The Best Psychedelic Rock Bands with a Medieval Sound
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If you’re looking for a list of the best psychedelic rock bands with a medieval sound, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll countdown the top 10 groups who fit this unique description.
Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also called acid rock, or trippy rock, is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelia, the subculture of people who used psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, mescaline, and DMT to experience visual and auditory hallucinations, dissociation, and altered states of consciousness.
What is Psychedelic Rock?
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psych rock” or “acid rock”, is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Rooted in American garage rock and British blues rock, psychedelic rock incorporates elements of various other genres, including folk, country, jazz, classical, and avant-garde.
Psychedelic bands often used unusual instrumentation and time signatures, as well as an increased use of effects pedals Echoplex and Theremin. LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) use was also common among band members; it was thought to increase creativity and produce “out-of-body” experiences.
The genre is most closely associated with a group of artists who came to be known as the “Holy Trinity of Psychedelia”: Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and The Grateful Dead. Other important figures in the development of psychedelic rock include Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, Pete Townshend of The Who, Roger Daltrey of The Who, Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, Roky Erickson of The 13th Floor Elevators, Kevin Ayers of Soft Machine, Daevid Allen of Soft Machine and Gong, Rob Tyner of MC5, Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge and Cactus, Mountain’s Leslie West,, Vanilla Fudge’s Mark Stein,, Edgar Broughton Band’s Edgar Broughton,, Procol Harum’s Gary Brooker,, Space’s Didier Marouani,, Yes’ Jon Anderson,, Amon Düül II’s Chris Karrer,, Hawkwind’s Dave Brock,, Cluster’s Dieter Moebius,, Can’s Holger Czukay,, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd,, Faust’s Jean-Hervé Péron,, Guru Guru’s Mani Neumeier,, Nektar’s Roye Albrighton,, Steppenwolf’s John Kay,, Julian Cope Of Teardrop Explodes fame.
The History of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psyrock, garage rock, or acid rock, is a musical genre that became popular in the mid-1960s. The sound is characterized by electric guitars played with feedback and reverb, as well as extended instrumentals that often explore unusual time signatures and tonalities. The genre is also known for its use of Recording techniques like phasing and reverse tape effects.
Psychedelic rock’s origins can be traced back to the early days of rock music in the 1950s, when bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones began experimenting with drugs like LSD. In the 1960s, psychedelic rock reached its peak with bands like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Pink Floyd releasing groundbreaking albums that explored the genre’s sonic possibilities.
Since then, psychedelic rock has continued to evolve and influence subsequent generations of musicians. In the 1970s and 1980s, punk rock and new wave bands like Talking Heads incorporated psychedelic elements into their music. In the 1990s and 2000s, indie rock bands such as Tame Impala and Animal Collective followed suit. Today, the genre remains popular with both fans and musicians alike.
The Best Psychedelic Rock Bands with a Medieval Sound
Psychedelic rock bands with a medieval sound are a dime a dozen these days. It seems like every other band is trying to add a bit of medieval flavor to their sound. However, not all of them are successful. In this article, we will be discussing the best psychedelic rock bands with a medieval sound.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Formed in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is a psychedelic rock band that has a unique sound that combines elements of medieval music with modern psychedelic rock. The band has released eight studio albums, with their most recent, 2018’s Polygondwanaland, being critically acclaimed. They are considered one of the best Psychedelic Rock bands today and are definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of the genre.
Thee Oh Sees
Thee Oh Sees are aPsychedelic rockband from San Francisco, CA, USA, founded in 1997 by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John Dwyer. The band currently consists of Dwyer (guitar, vocals), Tim Hellman (bass), Dan Rincon (drums) and Paul Quattrone (drums).
Thee Oh Sees have released 16 studio albums, 4 split-albums, 4 live albums and 5 compilation albums. Their most recent studio album, Orc, was released in August 2017.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American musical project and band led by Anton Newcombe. It was formed in San Francisco in 1990. The group was the subject of the 2004 documentary film Dig!, and have gained notoriety for their tumultuous working relationships as well as the erratic behavior of Newcombe. The collective has released seventeen albums, numerous compilations and two live albums. Their musical style combines elements of 1960s psychedelic rock with garage rock, neo-psychedelia, country rock, shoegaze, and spatial pop.
