Eerie Psychedelic Rock: The Sound of the Sixties
Contents
Eerie Psychedelic Rock: The Sound of the Sixties- a blog about the history and influence of the psychedelic rock genre.
Psychedelic Rock Basics
Psychedelic rock, also known as “acid rock”, is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The sound of psychedelic rock is characterized by distorted guitars, extended improvisation, and trippy sound effects. The lyrics often deal with topics like drug use, love, and social upheaval.
What is Psychedelic Rock?
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelic pop or colloquially as “psychedelia”, is a style of rock music that arose in the mid-1960s. Psychedelic rock is often characterized by repetitive elements, such as electric guitars played with feedback and distorted sound, as well as extended solos and jams. The genre is named after the 1970 album Psychedelic Rock by The Amazing Snakeheads.
Psychedelic rock music often contains elements of other genres, such as acid rock, garage rock, and colonial rock. It drew upon existing musical traditions, including blues and folk music, and incorporated new instrumentation and effects to create a unique sound. Psychedelic rock bands often used drug-related lyrics or imagery in their music to promote the use of recreational drugs, such as LSD or cannabis.
The style was initially popularized by bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Byrds in the United Kingdom, and then spread to the United States where it was further developed by artists such as Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix.
The Sound of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock is a music genre that emerged in the mid-1960s. It is characterized by distorted guitars, lyrics that are often surreal and deals with topics such as drug use, the quest for peace, love, and freedom. The sound of psychedelic rock was created with the help of new studio techniques and technologies, which gave the music a more “trippy” or “mind-expanding” sound.
The Sixties
The sixties were a time of change and counterculture. Music was no exception to this. Psychedelic rock emerged during this time and was the perfect sound for the chaotic times. The music was trippy, mind-bending, and often times dark. It was the perfect soundtrack for a generation that was trying to find themselves.
The Social Climate of the Sixties
The social climate of the Sixties was one of great change. The youth of the world were rebelling against the status quo and demanding more freedom and equality. This was especially true in America, where the civil rights movement was in full force and young people were challenge traditional ideas about race, gender, and sexuality.
The music of the time reflected these changes. Psychedelic rock emerged as a new genre that encouraged people to expand their minds and explore new possibilities. This music was often experimental, and it pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable.
The Sixties were a time of great turmoil, but they were also a time of great creativity. The music of this era captured the spirit of change that was sweeping across the world.
The Music of the Sixties
The sixties were a time of great change and experimentation in the world of music. Rock and roll was sweeping the nation, and artists were pushing the boundaries of what was considered acceptable. This was the era of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix, and their influence is still felt today.
Psychedelic rock emerged as a response to the increasing popularity of mind-altering drugs like LSD. This new genre of music was characterized by its use of distorted guitars, mind-bending lyrics, and extended jam sessions. The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd were two of the most successful bands in this genre.
The sixties were also a time when soul music began to gain popularity. Motown Records was founded in 1960, and it would go on to produce some of the most iconic soul artists of all time, including Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross. Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit “Respect” would become an anthem for the civil rights movement.
jazz also enjoyed a resurgence in popularity during the sixties. Miles Davis’ album Kind of Blue is considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, and it helped to launch the careers of many future jazz legends like Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme is another essential album from this era.
The sixties were a turbulent time, but they produced some truly timeless music.
Psychedelic Rock in the Sixties
Psychedelic Rock in the Sixties got its start with the British Invasion. Bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones began experimenting with drugs like LSD and marijuana, and their music began to reflect this new, trippy perspective. Psychedelic Rock soon spread to the United States, where bands like The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane took the sound to new heights. The genre reached its peak in the late Sixties, but by the early Seventies, it had begun to decline.
The British Invasion
In the mid-sixties, Britain went crazy for psychedelic rock. The Beatles started it all with their classic album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which wasn’t just a hit in the UK but also in the US. This was followed by other British bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Who releasing their own psychedelic albums. The British Invasion had begun!
Psychedelic rock was a new and exciting genre that combined elements of rock and roll with mind-altering drugs like LSD. This combination resulted in some of the most iconic and influential music of the twentieth century. Psychedelic rock songs are often characterized by their trippy, dreamlike quality and their use of distorted or feedback-heavy sounds. Many of the genre’s biggest hits were written about drug use, counterculture, and young love.
The Beatles – “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”
The Rolling Stones – “Paint It Black”
The Kinks – “You Really Got Me”
The Who – “I Can See for Miles”
The Summer of Love
In 1967, the musical vibes at San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury scene reached a boiling point. Nicknamed the “Summer of Love,” this magical time was all about free love, peace, and mind-altering drugs like LSD. Musically, it was also a time when psychedelic rock really came into its own.
Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. Musically, it is characterized by electric guitars played against a backdrop of electronic sounds, such as feedback and distorted sound effects. Lyrically, it often deals with themes of mind alteration and imagination, such as trips, drug use, and hallucinations.
The Summer of Love was largely fueled by the proliferation of psychedelics like LSD. These drugs were often used by bands to enhance their live performances, which often resulted in extended jams and improvisation. Some of the most iconic bands of the era, such as The Beatles and The Grateful Dead, embraced psychedelics and used them to create some truly mind-bending music.
If you’re looking to take a trip back in time to the Summer of Love, put on some psychedelic rock and let your mind wander.
The Legacy of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also known as psychedelic pop, or simply psychedelia, is a style of rock music that arose in the mid-1960s. The sound of psychedelic rock is often characterized by distorted guitars, high-pitched vocals, and heavy use of feedback. The lyrics often deal with themes of love, loss, and drug use.
Psychedelic Rock Today
Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the 1960s with the goal of replicating and enhancing the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock often uses distorted and extended guitar solos, as well as studio effects like reverb and echo. The genre is firmly rooted in the hippie counterculture movement of the 1960s, and continued to be popular throughout the 1970s.
In the 1980s and 1990s, many bands began to experiment with psychedelic rock, resulting in a revival of the genre. This renewed interest in psychedelic music has led to a resurgence in popularity for bands like The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Paperhead, and Allah-Las. These bands have brought psychedelic rock back to its garage rock roots, giving the genre a fresh sound for a new generation of fans.
