The Top African Psychedelic Rock Bands You Need to Know
If you’re a fan of rock music, then you’ll definitely want to check out these top African psychedelic rock bands! From upbeat and catchy tunes to more mellow and reflective tracks, these bands have something for everyone.
The Psychedelic Furs
The Psychedelic Furs are a rock band that formed in England in the late 1970s. The band’s sound is a mix of post-punk and new wave. The Psychedelic Furs were one of the first Alternative Rock bands to achieve mainstream success. The band’s 1984 single, “The Ghost in You,” was a top five hit in the United Kingdom.
Formed in 1977
The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band that was founded in London in February 1977. The initial four members were Richard Butler (lead vocals), Tim Butler (bass guitar), Duncan Kilburn (saxophone) and Roger Morris (guitar). By 1979, the band had added John Ashton (guitar) and Vince Ely (drums) to their lineup.
The Psychedelic Furs’ sound was defined by their use of synthesisers and drum machines, which helped create a wall of sound that was complimented by Butler’s baritone vocals. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1980, and contained the single “She Is Mine”, which received heavy rotation on college radio stations in the United States. The album’s second single, “Susan’s Strange”, was also a college radio hit.
The Psychedelic Furs’ second album, Talk Talk Talk, was released in 1981 and contained the singles “Into You Like a Train” and “Mr. Jones (Ballade Of A Thin Man)”. This album saw the band experimenting with different sounds and textures, and is considered to be one of their strongest releases.
The band’s third album, Mirror Moves, was released in 1984 and contained the hit single “Love My Way”. This song proved to be one of the band’s most popular, receiving heavy rotation on MTV and radio stations around the world. The album also contained the singles “Heaven” and “The Ghost In You”, both of which were also hits.
After a five-year hiatus, The Psychedelic Furs returned with their sixth album, World Outside. The first single from the album, “til I Die”, received heavy airplay on alternative rock radio stations in the United States. The album’s second single, “All That Money Wants”, was also a hit on alternative rock radio.
The Psychedelic Furs have released seven studio albums over the course of their career, with their most recent being 2016’s Made Of Rain. They continue to tour regularly, and are currently scheduled to embark on a co-headlining tour with Echo & The Bunnymen in 2020.
Known for their hit single “Love My Way”
The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band formed in 1977. The group originally consisted of brothers Richard Butler (lead vocals) and Tim Butler (bass guitar).Initially associated with the British post-punk movement, they later evolved into a more New Wave-oriented band. Their best-known hit, “Love My Way”, was released in July 1982.
The Psychedelic Furs began activity in February 1977. They were initially associated with the British post-punk movement. The original lineup included two brothers: Richard Butler (lead vocals) and Tim Butler (bass guitar). Originally called RKO, they gigged regularly in London pubs before signing to Columbia Records in 1979.
ThePsychedelicFurs had eight UK Top 30 singles between 1980 and 1991. Two of these – “Love My Way” (1982) and “Pretty in Pink” (1986) – were included on The Psychedelic Furs’ greatest hits album, All of This and Nothing, which reached #18 in the UK Albums Chart in 1988. The Psychedelic Furs toured extensively throughout Europe and North America.
The Police
If you’re a fan of African Psychedelic Rock, then you’ve probably heard of the Police. The Police is a four-piece band from Ghana that has been making music since 2011. The band is made up of singer/guitarist Adomaa, bassist/keyboardist Emmanuel Botchway, drummer Kofi Agyare, and percussionist/singer Nana Yaw Opoku-Agyemang. The Police’s sound is a mix of Ghanaian highlife, Afrobeat, and psychedelic rock.
Formed in 1977
The Police were a British rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history, the band consisted of Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums). The Police became globally popular in the late 1970s and are widely regarded as one of the first new wave groups to achieve mainstream success, playing a style of rock that was influenced by punk, reggae and jazz. They are also considered one of the leaders of the Second British Invasion of the US.
The Police released five studio albums, won six Grammy Awards and are ranked as the world’s seventh-best-selling band of all time with over 75 million records sold. They broke up in 1986 but reunited in 2007 for a hugely successful world tour that ended in 2008. In May 2008, they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in December that year were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. In January 2009, Rolling Stone ranked them number 84 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Known for their hit singles “Roxanne” and “Every Breath You Take”
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. The band consisted of Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums). They are considered one of the most successful bands of the 1980s with sales of more than 100 million records worldwide. They are also ranked as the 62nd greatest artist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
The Police released five studio albums between 1978 and 1983, including Outlandos d’Amour (1978), Regatta de Blanc (1979), Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), Ghost in the Machine (1981) and Synchronicity (1983). Their final album, The Singles, was a compilation of their greatest hits and was released in 1986. The Police were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
Talking Heads
Psychedelic rock music emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, and it has been described as “the ultimate fusion of rock, pop, garage, R&B, and surf music.” The genre is characterized by distorted guitars, trippy effects, and mind-bending lyrics. African psychedelic rock bands took the genre and made it their own, infusing it with African rhythms and sounds. Here are some of the best African psychedelic rock bands you need to know.
Formed in 1975
Talking Heads were an American rock band that was formed in 1975 in New York City. The band’s initial lineup consisted of lead singer and guitarist David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, and keyboardist Jerry Harrison. The band released eight studio albums during their career, with their last album, Naked, being released in 1988.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, and their work has been included in several major film and television soundtracks.
Known for their hit single “Psycho Killer”
Formed in 1974, Talking Heads was a new wave/punk rock band from New York City, consisting of singer/guitarist David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth, keyboardist Jerry Harrison, and drummer Chris Frantz. The band released seven studio albums before disbanding in 1991. Their best-known album is probably Remain in Light (1980), which featured the hit single “Psycho Killer.”
The Cure
Formed in 1976
Psychedelic rock is a genre that first emerged in the mid-1960s and became popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was influenced by psychedelic culture, which was typified by the use of psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, mescaline and DMT. The genre sometimes incorporated elements of Indian music and Hindu mythology.
The band’s sound is typified by extended jams, improvisation and psychedelic effects. The Cure were one of the leading exponents of the genre. They were formed in 1976 and released their debut album Three Imaginary Boys in 1979. The album was influenced by the punk rock movement that was taking place at the time, but incorporated elements of psychedelia, giving the band a unique sound.
The Cure went on to release a number of successful albums, including Pornography (1982), Disintegration (1989) and Bloodflowers (2000). They remain one of the most popular bands in the world, with a large cult following.
Known for their hit singles “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Just Like Heaven”
The Cure is a British rock band that formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band helped to pioneer the gothic rock and post-punk genres, and they are known for their dark, enveloping sound and darkly romantic aesthetic. The Cure has released 13 studio albums, and they have sold more than 27 million records worldwide. The band’s best-known lineup includes singer Robert Smith, bassist Simon Gallup, guitarist Porl Thompson, and drummer Lol Tolhurst.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Siouxsie and the Banshees were an English rock band, formed in 1976 in London by singer Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. The band grew out of the punk rock scene and achieved commercial success with their fifth album, Juju (1981). They have been cited as an influence on a wide range of artists, including Kurt Cobain, PJ Harvey, and the Cure.
Formed in 1976
Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band, formed in London in 1976 by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin. The band grew out of the remnants of the late-1970s punk rock scene. They were one of the first bands to embrace gothic fashion and adopt the goth subculture’s musical references.
Known for their hit single “Hong Kong Garden”
Siouxsie and the Banshees were an English rock band, formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. The band evolved through several line-up changes, with Siouxsie and Severin being the only constant members. They recorded five studio albums and several UK Top 20 singles before disbanding in 1996.
The band is known for their hit single “Hong Kong Garden”, which charted at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in 1978, and for their cover version of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”.
