Wikipedia: The Definitive Guide to Psychedelic Rock

Wikipedia: The Definitive Guide to Psychedelic Rock is a book by music journalist Richie Unterberger first published in 2000.

What is Psychedelic Rock?

Psychedelic rock, also called acid rock, is a type of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock often uses new recording techniques and effects and draws on non-Western sources, such as the raga drone, to create an expanded sonic palette. Psychedelic rock reached its peak popularity in the late 1960s, but continued to be influential in subsequent decades.

The Origins of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. The term “psychedelic” refers to the use of drugs, such as LSD, to produce an altered state of consciousness. Psychedelic rock often contains elements of other genres, including folk, pop, and blues.

The first psychedelic rock band is often considered to be The Byrds, who released their debut album Mr. Tambourine Man in 1965. The Byrds’ sound was heavily influenced by the work of Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn’s use of a 12-string guitar. Other important early psychedelic rock bands include The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and The Doors.

Psychedelic rock reached its peak in 1967 with the release of several classic albums, including The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beach Boys’ Smile, and Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Psychedelic rock began to decline in popularity in the late 1960s due to a number of factors, including the rise of punk rock and disco. However, the genre has continued to influence a wide range of artists over the past few decades.

The Sound of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s. The sound of psychedelic rock often includes acoustic guitars, drumming, sitars, and Indian instruments; it is sometimes referred to as “raga rock”. Psychedelic rock often uses feedback, distorted guitars, and mellotrons.

The Psychedelic Rock Revolution

Psychedelic rock, also called acid rock, is a style of rock music that was popularized in the 1960s. It is characterized by distorted guitars, psychedelic lyrics, and mind-altering effects. The first psychedelic rock song is believed to be “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, which was released in 1967. Psychedelic rock was at its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with bands such as the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, and the Doors.

The British Invasion

The British Invasion was a major turning point in the history of rock music, as a new wave of British bands came to prominence in the United States in the wake of the success of the Beatles. Psychedelic rock also had its origins in Britain, with bands such as Pink Floyd and the Jimi Hendrix Experience leading the way in developing the genre.

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 long hair and hippie clothing, converged in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Although hippies also gathered in many other places in the U.S., Canada and Europe, San Francisco was at that time the most publicized location for young people who wished to partake in illegal drug use and explore alternative forms of sexuality.

The Legacy of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also known as acid rock, is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The style is distinguished by its use of feedback, extended guitar solos, and heavy distortion. Psychedelic rock bands sought to replicate the experience of altered states of consciousness, often achieved through the use of drugs such as LSD.

The Psychedelic Rock Revival

The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the revival of psychedelic rock, as part of a wider movement known as “the New Wave of British Heavy Metal”. Psychedelic bands led the way in rekindling interest in the genre, often through their unusual and experimental songwriting, playing styles and stagecraft. The Ozric Tentacles were one such band; they began life as a jam band influenced by Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, but soon developed a unique sound built around extended improvisation. Other Second Wave psychedelic bands included Here & Now, Amon Düül UK (not to be confused with Germany’s Amon Düül II), Atomic Rooster, Roy Harper with Dave Gilmour and Ian Moore Band.

In America the legacy of psychedelia was kept alive by garage rock bands such as The Golliwogs (later Creedence Clearwater Revival), Countdown to Zero (later Jefferson Airplane) and notably The Thirteenth Floor Elevators. Bands such as Roky Erickson’s 13th Floor Elevators and The Red Krayola are often credited with being the first real acid rock bands. Music critic Richie Unterberger says that Roky Erickson is “maybe the greatest white-blues singer ever”, while Leonard Cohen has praised Roky Erickson’s work as being “as good as anything that anybody has ever done”.

The Influence of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as acid rock, is a music genre that originated in the mid-1960s. Musicians incorporated hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD, into their performances in an attempt to create a “trippy” or “psychadelic” experience for their audiences. The use of drugs in music was nothing new – jazz musicians had been using marijuana and other drugs for years – but the psychedelic rock movement was the first time that drug use became widely associated with a specific musical genre.

Psychedelic rock quickly spread from its origins in the United States to Britain and Continental Europe. The Beatles were perhaps the most famous psychedelic rock band and their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is often cited as one of the most influential albums of all time. Psychedelic rock had a significant impact on subsequent genres such as punk rock, new wave, and heavy metal.