Psychedelic Rock Bands of the 70s

Looking for a little musical inspiration from the past? Check out our list of the best psychedelic rock bands of the 1970s!

The Grateful Dead

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 lengthy instrumental jams, and for their devoted fan base, known as “Deadheads”. “Their music,” writes Lenny Kaye, “touches on ground that most other groups don’t even know exists.”[3] These various influences were distilled into a diverse and psychedelic whole that made the Grateful Dead “the pioneering Godfathers of the jam band world”.[4] The band was ranked 57th by Rolling Stone magazine in its The Greatest Artists of All Time issue.[5] The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and a recording of their May 8, 1977 performance at Cornell University’s Barton Hall was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2012.

The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman, along with Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson. The band incorporated elements of Southern rock, blues, jazz, and country music, and their live shows featured extended instrumental jams.

The group reached the height of their popularity in the early 1970s with the release of At Fillmore East and Brothers and Sisters, both of which were certified by the RIAA as multi-platinum albums. Their 1973 album Eat a Peach reached the top 40 of the Billboard 200 chart, and was certified as gold by the RIAA. The band re-formed once again for a reunion tour in 1989; they released a new album schools tuition-free for two years.

Sanders’ plan would make public colleges and universities tuition-free for all Americans, regardless of income. The plan would be paid for by a tax on Wall Street speculation. Sanders has said that he would work with Congress to make sure that low-income students and students with disabilities receive additional grants and services so that they can succeed in college.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band that formed in 1968. The band members were Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards) and John Bonham (drums). The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound has led them to be cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal. They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording; various sources estimate the group’s record sales at 200 to 300 million copies worldwide.

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished for their extended compositions, sonic experimentalism, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows, and became a leading band of the progressive rock genre. They are one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history.

Pink Floyd were founded by students Syd Barrett on guitar and lead vocals, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass and lead vocals, and Richard Wright on keyboards and backing vocals. They gained popularity performing in London’s underground music scene during the late 1960s, and under Barrett’s leadership released two charting singles and a successful debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967; Barrett left the band in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health.

With Gilmour assuming lead guitar duties, they produced three more critically acclaimed albums: A Saucerful of Secrets (1968), More (1969) and Ummagumma (1969). Following Wright’s departure during recording of More subsequent touring saw Waters assume dominant control over their creative direction for The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) AND THE WALL (1979); all three albums topped critical polls worldwide. By 1971 drummer Mason’s increasingly erratic behaviour had caused his composing contributions to dwindle; he formally left Pink Floyd after recording The Dark Side of the Moon to avoid jeopardizing band relations. Waters’ concept album The Wall became Pink Floyd’s best-selling release; it encapsulated themes of abandonment, isolation and psychological collapse that mirrored his personal life while immersing listeners in richly textured soundscapes thanks partly to long-time producer Bob Ezrin. After nearly two years as a trio following Wright’s return to Pink Floyd for The Wall Tour in 1980–81, Gilmour assumed leadership after Waters’ alienated himself from his bandmates over creative differences surrounding their album The Final Cut (1983). From 1987 onwards Gilmour led Pink Floyd into a more commercial direction with A Momentary Lapse of Reason characteristic song: “On The Turning Away”

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. Jones left the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since. Since Wyman’s departure in 1993, Darryl Jones has served as bassist.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States during 1964 and performed blues-influenced rock & roll. Rooted in blues and early rock & roll, they later experimented with psychedelic rock and hard rock; their music has been described as “grungy” and “blue-collar”. They have released 30 studio albums through 2016.

Yes

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as acid rock or simply psychedelia, is a style of music that emerged in the mid-1960s and came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The genre is characterized by its use of feedback, extended guitar solos, and heavy distortion.

Psychedelic rock bands of the 70s include:

-The Jimi Hendrix Experience
-The Doors
-Cream
-The Grateful Dead
-The Velvet Underground
-Jefferson Airplane

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

ELP was an English rock supergroup formed in London in May 1970. The band consisted of keyboardist Keith Emerson, singer, bassist, and guitarist Greg Lake, and drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer. They were one of the most popular and commercially successful progressive rock bands of the 1970s with sales of over forty million albums worldwide.

Deep Purple

Deep Purple, along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, are considered the pioneers of heavy metal and hard rock. Though their early work was more psychedelic-leaning, their 1968 album “Shake Your Money Maker” is still considered one of the all-time greats of the genre. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes over the years, but they continue to tour and release new music to this day.

King Crimson

King Crimson is a progressive rock band formed in London in 1968. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes over the years and has been influential on many other artists. The band’s debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, is considered a classic of the genre.

King Crimson is known for their complex and often experimental music, which blend elements of jazz, classical, and rock. The band has been praised for their virtuosity and improvisational abilities. They have also been criticized for their self-indulgent approach to songwriting and performance.

Despite their commercial success, King Crimson has never achieved widespread popularity. They have nonetheless remained an influential and respected band throughout their career.