Margate-Upon-Guinea: Pigeon and the rise of pub psychedelia
Psychedelia and pints…
Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock is a genre of rock music that emerged during the mid-1960s, inspired by the counterculture movement and a desire to expand the boundaries of popular music.
Characterised by experimental song structures, extended instrumental passages, surreal lyrics and innovative studio techniques, psychedelic rock drew influence from folk, blues, Indian classical music and avant-garde composition. Pioneered by artists including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors and The 13th Floor Elevators, the genre played a central role in the cultural revolution of the late 1960s. Its influence extended far beyond its initial peak, shaping progressive rock, heavy metal, shoegaze, neo-psychedelia and alternative rock while continuing to inspire contemporary musicians.
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“I have tasted the maggots in the mind of the universe…”
“No cultural or social ethic”: The 1970s band Grace Slick struggled to enjoy
Hated being a sell-out.
All publicity is good publicity: The 10 biggest PR stunts in music history
It’s all good though, right?
The 1968 cover that highlighted the brilliance of ‘Light My Fire’: “Made his whole career”
“Totally different than us.”
The classic 1967 song The Beatles cut from ‘Sgt Pepper’: “We were robbing the public”
“It was a cheap way of thinking, really, and complete nonsense.”
“Sell him”: the disturbing 2002 scheme involving Jimi Hendrix’s corpse
“The next thing they’ll be putting his remains in a glass case, and taking him out on tour again.”
“We’re old men now”: Butthole Surfers’ Paul Leary looks back on ‘After the Astronaut’s 1990s wormhole
“I thought we were going to starve to death and die…”
More About Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the 1960s, characterised by experimental songwriting, distorted guitars, studio effects, surreal lyrics and influences from non-Western and avant-garde music.
The genre was pioneered by artists including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Love, The Byrds and The 13th Floor Elevators.
Psychedelic rock transformed popular music by encouraging experimentation with recording techniques, song structures and instrumentation, paving the way for genres including progressive rock, heavy metal, space rock and alternative rock.