Psychedelic Rock: I Like to Fly in the 1960s

A look at how Psychedelic Rock took off in the 1960s and the different artists that made it popular.

Psychedelic Rock Basics

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that was popular in the 1960s. It is characterized by its use of psychedelic drugs, particularly LSD, as well as by its experimental and often ambiguous sound. Psychedelic rock often explores themes of drug use, mental illness, and the subculture of the 1960s.

Defining Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. It was developed by musicians who were attempting to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD.

Psychedelic rock is characterized by distorted guitars, extended improvised jams, and elaborate studio effects such as backward tapes and reverb. The lyrics often deal with themes ofdrug use, poverty, failed relationships, and other social issues.

The first psychedelic rock band was The Byrds, whose seminal 1965 album Mister Tambourine Man featured the hits “All I Really Want to Do” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” Other important early psychedelic bands include The Beach Boys, The Doors, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, and The Grateful Dead.

The peak of psychedelic rock’s popularity was the so-called Summer of Love in 1967, when thousands of young people converged on San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in search of love and understanding. However, the utopian dreams of the counterculture were quickly dashed by the reality of war, poverty, and addiction. Psychedelic rock subsequently became less popular in the 1970s as punk rock and disco usurped its position as the cutting edge of popular music.

The Birth of Psychedelic Rock

In 1965, the Beatles released “Rubber Soul,” which included the song “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).” The song featured a sitar, an instrument that had been gaining popularity in Western music since Ravi Shankar’s groundbreaking performance at the 1957 Monterey Folk Festival. George Harrison, the Beatles’ lead guitarist, had been fascinated by the sitar since hearing Shankar’s music. He asked Shankar to teach him how to play the instrument, but Shankar refused, saying that Harrison would have to first study Hindustani music for years before he would be ready to play the sitar.

Despite Shankar’s warning, Harrison persevered and learned how to play the sitar. He used it on “Norwegian Wood” to create a sound that was unlike anything that had been heard in popular music up to that point. The song was a landmark moment in the history of psychedelic rock, which was born out of a combination of Eastern musical influences and Western psychedelic culture.

Psychedelic rock is a type of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s and was characterised by its use of distorted sounds, feedback effects, and extended improvisation. The genre was developed by bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix as they experimented with Eastern musical scales and used amplification techniques to create new sonic textures. Psychedelic rock often incorporated elements of Indian classical music such as drone chords and sitar lines, as well as feedback effects from electric guitars and basses.

The Beatles’ pioneering use of sitar on “Norwegian Wood” opened up a whole new world of sound for other bands to explore. In 1966, the Rolling Stones released “Paint It Black,” which featured a sitar part played by Brian Jones. The following year, electric guitarist Jimi Hendrix wrote “Purple Haze,” which contained some of the most iconic Feedback riffage ever recorded. These songs were just a few examples of how psychedelia was shaping popular music in the 1960s.

Psychedelic rock continued to evolve in the late 1960s and early 1970s with bands such as pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Emerson Lake & Palmer pushing boundaries both musically and sonically. Psychedelic rock ultimately fell out of favour in the late 1970s as disco and Punk became more popular genres; however, many of its sonic innovations have been assimilated into other genres such as heavy metal and arena rock.

The Sound of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a genre of rock music that was popularized in the 1960s. It was characterized by its experimental and often psychedelic sound. The genre was influenced by psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, and was intended to replicate the experience of a psychedelic drug.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The lineup of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr led the band to be regarded as the foremost and most influential music act of the 20th century. The group’s sound incorporates elements of pop, classical music, and traditional rock ‘n’ roll. Their style also explored auto-tune and other technological innovations that would later be employed in psychedelic music. The Beatles breakthrough came with their 1962 release of “Love Me Do,” which reached number one in the United Kingdom. This was followed by a string of chart-topping singles including “Please Please Me,” “From Me to You,” and “She Loves You.” In 1964, they achieved international superstardom with the release of “A Hard Day’s Night” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” From 1965 onward, the Beatles produced what many consider their finest body of work, including the albums “Rubber Soul,” “Revolver,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and “The White Album.” They continued to experiment with new musical styles throughout their career, incorporating elements of Indian classical music on 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and European avant-garde on 1968’s self-titled album, commonly known as “The White Album.” The Beatles ceased performing together in 1970 but reissued two compilations of previously released material, 1971’s “Imagine” and 1973’s “Let It Be.” In 1980, Lennon was shot and killed by a deranged fan, which led to an end to any plans for a reunion. McCartney later formed Wings with his wife Linda Eastman and released a series of successful albums including 1973’s “Band on the Run” and 1975’s “Venus and Mars.” Starkey drummed with multiple acts including Elvis Costello & The Attractions and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Harrison began a solo career in 1968 with his album Wonderwall Music and went on to release several successful albums including 1970’s All Things Must Pass; he also helped popularize Indian classical music through his work with Ravi Shankar beginning in 1966. The Beatles are one of the best-selling music artists in history having sold more than 600 million records worldwide; they have had more number-one albums on the UK charts (15), more number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart (20), more than any other band; they hold the record for most top ten hits by any band (34), more Grammy Award nominations (62) than any other artist(s); they were presented with seven Brit Awards during their lifetime—more than any other band—and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for their 1970 film Let It Be; they were collectively included in Time magazine’s compilation of the 20th century’s 100 most influential people

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), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Anderson has been the band’s primary lyricist and positioned himself as the group’s main spokesman.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was one of the most influential electric guitarists of the 1960s and is still revered by many today. He was known for his unique style of playing, which incorporated feedback, distortion, and other effects. His approach to the guitar was very experimental and helped to shape the sound of psychedelic rock.

The Legacy of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “acid rock” or “garage rock”, is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The style is characterized by distorted guitars, psychedelic effects, and expanded consciousness. The genre was pioneered by bands such as The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, and The Doors.

Psychedelic Rock Today

Psychedelic music’s influence continues to be felt in the work of many contemporary artists. In the early 21st century, several factors contributed to renewed interest in psychedelic rock. The popular and critical success of the experimental hip hop group Animal Collective in the late 2000s and 2010s signalled a return of psychedelic sensibilities to indie rock. The band’s 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion was named after a Maryland venue where the Grateful Dead frequently performed, while its follow-up Centipede Hz (2012) was recorded with assistance from Sonic Boom (aka Peter Kember), a founding member of Spacemen 3, a influential British band from the late 1980s and early 1990s whose work often displayed 1960s psychedelic influences. In addition, the popular American indie rock band Strange Ranger (formerly Indian Blanket) has been described as “making music that suggests what might have happened if the Velvet Underground had been raised on My Bloody Valentine.”