List of Psychedelic Rock Bands
A list of popular Psychedelic Rock bands including The Beatles, The Doors, and Pink Floyd.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music. They were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music’s recognition as an art form.
The Beatles’ influence on psychedelic rock
The Beatles are often cited as the primary influencers of psychedelic rock, a genre of music that emerged in the mid-1960s and was characterized by mind-altering soundscapes achieved through the use of feedback, distorted guitars, and experimental studio techniques. The Fab Four’s 1966 album Revolver is generally considered to be the first true psychedelic rock record, with its sonic landscapes paving the way for subsequent releases by other artists in the genre.
The Beatles’ influence on psychedelic rock was far-reaching and helped to shape the sound and aesthetic of the genre for years to come. Many subsequent psychedelic rock bands would go on to cite the Fab Four as a major influence, and their impact can still be felt in the music of today.
The Beatles’ psychedelic songs
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s.
The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers until they recruited Starr in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein molded them into a professional act, glamorising their image for mass consumption as they toured widely across Britain and North America from 1962 until their break-up in 1970. While Sutcliffe was respite from touring with the band due to illness from mid-1962 until his death in April 1962,[12] Beatles steadily increased their popularity in Britain; they built an enthusiastic Liverpool following among several wealthy college students known as “the Liverpool Scene”, who were prominent participants at early Cavern Club performances.[13][nb 1] These fans formed a prototype for what would become known as ” Beatlemania”.
In late 1962,[16] the band travelled to Hamburg for a third stint,[17][18] performing 100 concerts over approximately 92 days.[19] During this time they also employed Tony Sheridan on rhythm guitar; however he was never an official member of the band.[20][21] TheFab Four’s lineup was now complete;[22][23] Harrison later commented: “For some reason we just gelled”.[24] According to various biographies,[25][26][27] toward the end of his time with The Beatles, Sutcliffe began dating German Astrid Kirchherr,[28][29][30] who introduced him to Armani suits[31] which gave him a more mature look compared to his former “collegeboy” style.[32
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group’s original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. The Beach Boys are one of the most influential bands of all time, and their records continue to sell in high numbers.
The Beach Boys’ influence on psychedelic rock
The Beach Boys were one of the most influential bands of the 1960s. They popularized the California sound and pioneered the use of elaborate vocal harmonies, studios techniques, and innovative sound effects. The Beach Boys also had a profound influence on psychedelic rock, particularly with their 1966 album Pet Sounds.
The experimental album featured a number of sonic innovations that were integral to the development of psychedelia, including the use of echoplex and various types of tape loops. The album’s dense arrangements and complex song structures influenced many subsequent psychedelic rock bands, including The Beatles, who cited Pet Sounds as a major inspiration for their landmark album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The Beach Boys’ psychedelic songs
The Beach Boys is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1961. The group’s original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. The Beach Boys are one of the most influential bands of the 20th century. They are known for their vocal harmonies, distinctive sound, and transportation to a golden age of American culture.
The Beach Boys began to experiment with psychedelic music on their album Pet Sounds (1966). The album included the song “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, which became an anthem for the counterculture generation. The Beach Boys continued to explore psychedelia on their next album, Smile (1967). The album was shelved due to creative differences within the band, but it was eventually released in 2011.
In 1968, the Beach Boys released the album Friends, which featured the song “Do It Again”. The song became a top 40 hit in the United States and United Kingdom. The Beach Boys’ next album, 20/20 (1969), featured the psychedelic-influenced single “I Can Hear Music”.
The Beach Boys’ final psychedelic song was “Looking Back”, which was released on their 1971 album Surf’s Up. The song is an ode to Brian Wilson’s experiements with LSD.
The Doors
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 one of the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and on-stage antics, which included making obscene gestures, and in some cases, exposing himself.
The Doors’ influence on psychedelic rock
The Doors were one of the most influentialpsychedelic rock bands of the 1960s. They were highly influential in the development of psychedelic rock, and their music is often seen as a template for the genre. The band’s lyrics and musical style were heavily influenced by the writings of LSD advocate Aldous Huxley, and their sound was powered by the unique, slide guitar-driven blues-rock of guitarist Jim Morrison. The Doors’ debut album, The Doors (1967), was one of the most successful debut albums of all time, and it established the band as one of the leading forces in psychedelia. The band’s follow-up album, Strange Days (1967), was also highly successful, and it cemented their reputation as one of the premier psychedelic rock bands. The Doors’ third album, Waiting for the Sun (1968), was another commercial and critical success, and it contained some of their most popular songs, including “Hello, I Love You” and “Touch Me”. The band’s fourth album, The Soft Parade (1969), was a relative disappointment commercially, but it still contained some excellent psychedelic tracks, such as “Tell All the People” and “Wild Child”.
The Doors’ influence on psychedelic rock cannot be overstated. They were one of the first bands to successfully fuse psychedelic imagery with blues-based rock ‘n’ roll, and their music had a profound effect on subsequent generations of psychedelic musicians. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, then you owe a debt of gratitude to The Doors.
The Doors’ psychedelic songs
Psychedelic music is a genre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, characterized by the use of psychedelic drugs, extended jams, and distorted guitars. The Doors were one of the most popular and influential bands of the psychedelic rock era, with their hit songs “Light My Fire” and “Touch Me” becoming anthems of the counterculture.
The Doors’ psychedelic songs include:
– “The End”
– “When the Music’s Over”
– “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
– “Break on Through (To the Other Side)”
– “Light My Fire”
– “People Are Strange”
– “Touch Me”
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was an American rock musician who was born in Seattle, Washington in 1942. Hendrix is considered to be one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of rock music. He played a crucial role in the development of psychedelic rock, a genre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s.
Jimi Hendrix’s influence on psychedelic rock
Like many other genres, psychedelic rock was largely influenced by the work of one man: Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix’s combination of virtuosity and innovation had a tremendous impact on the course of rock music, and his influence is still felt today.
Psychedelic rock would not have existed without Hendrix’s trailblazing work. He took the blues-based sound of the 1950s and 1960s and added elements of jazz, soul, and R&B to create a new style that was truly his own. His use of feedback, distortion, and other effects helped to define the psychedelic sound. Hendrix’s playing was also marked by a unprecedented level of technical proficiency; his mastery of the guitar was simply unmatched at the time.
Hendrix’s impact on psychedelic rock cannot be overstated; he virtually created the genre single-handedly. His innovative style and unmatched skill continue to inspire musicians to this day.
Jimi Hendrix’s psychedelic songs
Although Jimi Hendrix was not a psychedelic rock musician, he is often associated with the genre due to his use of psychedelic drugs and referenced them in some of his songs. Some of Hendrix’s most popular psychedelic songs include “Purple Haze,” “Fire,” and “The Wind Cries Mary.”
Pink Floyd
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psych rock or simply psychedelia, is a style of rock music characterized by distorted guitars, feedback, and other sonic elements reminiscent of psychedelic drugs. The first psychedelic rock bands emerged in the mid-1960s, and the style quickly spread around the world. Pink Floyd was one of the most successful and influential of these bands.
Pink Floyd’s influence on psychedelic rock
Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They are credited with influencing the development of psychedelic rock. Pink Floyd’s sound is marked by the use of electronic effects, elongated song structures, and sound effects, and their use of conceptual themes. Lead singer Syd Barrett’s lyrics explored philosophical, psychological, and literary themes, and examination of insanity, antisocial behavior, drug culture, death, and existentialism.
The band achieved international success with their second album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), which peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart. Barrett’s health deteriorated due to his excessive use of LSD; he was officially replaced by guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour in 1968. The following year, the band released their second album with Gilmour, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). Pink Floyd became one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history.
The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) remained on the Billboard 200 chart for 741 weeks from 1973 to 1988, longer than any other album in history; it is certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as having sold more than 45 million copies in the United States. With The Wall (1979), Pink Floyd made one of rock’s first concept albums; it explores themes of abandonment and personal isolation. The album topped Billboard 200 for 15 weeks; its single “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” became a Top 10 hit single in several countries.
Pink Floyd’s psychedelic songs
Pink Floyd’s psychedelic songs include “Interstellar Overdrive” from their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, “See Emily Play” and “Bike” from A Saucerful of Secrets, “Atom Heart Mother” and “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” from Atom Heart Mother, “One of These Days” and “Echoes” from Meddle, and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I-V” from Wish You Were Here.
