Psychedelic Rock from the 60s
Contents
Experience the best Psychedelic Rock from the 60s. We’ll take you on a trip down memory lane with the top hits from the era.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. They were also responsible for pioneering the psychedelic rock genre.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by English rock band the Beatles, released on 26 May 1967. Produced by George Martin, it was their first album to be made without direct involvement from band members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. It is regarded as one of the first concept albums in popular music and is described as one of the most influential.
Magical Mystery Tour
Magical Mystery Tour is a 1967 film directed by Peter Lennon and starring the Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—which was first screened on British television on Boxing Day 1967.
The film tells the story of a group of people who go on a bus tour of the English countryside, with stops along the way in at a real-life location used in the filming of A Hard Day’s Night. The name “Magical Mystery Tour” is derived from the song of the same name by Paul McCartney.
The film was originally intended to be a television special, but after the poor reception of their previous film project, HELP!, the Beatles decided to turn it into a full-length feature. The project was plagued with problems from the start, and McCartney later admitted that it was “a bit of a mistake”. The final product received mixed reviews and was a commercialfailure.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are one of the most iconic and influential bands of all time. They are best known for their blues-influenced rock music and their live performances. The Rolling Stones were one of the first bands to popularize psychedelic rock in the 1960s. psychedelic rock is a genre of rock music that is inspired by or influenced by psychedelic drugs. The Rolling Stones were able to incorporate this new sound into their music and create some of their most iconic hits.
Beggars Banquet
Beggars Banquet is the seventh British and ninth American studio album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1968 on London Records in the United Kingdom and on Decca Records in the United States.
It was a return to roots rock for the band following the experimental pop of their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request. The album’s artwork caused controversy upon release because of its suggested nudity, which was removed from later printings of the album.
The album was well received by critics upon release and re-entered the Top 10 of Billboard’s Pop Albums chart in 1986, following its reissue by London Records. In 2012, it was ranked number 57 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
Let it Bleed
The eighth British and tenth American studio album by the Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed was released in December, 1969. With the death of Brian Jones and the departure of Mick Taylor, new members Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger joined Keith Richards and Charlie Watts in the studio. The result was an album that epitomized the chaotic energy of the late 1960s.
Featuring songs like “Gimme Shelter” and “Midnight Rambler”, Let it Bleed is widely regarded as one of the Rolling Stones’ best albums. It is also one of the most influential albums of all time, having helped to popularize the use of slide guitar and country-blues elements in rock music.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were unique and different from any other band of the time and their music has been influential to many artists that came after them.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and his erratic, charismatic stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971 at age 27, the remaining members continued as a trio until disbanding in 1973.
The Doors are often seen as representing the zeitgeist of the late 1960s: rebelliousness combined with experimental tendencies. They experimented with LSD and other drugs, criticized the Vietnam War, embraced the sexual revolution, promoted Eastern philosophy, and were sometimes accused by conservatives of promoting Satanism or advocating violence. The doors have sold over 100 million records worldwide.
Strange Days
“Strange Days” is a song by the American rock band the Doors, appearing as the title track on their second album Strange Days, which was released in September 1967. It was also released as a single in October 1967, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was written by Robby Krieger and recorded at Sunset Sound studio in Hollywood. The sessions were produced by Bruce Botnick and engineered by Mark Abramson with second engineer Bruce Robbier. Krieger’s chiming guitar work plays throughout the song which is backed up by Ray Manzarek’s harpsichord playing along with John Densmore’s steady drumming and bassist Doug Messenger’s electric bass fills. Jim Morrison sung the lead vocals in his characteristic deep, baritone voice.
While most Doors songs were written collaboratively by all members of the band, “Strange Days” was one of the first Doors songs where Krieger took on a larger role in writing both music and lyrics.
Jimi Hendrix
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a diverse style of rock music characterized by distorted guitars, melodies, and extended improvisation. The music is intended to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Psychedelic rock emerged during the mid-1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Are You Experienced
toggle caption Michael Ochs Archives/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Michael Ochs Archives/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In May of 1967, the Jimi Hendrix Experience released its debut album, Are You Experienced. The record was an immediate success, reaching No. 5 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the U.S., where it went on to be certified platinum. It’s since been hailed as one of the greatest debut albums of all time, and is considered a landmark release in psychedelic rock.
The album’s first single, “Purple Haze,” was a Top 10 hit in the U.K., but it was the second single, “The Wind Cries Mary,” that brought Hendrix his first taste of chart success in the States, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
While best known for its psychedelic anthems, Are You Experienced also features some of Hendrix’s most beautiful and soulful work, like “Hey Joe,” “Love or Confusion” and “May This Be Love.” These more introspective moments provide a necessary counterbalance to the album’s wilder moments, making Are You Experienced one of the most well-rounded – and essential – albums in psychedelia.
Electric Ladyland
Released in 1968, Electric Ladyland was Jimi Hendrix’s fourth and final studio album. The double album was Hendrix’s largest commercial success, reaching the top of the charts in several countries and selling over two million copies in the United States alone. Electric Ladyland is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums of all time.
The album features a number of Hendrix’s signature songs, including “Purple Haze,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” Electric Ladyland also marked the first time Hendrix worked with a full-fledged band on a studio album, as he was joined by bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell. The album’s expansive sound and experimentalism were a departure from Hendrix’s previous work, and cemented his reputation as one of the most innovative and talented guitarists of his generation.
