The Best Underground 60s Psychedelic Rock Bands

If you’re a fan of 60s psychedelic rock, then you’ll definitely want to check out our list of the best underground bands from that era. From the Grateful Dead to the Jefferson Airplane, these groups defined a generation of music and continue to influence artists today.

The Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes were an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965. They are best known for their 1967 hit record “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”. The band’s original lineup consisted of James Lowe ( lead vocals), Ken Williams ( rhythm guitar), Mark Tulin ( bass), and Preston Ritter ( drums).

The band’s sound was a blend of garage rock and psychedelic rock, with elements of experimental music and avant-garde jazz. They were one of the first bands to use the sitar on a pop record. The band’s live shows were known for their innovative visual effects, which included projections of liquid light images and colored slides.

The Electric Prunes were one of the most popular bands of the psychedelic era, but they disbanded after just three years due to creative differences. However, the band has reformed several times since then and continues to tour and release new music.

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was an American psychedelic group, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1966. The band was led by brothers Bob and Richard Dolan, and also featured keyboardist/vocalist Michael Lloyd.

The group released three albums between 1966 and 1968, the first of which, Volume One, is now considered a classic of the genre. The band’s sound was a combination of sunshine pop, garage rock, and psychedelia, with distinctive La-La-Land lyrics about love and loss.

The band broke up in 1968, but reformed briefly in the early 1970s with new members Frank floorshow Mann and guitarist/vocalist Curt Boettcher. They released one more album, POP ARTIFICIALITY, before finally disbanding for good.

The Music Machine

The Music Machine was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966, and were one of the first psychedelic rock bands. The band’s original lineup was lead singer and guitarist Sean Bonniwell, keyboardist Doug Rhodes, drummer Keith Olsen and bassist Mark Loomis. The band’s sound was characterized by distorted guitars and aggressive vocals, and their songs were often political and dark, with subjects ranging from paranoia to revolution. They released two albums, 1967’s Turn on the Music Machine and 1968’s (Stop) The Music Machine, before disbanding in 1969.

The Monkees

The Monkees were an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with members ranging in age from 15 to 28. The group was created as a vehicle for a television series of the same name, which aired from 1966 to 1968 on the NBC network. The band’s music was initially produced by Don Kirshner and American songwriter Tommy Boyce.

The Monkees released three studio albums during their time on the air: The Monkees (1966), More of the Monkees (1967), and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1967). The first two albums were the group’s most successful, both reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. The third album peaked at No. 2 on the same chart. More than 12 million copies of the album were sold in total.

The Monkees also had four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Last Train to Clarksville” (1966), “I’m a Believer” (1966), “A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You” (1967), and “Daydream Believer” (1967). The group’s television series was popular in its day and continues to air in syndication today.

The Seeds

Formed in 1965, The Seeds were one of the first American psychedelic rock bands. Their debut album, “The Seeds”, is considered a classic of the genre. The band’s raw, garage rock sound influenced later punk and alternative rock bands.

The Standells

American rock band from Los Angeles, California. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Dick Dodd, lead guitarist Tony Valentino, rhythm guitarist Larry Tamblyn, bassist Marty Lewis and drummer Gary Laney. The group is best known for their hit song “Dirty Water”, which is regarded as a regional anthem for Boston. They were also one of the first punk rock bands, predating the punk rock movement by several years.

The Standells began as a garage rock band in 1962. They released their first single, “Dirty Water”, in 1965. The song was an immediate hit in Boston, where it reached number 11 on the local chart. It soon became a national hit, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Standells’ next single, “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White”, was also successful, reaching number 36 on the Hot 100 chart.

In 1967, the Standells released their third album, Dirty Water. The album’s title track was another hit single, reaching number 38 on the Hot 100 chart. The album also featured the song “Riot on Sunset Strip”, which was later used in the film of the same name.

The Standells disbanded in 1968 but reunited in 1973 and released two more albums: Live In Concert and More Dirty Water. The group continues to tour and perform to this day.

The Byrds

The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band progressed from playing folk rock and folk-influenced material to undertaking a promulgation of the Beatles’ sound, incorporating elements of British Invasion, Pscyhadelic, and Baroque pop genres. As a result, the band gave rise to the genre of folk rock and were a leading band of the genre’s formative years. Dave Crosby, Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Chris Hillman, and Roger McGuinn comprise the band’s Classic Five lineup which lasted until 1968 when Crosby was fired for drug abuse issues.

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys were one of the most successful and influential American rock bands of the 1960s. They formed in Southern California in 1961 and rose to prominence with their surf-themed singles “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfin’ USA.” The Beach Boys would go on to score dozens of Top 40 hits over the next two decades, including such classics as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Good Vibrations,” and “Kokomo.” While the group’s early work was defined by their sunny California sound, they later experimented with psychedelic and progressive rock on such acclaimed albums as 1967’s SMiLE and 1968’s Friends. The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco. The band is known for its eclectic style, which combined elements of Folk, Blues, Country, Jazz, and psychedelic rock. They are particularly well-known for their live performances, which often featured extended musical improvisations.

The Grateful Dead rose to prominence in the counterculture movement of the 1960s and ’70s and were one of the most popular live acts of their era. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.