Ghostliness, Psychedelia, and Mysticism in Prog Art Rock
Prog art rock is a genre that is often misunderstood. It’s a genre that is steeped in history, and one that has been constantly evolving since its inception. In this blog, we’ll explore the ghostliness, psychedelia, and mysticism that is often found in prog art rock.
Introduction
The music of the progressive rock era was marked by a number of different styles and genres, but one of the most distinctive was what came to be known as “art rock.” This style was defined by its use of complex time signatures, extended song structures, and often highly experimental arrangements and instrumentation. But just as importantly, art rockers were also known for their willingness to explore more esoteric themes in their lyrics and artwork. This includes everything fromghostliness and mysticism to psychedelia and the occult.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the best-known examples of art rock from the late 1960s and early 1970s. We’ll also explore how these artists used ghostliness, psychedelia, and mysticism to create some of the most enigmatic and enduring music of their era.
Ghostliness
In prog art rock, a sense of ghostliness is created through a variety of techniques. Psychedelic effects are often used to create an unreal or dreamlike quality, while mysticism is evoked through the use of imagery and symbolism. These elements combine to create a sense of otherworldliness in the music.
The Velvet Underground – “Venus in Furs”
Formed in New York City in 1964, The Velvet Underground was one of the first bands to be associated with the burgeoning avant-garde and underground music scenes of the 1960s. Known for their experimental and often confronting music, as well as their close association with the pop artist Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground were one of the most influential bands of their era.
One of the band’s most well-known songs is “Venus in Furs”, which was released on their 1967 debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico. The song is a slow, atmospheric piece that features lyrics inspired by the eponymous 1869 novel by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. The novel tells the story of a man who derives sexual pleasure from being physically and psychologically tortured by a woman, and the song reflects this theme of sadomasochism and masochistic desire.
The song has been praised for its evocative and moody atmosphere, as well as its daring lyrical content. It is considered to be one of the band’s most representativesongs, and has been covered by a number of other artists including Siouxsie and the Banshees, David Bowie, and R.E.M..
Pink Floyd – “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”
Originally released on the band’s second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” is one of Pink Floyd’s most psychedelic and mysterious tracks. The song was written by Roger Waters, and is based on a poem by Dylan Thomas. The lyrics are full of imagery of death and destruction, and the music is slow and ethereal, with a heavy use of reverb and effects.
The song is often interpreted as being about nuclear war, but Waters has said that it is actually about “the death of the Sun.” In an interview with Guitar World magazine in 1987, he said: “It’s a very fatalistic song, I think. It starts off being about somebody sitting around stoned, looking at the Sun going down, and gradually it’s revealed that this person is contemplating suicide… It seems to me that the Sun going down is a metaphor for death.”
Whatever its meaning, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” is a classic example of Pink Floyd’s unique brand of psychedelic art rock.
Psychedelia
Psychedelia is often associated with the art rock of the 1960s and 1970s. The best-known exponents of the style are The Beatles, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. Psychedelia is characterised by the use of mind-altering drugs, such as LSD, to achieve a heightened state of awareness. The music often reflects the drug-induced altered state of consciousness, with emphasis on extended improvisation, unusual sounds, and altered perceptions of reality.
The Beatles – “Tomorrow Never Knows”
From an early age, the Beatles showed a keen interest in music and technology. In the late 1960s, they began experimenting with various innovative studio techniques that synthesized the sounds of traditional instruments with electronic ones. This resulted in a new and unique musical style that came to be known as “psychedelia.”
Psychedelic music is characterized by trippy, otherworldly soundscapes and lyrics that deal with themes of transcendence, spirituality, and drug use. The Beatles’ song “Tomorrow Never Knows” is considered one of the best examples of psychedelia in popular music.
The song was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but it was primarily Lennon’s vision that came to fruition in the studio. Working with producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick, Lennon wanted to create a track that would sound like “a huge sprawling mass of sound.”
To achieve this, they employed a number of experimental recording techniques, including automatic double-tracking (a forerunner to today’s pitch-correction software), tape loops, reverse tapes, and saturated reverb. The result was a track that sounded like nothing else that had been recorded before.
“Tomorrow Never Knows” was released on the Revolver album in 1966 and it remains one of the most purely psychedelic songs ever recorded. If you’re looking to take a trip back to the Summer of Love, this is the song for you.
Jimi Hendrix – “Are You Experienced?”
As one of the most influential electric guitarists in history, Jimi Hendrix’s complex and often improvised solos on songs like “Purple Haze,” “Fire,” and “The Wind Cries Mary” wowed listeners and redefined what was possible on the instrument. His 1967 debut album, “Are You Experienced?,” is a psychedelic tour de force, full of feedback-drenched ragas, bluesy jams, and mind-bending soundscapes. It’s one of the most essential albums of the psychedelic era, and it remains Hendrix’s masterpiece.
Mysticism
Prog art rock is a subgenre of rock music that is often characterized by its use of extended instrumentation, complex song structures, and surrealistic or fantasy-based lyrics. Prog art rock bands often experiment with unusual time signatures, chord progressions, and melodies, and they often use concept albums to tell a story or create an atmosphere. Many prog art rock bands have been influenced by mysticism, psychedelia, and the occult.
Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
The song “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin is a classic example of prog rock. The opening acoustic guitar riff is one of the most recognizable in all of rock music, and the song features a variety of complexelement build to a dramatic climax. All of these elements combine to create a sense of otherworldly mystique, which has led many fans to speculate about the hidden meaning of the lyrics.
There are a number of different theories about what the song is actually about, but one common interpretation is that it is about the journey of a soul after death. The stairway in the title could represent the path that leads from this world to the next, and the mystical references in the lyrics could be interpreted as hinting at the hidden knowledge that awaits us in the afterlife.
Whether or not this is actually what Led Zeppelin intended with the song, it remains one of the most enigmatic and iconic pieces of prog rock ever written, and its ability to evoke a sense of wonder and mystery will continue to enthrall listeners for generations to come.
King Crimson – “In the Court of the Crimson King”
In the Court of the Crimson King is the debut album from English rock band King Crimson, released on 10 October 1969 by Island Records in the UK and by Atlantic Records in the US. The album was canned by many critics upon its release, with some going so far as to call it “anti-music”. Despite this, it has since been regarded as a classic of the genre and is seen as a key work in the development of progressive rock.
The album cover, designed by artist Barry Godber, is one of the most iconic and recognisable images in rock music. It features a disconcerting image of a hooded figure with red eyes looking out from a black sun on a blood-red background. This image has come to be synonymous with the band and their sound.
The album’s opening track, “21st Century Schizoid Man”, is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential tracks in all of prog rock. It features an expansive and complex arrangement, with help from keyboardist/composer extraordinaire Greg Lake. The song is also notable for its use of advanced studio techniques such as reverse tape recordings and variable speed playback.
“In the Court of the Crimson King” is an essential album for any fan of progressive rock or just great music in general. It is a timeless classic that continues to wow listeners even 50 years after its release.
Conclusion
The late 1960s and early 1970s were a time of change and upheaval in many aspects of Western culture. One area that was especially affected was music. Up until this point, the dominant form of popular music had been rock ‘n’ roll, which was seen as a simple, straightforward form of entertainment. However, in the late 1960s, a new type of rock music began to emerge that was much more complex and experimental. This new style became known as “progressive rock”, or “prog rock” for short.
Progressive rock was a direct reaction to the simple structures and limited sonic palette of earlier rock music. Prog rock bands began to experiment with longer song formats, more complex arrangements, and a wider range of instrumentation. They also started to incorporate elements from other genres of music such as classical, jazz, and folk. All of these elements combined to create a new type of rock music that was much more ambitious and experimental than anything that had come before it.
One of the most distinctive aspects of prog rock was its use of extended instrumental sections. These passages were often used to build up an atmosphere of tension or mystery, which could then be released in an explosive outburst of sound. Thisuse of dynamics was one of the things that made prog rock so unique and exciting. It also helped to create an overall feeling of “otherness” that was perfect for expressing the alienation and disorientation that many people were feeling in the early 1970s.
In addition to its experimental nature, prog rock also had a strong spiritual dimension. Many bands adopted a mystical or metaphysical outlook, and their lyrics often dealt with themes such as the occult, psychedelia, Eastern religion, and philosophy. This spiritual aspect of prog rock reflected the fact that many people in the late 1960s and early 1970s were exploring alternative states of consciousness through drugs such as LSD and marijuana.
Progressive rock quickly developed into one of the most popular genres of music in the early 1970s. However, by the end of the decade, it had begun to fall out of favor with the general public. In part, this was due to changes in musical tastes; but it was also because prog rock had become so self-indulgent and overblown that it lost touch with its roots in classic pop/rock music. Nevertheless, prog rock left a lasting legacy; many bands that emerged in the 1980s (such as Pink Floyd) owed a debt to this pioneering style of music.
