How do you feel about the psychedelic era in music? It seems everybody had to have a psychedelic album... From Jimi Hendrix to The Rolling Stones. I personally love that music, but it seems bands' psychedelic albums seem to be the least popular (i.e., "Their Satanic Majesty's Request" by The Rolling Stones).

Excellent Idea!

I'm not too familiar with psychedelic albums - although I am sure I have listened to more than one in my time! ;)

These albums are the least popular far artists? Who knew?

???

In some cases, a psychedelic album can be the best known success for an artist.  Some one correct me if I am wrong, but I think that one album Jefferson Airplane did with "Somebody to Love" was their biggest success

Other times though, it can be a disaster for some artists

Excellent Idea!

I'm not too familiar with psychedelic albums - although I am sure I have listened to more than one in my time! ;)

These albums are the least popular far artists? Who knew?

???


Well, I'm sure if we were still in the hippy era, they'd sell more ::)

In some cases, a psychedelic album can be the best known success for an artist.  Some one correct me if I am wrong, but I think that one album Jefferson Airplane did with "Somebody to Love" was their biggest success

Other times though, it can be a disaster for some artists


Well, The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was one of their best selling, but for bands that aren't normally psychedelic, their attempts were bothced.

Well, I'm sure if we were still in the hippy era, they'd sell more ::)

And Volkswagon Buses would still be sold equipped with turntables! ;)


In some cases, a psychedelic album can be the best known success for an artist.  Some one correct me if I am wrong, but I think that one album Jefferson Airplane did with "Somebody to Love" was their biggest success


DOesn't that album also have White Rabbit on it?
I love that song!

Doesn't that album also have White Rabbit on it?
I love that song!


I believe it does yes.  If I am not mistaken, the album was called 'Surrealistic Pillow', but I could be wrong.  My knowledge of Jefferson Airplane is mostly that of Starship in the 80s ;D

Ahhhh jeez,  there's my age catching up with me again.  Psychedelia "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane.  The Doors - "The End"  "Purple Haze"- Jimi Hendrix  "Time Has Come Today" - Chambers Brothers. Those were the
heavy hitters of the era.

For someone with an interest in the Psychedelic era and psychedelic music in general, let me shed some light on this...

'Psychedelic' of course refers to the strange, seemingly altered state of consciousness one enters when taking LSD or similar hallucinogenic drugs. Psychedelic/Psychedelic Rock or 'Acid Rock' is sort of characterized by sprawling, seemingly structureless and formless guitar jams, mystical, seemingly strange or 'poet' lyrics, and of course, drug-like imagery. The movement began in the early to mid-60s, principally in the garage band scene of L.A. and San Francisco, spreading to the world via Sgt. Pepper's, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks' etc. Many artists would jump on the so-called 'psychedelic bandwagon' throughout the 60s and early 70s.

I think 'true' psychedelic records would be not very popular - see early Floyd, and less well known bands in both California and a lesser extent Britain. The most famous psychedelic records, I think, are:

Buffalo Springfield (1966): Their self-titled debut, while not recogniseably 'psych' in being pretty convention folk/blues-based rock, set the template for psych-style pop rock of bands like the Turtles.

The Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (1967): The biggest band in America in early 1967, they brought the hippie movement to the masses.

Love - Forever Changes (1967): A true masterpiece - essential for every 60s fan, and a very good concept album.

Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967): Floyd recorded this in the building next to where the Beatles' were recording 'Sgt. Pepper's' in very early '67. Arguably better.

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland (1968): Arguably Hendrix's best, features timeless tracks like 'Purple Haze', 'Voodoo Chilli', 'All Along the Watchtower' and 'Burning the Midnight Lamp.'

The Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Flakes (1968): The infamous gimmicky packaging hid a decent concept album.

The Doors - The Soft Parade (1969): Along with 'Waiting for the Sun' the Doors' most psychedeli record. Check out the self-titled.

The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead (1970): The Dead's most accessible record featured the hit 'Casey Jones.'

For someone with an interest in the Psychedelic era and psychedelic music in general, let me shed some light on this...

'Psychedelic' of course refers to the strange, seemingly altered state of consciousness one enters when taking LSD or similar hallucinogenic drugs. Psychedelic/Psychedelic Rock or 'Acid Rock' is sort of characterized by sprawling, seemingly structureless and formless guitar jams, mystical, seemingly strange or 'poet' lyrics, and of course, drug-like imagery. The movement began in the early to mid-60s, principally in the garage band scene of L.A. and San Francisco, spreading to the world via Sgt. Pepper's, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks' etc. Many artists would jump on the so-called 'psychedelic bandwagon' throughout the 60s and early 70s.

I think 'true' psychedelic records would be not very popular - see early Floyd, and less well known bands in both California and a lesser extent Britain. The most famous psychedelic records, I think, are:

Buffalo Springfield (1966): Their self-titled debut, while not recogniseably 'psych' in being pretty convention folk/blues-based rock, set the template for psych-style pop rock of bands like the Turtles.

The Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (1967): The biggest band in America in early 1967, they brought the hippie movement to the masses.

Love - Forever Changes (1967): A true masterpiece - essential for every 60s fan, and a very good concept album.

Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967): Floyd recorded this in the building next to where the Beatles' were recording 'Sgt. Pepper's' in very early '67. Arguably better.

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland (1968): Arguably Hendrix's best, features timeless tracks like 'Purple Haze', 'Voodoo Chilli', 'All Along the Watchtower' and 'Burning the Midnight Lamp.'

The Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Flakes (1968): The infamous gimmicky packaging hid a decent concept album.

The Doors - The Soft Parade (1969): Along with 'Waiting for the Sun' the Doors' most psychedeli record. Check out the self-titled.

The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead (1970): The Dead's most accessible record featured the hit 'Casey Jones.'



This pretty much sums it up.  A lot of the actual psychedelic wanderings were on stage with things like to once popular but then soon dreaded drum solo.  Ginger Baker was the one who pushed the envelope on that.
The long version of "Light My Fire" was a recorded top ten hit, and Steppenwolfs long version of "Magic Carpet Ride" was popular, but now I find I love the short but can't listen to the long versions.  I am glad to see you included Love.  They were a great band that seems to me to be ignored.  The Turtles came more from the Greenwich Village, Lovin' Spoonful folk pop thing.  I think Buffalo Springfield alumni spawned their own genre with Poco, Loggins and Messina, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and Nash (and Young), but influenced the small pop folk/country genre with artists like Arlo Guthrie, Brewer and Shipley, Judy Collins.

This pretty much sums it up.  A lot of the actual psychedelic wanderings were on stage with things like to once popular but then soon dreaded drum solo.  Ginger Baker was the one who pushed the envelope on that.
The long version of "Light My Fire" was a recorded top ten hit, and Steppenwolfs long version of "Magic Carpet Ride" was popular, but now I find I love the short but can't listen to the long versions.  I am glad to see you included Love.  They were a great band that seems to me to be ignored.  The Turtles came more from the Greenwich Village, Lovin' Spoonful folk pop thing.  I think Buffalo Springfield alumni spawned their own genre with Poco, Loggins and Messina, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and Nash (and Young), but influenced the small pop folk/country genre with artists like Arlo Guthrie, Brewer and Shipley, Judy Collins.


Alot of the so-called 'psychedelic' songs of the period were pretty much just 'straight rock/blues' songs that happened to be released during the 'Psychedelic period.' Both 'Born to be Wild' and 'Magic Carpet Ride' are pure Rock songs without any psych inflection at all - they only happen to be psychedelic in vintage or lyrics (the latter). Same goes for alot of the Doors' stuff, which was more dark, straight organ-based Rock. Love was a true psychedelic band, I think, that like the Doors were both deep and cerebial, yet appeared to their audiences on other levels. Sisco often steals the limelight as the centre of the Counter-culture, but L.A.'s scene was just as fascinating as was arguably the hotbed for some of America's greatest bands in the mid to late 60s. One also can't forget the Beach Boys' 'Smiley Smile' and the never-released Smile. 'Good Vibrations', and 'Heroes and Villains' and archetypical Psychedelic songs.

Sgt. Pepper, in my opinion, wasn't as great as people say. Sure, it had some good songs, but I'd listen to Abbey Road or The White Album over it anyday.. What I do like about it is, it opened up doors for other psychedelic albums.

Sgt. Pepper, in my opinion, wasn't as great as people say. Sure, it had some good songs, but I'd listen to Abbey Road or The White Album over it anyday.. What I do like about it is, it opened up doors for other psychedelic albums.


Yeah, Sgt. Pepper has a few good tracks, but Abbey Road (the first half of Abbey road) is a lot better.

Sgt. Pepper, in my opinion, wasn't as great as people say. Sure, it had some good songs, but I'd listen to Abbey Road or The White Album over it anyday.. What I do like about it is, it opened up doors for other psychedelic albums.


Yes, I agree with Sgt. Pepper being overrated. It seemed more like a collection of novelties rather than a truly Great album. I think it is one album where it's reputation outgrew its own greatness. Abbey Road is also quite overrated - weighed down by alot of mediocre filler.

In some cases, a psychedelic album can be the best known success for an artist.  Some one correct me if I am wrong, but I think that one album Jefferson Airplane did with "Somebody to Love" was their biggest success

Other times though, it can be a disaster for some artists



The album was "Surrealistic Pillow", and definitely their best.  I do agree that some artists' foray into psychedelia didn't work, but for many (Hendrix, Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Greatful Dead, etc.,) it was what brought them their greatest success.

I happen to love a lot of that psychedelic rock myself.......Are You Experienced? is probably my fave of all those albums.

The album was "Surrealistic Pillow", and definitely their best.  I do agree that some artists' foray into psychedelia didn't work, but for many (Hendrix, Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Greatful Dead, etc.,) it was what brought them their greatest success.

I happen to love a lot of that psychedelic rock myself.......Are You Experienced? is probably my fave of all those albums.


Joplin wasn't really 'psychedelic' for those who've listened to her music. Sure you saw glimpses of psych in such hits as 'I Got dem Kozmic Blues Again, Mama!', while 'Down on Me' was pure Acid/hippy rock (without the trippiness) in the vein of the Dead, most of Miss Joplin's stuff was pretty straight blues - rock.