New Releases from Psychedelic Rock Bands

Keep up with the latest from your favorite Psychedelic Rock Bands. Find out when new albums are being released and read reviews.

The Doors – “The End”

The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. The band got its name at Morrison’s suggestion from the title of Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception, which itself was a reference to a line in William Blake’s poem “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell”. They were unique and among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s because of Morrison’s lyrics and his erratic, charismatic stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971 at the age of 27, the surviving trio released two albums—Other Voices and Full Circle—and touring occasionally.

Their debut album, The Doors (1967), released by Elektra Records, charted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and produced their most successful single, “Light My Fire”. The Doors were one of the most popular bands of their era. Seven of their nine studio albums placed in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart; five reached Platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). They have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

“The End” is a song by American rock band The Doors. It was recorded during sessions for their self-titled debut album in 1967 at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood but wasn’t included on that album because it exceeded the time limit for a standard pop single. Despite not being released as a single until 1968 after The Doors became hugely successful with “Light My Fire”, “The End” nonetheless made it to number fourteen on BillboardHot 100 pop singles chart as an edited version omitting section three (“Is this the end my friend?”). It also is ranked number forty-four on Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list as well as being one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Jimi Hendrix – “All Along the Watchtower”

“All Along the Watchtower” is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix. The song was first released on his 1968 album, ‘Electric Ladyland’. The song has since been covered by many artists, including Bob Dylan, U2, and Neil Young.

The Beatles – “A Day in the Life”

The Beatles’ final single, “A Day in the Life”/“Give Peace a Chance” is a staggered, jagged masterpiece that sounds like nothing that came before it. With its jarring key changes, abrupt volume changes, and use of studio effects like feedback and tape loops, the song was an ambitious statement from a band that had already pushed the boundaries of pop music. The song is also notable for its use of Newspaper headlines as lyrical content, which was inspired by John Lennon’s reading of the daily papers.

Pink Floyd – “Careful with That Axe, Eugene”

“Careful with That Axe, Eugene” is a track from the 1968 Pink Floyd album Ummagumma. The song was written by Roger Waters and is one of the band’s most popular live performances.

The song starts with a quiet, atmospheric section featuring only drums and cymbals, before gradually building in intensity. The main body of the song features heavy guitar work from David Gilmour and Richard Wright, with Waters on bass. The vocals are provided by Gilmour and Wright, with Gilmour taking the lead.

The song culminates in a triumphant finale, with all four members of the band playing together. The final section features some of the most famous guitar work from Gilmour, which has been sampled by many other artists.

“Careful with That Axe, Eugene” is one of Pink Floyd’s most iconic tracks and remains a firm live favorite to this day.

Led Zeppelin – “Kashmir”

“Kashmir” is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, featured on their sixth studio album Physical Graffiti (1975). It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant over a period of several months in 1973 in both England and Morocco. With lyrical references to the landscape and culture of Kashmir, it is one of Led Zeppelin’s most popular songs and has been covered by many artists.

“Kashmir” was recorded in November 1973 at Headley Grange, Hampshire, with Page producing. The song was completed in January 1974 with additional overdubs at Island Studios, London. It features John Bonham’s unusual drum pattern;Pages use of a Jerry Lee Lewis-style Boogie Woogie piano intro; and Plants distorted vocals processed through a Leslie speaker. “Kashmir” is unusual for Led Zeppelin songs in that it lacks a guitar solo from Page.

The song was released as the second single from Physical Graffiti in February 1975, two months after the album’s release. It peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. In May 2014, “Kashmir” was voted by readers of Rolling Stone magazine asLed Zeppelin’s best song.