A bit of Psychedelia-

So I'm a big music guy, I guess thats pretty obvious. I'm young, but I mostly listen to classic rock. No rap, country, or emo music for me. While be a fan of good ole' Rock N' Roll, such as Billy Haley, Buddy Holly, etc. I mostly love the 60's sound.

My favorite part of the 60's? Psychedelia. Maybe not the drugs, or the sex, or human be-ins, or whatever, the music strikes me as something amazing, and certainly worth listening too.

My first bit of Psychedelia was the Beatles, Tommorow Never Knows. From their, I got into some more mainstream Beatles, then I got into the Doors, who, though not exactly psychedelic, come close in many ways. From their, I researched.

My research came up with the same few bands, and the same few albums. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. Axis: Bold As Love, Disraili Gears, Surrealistic Pillow, Piper At The Gates of Dawn.

I listened to all of those albums, among others. Easy more popular stuff. I never truly understood why Surrealistic Pillow got the major credit it got, as a Psychedelic record, as it was mostly folk save for White Rabbit. I found After Bathing at Baxter's a much more 'far out' album.

Anyway, I got farther into Psychedelia, finding bands I figured were simple rock outfits even had their Psychedelic attempts. (The Rolling Stones: Their Satanic Majesties Requests, is definently an understated album IMO)

From their, I started listening to one hit wonders, like The Chambers Bros., Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Nazz etc. Not wanting to seem like more of a freak to my friends who were happily listening to the same 5 chords on their stupid..... god knows what albums, I tried finding newer psychedelic bands. The Black Angels is about as far as I got.

So my question is, do any of you have any real good psychedelic albums, bands, or even better songs I may be into. I'm not talking about Semi-Psychedelic, like Surrealistic Pillow, more over The Magical Mystery Tour/Piper At The Gates Of Dawn stuff.

Thanks

NOTE: This is my first post in this particular forum, so scuse' me if this isn't where this belongs.

Hurrah more people posting in my beloved Arts forum!

This is the right place. I am not into that brand of music. However, welcome to the best forum on this site!

Thank you, thank you.

Yep, I was just looking around, and figured, why not?

Well, if you're into psychedelia, I suppose you're acquainted with Os Mutantes?

Many contemporary underground or independent bands in the United States and Europe cite Os Mutantes as a major influence. Kurt Cobain publicly requested a reunion tour from the trio in 1993, writing a letter to Arnaldo Baptista.[6] Cobain was introduced to them by Pat Fear from White Flag. Beck paid tribute to the group with his single "Tropicália" from the album Mutations. The Bees covered A Minha Menina on their first album, Sunshine Hit Me. Kevin Barnes of of Montreal cites Os Mutantes as an important influence.[7][8] Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has worked to publish and promote the group's music through his Luaka Bop label.[1]

In 2006, the band (disbanded in 1973) got back together and embarked on a sold-out tour in Europe and America - by reading about it on the web (Pitchfork, The Guardian, New York Times) all the hipsters in the world attended. :p

Here's a video of Panis et Circensis, one of their most famous songs (ignore the random video that accompanies the song, it was recorded by some American dude with too much time in his hands). The song was composed in 1967 and spear-headed their 1968 self-named album.

Hehe, the closest I have on my playlists that might fit the bill are Sir Lord Baltimore, The Doors (you mentioned them, damn am I worthless), Hawkind (Trick question pig, Lemmy is God,) Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, Frank Zappa and I don't suppose you would be into some Sodom, would you? (Heeheheheeeehhe, they have an awesome version of Surfin' Bird.)

@Lord Consul

To be honest, I really only know of American and British Psychedelic stuff. Its was actually pretty good though. Liked the sounds, if only I could understand it .

@vizigothe
Frank Zappa's good, but I never really got to into him. From what I got, he was more alternative then psychedelic. The Doors... well, I really don't know where to place them. In my opinion on what Psychedelia is, I really have to classify the Doors in a half psychedelic...... way..... I dunno.

Love Hawkwind, or all prog rock to be fair, next to the Doors, Pink Floyd is my favorite band, but don't know Sodom.

It was a joke. They are thrash metal. I mentioned them because they covered a surf rock song from the 60's.

Funny thing about Zappa is that he didn't used drugs and hated them.


That being said, psychedelia is probably one of my favourite rock subgenres. A sizeable chunk of my music is psychedelic



I like to say that me and God are TWC's resident psychedelic fanatics.


By the way, the Black Angels are SICK! And Surrealistic Pillow definitely deserves all the credit it gets.

I know he didn't use drugs. Some of his music can be classified as psychedelic. It is more progressive and insane than anything though.

I got into music through sixties stuff with psychedelia because it was mind blowing but still emotional. I drifted towards singer-songwriters and punk/hardcore after that. The Flaming Lips are a modern band that used a lot of distortion on their 80s/90s albums, then moved towards lush arrangements in the later years.

If you really like Morrison, Ian Curtis (Joy Division) and Nick Cave pull off the baritone vocals pretty well.

My favorite psychedelia is definitely the 'Piper At The Gates Of Dawn'. The music still sounds fresh, I would be surprised if someone could make noises like that today, much less in the 60s.

Funny thing about Zappa is that he didn't used drugs and hated them.


That being said, psychedelia is probably one of my favourite rock subgenres. A sizeable chunk of my music is psychedelic



I like to say that me and God are TWC's resident psychedelic fanatics.


By the way, the Black Angels are SICK! And Surrealistic Pillow definitely deserves all the credit it gets.

Glad to see another Psychedelic fanatic. If you need a third person....

As for Surrealistic Pillow I love the album, but its not exactly as Psychedelic as say... Crown As Creation. I bought the album and love it (Surrealistic Pillow)

Besides therussian, any suggestions? I mean, I know A LOT of Psych. I know I only got into it, what, last year? But, I am a total noob, and have researched and listened to hours upon hours of it. I may have it. I (hopefully) may not.

Also, included in my Psychedelic... learnings, I've also fallen in lov with what little Space Rock I could find, and Prog rock, Pink Floyd covering all three of these.

Though I love the Doors, Pink Floyd is BY FAR my favorite band. From Piper to Atom Heart Mother, all the way to the Final Cut (not a fan of their post Waters albums)

Originally Posted by The Lizard King

Glad to see another Psychedelic fanatic. If you need a third person....

As for Surrealistic Pillow I love the album, but its not exactly as Psychedelic as say... Crown As Creation. I bought the album and love it (Surrealistic Pillow)

Besides therussian, any suggestions? I mean, I know A LOT of Psych. I know I only got into it, what, last year? But, I am a total noob, and have researched and listened to hours upon hours of it. I may have it. I (hopefully) may not.

Also, included in my Psychedelic... learnings, I've also fallen in lov with what little Space Rock I could find, and Prog rock, Pink Floyd covering all three of these.

Though I love the Doors, Pink Floyd is BY FAR my favorite band. From Piper to Atom Heart Mother, all the way to the Final Cut (not a fan of their post Waters albums)

I'll have to talk with my associates about that, but I'm sure we can work something out

Surrealistic Pillow: while there are songs on Crown of Creation that are far more "psych" that some Songs on SP, I feel that in general that the former was as a whole much more influential and widespread in the psych community. It might have been becasue of the 2 ace singles (Somebody to Love and White Rabbit, particularly the former). Also, you've got to remember that psych and folk in the Bay area were pretty much synonymous.


And as far as recommendations go, it's a bit late here, so I'm going to go to bed. I'm sure God will check in any time and show his vast knowledge, but for now, I'm going to recommend 2 compilation albums, Nuggets I and Nuggets II. A must have for any psych/garage rock fan.

Originally Posted by therussian

And as far as recommendations go, it's a bit late here, so I'm going to go to bed. I'm sure God will check in any time and show his vast knowledge

*.... runs in*

Some 60's stuff

Love

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The Zombies

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Blue Cheer

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Some more experimental 60's stuff

The United States of America

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White Noise

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Fifty Foot Hose

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Can

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Neo-Psychedelia

Rain Parade (Sadly all the best videos have been removed by youtube )

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Kingston Wall

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(early) Porcupine Tree

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Psytrance

Shpongle (a fav of mine at the moment and really trippy)

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Acid Folk

Comus

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Roger Rodier

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Psychedelic Metal

Psychotic Waltz

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Electric Wizard

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Psychedelic Rap

Dr. Octagon

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Also, I second Os Mutantes.

Originally Posted by God

*.... runs in*

Some 60's stuff

Can and Zombies are brilliant. I've been meaning to get an Electric Wizard album...

Here's yet another psychedelic and classic rock fan.

I'll showcase a bit of what Europe has to offer.
Being from Germany, I can of course heartly recommend a lot of what my home country spawned during the 60s and 70s (these being the best decades or all rock music evarrr!), also known as Kraut Rock (or Krautrock in German. ).

Such as...

..."Amon Düül II" (NOT to be mistaken with "Amon Düül I" regarding style! "Amon Düül I" was far more on a political-meaning-laden-rock side; that's what caused the split in the first place). A lot of far-out chilly and trippy psychedelica:

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"Archangel Thunderbird", probably the most mainstream-compatible song by them:


"Yeti Talks To Yogi" (a good example for the chilly part...)


"Wie Der Wind Am Ende Einer Straße" (="Like The Wind At The End Of A Road"; another example)


"Between The Eyes"


Too bad I can't find a video that contains "Pale Gallery" from the album "Yeti" (like the Yeti-song above )... That's some pretty weird sound collage whose kind I've seldomly heard anywhere else.

Did you know that in their very, very early times ('69/'70), "Kraftwerk" or "Organisation" as their name was first, wasn't the cold electro-pop n'techno group as which they earnt their world-wide reknown with the release of their song (and album) "Autobahn"?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Excerpt of a German tv docu about the history of Kraut Rock; contains extremely rare footage of a gig by "Organisation" where they play a piece named "Ruck, Zuck!" (the German counterpart of what "Chop! Chop!" is in English when you're telling someone to hurry up):


Actually, I think the album "Autobahn" can still be counted among psychedelic. The era of really ice-cold electronica came with "Radio-Activity", and even that still has it's psychedelic moments.

"Organisation" (there's only one album under that name called "Tone Float"), "Silver Forest":

Actually, the pre-Kraftwerk band "Organisation" split up into two bands going opposite directions. "Neu!" continued to ride the classic psychedelic rock train:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

"Hallogallo"


"Hero"; I find it funny that the info-box to this video on YouTube calls this "proto-punk" - it can well be called just that:

Let's get to something a bit easier to digest for a change. Classic Kraut Rock that only has certain psychedelic elements: "Eloy".

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"Plastic Girl"; I love this song! The music and, which doesnt occur too often with me, explicitly the lyrics:


"On The Road"

Since I said "European" in the beginning of this post, I'll mention two notable non-German examples that are crossing my mind just now.

"Magma", France. Invented their own language for their lyrics.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

"Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh":
Part 1

Part 2

"Brainticket", Belgium.

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"Black Sand":

"Watchin' You":

Oh, now that I think of it, there's yet one more German band I've got to mention for a calm and chilled exit from this post...
"Popol Vuh"!

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"Improvisation":

"Kyrie":

"Popol Vuh" made the soundtrack to "Aguirre, The Wrath Of God", by the way.




That's all for now. Tell me how you liked this showcase.
-Der Ketzerfreund.

Hurrah enough people have posted that I can now express my distaste for Pink Floyd!

Expressed!

The United States of America is probably my favorite 60s experimental psychedelic band. Great sound, too bad they only released 1 album

God, don't despair, I closed my post with "That's all for now". It took some time to seek out the clips and arrange them nicely and write something about the bands, too. Of course, a word from The Lizard King - the OP, after all - on if he's actually interested in exploring the psychedelia of the Kraut Rock genre more would help speed things up a bit...
Of course, I can't forget Can, Grobschnitt, Guru Guru, Kraan, Tangerine Dream etc.
Have patience, God. You're an eternal entity anyway, it's not as if you'd die the next minute.

If you seek guidance while in the magical realm, listen to Timothy Leary.



There's also the 13th Floor Elevators. They're not that great, but they did popularize the word "psychedelic".

Originally Posted by Estlander

If you seek guidance while in the magical realm, listen to Timothy Leary.

This be pretty good.

Did anyone play the old PS1 game 'Pandemonium'? Its soundtrack (and the game itself really...) is really trippy. Boss names like 'Shroom Lord' mean so much more to me now



Anyway, my (very late & expensive) new year's resolution is to trip (Salvia... yay to legal drugs) to every single Shpongle song