Psychedelic Rock and Lewis Carol: What’s the Connection?
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In this blog post, we explore the connection between Psychedelic Rock and the works of Lewis Carol. We’ll examine how both genres use elements of the surreal and the fantastical to explore the human condition.
Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as simply “psychedelia”, is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The genre is characterized by a distorted, “trippy” sound, often created with the help of effects pedals. Psychedelic music often contains elements of other genres, including folk, pop, and blues. The term “psychedelic” is derived from the Greek word for “mind-revealing”.
Definition of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “acid rock”, is a type of music that emerged in the mid-1960s and was popularized in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The genre is characterized by its use of psychedelic (or “acid”) drugs, such as LSD, as well as its melding of various genres, including blues, folk, pop, and R&B.
Psychedelic rock began to lose its popularity in the late 1970s, but has experienced something of a resurgence in recent years. The genre is currently enjoying something of a renaissance, with new bands such as Tame Impala and Thee Oh Sees gaining popularity.
Psychedelic rock is often associated with the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as with the hippie subculture. The genre is also sometimes said to be synonymous with the term “progressive rock”, although this is not strictly accurate.
History of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic music (sometimes called psychedelia) is a wide-ranging style of rock music that originated in the mid-1960s. Psychedelic music is intended to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs, most notably LSD. Many psychedelic groups differ in style, and the label is often applied spuriously.
Psychedelic rock reached its peak of mainstream popularity between 1966 and 1968, with bands such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Doors, and Cream achieving commercial success. By the end of the 1960s, psychedelic rock had largely fallen out of favor with the general public, although it continued to be regarded as an important genre by many within the music industry.
Psychedelic rock began to have a major impact on popular music in 1964 when The Beatles released their album A Hard Day’s Night, which featured the song “I Should Have Known Better” with its signature Indian-influenced sitar sound. Another influential album was The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds (1966), which built on leader Brian Wilson’s use of unconventional instrumentation and experimental recording techniques. In 1967, Pink Floyd released two of their most successful singles: “See Emily Play” and “Apples and Oranges”. These were followed by their debut album Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), which includes other songs with a more obvious psychedelic influence such as “Lucifer Sam”, “Astronomy Domine”, “Flaming”, “Interstellar Overdrive” and “The Gnome”.
The Doors’ debut album The Doors (1967) was highly influential for its use of Indian influences and electronic effects such as reversed tapes and feedback. Jim Morrison’s deep, resonant vocals were another significant factor in the band’s sound. Albums such as Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow (1967) pushed further into drug-induced states of consciousness with songs like “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love”. Cream’s album Disraeli Gears (1967) featured the track “Sunshine of Your Love”, which included Eastern-influenced sitar sounds courtesy of Eric Clapton’s use of a Gibson SG guitar fitted with a Rose Morris Vagabond amplifier.
Lewis Carol
Psychedelic rock is a type of rock music that was inspired by psychedelic culture and attempted to replicate its LSD-induced effects. The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is often cited as the greatest and most influential psychedelic album. Lewis Carol is an English writer best known for his children’s books, such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. So what’s the connection between these two things?
Life and Work of Lewis Carol
Lewis Carol was an English writer and mathematician best known for his work in logic and for his children’s books, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
Born in 1832, Carol was the son of a church deacon and the grandson of a rector. He was educated at home by his father until he was 12, when he was sent to Rugby School. In 1850, he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. He studied mathematics and achieved first-class honors in his examinations, but he did not take a degree upon graduation.
Carol began working as a civil servant in 1855. He worked for the Inland Revenue service for more than 30 years, during which time he also wrote books on mathematics, logic, and philosophy.
Carol’s first published work was a translation of Euclid’s Elements into English (1860). His work on logic included A Treatise on Logic (1862) and An Essay on Probabilities (1866). He also wrote The Game of Logic (1886), which was intended for children.
In 1865, Carol married his first wife, Jane Rutherford; they had three daughters together. Jane died in 1871, and Carol married his second wife, Alicia Liddell, in 1882. They had one son together. Alicia died in 1934.
Carol retired from his civil service job in 1890 and became a full-time writer. In 1897, he published the book that would make him famous: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The book was an instant success, and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass, was published in 1871.
Carol died of pneumonia in 1898 at the age of 65.
Connection Between Psychedelic Rock and Lewis Carol
Psychedelic rock, also known as acid rock, is a style of music that emerged in the mid-1960s and became popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The style is characterized by distorted guitars, psychedelic effects, and a trippy, mind-expanding sound.
Lewis Carol is an English writer known for his work in children’s literature, including the classics Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. His work is often noted for its inventive use of language and its promotion of childlike imagination.
While there is no direct connection between Psychedelic Rock and Lewis Carol, there are some interesting similarities between the two. Both are known for their use of mind-expanding, often surreal imagery; both challenge traditional ideas and norms; and both have been influential in shaping popular culture. It’s possible that the shared spirit of exploration and imagination between these two artists has helped to create a lasting bond between them in the minds of many fans.