The Best Bass-Heavy Psychedelic Rock Bands

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

These are the best bass-heavy psychedelic rock bands currently making music. If you’re a fan of the genre, you won’t want to miss out on any of these artists.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band that formed in Liverpool in 1960. They are widely considered to be the most influential band of all time. The Beatles are known for their innovative and experimental music, which includes a wide range of genres such as pop, rock, and psychedelia. They are also known for their use of unconventional methods such as backwards tapes and feedback.

Their sound

The Beatles are often cited as one of the best bass-heavy psychedelic rock bands. Their sound is characterized by a heavy use of guitars and a psychedelic edge. The Beatles’ sound is often compared to that of other bass-heavy bands such as The Who and Led Zeppelin.

Their influence

The Beatles are often credited as the band who started the psychedelic rock revolution of the 1960s. They popularized a number of mind-bending techniques that would go on to be used by other artists in the genre, including backwards tapes, distorted vocals, and experimental instrumentation. The Beatles began exploring psychedelic sounds on their 1966 album Revolver, and continued to push the envelope on subsequent albums like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road. While the band’s later work is more commonly associated with psychedelic rock, their earlier hits like “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” also contain elements of the style.

Pink Floyd

Their sound

Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Pink Floyd are known for their sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. One of the first critically acclaimed concept albums, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), was based on Syd Barrett’s journey into madness. The dark themes of alienation, mental illness, and death continued to be explored on subsequent releases The articles below explore different aspects of Pink Floyd’s unique sound.

Their influence

Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, and elaborate live shows.

The band primarily consisted of Syd Barrett (guitar, lead vocals), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals), and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals). Barrett left the band in 1968 due to his declining mental health. Waters became the primary lyricist and conceptual leader, devising the concepts behind their albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), The Wall (1979), and The Final Cut (1983). Wright left Pink Floyd in 1979 due to creative differences; he would be formally reinstated as a band member in 1987. Gilmour assumed leadership of Pink Floyd in 1985.

The final Pink Floyd studio album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), was recorded without Waters and featured new bassist Guy Pratt. Later that year, Pink Floyd embarked on their first world tour since 1977. Wright died in 1996; Barrett died in 2006. Following creative tensions, Gilmour assumed leadership of Pink Floyd in 1985 and brought back Wright for several tracks on A Momentary Lapse of Reason. All three surviving members — Gilmour, Mason, and Wright — reunited for a final performance at Live 8 on 2 July 2005; it was their first performance with Waters since The Wall tour of 1981–1982.

Led Zeppelin

Formed in 1968, Led Zeppelin is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time. The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound has shaped the course of rock music and influenced countless other artists. Led Zeppelin’s impact is still felt today, more than 50 years after their formation.

Their sound

Led Zeppelin’s sound has been described as “heavy,” “shocking,” and “pounding.” It was based on the blues and featured guitar, bass, and drums. The band often used feedback and distortion to create a “wall of sound.” They also incorporated elements of folk, reggae, and Eastern music.

Their influence

Led Zeppelin’s impact on rock music is impossible to overstate. Along with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, they are one of the most important and influential rock bands of all time. They helped to pioneer a new, heavier sound in rock music that would come to dominate the genre in the 1970s. They also influenced countless other bands with their innovative songwriting, powerful performances, and use of recording techniques.

The Who

The Who are a British rock band formed in 1964. The group originally consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century. The band’s classic lineup lasted until Moon’s death in 1978.

Their sound

The Who’s sound was a melting pot of styles, influenced by rhythm and blues, American pop and rock, as well as jazz and classical music. They quickly developed their own unique style of music, which was characterized by heavy instrumentation, Keith Moon’s powerful drumming, Pete Townshend’s distinctive guitar playing, and the dynamic vocals of Roger Daltrey.

The band’s sound LPs such as Tommy (1969) and Quadrophenia (1973), which were musically ambitious concept albums that further exploration into new musical territory. Townshend also wrote a number of hits for the band that became anthems for the Mod subculture, including “My Generation” (1965), “Substitute” (1966), and “I Can’t Explain” (1964). The Who reached the height of their popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a series of hit singles and albums, including the album Tommy, which was turned into a rock opera. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide.

Their influence

The Who is an English rock band that formed in London in 1964. Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, selling over 100 million records worldwide.

The Who’s early work was marked by a high degree of experimentation, particularly on their second album, A Quick One (1966), which featured themini-opera “A Quick One While He’s Away”. They later achieved commercial success with hit singles such as “I Can’t Explain”, “Pictures of Lily”, “My Generation”, “Substitute” and “Happy Jack”. In 1967, they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released the US top 10 single “I Can See for Miles”. The group’s fourth album, 1969’s Tommy, was a critically acclaimed rock opera that became their first major commercial success in the UK and their first album to reach number one in the US.

The group continued to tour regularly through the 1970s and release new albums, including Quadrophenia (1973) and Who Are You (1978), before entering a period of inactivity following Moon’s death in 1978. In 1982, the band released their ninth studio album It’s Hard to Rock a Winnebago with new drummer Kenney Jones. The album was a critical and commercial disappointment, leading Townshend to state that it would be their final studio album. Entwistle died suddenly of heart failure shortly after its release. Following a period of mourning, Townshend and Daltrey continued to tour with new band member Simon Townshend (Pete Townshend’s younger brother) playing bass guitar. The group released two more studio albums – Endless Wire (2006) and quadrophenia Live in Hyde Park (2013) – before Townshend indicated that he was too old to continue touring on an extended basis.

Despite this, The Who continue to be widely respected by music fans and critics alike; they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 – one of only five rock bands to have been honored while still active –and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. In 2000, VH1 ranked them ninth on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time; Roger Daltrey was ranked 14th on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of greatest singers while Pete Townshend appeared at number 11 on Gibson Gibsons’ poll; both lists also placed them second on its 2011 readers’ poll of the 100 Greatest Living Rock Artists

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He was also a master of feedback and sustain, making him one of the best bass-heavy psychedelic rock bands.

His sound

In 1967, Hendrix recorded the single “Purple Haze”, which made the top ten in several countries, including the US and UK. By early 1968, Hendrix was internationally known and considered one of the most influential electric guitarists of his era. Later that year, he headlined the US’s largest indoor music festival, the Miami Pop Festival, and performed to a record 600,000 people at the Monterey Pop Festival. In September 1968, Hendrix appeared at the Théâtre de la Gaité in Paris with Jeff Beck and B.B. King.

His influence

As a bass player, Jimi Hendrix was nothing short of revolutionary. His technique, which involved using his teeth and guitar strings to create percussive sounds, was previously unheard of and soon became one of his trademark elements. Other bassists began adopting similar techniques, and Hendrix’s influence can still be heard in the playing of today’s most popular performers.

While he is best known for his work with the band Jimi Hendrix Experience, Hendrix also played with a number of other groups throughout his career. These included the likes of Band of Gypsys, Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, and the short-lived supergroup Power of Soul. No matter who he was playing with, Hendrix always brought an explosive energy to his performances that was truly unique.

If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, then you owe it to yourself to check out some of the best bass-heavy bands that were influenced by Jimi Hendrix. You might just find your new favorite band in the process!

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