4/20 Edition: A Trip Through the History of Psychedelic Rock

This week is cause for much celebration, and I'll tell you why. Not only did Wednesday mark Willie Nelson's favourite day of the calendar year, but Rock 'n' Roll Nomad has officially been givin' it to ya good for a whole month. While 4/20 has come and gone until next year -- this week, I wanted to pay tribute to the musical influence of…being under the influence. So, without further ado, grab your pals, crack a window, and let's take a trip.

So 4/20, huh? Images of thick smoke clouds and hippies passing 'round a joint come to mind, but that's not really what I'm here to exalt. Whether or not you chose to partake in the festivities is completely beside the point, because this week, we're celebrating psychedelic rock and everything we love about it.

A tremendously experimental period, both with music and drugs, the 60’s marked the birth of psychedelic rock. This new genre would launch a movement which sought to dissolve barriers of both music and consciousness. Mimicking the mind-altering effects of hallucinogenic drugs, the genre can be primarily defined by modal melodies, esoteric lyrics, often describing dreams, visions, or hallucinations. Psychedelic rock also strayed from the rigidity of using the same time signature for the entirety of a song, and often featured syncopated beats.

Another major feature of the genre was the heavy influence of Indian culture and mysticism. Psychedelic rock was strongly impacted by Raga rock, made popular in the west by artists like Ravi Shankar, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Byrds, which featured elements of Eastern music such as the sitar and tabla.

The psychedelic movement was a direct rejection of the conventions and social norms of the 1950s. This counterculture was a huge driving force for bands like The Doors, Grateful Dead, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Frank Zappa, and Jefferson Airplane, with The Beatles going on to become the highest renowned commercial advocates of the "psychedelic revolution". Young people had begun to embrace an alternate lifestyle of radical change and good vibes.

Peaking in the years leading up to Woodstock, which advocated peace and music, psychedelic rock embodied hippie culture in its most tangible form. By the end of the 1960s, however, there was a significant departure from the genre. With LSD being been made illegal in the US and UK in 1966, and the infamous Manson murders taking place in 1969, this period would spark a hostile response toward the psychedelic movement in music and culture.

This, in correlation with the passing of key figures in the movement, forced musicians to revisit their roots. In the years to follow, many artists adopted a more bare-bones sound, marking the start of a roots revival. While psychedelic rock’s presence subsided during the 1970s, it opened the creative floodgates for sub-genres such as progressive rock and neo-psychedelic rock, which are alive and well today.

Check out this psychedelic rock gem by J.K. & Co, whose music was almost completely lost before being reissued on CD in 2001.

Until next time, stay groovy.

-A