Psychedelic Rock: The Australian Way

Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s. It is characterized by its distorted guitars, trippy lyrics, and mind-bending sound effects.

The Birth of Psychedelic Rock in Australia

In 1966, Psychedelic Rock was born in Australia with the release of The Groop’s album, Trip. The album’s opening song, “I’ve Been There”, was the first Psychedelic Rock song ever recorded. This new style of music quickly caught on, and by 1967, there were dozens of Psychedelic Rock bands in Australia.

Psychedelic Rock was heavily influenced by British and American Psychedelic bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Doors. Australian Psychedelic Rock bands began to experiment with different sounds and styles, creating their own unique sound.

One of the most popular Australian Psychedelic Rock bands was West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. Their sound was a mix of psychedelic rock and pop music. They had a huge hit in 1967 with their song “I Saw Her Standing There”, which reached number one on the Australian charts.

Another popular Australian Psychedelic Rock band was The Twilights. They were known for their catchy melodies and psychedelic lyrics. Their most famous song is “Needle In A Haystack”, which reached number one on the Australian charts in 1968.

Psychedelic Rock quickly became THE style of music in Australia during the late 1960s. It was a time of great creativity and experimentation, and many amazing songs were created during this period. Unfortunately, by the early 1970s, Psychedelic Rock had all but disappeared from Australia…

The Australian Psychedelic Sound

Psychedelic music first reached Australia in the late 1960s, with bands like The Easybeats and The Bee Gees scoring international hits with their brand of sunny, pop-infused psychedelia. But it was the Australian incarnation of the British group Cream that truly brought the sound of psychedelic rock Down Under, with their mind-bending live performances and groundbreaking albums Fresh Cream and Disraeli Gears.

From there, Australian psychedelic bands like The Masters Apprentices, Buffalo Springfield, and The Seekers took the sound in new directions, infusing it with elements of country, folk, and even blues. By the early 1970s, antipodean psych was in full swing, with groups like Tame Impala and Pond carrying the torch into the 21st century.

Australian Psychedelic Bands

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired, or influenced by, psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It often uses new recording techniques and effects and sometimes draws on aspects of other genres, such as drone music, krautrock, garage rock, and acid rock.

In Australia, the genre was pioneered by bands such as The Psychedelic Shack Shakers and The Red Blaze to name a few. These bands started to experiment with new sounds and textures which were heavily influenced by the countercultural movement of the 60s. The result was a uniquely Australian take on psychedelia that incorporated elements of country, folk, and indigenous music.

One of the most important Australian psychedelic bands was The Twelve Apostles. They were formed in 1966 and released their debut album That’s All in 1967. The album was a critical success and is regarded as one of the greatest Australian albums of all time. It featured the hit single “Skyway” which is considered to be one of the first Australian psychedelic songs.

Other important Australian psychedelic bands include The Purple Hearts, The Laminators, The Front Page news stories, winnemucca 1887-1888

The Legacy of Australian Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s as musicians began to experiment with effects such as feedback, distorted guitars and hallucinogenic drugs. Psychedelic rock, often referred to as simply psychedelia, is marked by its use of colourful and mind-altering imagery, frequently in the form of drug-induced trips. It is also characterised by its unique sound, which is often created using electronic effects such as echo and reverb.

Australian psychedelic rock emerged in the late 1960s, following the lead of British and American bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Byrds. Australian artists such as The Easybeats, The Teskey Brothers and AC/DC would go on to achieve international success with their own brand of psychedelic rock.

The Easybeats are considered one of the most important Australian bands of all time. They were one of the first Australian groups to achieve global success, with their 1966 hit “Friday on My Mind” reaching number one in several countries. The band’s 1968 album “Good Times” is widely regarded as an Australian classic, and their influence can be heard in the work of subsequent generations of Australian musicians.

The Teskey Brothers are a contemporary Australian band who are carrying on the legacy of psychedelic rock. Their 2019 album “Run Home Slow” was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album. The Teskey Brothers’ music has been described as “a heady mix of blues, country and classic ’60s psych-rock”.

AC/DC are one of the most successful rock bands of all time. They have sold over 200 million records worldwide and are ranked as the second-highest selling artists in US history (behind only The Beatles). AC/DC’s early albums “High Voltage” (1975) and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (1976) are considered classics of Australian hard rock. Their 1980 album “Back in Black” is the second-highest selling album ever released by an international act in Australia (behind only Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”).