Psychedelic Dreams, Prog Rock Shamans & The Summer of Love

Rock & roll is a continuously evolving interpretation of the times. The birth of psychedelic rock and progressive rock distinctly showcases the increased interest in rebel culture. Let’s share a glimpse into the perspectives of what life was like for hippies in the ‘60s! 

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Songs from the psychedelic rock era are a direct reflection on the hallucinatory effects of psychedelic drugs. Some artists mirrored the effects of LSD literally through storytelling such as The Beatles “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” with their lyrics “Picture yourself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees, and marmalade skies.” Some chose a more metaphorical approach like Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” in which they describe what it means to “feed your head” with their lyrics “one pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small, and the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all.”. Other bands choose to let the hallucinogens do the talking by providing elaborate song structures, tripped out sounds and spacey improvisations such as “Interstellar Overdrive” by Pink Floyd. 

Psychedelic rock pairs the rebellious and curious spirit of rock & roll and morphs it into something familiar yet totally “new”, creating a fun musical bridge to reach the interconnectedness of the cosmic unknown. 

Psychedelic rock shares the notable traits of rock & roll before it, continuously pushing boundaries and innovating, highlighting instrument solos, and showcasing exciting shout vocals. Psychedelic rock infuses rock & roll with “far out” new technologies, introducing new instruments such as the sitar and theremin, and through the influence of Eastern religion, surreally captures the essence through lyricism and showmanship exactly what consciousness and “mind expansion” sounds like. 

Much of the psychedelic rock music that emerged at the time was from the London swinger scene and the California hippie scene. Cali “Acid Rock” bands such as The Grateful Dead, The Mamas, and the Papas and Buffalo Springfield were influenced by blues, folk, and country western elements. Their music focused more on harmonies, the use of multiple guitars, extended jam sessions, and the addition of auxiliary percussion components such as tambourine, cowbell, and shakers. Electric guitars often used distortion, fuzz effects, and wah-wah pedals. Guitar solos, a louder more prominent bass guitar, and captivating, larger than life vocal performances were key elements to the emerging “San Francisco Sound”.

Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth” - classic California “Summer of Love” sound featuring the “oooh” harmonies, folk inspired guitars and Stills even rocks a cowboy hat! Love this song!

Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company, “Catch Me Daddy” - very blues based rock & roll with a “classic distortion” on the guitar and shout vocals

Jimi Hendrix, "Purple Haze" - a wonderful example of trip inspired lyrics and the guitar heavy “San Francisco sound” from the ultimate guitar hero of the West Coast himself! 

“Progressive Rock” progenitors from London such as King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer picked up influence from jazz, experimental and art rock bands, further elaborating on song structure, song length, experimentation with time signatures, a focus on musicianship, and the use of varied instruments. Many British prog-rock and psychedelia used unusual instrument pairings with new age technology such as electronic organs, harpsichords, or music box sounds and pairing it with phasing or panning effects. While California bands were sticking to the more traditional rock & roll lineup, vocals, guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard, British bands began incorporating flute and saxophone with long delay loops and heavy reverb.  


Yes, “Yours Is No Disgrace” - awesome example of early blues inspired roots while fusing jazz and pop vocal elements to use as a base for further experimentation. This performance even has some trippy visuals! Rad!

Pink Floyd, “Bike” - my favorite Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd song, it’s a wonderful example of the eccentric, playful early prog sound that captivates and then changes up without warning.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer “Knife-Edge” - a good example of rock & roll’s evolution into progressive rock featuring some sick key licks and live effects from the amazing Moog synthesizer

Psychedelic rock was the mind-melting brain food for tripped out rock fans of the time. The use of LSD was known to expand consciousness and enhance the senses. Listeners would enter a dreamlike state, disarming their inhibitions, freefalling into the trip, and surrendering their bodies into the clutches of rock & roll. 

Colored light shows and strobes were implemented to further animate the psychedelic experience. These visual sensations encouraged hallucinogenic effects. The shift in sense perspective paired with reverb-drenched distortion, key changes, disorienting time signatures, convoluted solo sections, contrasting melodies, panned effects, and whimsical costumes would surely create an unpredictable and exciting trip! 

Rock musicians of the ‘60s acted as trusted shamans through the chaotic and dubious land of psychedelia. Their music was very rock & roll because it challenged the perspectives of modern life. They bravely provided a way for audiences to step outside their comfort zones to embrace alternative cultures and reach new states of enlightenment. Psychedelic rock musicians reached deep into universal truths. They used thoughts, feelings, and senses all around them to transform experiences into timeless musical pieces. Psychedelic rock provides us with a glimpse into a unique and transcendent time, one that can never truly be recreated. 


The Moody Blues, “Legend of a Mind” - sums up the legend of Timothy Leary and his popularization of LSD, the fantastical catalyst of the psychedelic rock movement. 

Jonali McFadden