CHAPTER 18
Psychedelic Rock and Roots
Revivalists
 The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts
Club Band was a strong example of the
experimentation within rock music in the
second half of the 1960s – although it
didn’t initiate progressive rock nor was
progressive rock solely British
 The American and British alternative rock
styles fed off of each other simultaneously
MAIN CENTERS
 The two main centers of this in America
were Los Angeles and San Francisco,
California
 The social tone of the late 1960s was a
rebellious one toward materialism and the
political policies of the adult establishment
 This youth movement was particularly
evident in university communities
ONE BIG ISSUE
 America’s involvement in the conflict in
Vietnam – many young people were
outraged that the old establishment was
sending scores of young people into a war
that had never been declared
 Rebellion took the form of a lifestyle that
ran completely opposite to the morals and
ethics of the previous generation, and San
Francisco became a focal point for this
Bohemian
 San Francisco had a thriving bohemian
community in the 1950s and 1960s
 In the Haight-Ashbury district a communal
tribalism arose, incorporating Eastern
culture and religion
Hippies
 Hippies, the people of this youth culture preached
“love, not war” and openly experimented with sex
and drugs
 More widespread with the development of the birth
control pill in the 1950s
 Drugs, aided by the development of hallucinogenic
drugs, particularly LSD
 Concerts in San Francisco clubs attempted to
simulate or enhance the drug experience with
entrancing rhythmic music and disorienting light
shows
 Jazz and folk music had found a home in
San Francisco and this provided a
foundation for a new and experimental
brand of rock, immune to the standards and
conservatism of the music industry
LIFESTYLES and FM RADIO
 While trying to remain anticommercial, the
music, fashion, and lifestyle of the
counterculture soon caught on around the
country – one thing that helped this was FM
radio
 In those days, the FCC mandated a radio
station could not duplicate programming
on its AM and FM frequencies
 This led to hours of unused airtime on FM
stations that lengthier, more experimental
music could benefit from
 Also, since most of this music never would
have been played on AM with its 3 to 4
minute restrictions, conservative content
and hyperactive DJs, it fit in well on FM
Jefferson Airplane
 Jefferson Airplane was the first San
Francisco band to sign with a major label
 They began as folk musician Marty Balin
was assembling a house band for his San
Francisco club
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jj3wZVc
7nw
 Their sound was a mix of the members’
influences, ranging from folk to R&B
 In 1966, Grace Slick replaced the original
singer (Signe Anderson) bringing with her
a powerful voice and sarcastic lyrics
 She became the first tough-image female
rock star, leading the way for a number of
other women to do the same in the 1970s
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klRoSj0
nYmE Dick Clark Interview
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR8LF
NUr3vw White Rabbit, page 219 Analysis
The Grateful Dead
 The Grateful Dead was the psychedelic
era’s most beloved and enduring bands
 Their fans, known as Deadheads, reach
across generations
 The Dead became enduring stars outside of
the mainstream music industry, essentially
creating a market for themselves
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WKmEvGZtY Dark Star
 Commercial success eluded them but their
fans were closer to a cult than just
audience members, following the band
everywhere it toured and recording
thousands of hours of bootleg material
with the band’s blessing
 The band was mainly a touring band,
incorporating extended improvised solo
sections, known as jams
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jn58
DZ6Fw Truckin’
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkKuhA
xcH7g Sugar Magnolia
 They broke up in 1995 with singer Jerry
Garcia’s death (heart attack) but their work
influenced a number of bands to follow
their jam band style, both musically and
idealistically
JANIS JOPLIN
 Janis Joplin was born in Texas, went to college for
one year and moved to San Francisco to sing for
Big Brother and the Holding Company
 Janis Joplin’s vocal style
 Came from the tradition of black gospel and blues
shouters
 Her voice was coarse and screaming – forecasted
the metal screaming vocal style of the 1970s
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5If816MhoU
Ball and Chain
 Her image also epitomized the new female
rock star
 Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane had
broken ground, moving away from the
wholesome girl next door look, but was
subtle compared to Joplin
 Joplin, unlike Slick was not necessarily
physically attractive, but wore garish
clothes, stomped around the stage and
screamed her vocals
 She died of a drug overdose in 1970
JIMI HENDRIX
 Jimi Hendrix took the innovations made by T-bone
Walker on the electric guitar and greatly expanded
on them, using greater levels of distortion and
feedback
 Although he was born in Seattle, Washington, he
moved to England in 1966 where the R&B scene
was flourishing
 He formed a trio there – the Jimi Hendrix
Experience
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm4dOr9mxV
M I Don’t Live Today pg 223 Analysis
 With this group, he wrote music using
distortion, feedback and other effects to
create a unique guitar sound previously
unheard
 They debuted at the 1967 Monterey Pop
Festival following the Who
 Wanting to make a name for himself he
destroyed his guitar as well, but not before
setting it on fire
 Jimi Hendrix was unique in that while most
black musicians were involved in the soul
scene at the time, he was pioneering in
the field of rock music.
 Purple Haze
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhI6EIm
eY_s
 He died in 1970. He choked on his own
vomit, probably after a drug overdose.
LOS ANGELES
 While San Francisco bands had a more
utopian view of the world, singing about free
love and leaning on a strong folk influence,
Los Angeles bands had a darker, more
cynical style
THE DOORS
 The Doors formed in 1965 and released
their debut album in 1966
 One very unique feature of the band was
their lack of a bassist; instead they featured
dense and complex organ parts
 Singer Jim Morrison’s voice was rich and
deep; his lyrics were thoughtful, dark and
poetic
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw40N
Ma_0RM Light My Fire pg 225 Analysis
 Morrison’s lyrics reflected his own manic
outlook on life; he was an alcoholic and a
drug addict and died at the age of 27 (the
same age as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin
and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones)
The 27 Club
 Group of popular musicians who have died
at the age of 27, usually from a drug
overdose, or drug and/or alcohol related
issues.
 http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/15-othermusicians-who-died-at-age-27
WOODSTOCK
Woodstock
 Woodstock was not the first open air music
festival, but is almost certainly the most
famous
 Took place on a farm August 15 – 17, 1969
near Bethel, New York
 It was funded by a few wealthy
entrepreneurs
 Originally around 100,000 people were
expected to come – before receiving their
permit they assured the town of Bethel only
50,000 would attend
 At first tickets were $18, available only at
select record stores in New York – once
event coordinators saw the amount of
attendees, it became a “free concert”
 Around 500,000 people attended
 The festival was overcrowded the weather
was rainy, sanitation conditions were poor,
food was in low supply
 There were 3 recorded deaths and 2
recorded births
 Despite the poor conditions and the many
opportunities for crime and violence, the
ideals of peace and love prevailed in
people’s minds
 32 acts performed – among those who declined
were Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Bob Dylan and
the Doors
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_performances_
and_events_at_Woodstock_Festival
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjzZh6-h9fM
Jimi Hendrix Star Spangled Banner