Psychedelic Rock 60’s/70’s

A Little Bit of History

The psychedelic rock genre formed out of the hippie culture of the United States and the United Kingdom in the late 1960s. It emmerged from folk rock and blues and quickly spread across the globe, giving rise to some of the greatest rock bands of all time:

• The Doors
• Jefferson Airplane
• The Beach Boys
• Pink Floyd
• Led Zeppelin
• The Rolling Stones

and much more…

Let’s Dig Deeper!

What makes psychedelic rock the unique genre it is?

Well…

The genre evolved right at the core of the hippie and psychedelic culture in San Francisco and London in the mid 60’s. Influenced by the experience of taking hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, the music resembled the hallucinogenic experience through both lyrics and tune, and was also made to enhance the “trip”.

The genre lived for a short time, having a decline in the mid 70’s after the drug LSD was banned in the US.

Characteristics of Psychedelic Rock

What made psychedelic rock a very popular genre in the 60’s/70’s is the fact that the music channeled the psychedelic experience very well.

How did psychedelic rock capture the psychedelic experience and even enhance it?

• Sound effects: Trippy studio effects like reverb, phasing, distortion, and reversed sound.
• Inventive use of instruments: Keyboard instruments, sitar and Wah pedal with the electric guitar.
• Improvisation: Lengthy improvised guitar solos. (my personal favorite!)
• Abstract lyrics: Surreal and abstract lyrics that may allude to hallucinogenic drug use.

Now Let’s Hear Some Music

Jefferson Airplanes – White Rabbit

In my oppinion this song is a great introduction to psychedelic rock as it paved the way for many psychedelic musicians to come. Not only the lyrics are written about Alice in Wondeland, but it also tells a personal story of the song writer Grace Slick.

“I identified with Alice. I was a product of ’50s America in Palo Alto, Calif., where women were housewives with short hair and everything was highly regulated. I went from the planned, bland ’50s to the world of being in a rock band without looking back. It was my Alice moment, heading down the hole. “White Rabbit” seemed like an appropriate title.”

Here is another good song by Jefferson Airplane.

Jefferson Airplanes – Today

The psychedelic rock band par excellence, The Doors!

The Doors – The End

The music is haunting, increasing the intensity of the emotions the song carries.

Continuing with The Doors…

The Doors – When The Music’s Over

1. The organ intro.
2. The guitar at minute 4:15.
3. Their stage performance.

no need to say more, just listen!

Psychedelic rock songs with mesmerizing guitar solos!

Blue Oyster Cult – Then Came the Last Day of May

minute 2:52

a truely transcending piece by Pink Floyd, with long guitar solos and great art work for the music video.

Pink Floyd – Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 1-5

Here we have songs with sitar (string instrument originated in India) incorpreated in them. It’s important to note that a simillar sound to sitar can be made with a

wah pedal and an electric guitar!

The Kinks – Fancy

The Rolling Stones gave us an unforgettable sitar hook intro!

The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black

It’s true that psychedelic rock was born in the west, but it also got developed in other parts of the world.

Psychedelic rock gained popularity Turkey in the mid 60’s, as it evolved within the native genre Anatolian rock.

Erkin Koray – Bir Eylül Akşamı

Does the song ring any bells?

If it still doesn’t, go back to the previous page and and click play!

Sometimes, Anatolian pychedelic rock musicians used traditional folk songs, combining them with psychedelic rock elements.

Erkin Koray – Cemalim

This is the end,

my beautiful friend.

almost…

The psychedelic rock genre in the 60’s/70’s has much more to offer than the glimpse I just covered in this e-book. If you liked it, you can swim deeper in the genre and discover more amazing gems.

For now, I will leave you with two more great pieces to further open your apetite.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze

The Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs