz, and blues influences, and John Densmore’s drums were influenced by African and Native American ceremonial music, as well as jazz. The group was also one of the first (and only) rock bands to feature a lead vocalist who also played keyboards (Morrison).
Legacy
The Doors were one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the 1960s. Formed in Los Angeles in 1965, the group was founded by singer Jim Morrison and keyboardist Ray Manzarek. With their unique blend of psychedelia, blues, and experimental rock, The Doors created a sound that was completely new and revolutionary. They went on to release eight studio albums, including the classics ‘The Doors’ (1967), ‘Strange Days’ (1967), ‘Waiting for the Sun’ (1968), and ‘Morrison Hotel’ (1970).
The band became wildly popular thanks to their explosive live performances, which often featured Morrison’s wild and erratic behavior. Unfortunately, this success was short-lived; Morrison died in 1971 at the age of 27, effectively putting an end to The Doors. Despite this, the group continued to be hugely popular even after Morrison’s death, with their music remaining timeless and relevant. In 1993, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and they continue to influence generations of musicians all over the world.
Pink Floyd
Origins
Pink Floyd was an English rock band from London. They are considered one of the most iconic and influential rock bands of all time, with their distinct style that fused psychedelic rock with progressive rock, resulting in songs that were both experimental and accessible. The band was founded in 1965 by Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright. Barrett was the primary songwriter and creative force behind the band’s early work, but he left Pink Floyd in 1968 due to mental health issues.
Waters became the dominant creative force in Pink Floyd and wrote most of their material for their 1975 album Wish You Were Here and their best-known album, The Dark Side of the Moon. Though Wright was a member of Pink Floyd for most of their existence, he officially left the band in 1979 after disagreements with Waters. In 1985, Pink Floyd released their album A Momentary Lapse of Reason without Wright. He rejoined them for a reunion tour in 1987 and remained a member until his death in 2008.
Pink Floyd is one of the best-selling music artists of all time with estimated global sales of over 200 million albums. They have sold over 75 million records in the United States alone, making them one of the best-selling bands in history. They were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. They have received numerous awards throughout their career including 18 Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), 2 Brit Awards, and an Academy Award for The Wall.
Musical style
Emerging from the London music scene in the late 1960s, Pink Floyd was distinguished for their progressive and psychedelic music. With a penchant for creating long, atmospheric soundscapes punctuated by Andrew Fletcher’s keyboards, Roger Waters’ bass guitar, and Nick Mason’s drums and occasional backing vocals, the band became known for their lengthy songs, concert visual displays, and concepts albums exploring philosophical meanings. Early in their career, Syd Barrett’s distorted electric guitar and lead vocals created a distinctive sound that made them one of the most popular British bands of the time.
Legacy
Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Distinguished by their use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, extended compositions, and elaborate live shows, they are one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history.
Pink Floyd were founded by students Syd Barrett on guitar and lead vocals, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass and lead vocals, and Richard Wright on keyboards and backing vocals. They gained popularity performing in London’s underground music scene during the late 1960s, and under Barrett’s leadership released two charting singles and a successful debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in December 1967; Barrett left the band in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health.
With success camepressure from the record companies for hit singles rather than for albums, something that didn’t suit Pink Floyd as they wanted to be known for their musicianship rather than for their singles. The first album that really showcased this was Atom Heart Mother which was recorded with an orchestra. It was met with mixed reactions but it was a commercial success reaching number 1 in the UK charts.
The Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which blended elements of rock, folk, country, blues, bluegrass, and gospel. They were one of the most successful live acts of the 1960s and ’70s, with a devoted fan base known as “Deadheads.”
Origins
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. Ranging from quintet to septet, the band is known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, gospel, and modal jazz. They are distinguished for their extended jams, woven together by Garcia’s guitar playing and Lesh’s basslines. The band was ranked 57th by Rolling Stone magazine in its The Greatest Artists of All Time issue. The Grateful Dead have sold more than 35 million albums worldwide.
The Grateful Dead began their career as the Warlocks, a group formed in early 1965 from the remnants of a Palo Alto jug band called Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions. The Warlocks’ first show was at Magoo’s Pizza located at 639 Santa Cruz Avenue in suburban Menlo Park, California on May 5, 1965. They changed their name after finding out that another band of the same name had already signed a recording contract.
Musical style
The Grateful Dead’s musical style is often categorized as psychedelic rock, but incorporates elements of a wide variety of genres, including folk, country, blues, bluegrass, jazz, and rock and roll. The band was ranked 57th by Rolling Stone in its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and their Barton Hall Concert was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2012.
Legacy
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco, California. The group was known for its unique and eclectic style, which blended elements of folk, blues, country, jazz, bluegrass, and rock ‘n’ roll. The band was also renowned for its live performances, which often featured extended improvisational jams.
The Grateful Dead released 13 studio albums and numerous live albums over the course of their 30-year career. They are best-known for hits such as “Touch of Grey” and “Friend of the Devil.” The band has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
After the death of lead singer Jerry Garcia in 1995, the remaining members of the Grateful Dead continued to perform under the name The Other One. The band officially disbanded in 2014.
