The Lesser Known 60’s Psychedelic Rock Bands
You may know the Beatles, the Doors, and the Grateful Dead, but what about the lesser known psychedelic rock bands of the 1960s?
The Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes were one of the most psychedelic bands of the 60’s. They were influenced by the likes of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. They combined these influences with elements of Eastern music and created a sound that was unlike anything else at the time. The Electric Prunes released two albums in 1967, both of which are considered classics of the psychedelic genre.
Formed in 1966
The Electric Prunes is an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1966. They are best known for their 1967 hit song “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”. The band’s original lineup consisted of Jim Lowe (lead vocals), Ken Williams (rhythm guitar), James Lowe (bass), Mark Tulin (bass), and Mike Gannon (drums).
The Electric Prunes began as a garage rock band called The Sanctions. James Lowe and Mark Tulin, high school friends, were the original members. They were soon joined by Ken Williams, Mike Gannon, and Jim Lowe. The quintet began playing clubs in the Los Angeles area and caught the attention of record producer Dave Hassinger.
Released two albums in 1967
The Electric Prunes was an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1966. Originally comprising studio musicians Dick Dodd (drums), James Lowe (lead vocals), Ken Williams (guitar), and Michael Weakley (bass), the band was later augmented by Mark Tulin (bass) and Preston Ritter (drums). The group cut their first single, “Ain’t It Hard”, in early 1966, followed by “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”, which became a hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number 11 in January 1967. The Electric Prunes released two albums in 1967, including their best known LP, I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night). The band’s third album, Mass in F Minor, released in 1968, was produced by David Axelrod and featured the 17-minute title track, a setting of the Latin Mass sung by a choir.
Love
Formed in 1965
The 60’s were a time of change and progress. The world was US vs USSR, Mod vs Rocker, and the Beatles vs the Stones. There was also a huge boom in Psychedelic music. This new genre combined different elements of music to create a sound that was both familiar and new. While the Beatles and the Stones are household names, there are many lesser known bands from this era that are just as talented and influential. Here are four Psychedelic bands from the 60’s that you may not be familiar with.
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band
Formed in 1965, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was one of the firstPsychedelic bands. They were influenced by the Beatles and useda lot of studio effects to create their sound. They only released two albums, but they were both very experimental and ahead of their time.
The United States of America
The United States of America was formed in 1967 and only released one album, but it is considered to be one of the most influential Psychedelic albums of all time. It is a concept album about… you guessed it… America. It is full of different sounds and samples that create a unique listening experience.
The Soft Machine
The Soft Machine was formed in 1966 and released their debut album in 1968. They were influenced by jazz and used a lot of improvisation in their music. They are considered to be one of the earliest progressive rock bands.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd needs no introduction. They are one of the most well-known Psychedelic bands of all time. Formed in 1965, they released their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn in 1967. It is a classicPsychedelic album that is still enjoyed by many today.
Released four albums between 1966 and 1968
Danish psychedelic rock band Love was one of the lesser known 60’s psychedelic rock bands. The group was led by Arthur Lee, who wrote most of their material. They released four albums between 1966 and 1968, with their 1967 album Forever Changes being considered by many to be a classic. Love is often cited as an influence by later bands such as Primal Scream and the Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The Doors
The Doors were one of the most successful and controversial American rock bands of the 1960s. They were founded in Los Angeles in 1965 by singer Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. The band took its name from Morrison’s poem “The Doors of Perception”, which was itself a reference to Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception. The band was highly influenced by the psychedelic rock of the time, and their sound was marked by Morrison’s baritone vocals, Manzarek’s use of the Fender Rhodes piano, Krieger’s psychedelic guitar work, and Densmore’s jazz-influenced drumming.
Formed in 1965
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. The band got its name at Morrison’s suggestion from the title of Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception, which itself was a reference to a quote by William Blake.
Released six albums between 1967 and 1971
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, 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 provocative lyrics and erratic stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971, the remaining members continued as a trio until finally disbanding in 1973.
The Doors had a string of hit singles that entered the top 40 charts in the US, starting with their 1967 debut album The Doors which included their signature song “Light My Fire” and reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. The band released six more albums between 1967 and 1971: Strange Days (1967), Waiting for the Sun (1968), The Soft Parade (1969), Morrison Hotel (1970), L.A. Woman (1971) and Other Voices (1971). By 1973, it was evident that the constant touring and recording schedule was taking its toll on the band members, particularly Morrison who was struggling with alcohol abuse.
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member. Although they only managed to achieve commercial success in the United States, the Byrds were a major influence on the American music scene in the 1960s.
Formed in 1964
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple changes throughout its existence, growing from a folk rock-inspired quartet to a psychedelic pop-rock band and then evolving into a country-influenced group during its final incarnation. The original quintet lineup of the Byrds consisted of Roger McGuinn (lead guitar, vocals), Gene Clark (tambourine, vocals), David Crosby (rhythm guitar, vocals), Chris Hillman (bass guitar, vocals), and Michael Clarke (drums).
Released eight albums between 1965 and 1973
The Byrds were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) the sole consistent member, until the group disbanded in 1973. Although they only managed to attain the huge commercial success of contemporaries like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones for a short period in their careers, the Byrds are today considered by many to be nearly as influential as those bands. Their signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn’s jangly twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar influenced a generation of subsequent pop music artists, including contemporaries Buffalo Springfield and the Grateful Dead, as well as such late-1960s / early-1970s pioneers as Neil Young and Gram Parsons. The latter also served as the primary inspiration for country rock pioneer Gram Parsons..
The original five-piece lineup of the Byrds consisted of Jim McGuinn (lead guitar, vocals), Gene Clark (tambourine, vocals), David Crosby (rhythm guitar, vocals), Chris Hillman (bass guitar, vocals), and Michael Clarke (drums). However, this version of the band was relatively short-lived; by early 1966, Clark had left due to dissatisfaction with touring, being replaced briefly by bassist Kenny Buttrey and then permanently by Hillman’s high school friend Kevin Kelley.
Jefferson Airplane
One of the most popular and well-known bands of the 60’s psychedelic rock scene was Jefferson Airplane. They were formed in San Francisco in 1965 and quickly gained popularity with their experimental and often politically-charged sound. They were one of the first bands to sign with a major label and their debut album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, was a critical and commercial success.
Formed in 1965
Jefferson Airplane was formed in San Francisco in 1965. The original lineup included Marty Balin (vocals, rhythm guitar), Paul Kantner (vocals, lead guitar), Grace Slick (vocals, keyboards), Jorma Kaukonen (lead guitar), Jack Casady (bass) and Spencer Dryden (drums). The band was one of the first American rock groups to achieve mainstream success with a psychedelic sound. They had several hit singles, including “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit”, and their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow is regarded as one of the defining works of the psychedelic era.
The Airplane were haunted by personal and professional problems in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and they broke up after Slick left the group in 1971. Kantner reunited the lineup in 1974 for a reunion tour, but the band was not able to recapture their earlier success. They disbanded again in 1976, and Kantner revived the Jefferson Starship name for a new group that he fronted from 1975 to 1984.
Released eight albums between 1966 and 1972
Jefferson Airplane was one of the most successful and influential psychedelic rock bands of the 1960s. They released eight albums between 1966 and 1972, all of which were commercially and critically successful. The band’s unique sound and style helped to define the genre and set them apart from their contemporaries.
After breaking up in 1972, the band members went on to pursue solo careers or form other successful bands, such as Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna. In 1996, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2016 they were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The Grateful Dead
While the Grateful Dead is certainly the most well known of the 60’s psychedelic rock bands, they are far from the only ones. Jefferson Airplane, Crosby Stills and Nash, and The Doors all had a significant impact on the genre. Each of these bands brought something unique to the table, and helped to create the sound that would come to define an entire era.
Formed in 1965
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 eclectic style, which fused elements of country, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, rock, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock,[1][2] for live performances of long musical jams, and for their devoted fan base, known as “Deadheads.” “Their music,” writes Lenny Kaye,”was psychedelic-influenced and tended to stress extended instrumental jams and improvised passages over standard pop fare.” The Grateful Dead have sold more than 35 million albums worldwide.
Released thirteen albums between 1967 and 1995
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which combined elements of country, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, rock, and jazz. They are considered one of the main innovators of the psychedelic rock genre.
The Grateful Dead released thirteen albums between 1967 and 1995. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1967, was followed by a string of successful albums: Anthem of the Sun (1968), Aoxomoxoa (1969), Live/Dead (1969), Workingman’s Dead (1970), and American Beauty (1970). These albums were characterized by tight songwriting, extended improvisation sections, and an overall focus on live performance. In 1973, the band released Wake of the Flood, their first album without founding member Ron “Pigpen” McKernan.
With the exception of 1974’s From the Mars Hotel and 1975’s Blues for Allah—both of which charted at number-twenty-six on the Billboard 200—the band’s output declined in commercial success until 1987’s In the Dark peaked at number-six on the same chart. The group continued to tour regularly until 1995, when frontman Jerry Garcia died of a heart attack at the age of 53. Garcia’s death effectively ended any possibility of a reunion; however, surviving members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann reunited for three concerts in 2015 under the name “Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead”.
