The Psychedelic Rock Bands of the 60s
Contents
The Psychedelic Rock Bands of the 60s – A list of the most popular and well known Psychedelic Rock bands of the 1960s.
The Beatles
The Beatles, who needs no introduction, are often credited as the fathers of psychedelic rock. Although their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is more often associated with the genre, their early work contained elements of psychedelia. The Beatles’ use of feedback, distorted guitars, and sitars, coupled with their experimental song structures and tape loops, set the stage for the psychedelic sound of the 60s.
Their sound
The Beatles are often credited as the pioneers of psychedelic rock, a genre that emerged in the mid-’60s and was characterized by mind-altering drug use, Eastern-influenced sounds, and long hair. The Fab Four’s use of feedback, distorted guitars, and effects pedals had a profound influence on the development of psychedelic rock. Other bands, like the Beach Boys and the Byrds, also helped to shape the sound of psychedelic rock with their own unique blend of folk, pop, and country music.
Their influence
As one of the most successful and influential rock bands of all time, the Beatles revolutionized popular music throughout the 1960s. Hailing from Liverpool, England, the group – which consists of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – was at the forefront of the “British Invasion” of America during the early 1960s. With their innovative songwriting, catchy hooks and tight harmonies, the Beatles quickly became a sensation both in Britain and the United States. The band went on to release a string of chart-topping albums throughout the decade, including “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967), “Abbey Road” (1969) and “Let it Be” (1970). The group also experimented with different genres of music, including psychedelic rock on albums like “Magical Mystery Tour” (1967) and “Yellow Submarine” (1968).
Although the Beatles officially disbanded in 1970, their legacy has continued to live on in both their music and their influence on subsequent generations of artists. Their songs have been covered by countless other artists and their albums continue to sell millions of copies worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and all four members have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are both recipients of the Young Musicians Award from BMI London.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London 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. Watts left the band in 1965 due to fatigue from their grueling tours.
Their sound
The Rolling Stones developed a sound that was rough, bluesy, and hard-driving and became one of the most popular rock bands of their era. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
The core members of the band were Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitar), Brian Jones (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass), and Charlie Watts (drums). The band’s primary musical influences were the blues, especially artists such as Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Howlin’ Wolf; rock and roll pioneers Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley; and early R&B performers such as Little Richard and Jimmy Reed. They also drew inspiration from jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Ornette Coleman.
Their influence
The Rolling Stones were one of the most important and influential rock bands of the 1960s. They were pioneers of the psychedelic sound that would come to dominate popular music in the decade, and their English blues-rock style would prove to be enormously influential on subsequent generations of musicians. The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and they continue to be a hugely popular live band today.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The band members were Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards), John Densmore (drums), and Robby Krieger (guitar). The Doors had a unique sound that blended elements of rock, blues, and jazz. They were one of the most popular and influential rock bands of the 1960s.
Their sound
The Doors had a very unique and original sound that blended blues, jazz, rock, and classical music together. This sound was unlike anything else that was being made at the time and helped to make them one of the most successful and influential rock bands of all time. The Doors were able to create this sound by incorporating elements of each genre into their own style of music. For example, they would use the blues progression in their songs, but add in elements of jazz such as improvisation and extended jamming.
Their influence
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were one of the most controversial and influential rock bands of the 1960s and became emblematic of the counterculture of the decade.
Their debut album, The Doors (1967), released by Elektra Records, was a massive commercial and critical success. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and features the singles “Light My Fire” and “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”. The album sold over three million copies in the US alone and spawned eight singles that charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Doors’ follow-up album, Strange Days (1967), was another commercial success, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and spawning the hit single “People Are Strange”. The band’s third album, Waiting for the Sun (1968), Failed to match the success of its predecessors but still managed to reach No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and spawn two hit singles, “Hello, I Love You” and “Touch Me”.
The band’s fourth album, The Soft Parade (1969), was less successful than its predecessors, reaching only No. 16 on the Billboard 200; it includes their last Top 40 hit single, “Tell All the People”. Morrison’s increasing alcoholism and drug abuse began to take its toll on his health and performance during this period, leading to tension within the band.
After Morrison’s death in 1971 at age 27, The Doors continued to tour and record with new vocalist Jim Densmore for two more albums—Other Voices (1971) and Full Circle (1972)—before permanently disbanding in 1973. In 1993, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was a pioneer of psychedelic rock and one of the most influential guitarists of all time. He was born in Seattle, Washington on November 27, 1942. Hendrix was a left-handed guitarist who learned to play right-handed. He began playing guitar at the age of 15. Hendrix was a session musician before forming the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966.
His sound
It’s hard to overstate the effect that Jimi Hendrix had on rock music. In the three years between the release of Are You Experienced and his untimely death, Hendrix single-handedly redefined what was possible on the electric guitar, ushering in a whole new era of rock and setting a new standard for musicianship that has yet to be surpassed.
Hendrix’s sound was as unique and groundbreaking as his playing style. He was one of the first guitarists to make extensive use of feedback and distortion, and he was also one of the first to experiment with effects pedals like wah-wah and fuzz. This, combined with his use of extremely loud amplifiers and his Innovative techniques like playing with his teeth and behind his back, gave Hendrix’s sound a power and intensity that was unmatched by any other guitarist of his generation.
His influence
Jimi Hendrix was an African American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter who became one of the most influential musicians of his generation. Hendrix pioneered the use of feedback and distortion to create new sounds in rock music, and his innovative style of playing influenced many other guitarists. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
