The Origins of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the 1960s. It is characterized by distorted guitars, feedback, and other sonic effects.

The Birth of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also called acid rock, is a style of popular music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The style is distinguished by its use of feedback, distorted guitars, and heavily processed vocals. The first psychedelic rock bands, such as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and the 13th Floor Elevators, began to perform in 1964 and 1965.

The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

In May of 1967, The Beatles released their album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. The album’s sound was drastically different from anything that had come before it and it is widely considered to be the first psychedelic rock album. The album’s experimental production techniques, combined with its use of altered states of consciousness, set the stage for the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds”

In May of 1966, the Beach Boys released their eleventh studio album, “Pet Sounds”. The album was an instant commercial and critical success, and is widely considered to be one of the most influential albums of all time. While the album did not explicitly embrace drug use, it contained a number of references to mind-altering substances, including the song “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, which includes the lyrics “we could be married / and then we’d be happy”.

“Pet Sounds” was not the first album to deal with drug use in a direct or indirect way, but it was perhaps the most important in terms of its influence on subsequent music. The album’s combination of pop sensibilities with experimental production techniques would prove to be highly influential on the development of psychedelic rock.

The Psychedelic Sound

Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s. The style is characterized by a distorted, psychedelic sound and influenced by drugs such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, and peyote. Musicians associated with the style include Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and the Doors.

The Electric Prunes’ “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”

The Electric Prunes’ “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” was one of the first psychedelic rock songs. It was released in 1966 and is about a man who has taken too much LSD and is experiencing a bad trip. The song features distorted guitars, backwards recordings, and strange sound effects. It is considered to be one of the earliest examples of psychedelia in rock music.

The 13th Floor Elevators’ “You’re Gonna Miss Me”

The 13th Floor Elevators’ “You’re Gonna Miss Me” is one of the earliest and most influential psychedelic rock songs. Released in 1966, the song was written by lead singer Roky Erickson and features his distinctive, ethereal vocals backed by a driving, garage rock-influenced sound. The song’s heavy use of feedback and distorted guitars would become hallmarks of psychedelic rock, and its easygoing, catchy melody belied the dark subject matter of the lyrics, which dealt with mental illness and paranoia. “You’re Gonna Miss Me” was a minor hit in the U.S., reaching #55 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it would go on to become one of the most influential songs in psychedelic rock, helping to define the genre and paving the way for countless other bands who would explore similar sonic territory.

The Psychedelic Scene

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psychedelia”, is a subgenre of rock music that draws on cultural and musical influences from the psychedelic culture of the 1960s. Psychedelic rock covers a wide range of genres including garage rock, folk rock, hard rock, and acid rock. The genre is generally characterized by a distorted or “trippy” sound, extended or repetitive jams, and lyrics focused on drug use and experience, among other themes.

San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district

Psychedelic rock, sometimes referred to as acid rock, is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate or enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. The music typically incorporates distorted guitars, feedback, sitars, and other elements of Eastern-influenced rock music.

The first psychedelic band is generally considered to be the San Francisco-based group The Grateful Dead, who first began playing in the mid-1960s. The Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco soon became the epicenter of the psychedelic scene, with various other bands such as Jefferson Airplane and The Great Society also becoming popular. Psychedelic drugs such as LSD and MDMA were also widely used during this time.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, psychedelic rock began to fall out of favor with the general public. However, some bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin continued to have success with a more mellow, “stoner” sound that was influenced by psychedelia. In the 1990s and 2000s, there was a resurgence of interest in psychedelic rock, with bands such as The Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire incorporating elements of the style into their music.

The Summer of Love

The Summer of Love was a social phenomenon that occurred during the summer of 1967, when as many as 100,000 people, mostly young people sporting hippie fashions and behaviors, converged in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Although at the time some residents and business owners were disturbed by the proliferation of drug use and alternative lifestyles in the area, many welcomed the influx of young people and their money. The city’s economy benefited from the enormous number of visitors, who also helped make Haight-Ashbury a center for psychedelic rock music.

Psychedelic Rock Today

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psychedelia”, is a diverse style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The genre is characterized by a distorted and “trippy” sound, and is often associated with the use of psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Although the style has undergone a number of changes since its inception, psychedelic rock remains an influential force in the world of rock music.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “Anemone”

The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “Anemone” is a perfect example of how psychedelic rock has evolved since its origins in the 1960s. The song begins with a feedback-drenched guitar riff that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a Jimi Hendrix record, but the rest of the song takes the sound in a completely different direction. The ethereal vocals and dreamlike melodies are reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, while the use of sitar and tabla give the song an exotic flavor that would have been unheard of in the 60s. Despite its clearly modern sensibilities, “Anemone” still captures the spirit of psychedelic rock, and is proof that the genre is still alive and well in the 21st century.

Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know the Better”

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as acid rock, is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Psychedelic rock is often characterized by a distorted or melting sound, goosebumps-inducing rhythms, extended jams, and mind-altering lyrics. The genre is heavily influenced by drug culture, particularly the use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs.

Psychedelic rock reached the height of its popularity in the late 1960s with bands such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Doors, and Jefferson Airplane. The genre began to decline in popularity in the early 1970s, but experienced a resurgence in the late 1990s and 2000s with acts such as Tame Impala, Funkadelic, and the Flaming Lips.

One of the most popular psychedelic rock songs of recent years is Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know the Better.” The song was released in 2015 as part of the band’s third studio album, Currents. “The Less I Know the Better” is a prime example of psychedelic rock’s ability to induce feelings of euphoria and create an atmosphere of escapism. The song’s dreamy soundscape is punctuated by its infectious bassline and frontman Kevin Parker’s ethereal vocals.