First Psychedelic Song
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Topic: First Psychedelic Song
Posted By: Revolver
Subject: First Psychedelic Song
Date Posted: October 15 2007 at 12:30
What song do you think is the first true psychedelic song. Some people think it's Eight Miles High and some of have said Tomorrow Never Knows. The 13TH floor Elevators first album was recorded in late 1966. The Doors came out in early 1967. Jefferson Airplane Surrealistic Pillow was recorded after Revolver. I guess you know my choice.
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Replies:
Posted By: R o V e R
Date Posted: October 15 2007 at 12:44
Hi
I like "Tomorrow Never Knows"
l love the version in "Love"
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 15 2007 at 12:48
I think Nowhere Man off of Rubber Soul is the first real psych tune, way back in 65.
------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 15 2007 at 12:56
As written before the Beatles were visiting the West Coast in the mid 60's to check out the scene there, they were picking up on psychedelia being created there and bringing it back to the UK to transmogrify into their own form of psychedelia . So IMHO the Beatles were late on the scene. Instead check out those Nuggets sets, e.g.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nugvol9.jpg"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nugvol9.jpg -
or the box sets. e.g.
(Do these links work....otherwise try http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=75466 - http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=75466 )
White Rabbit with its clever use of Lewis Carroll's Alice, to promote the psychelic drug scene, dates to 1965 and I don't believe it was anywhere like the first.
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Posted By: Revolver
Date Posted: October 15 2007 at 14:30
Mr Heath this list is mostly garage songs. The psychedelic songs are mostly after Revolver example the Electric Prunes. I would could consider Tomorrow Never Knows much more psychedelic than any of the songs on this list, before the subgenre was even popular. The list of songs that were released before Tomorrow Never Knows are less Psychedelic than songs that are on Rubber Soul like Nowhere Man and even Norwegian Wood and that is late 1965. The Beatles popularized psychedelic music they were not late in the scene. Late in the scene is not 1966 or late 1965. Your statement is not factual.
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 06:40
Revolver wrote:
Mr Heath this list is mostly garage songs. The psychedelic songs are mostly after Revolver example the Electric Prunes. I would could consider Tomorrow Never Knows much more psychedelic than any of the songs on this list, before the subgenre was even popular. The list of songs that were released before Tomorrow Never Knows are less Psychedelic than songs that are on Rubber Soul like Nowhere Man and even Norwegian Wood and that is late 1965. The Beatles popularized psychedelic music they were not late in the scene. Late in the scene is not 1966 or late 1965. Your statement is not factual. |
It is not my list, it is that of the collective pundits of Rhino Records, for that Nuggets box set. The first edition of Mojo magazine over a decade ago, gave away a booklet compiled and written by Jon Savage, listing 100 psychedelic tracks - which was more meaningful and less "constrained" (as it goes) than any record company's compilation CD.
And you are probably right wrt the garage aspect - however, American 60's garage influenced by the British beat invasion, infected by the hallucinogen culture, and an opening to many world musics, that came together. The vagueness of boundaries, and who was doing what where, make it impossible to pin-point a single tune or group - but no form of music ever spontaneously appeared on the scene: what's the expression, "standing on the shoulders of giants"?
Personally I would like to know if there is a track, a psychedelic missing link involving Don Galucci, between the Kingsmen's Louis Louis and the seminal Touch album (and indeed between Touch and Galucci producing the Stooges' second album....). (One part answer, but not involving Galucci, might be Vanilla Fudge's cover of You Keep Me Hanging On....)
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 06:49
Revolver wrote:
The Beatles popularized psychedelic music they were not late in the scene. Late in the scene is not 1966 or late 1965. Your statement is not factual. |
Really?
Popularised not inventing - not the first (same argument wrt Miles Davis and jazz rock). Things were happening so fast in the mid 60's (today, change is slug-like in comparison); being 3 to 6 months behind meant you were late upon the scene. Norwegian Wood was Lennon doing his Dylan - popularising not inventing.
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Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 07:15
Bob Dylan has to take some credit for penning some of the earliest psychedelia.Taking his cue from the written word and not necessarily the musical side of things.
The influence of the Victorian/Edwardian writers,Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll along with the 'Beat Poets',Kerouc,Ginsberg,Ferlinghetti et al,took his writing into the style of ;stream of conciousness'.
Just listen to Mr Tambourine Man,Like a Rolling Stone,Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands etc.and tell me if that was influenced by any other musician.
On this side of 'the pond' the influence of Dylan on Beatles for sale onwards was all too evident.
Manfred Mann was one of the earliest interpreters of Dylan's work noticably with the psychy, Quinn the Eskimo.Other bands/writers soon tried to emulate 'Dylan's style' with varying degrees of success.
One of the better acolytes of Dylan being Scotland's Donovan,who along with Al Stewart had come down to England to seek out the happening folk scene which was morphing into psych folk by 1965.
Another notable writer/musicians was Graham Gouldman,later a member of 10cc, who penned many 'psych-kitchen sink drama songs' for The Hollies and The Yardbirds. Still I'm Sad,Evil Hearted You and For Your Love by the Yardbirds all recorded 1965-1966 had that psych edge to them.
Soon to come along were the Small Faces but by this time the trickle was turning into a torrent after the release of Rubber Soul and Revolver in the UK and Safe as Milk by Captain Beefheart and Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys in the USA.
-------------
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb.
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 07:48
Mind you the beatles were early compared with:
and
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Posted By: mrcozdude
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 07:52
Its hard to pin point the band standing between Garage and psychedelic,after all it's evolution but to be easy i'd say strawberry alarm clock are probaly close.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/cozfunkel/" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 13:10
Dick Heath wrote:
Mind you the Beatles were early compared with:
and
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Posted By: Revolver
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 20:41
The Beatles roots were skiffle which was folk influenced. The Beatles were already mixing folk with rock on A Hard Days Night. The Byrds noticed this right away and became a electric rock band becuase of there success with rock and folk. Roger McGuinn said last year in Mojo Magazine the Beatles were already doing folk rock already they were the ones who inspired us. Yes in turn The Beatles were influenced by the Byrds and Dylan. The Beatles were already hugely successfull while Dylan was still a folk artist and yet had a top 40 hit. Without the Beatles Psychedelic music would have never taken off. The Beatles brand of psychedelia with Indian Instruments, avant garde, musique concrete, mellotron, and using unusual time singnatures is the biggest reason why there is progressive rock. My last point true pyschedelic starts with Tomorrow Never Knows or Eight Miles High. Dylan is lyrically there but not in sound sorry Dylan fanatics.
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Posted By: Revolver
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 21:10
Norwegian Wood is most likely the first raga folk rock song so who was really doing the inventing there and it helped create world music. What did Dylan say, the Beatles were pointing the direction where music was heading to. You can popularize and invent something at the same time and the Beatles were already doing folk with rock while Dylan was still a folk artist. If anything The Beatles helped Dylan go electric earlier than he might have. I like Dylan but if you list all the subgenres The Beatles were a major part of it dwarfs Dylan. The Hollies, The Byrds , Manfred Mann and Donovan were highly influenced by the Beatles.
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Posted By: Sydwaters
Date Posted: October 16 2007 at 23:03
Do you guys know your rock history it was the Byrds who picked on what the Beatles were doing. The 12 string Rickenbocker jangle sound and folk with rock was on A Hard Day Night before Beatles for Sale. Without that they were have been no Byrds as admitted by all of them. The Beatles even did country rock years before it was popular on Beatles For Sale.
Psychedelic music was hardly on the map when Eight Miles High was out. Pink Floyd was listening to Revolver when they were writing there first songs. Go read this months Mojo Magazine with Pink Floyd on the cover it mentions the Beatles influence. The 60's all the greats were influencing each other the Byrds and Dylan infuenced the Beates. The Byrds and Dylan were influenced by the Beatles. Without the Beatles though they were would have been no Byrds. I doubt Dylan would have gone electric in 1965 without the Beatles as the motivation.
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 07:14
See My Friends Released
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_30 - 30 July http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965 - 1965 by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kinks - The Kinks , it reached #10 on the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Singles_Chart - UK Singles Chart . A rare foray into http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_rock - psychedelic rock for the group, it is sometimes credited as the first Western http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_music - rock song to integrate Indian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raga - raga sounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Al7u0cKRk&mode=related&search= - Youtube clip
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
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Posted By: erik neuteboom
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 07:23
I own a compilation CD with songs (1965-1967) from The Misunderstood entitled Before The Dream Faded, including the mindblowing track I Can Take You To The Sun, in my opinion this was also very early psychedelic music
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 07:28
It might as well be Joe Meek and the The Blue Men: I Hear a New World - An Outer Space Music Fantasy from 1960. Its also popular music's first concept album.
Its pretty great too!


Joe Meeks own comments:
- Globb Waterfall: This may
contradict the belief that there is no water on the moon; I still hope
there is, if it's not external then it's inside the crust. Gravity has
done a strange thing, and has formed a type of overflowing well. The
water rises to form a huge globule on the top of a plateau, and when
it's reached its maximum size it falls with a terrific splash to the
ground below, and flows away into the cracks of the moon; then the
whole cycle repeats itself again and again.
- Dribcot's Space Boat:
This looks rather like an egg, and it floats about 100 yards from the
surface of the ground. It glides along at about 20 m.p.h. and is built
and owned by the Dribcots. It is driven by huge inductance coils, that
set up a magnetic field with the same polarity as the moon. Therefore,
when the magnetic field is strong enough, it is repelled by the moon
and rises into the air. By varying the polarities and their direction,
the space boat is driven along. By reducing the magnetic field the boat
can gracefully settle down on the ground. Its disadvantage is that it
follows the shape of the ground below, and with a few odd craters
around the Dribcots have a few "ups" and "downs", but the big
disadvantage and the reason for drifting 100 yards from the surface is
that if a passing satellite of opposite polarity came by, it would
whisk the spaceboat, Dribcots and all, away and perhaps into orbit
around some other heavenly body!
- Love Dance Of The Sarooes:
Once again we find the Sarooes in a sad mood as they twist and turn in
this almost Eastern dance. This dance is performed every eight days
when the light is only half as bright, and a strange purple haze seems
to cover their Valley. They dance for almost four hours non-stop, and
then fast for three days. Perhaps it's a superstition; anyway it is a
means of saving their valuable food rations and to watch this dance is
a beautiful sight.
- The Bub Light:
This is a wonderful sight -- a great patch of the sky becomes filled
with different coloured lights, almost I should imagine like the end of
a rainbow, except that each light takes on a shape. People travel from
great distances to dance in the coloured rays, and about every five
minutes the different lights all mix up, take on different shapes, and
settle down to shimmer for another five minutes; then the shuffle takes
place again. This lasts in our time about ten hours. This strange sight
only happens about once every six months, and to dance in its coloured
rays gives the people the belief that it casts a magic spell over them
for the next six months, and safeguards them from evil.
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
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Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 07:34
Joe Meek is an odd one, I think Ritchie Blackmore did session work with him long, long ago.
I don't know if Meek gets grouped with the exotic lounge crowd, but a lot of those artists were ahead of and or parralleled by some of rock and jazz's most adventurous.
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 07:42
How 'bout electroacoustic composer Pierre Henry ?

'In 1964 he produced his Jerks Electronique with a 'song' called Psyche Rock under the pseudonym Yper Sound. It sold some 150,000 copies'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKz4qVmUz84 -
Psyche Rock on youtube
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 08:46
Rocktopus wrote:
How 'bout electroacoustic composer Pierre Henry ?

'In 1964 he produced his Jerks Electronique with a 'song' called Psyche Rock under the pseudonym Yper Sound. It sold some 150,000 copies'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKz4qVmUz84 - Psyche Rock on youtube
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Weird - almost everywhere except for the interview you got that quote from gives the date of composition as 1967 - which would make sense, as that's the same time as Fifty Foot Hose released "Cauldron", and Delia Derbyshire performed at the 1,000,000 volt sound and light rave.
There's no recorded electronic-oriented rock prior to these that I'm aware of - and Henry has been on my research radar as important in its development - but not as important as Morton Subotnik and Edgard Varese.
From what I can make out, psychedelic rock was born when the Grateful Dead became the house band at the Acid Test parties in 1965 - no, really - they couldn't help it
The first psychedelic song on general release was, however, almost without question, 8 Miles High (December 1965). I researched this first 15 years ago, and it doesn't seem to have changed.
The Beatles were inspired by the Byrds and Dylan - and vice versa - all round. The sitar made its first appearance in "Norwegian Wood" (an earlier song, but "proto-psyche"?), after the Beatles met up with the Byrds, and were introduced to Ravi Shankar. It certainly has a psychedelic flavour - as does the whole of Rubber Soul... aside from "Octopus' Garden", perhaps...
------------- The important thing is not to stop questioning.
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 10:03
Have to remember wrt to mind expansion, a litany of famous jazz musicians took H and coke, becoming junkies in the 50's and 60's because they believed these drugs released their inhibitions to move to a higher level of composition and playing. Because many of well known jazz players took such drugs, it encouraged lesser known jazz artists to use these drugs, hoping to acheive the heights that Davis, Coltrane, Bird, etc. reached. Indeed, even earlier jazz musicians were indulging - Mez Mezzrow's autobiography 'Really The Blues', predominantly deals with his life as a pot smoking junkie in the late 30's and 40's . So you might say some be bop and cool jazz was psychedelised.
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Posted By: Revolver
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 10:11
Certified I have said the same things. Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man and lyrically on The Word on Rubber Soul are what have been described as proto-psyche. See My Friends has raga influence. The Beatles though fused Traditional Indian with rock big difference to the Kinks. Eight Miles or Tomorrow Never Knows are true Psychedelic songs. By the way Octupus Garden is on Abbbey Road.
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Posted By: Revolver
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 10:19
Limit this topic to psychedelic rock. Not Lounge music or jazz.
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 13:25
I don't really want to prolong this spent topic much further. But if 8 Miles High is cited, then reference will be made Roger McGuinn trying to play his guitar on that song like John Coltrane played his sax.........................
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 21:50
Revolver wrote:
Limit this topic to psychedelic rock. Not Lounge music or jazz. |
Sounds like you just want us all too agree that The Beatles were the
first (which they weren't), than actually find out anything. Listen to Psyche Rock or See my Friends
from the links. They both rock in a psychedelic way, and came out
before your The Beatles suggestions. Even Joe Meek kind of rocks. Its
certainly not lounge or jazz.
(The Pierre Henry album seems to have been recorded in '64 and released in both '65 and '67)

Pierre Henri (les Yper sounds)
title : this LP contains psyche Rock- jericho jerk - teen tonic -too fortiche
label: Philips
année: 1965
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 21:55
^ 'psyche' is the human mind and soul, 'psych' is short for psychedelic-- make sure you know what they are referring to in the context of the record
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 22:13
^ I'm not stupid. The track is called http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKz4qVmUz84 - Psyche Rock ! Make sure you read my posts thoroughly , so you know what
you are referring to.
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 22:15
that's my point, if the track is called 'Psyche Rock', how do you know it refers to Psych rock.. just curious, not trying to offend
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 22:20
Atavachron wrote:
that's my point, if the track is called 'Psyche Rock', how do you know it refers to Psych rock.. just curious, not trying to offend
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I never wrote that the title referred to Psych rock, did I? Its just the title of the track, and the track is early psychedelia. Listen to it! I've linked it to youtube twice.
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 22:21
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 22:42
Dick Heath wrote:
Revolver wrote:
Mr Heath this list is mostly garage songs. The psychedelic songs are mostly after Revolver example the Electric Prunes. I would could consider Tomorrow Never Knows much more psychedelic than any of the songs on this list, before the subgenre was even popular. The list of songs that were released before Tomorrow Never Knows are less Psychedelic than songs that are on Rubber Soul like Nowhere Man and even Norwegian Wood and that is late 1965. The Beatles popularized psychedelic music they were not late in the scene. Late in the scene is not 1966 or late 1965. Your statement is not factual. |
It is not my list, it is that of the collective pundits of Rhino Records, for that Nuggets box set. The first edition of Mojo magazine over a decade ago, gave away a booklet compiled and written by Jon Savage, listing 100 psychedelic tracks - which was more meaningful and less "constrained" (as it goes) than any record company's compilation CD.
And you are probably right wrt the garage aspect - however, American 60's garage influenced by the British beat invasion, infected by the hallucinogen culture, and an opening to many world musics, that came together. The vagueness of boundaries, and who was doing what where, make it impossible to pin-point a single tune or group - but no form of music ever spontaneously appeared on the scene: what's the expression, "standing on the shoulders of giants"?
Personally I would like to know if there is a track, a psychedelic missing link involving Don Galucci, between the Kingsmen's Louis Louis and the seminal Touch album (and indeed between Touch and Galucci producing the Stooges' second album....). (One part answer, but not involving Galucci, might be Vanilla Fudge's cover of You Keep Me Hanging On....) |
"The Warlocks" (pre Grateful dead) started musical LSD-fuelled experiments since Summer 1965 and were precursors.
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Posted By: Revolver
Date Posted: October 17 2007 at 23:47
In music it is not always first to do something that counts, but it is the first to be influential or successfull that counts. I consider Tomorrow Never Knows a true psychedelic song not See My Friends. See My Friends by the Kinks is faux Indian music not the real fusion the Beatles did on Love You To and Within You Without You. The Grateful Dead first record was late 1966 pyschedelic music was already established. This debate is similiar to prot-prog and real progressive rock. Tomorrow Never Knows is full blown out psychedelic rock music. Those other songs Rocktupus you mention have elements but not full blown psychedelic rock big difference.
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 02:52
I should have understood that you wanted the first true Beatles-sounding psychedelic track. Here's some guy from Luxembourg's attempt on making a timeline.
EARLY
PSYCHEDELIA - A CHRONOLOGY
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EDEN AHBEZ releases
"Eden's Island" on the Del-Fi label, an album of dreamy
songs that anticipates many themes and moods that were to become
popular during the psychedelic era. The front cover looks much like
a hippie-era artefact. |
 |
|
1961 |

Philosopher and LSD advocate GERALD HEARD releases the spoken word
" http://www.lysergia.com/LamaReviews/lamaGeraldHeardLP.htm - "
LP which deals with psychedelic concepts.
|
1961 |
World-famous author and LSD spokesman ALDOUS HUXLEY records a
lecture in Los Alamos that deals partly with psychedelic drugs. The
lecture is released posthumously as "Visionary Experience" (Gifford
Associates, c1969). An interview with a British reporter the same
year is released on LP in the 1970s ("Speaking
Personally"), and again contains some hallucinogen-related
talk.
|
1961 |

Early surf band the GAMBLERS
from Los Angeles release the "Moon dawg" 45 which contains
an instrumental titled "LSD-25" on the flipside. The song
is not psychedelic by any means and the title was chosen by a DJ
from a newspaper article, or such.
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1962 |
Author/philosopher ALAN WATTS
releases the "This is it" LP, regarded by many as the
first genuinely psychedelic album. The LP consists mainly of
improvised music and chanting. An indepth presentation of
the LP can be found http://www.lysergia.com/LamaReviews/lamaAlanWattsThisIsIt.htm - here .
|
 |
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1963 |
While no recordings have been
found that bear witness of it, members of the Boston folk boom scene
around Club 47 came into contact with psychedelic drugs at an early
stage, mainly via the neighboring Harvard research projects of
Leary-Alpert. MEL LYMAN, then member of Jim Kweskin Jug Band, was
instrumental in spreading the use of LSD and Morning Glory seeds
among local folkies.
|
1964 |
New York group the HOLY MODAL
ROUNDERS release their debut LP on the Prestige label. Among the
tracks are a rewrite of "Hesitation Blues" which contains
the first known use of the word "psychedelic" on a
pop/folk/rock record: "...I got my psychedelic feet/In my
psychedelic shoes/Oh lordy momma/I got the psychedelic blues...".
Thanks to Stan Denski for this one!
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|
1965
|
Spring, 1965 |
A band called the
Psychedelic Rangers including future DOORS drummer John Densmore is
formed in Los Angeles. This is the first known instance of a
rock'n'roll band referring to themselves as "psychedelic". |
June 29, 1965 |
The CHARLATANS
make their debut performance at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City,
Nevada. This is the first known instance of a band playing rock
music under the influence of LSD (many in the audience were tripping
too). This event is also commonly seen as the birth of the
psychedelic concert poster. |
July, 1965 |
From various
clues it seems that KIM FOWLEY released his "The Trip" 45
as early as the Summer '65. There was a cover version of it a few
months later (see below), and Kim was selling remaining copies via
an L A Free Press ad in November '65. This would make it the very
first obviously LSD-inspired record. The
UK release happened in June-1966. |
July 27, 1965
|
First recording
day for the YARDBIRDS' "Still I'm Sad". Second day of
recording is August 26. The song has many elements similar to what
later would be called psychedelia. The band had not yet tried
psychedelic drugs at this point. |
July 30, 1965
|
The KINKS' "See My Friend" is
released. The song, recorded in April, has a sound similar to what later would be called
psychedelia. The band had not yet tried psychedelic drugs at this
point. |
August, 1965
|
The FUGS record
their debut album where the song "I couldn't get high"
explicitly mentions LSD. This is the first known instance of the
drug appearing in a rock lyric.
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September 2, 1965
|
The newly-formed
DOORS record an acetate in Los Angeles that contains songs such as
"Moonlight Drive", "End Of The Night" and
"Go Insane". Three of the band members had taken LSD at
this point.
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September, 1965
|
L A disc jockey
GODFREY releases his cover version of Kim Fowley's "The
trip".
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October, 1965
|
The BEATLES
record "Norwegian Wood", which contains elements close to
psychedelia. At least two of the band members had taken LSD at this
point. The track appears on "Rubber Soul", released in
December. |
November, 1965
|
The first ACID
TEST is arranged in La Honda by KEN KESEY & THE MERRY
PRANKSTERS. Local band the Warlocks, soon to be renamed the GRATEFUL
DEAD perform at the event.
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November 5, 1965
|
KIM FOWLEY places
an ad in the LA Free Press, offering remaining copies of his
"The Trip" 45. The 45 is referred to as having a
"psychedelic sound", one of the earliest instances of
connecting rock music with the term. Thanks to Jon Pennington for
this entry and the one below!
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November, 1965
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HUGH ROMNEY (a k
a Wavy Gravy) and Del Close put on a "Lysergic A-Go-Go"
show in Los Angeles, as reported in the L A Free Press. A rock band
called Summer's Children appeared at the event.
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November (late),
1965
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13th FLOOR
ELEVATORS members drop LSD & form the band with the explicit
intent of making LSD-inspired music.
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December, 1965 |
Psychedelic tunes
"Roller coaster", "Fire engine" written by the
13th FLOOR ELEVATORS. |
December 4, 1965 |
"Free
advice" and "Someone to love" recorded by Great
Society. The 45 is released in early 1966.

|
December 22, 1965 |
The BYRDS record
"Eight miles high", first version. |
December 19, 1965 |
DONOVAN records
"Sunshine Superman", which is not released until much
later. |
|
1966
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January, 1966
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The words
"Psychedelic rock" appears on the 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS'
business card. This is the first known use of the term. |
January 21, 1966 |
The 3-day TRIPS
FESTIVAL is held in San Francisco. Use of psychedelic drugs at the
event is
widespread. The multimedia festival marks the birth of a coherent S
F psychedelic "movement". |
February 10, 1966 |
A review of a 13th
FLOOR ELEVATORS' live gig in a local newspaper bears heading
"Unique Elevators shine with 'psychedelic rock'". This is
the first ever documented media reference to psychedelic rock music. |
February, 1966 |
The YARDBIRDS
release the "Shapes Of Things" 45. |
February 23, 1966 |
The BYRDS record
"Eight miles high", second (and official) version. |
March, 1966 |
LOVE release
their self-titled debut LP, a few songs of which have psychedelic
elements. |
March 11, 1966 |
PINK FLOYD
introduce a psychedelic light show at a gig at Essex University. |
March 14, 1966 |
The BYRDS release the "Eight miles high" 45. |
March 16, 1966
|
Live recording
exists of 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS performing psychedelic material like
"Roller coaster" on this date (the live KAZZ-FM tape) |
March,
1966 |
The
" http://www.lysergia.com/MerryPranksters/MerryPranksters_main.htm - Acid
Test " LP featuring KEN KESEY & THE MERRY PRANKSTERS is
released in San Francisco. The contents and packaging are 100%
lysergic. |
March, 1966 |
John Lennon
records demos for what was to become "She said, She said",
a clearly LSD-influenced song. |
April 6, 1966 |
The BEATLES begin recording of 'Mark 1', this song was
to become "Tomorrow Never Knows". |
April, 1966 |
The DOVERS from
California release "The Third Eye", a 45 that is clearly
psychedelic. |
April, 1966 |
The VEJTABLES
from California release the "Feel The
Music"/"Shadows" 45, both sides being clearly
psychedelic. The release date has also been listed as January
1967 -- anyone know for sure? |
May 4, 1966 |
Brian Wilson of the BEACH BOYS begins work on
"Good Vibrations". |
May 13, 1966 |
The ROLLING
STONES release "Paint It Black", which contains elements
that could be considered psychedelic. |
May, 1966 |
BOB DYLAN
releases the "Blonde on blonde" double LP. |
May 30, 1966 |
The BEATLES
release "Rain" on the flipside of their "Paperback
Writer" 45. |
June 6, 1966 |
COUNTRY JOE &
THE FISH record tracks for their upcoming "Bass Strings"
EP. |
July 18, 1966 |
The BYRDS release
the "Fifth Dimension" LP, which contains a number of
psychedelic tracks. |
July/August,
1966 |
The
Los Angeles-based studio project ID record the "Inner
Sounds" LP, which isn't released until January 1967. |
August,
1966 |
TIMOTHY
LEARY releases his first LP on the Broadside label, a reading from
"The Psychedelic Experience" together with Ralph Metzner.
Leary would release http://www.lysergia.com/LamaReviews/lamaLSDdocLPsLeary.htm - several
LPs in 1966-67, for which the exact release dates are unknown. |
August 5, 1966 |
The "Revolver" album by the BEATLES released
in the UK. The US release is 3 days later. |
August, 1966 |
SPIKEDRIVERS
45
with psychedelic B-side "Often I wonder" released on OM 1000 in
Michigan. |
August,
1966 |
Pre-Steppenwolf
band the SPARROW release psychedelic 45 "Tomorrow's Ship"
b/w "Isn't It Strange". The tracks were recorded in June
and July, respectively. |
August 17, 1966 |
The "Holy
Music" LP by MALACHI is recorded. |
August, 1966 |
Rusty Evans &
the DEEP record the "Psychedelic Moods" LP in
Philadelphia. This is the first ever LP with a consistent
psychedelic theme throughout. |
August (late),
1966 |
"Bass
Strings" EP by COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH released and reviewed
in the "Mojo Navigator" fanzine. |
 |
|
September, 1966 |
The CHARLATANS'
version of "Codeine" is released on 45, then withdrawn due
to an ad campaign that calls it a "remedy for a drugged
market". |
September, 1966 |
The 13th FLOOR
ELEVATORS record "Kingdom Of Heaven" and
"Reverberation" in a studio in Houston. |
September, 1966 |
The
"East-West" LP by PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND is released.
The release date is unclear but the album peaks on the charts in
October. |
October, 1966 |
The MONOCLES from
Colorado release the great "Psychedelic (Where it's at)"
45 on the local Denco label. This may be the first 45 to use the
term. |
October, 1966 |
The
"Psychedelic Moods" LP by the DEEP released. The release
date is uncertain, and it may have been later despite the recordings
being completed in late August. Depending on the date, this may be
the first LP with the word "psychedelic" in the title. |
October 10, 1966 |
The BEACH BOYS
release the "Good vibrations" 45. |
October, 1966 |
PAT KILROY
releases the "Light of day" album on the Elektra label. |
October, 1966 |
"It's A
Happening" by Philadelphia band the MAGIC MUSHROOMS released.
It reaches the Billboard charts in November. |
October (late),
1966 |
The BLUES MAGOOS
release the "Psychedelic Lollipop" LP. |
October 31, 1966 |
"Reverberation"/"Fire
engine" 45 by the 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS released. |
November, 1966 |
New York band the
MYSTIC TIDE record a number of psychedelic tracks. |
November, 1966 |
The JEFFERSON
AIRPLANE begin recording their 2nd LP, which contains plenty of
psychedelic material. Their first LP, which could be considered
conventional folk-rock, had been released in August 1966. |
November, 1966 |
The ELECTRIC
PRUNES release the "I Had Too Much To Dream" 45. |
November 28, 1966 |
PAUL REVERE &
THE RAIDERS release the "Spirit of '67" LP, which contains
several tracks with a psychedelic influence. |
November 30, 1966 |
"Psychedelic
Sounds" LP by the 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS released |
December, 1966 |
"I Can Take
You To The Sun" 45 by the MISUNDERSTOOD released. This could be
considered the first psychedelic underground 45 from Britain. |
mailto:[email protected]">
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 03:08
Revolver wrote:
In music it is not always first to do something that counts, but it is the first to be influential or successfull that counts. |
Ok, now you changed the question so that the answer got to be Beatles, because they sold more albums and in that way obviously were more influental.
I might as well suggest that Rolling Stones Paint it Black was the first, because it was a much bigger hit than any of those Beatles tracks and by that probably was an even bigger influence.
You were the one asking for the first psychedelic song in your opening post. So you were the one that said being the first counted. Not me. I'm was just making suggestions.
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 03:18
^Very interesting timeline.
It doesn't mention Pierre Henry at all - and I can't find many references to psyche rock in 1964 - I'm pretty sure that where that date is used, it's a typo.
It doesn't mention the Warlocks performances at the Acid Tests either - that's quite an omission!
The Holy Modal Rounders reference is interesting - but the song is a country folk styled blues number, and not psychedelic in the slightest! Here's a clip; http://www.amazon.com/1-2-Holy-Modal-Rounders/dp/B00000K0XX - http://www.amazon.com/1-2-Holy-Modal-Rounders/dp/B00000K0XX
However, it wouldn't at all surprise me to learn that the origins of psychedelia lay in folk - after all, this reconnects us to Dylan and Newport.
The jazz connection would still be there - jazz bands played at Newport 5 years before the folkies had their festival - co-incidentally (or not!) founded by the same people.
Although Roger's solo is undoubtedly Coltrane-inspired, the psychedelic parts that really jump out at me from "8 Miles High" are the off-kilter syncopations in the rhythm guitar.
And it's well documented that the jazzers loaded themselves up with smack - but musicians who take heroin and cocaine don't really produce psychedelic music; that's more the domain of potheads - but even more, the LSD and mushroom freaks.
But if you've got the feeling of the music, there's no need to take drugs to write it or enjoy it. 
/edit: Just listened to the Alan Watts stuff on Amazon, and would have to agree that this is probably the first psychedelic album. Not many songs, though... http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00018U8MQ/ciaouk-music-21/ref=nosim - http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00018U8MQ/ciaouk-music-21/ref=nosim
------------- The important thing is not to stop questioning.
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 03:41
Rocktopus wrote:
Certif1ed wrote:
^Very interesting timeline.
It doesn't mention Pierre Henry at all - and I can't find many
references to psyche rock in 1964 - I'm pretty sure that where that
date is used, it's a typo.
|
I'm starting to think so myself. In 70% of
the places it says '67. And sometimes '65 and '66. But both interviews
I found (in english) says '64. http://www.furious.com/perfect/pierrehenry.html - Here and http://media.hyperreal.org/zines/est/intervs/henry.html - here .
Maybe his whole Jerks Electronique/Yper Sound project started in '64? I don't know.
...His work has also included assorted collaborations with poets, dancers, film makers and rock bands (Ceremony with Spooky Tooth, 1968), not to mention his foray into popular music with Yper Sound ("Psyche Rock", 1964)... Lara Lee for Modulations
Edit: Alan Watts is intersting. The Gagaku-ku track actually kind of rocks.
I can't say that about the anything on the Eden Ahbez-album. Its psychedelic in a Martin Denny/Les Baxter exotica kind of way.
|
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: Sydwaters
Date Posted: October 18 2007 at 20:12
Paint it Black was influenced by Norwegian Wood with the use of sitar. If you are talking about recorded music that is psychedelic rock. Having heard hundreds of records myself in the 60's I would say this.
1. See My Friends The Kinks -close
2. Im Sad The Yardbirds- close
3. Norwegian Wood- closer
4. Shapes of Things- maybe
5. Paint It Black-no way
6. Eight Miles High-yes 
7. Rain- Yes
8. Tomorrow Never Knows- No doubt
I love the Stones but they were always two steps behind the Beatles in everything from writing original whole albums to proto progressive rock. Revolver was the first psychedelic album to go number 1 so yeah it put it on the mainstream what's wrong with that. You knock the Beatles but the first song on that timeline that mentions a song close to pyschedelic was Norwegian Wood. Tomorrow Never Knows and Rain was recorded April of 1966.
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Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: October 19 2007 at 07:01
Sydwaters wrote:
Paint it Black was influenced by Norwegian Wood with the use of sitar. If you are talking about recorded music that is psychedelic rock. Having heard hundreds of records myself in the 60's I would say this.
1. See My Friends The Kinks -close
2. Im Sad The Yardbirds- close
3. Norwegian Wood- closer
4. Shapes of Things- maybe
5. Paint It Black-no way
6. Eight Miles High-yes 
7. Rain- Yes
8. Tomorrow Never Knows- No doubt
I love the Stones but they were always two steps behind the Beatles in everything from writing original whole albums to proto progressive rock. Revolver was the first psychedelic album to go number 1 so yeah it put it on the mainstream what's wrong with that. You knock the Beatles but the first song on that timeline that mentions a song close to pyschedelic was Norwegian Wood. Tomorrow Never Knows and Rain was recorded April of 1966.
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Suggesting Paint it Black was a joke on topic starter Revolver's (not the album Revolver, or the Beatles) behalf, because he suddenly decided to go from first, to most infuential. Read my posts properly. If I'm mocking anyone, its the topic starter.
BTW: My first suggestion is the same as the one on top of your list.
------------- Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
|
Posted By: zicIy
Date Posted: October 21 2007 at 12:46
The Grateful Dead - s/t, 1967
EDIT: "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" the book (1965) by Tom Wolfe should be mentioned.
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Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: October 25 2007 at 03:10
zicIy wrote:
The Grateful Dead - s/t, 1967
EDIT: "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" the book (1965) by Tom Wolfe should be mentioned. |
The Grateful Dead album is a bit late, considering we're looking at 1965-6 
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is what I was referring to in my post on the previous page - at which the Dead played under the moniker The Warriors.
Good call on mentioning the book 
------------- The important thing is not to stop questioning.
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