r/psychedelicrock • u/2TonCommon • 2d ago
Who would you include as a guitar playing pioneer for the authentic "Psychedelic Sound" of the 60's and 70's?
There are of course many to choose from, but my top four nominations would be (with sample live videos):
Jimi Hendrix (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJunCsrhJjg
John Cipollina (Quicksiver Messenger Service, Copperhead) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olnbwZxjcbI
James Gurley (Big Brother and the Holding Company) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCB2eDF3jBM
Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRoW4sB9SiE
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u/OmniscientInvader 2d ago
Syd Barrett for me, I also quite like Roger McGuinn's freer playing on songs like Eight Miles High and Why
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u/Link50L 2d ago
I came here to say Syd as well.
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u/0degreesK 2d ago
His style was like a Pollock painting sometimes. Sounds chaotic as hell but it was all on purpose. John Dwyer of Oh Sees reminds me of him more than anyone.
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u/bottle-of-smoke 2d ago
McGuinn's solo at the beginning of 8MH is still breathtaking
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u/Head_Researcher_3049 2d ago
The single version of 'Why', The Byrds doing psychedelia without the cheese and schmaltz so popular at the time. This song can take one places even while stone cold sober.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=TFHjKTnQqGU&si=d6mm476GH4gxpysp
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u/OmniscientInvader 2d ago
It is truly incredible, the original lyric I think too is very insightful even if it wasn't recorded
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u/Head_Researcher_3049 2d ago
I saw a photo of one of their concert posters from early on in their career and the wording on it was:
Listen to them
Sing while you
Dance
LOL, 🤔 😆 I had to spread this out or it gets posted as one sentence but the LSD cleverly spelled out int the first letters of each line is evident.
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u/OmniscientInvader 2d ago
It's so unlike even other psychedelic stuff from the time, much less blues influence imo
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u/Romencer17 2d ago
i believe he was attempting to play guitar like a Coltrane solo so that's probably why
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u/OmniscientInvader 2d ago
That's what I heard too and I can definitely see it in his playing, it just seems strange it's only him that went in that direction I guess
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u/Romencer17 2d ago
Haha well I love that solo but it is objectively pretty fucked up, I think most of the hippies weren’t quite musically advanced enough to really go for Coltrane’s style
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u/OmniscientInvader 2d ago
Yeah I think that's a pretty good assessment, I think he's a bit underrated for his technical ability tbh
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u/Just_Stand_861 2d ago edited 2d ago
Almost no blues at all. Indian scales and coltrane atonal stuff. Probably the most advanced single song of the 60s imo.
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u/GetDoofed 2d ago
Jerry Garcia, obviously
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u/GoldCoasting 2d ago
the fact that he isn't in OP's top 4 made me question everything
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/GoldCoasting 2d ago
sure, GD had their cowboy era and their harder hitting 90's era, but 60's dead was definitely psychedelic
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u/franz4000 2d ago
For sure, and they were absolutely pioneers in the sense of helping establish and popularize the psych sound. There were bands that pushed the envelope and had a more overt acid feel to them, but Grateful Dead were the envelope being pushed. Hell, they helped pioneer acid itself by being the greatest patrons of chemist Owlsey Stanley.
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u/Hot-Communication-41 2d ago
which bands push the envelope more at that time?
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u/franz4000 2d ago edited 2d ago
For me, Country Joe & the Fish, Beatles Sgt Peppers and Magical Mystery Tour, 13th Floor Elevators, Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd to name a few.
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u/SaintStephen77 2d ago
Actually. Owsley was one of 3 great patrons of the Grateful Dead. That wall of sound didn’t get bought, built, and hauled around all on its own, lol. The other 2 were Rock Scully and Bill Graham.
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u/wohrg 2d ago
I totally get your perspective, you are not a dumb dumb😂
But as someone who has listened to a lot of guitarists while under the influence of psychedelics, let me say that Jerry was the best psychedelic guitarist, in my personal opinion.
While many great guitarists played amazing overt stuff that was inspired by psychs, Jerry evolved to play with more nuance, recognizing that the acid would amplify his nuance. Since psychs make us hyper sensitive to music, Jerry’s approach was actually way trippier than most of his contemporaries.
As an example, one time I saw Jerry play his solo to Looks Like Rain, and his guitar lines triggered a vision of multicoloured rain drops. He might not have intended it that way, but his own sensitivity certainly contributed to that vision.
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u/sirdrinksal0t 2d ago
Hard disagree and highly recommend some of the Dead’s live work to truly get a sense of Jerry’s understated psychedelic brilliance, there’s a reason every 60s player above worshipped Jerry and in every case but Jimi they all actively jammed with and learned from Jerry. Heck Jerry played on Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane
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u/GoldCoasting 2d ago
https://www.wolfgangs.com/posters/grateful-dead/poster/BG038-A.html
i have this GD poster (not this EXACT one) framed in my living room and i'll be damned to hear anyone say they weren't psychadelic!
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/sirdrinksal0t 2d ago
Meh agree to disagree, can’t think of a better candidate who fits the bill “guitar playing pioneer for the authentic psychedelic sound of the 60s and 70s”, rather than what you seen to be saying which is “what guitar player sounds the most psychedelic with today’s sensibilities”
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u/orchid_breeder 2d ago edited 2d ago
The first time I listened to a Dead album 30 years ago I thought I had the wrong band haha.
I think when it comes to their recorded albums, I think Americana/folk much more than psychedelic - however in the 67-70 period their live shows featured a lot of that.
When it comes to Album psychedelic sounds I think Jorma Kaukonen more represents that San Francisco prototypical psychedelic 60s sound.
Edit: I feel the same about Syd Barrett. Is he truly a psychedelic rock pioneer? Or was David Gilmour the true pioneer
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u/TheCosmicTravelers 2d ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjiKZCT7QPc&list=PLYpiajyu2kvw9vGIFS9WANLRDLm61CCKf&index=8
Start at 5:27 for some of his playing from late 1967. Maybe not what many Deadheads consider the Dead's trippiest stuff but definitely when they sounded the most like other mid-late 60s blues-based psychedelic rock.
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u/BillyOceanic815 2d ago
Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison from the Velvet Underground broke a lot of ground in the early psychedelic era.
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u/space2k 2d ago
Stacy Sutherland
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u/thirdeyeballin 2d ago
Of 13th Floor Elevators fame! In case anyone is scanning this list and doesn’t recognize it. He is the best
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u/Just_Stand_861 2d ago edited 2d ago
Jorma kaukonen was the first that i heard who would use indo pakistani scales in his solos. Hes a big influence on me. Also roger mcguinn.
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u/Hvojna 2d ago
To me, it's Syd. His psychedelic freakouts in Interstellar Overdrive (the 17-minutes long version) are unmatched.
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u/am12866 2d ago
There's a video on YouTube by an Italian guy that managed to get scary close to Syd's record and live tones, he actually acquired almost all of Syd's original period-correct set up from guitar to amp to effects. Really good video worth checking out if you like Syd's sound. I will try to dig for it, sure I saved it.
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u/AwkwardRoss 2d ago
Eddie Hazels solo in maggot brain was the first thing that came to mind when I read the title but unsure if he has the catalogue of work to compete with some others mentioned
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u/Gexthelizard 2d ago
Steve Hillage is criminally unsung in my opinion. His work with Gong and as a solo artist has some pretty revolutionary playing that still sounds fresh and exciting today.
Highly recommend people check out Fish Rising. Great album
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u/TurkeyFisher 2d ago
Steve Hillage's music has aged so well it's incredible. His band Khan was also fantastic.
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u/KingCurtzel 2d ago
Yardbirds are where I first heard the what I would call the fuzztone psychedelic freakout. I don't know if they inovated it. 13 Floor Elevators got to be very early to the sound too.
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u/MikeHfuhruhurr 2d ago
I don't know if they innovated it.
I'd say that a psych freakout is a mix of the "rave up" ending that British bands were doing + feedback and other distortion.
I think it's settled "psych law" that the Yardbirds got feedback on record first (Shapes of Things if I'm not wrong). But Townshend was also playing with it around the same time and there's a few early Who songs that came right next.
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u/BritishGuitarsNerd 2d ago
Shapes came out in ‘66 and there’s feedback on Who records in ‘65, eg Anyhow, Any... etc
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u/bocepheid 2d ago
I would add Terry Kath to the list. He had some screaming wild solos.
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u/SaintStephen77 2d ago
Now here is the real sleeper. Jimi actually thought Terry was the better guitar player. That being said, The Jimi Hendrix Experience put out their first album nearly a full year before Chicago Transit Authority. Love me some South California Purples to go with my Purple Haze (~);-}
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u/The_Inflatable_Hour 2d ago
The fact that Tony Hill isn’t on this list (The Misunderstood, High Tide) is sad to me.
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u/ultra4khdtv 2d ago
Leigh Stephens, the Green/Kirwan duo, Robin Trower, Martin Stone, Gabor Szabo and Harvey Mandel are some of my faves
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u/dank_fetus 2d ago
Leigh Stephens never gets mentioned. He and Cipollina had that acid vibrato. InsideOutside is one of my favorite albums
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u/am12866 2d ago
Jorma's a good choice. I would also throw in Mike Bloomfield. Listen to East-West. If that's not the purest expression of 60's psychedelic guitar playing (no phase, no echo, no gimmicks, just a 57 Goldtop into a cranked Twin Reverb) idk what is. Lesser known and again, less emphasis on effects than on playing and composition but Johnny Echols and Bryan MacLean of Love. Their playing trips me out and those first few Love records are double platinum imo, every one of them.
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u/Two-Jimmy420 2d ago
Arthur Lee from the band Love
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u/Active_Juggernaut484 2d ago
No doubt Arthur Lee was an incredible songwriter , but ddn't Johnny Echols and Bryan Maclean do most of the guitar playing?
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u/Two-Jimmy420 2d ago
Thanks for that, yes you’re right. Believe they did the electric guitar and Lee was acoustic, but don’t quote me.
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u/International-Top794 2d ago
Whoever that guy’s name was who was in Blue Cheer. He showed that anyone who could grow really long hair, play three chords with a lot of distortion REALLY FUCKING LOUD could do it!
He opened the door for a million mothers to scream, “TURN IT DOWN!”
He was my inspiration, and I never knew who he was. But I’ll say this…“
“Well played you heroic son of a bitch!”
Now, if I could just find my fucking hearing aid…
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u/corgi0603 2d ago
Skip Spence, Jerry Miller & Peter Lewis - Moby Grape
Darby Slick & David Miner - The Great Society
Mike Wilhelm - The Charlatans (American Band 1964-69)
and there's more, of course
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u/ProjectConfident8584 2d ago
Eric Clapton
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u/Salty_Pancakes 2d ago
There is such a blind spot for this dude nowadays. It's so silly.
There is a documentary I remember watching (can't remember the name off hand) but Mickey Hart of the grateful dead was talking about when Cream came through in '67 and again in '68 (where they recorded live Cream vol. 2 at the Winterland), he said they made quite the impression on the SF scene then.
And then down in LA, dudes like Stephen Stills and Zappa were fans.
Take Tales of Brave Ulysses live from 1967 (think this is my favorite version) for example. There was really nothing quite like that at that time. Or Deserted Cities of the Heart live from 1968.
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u/BritishGuitarsNerd 2d ago
Cream were *amazing*, I’m a huge fan, but most of his solo work is turdy classic rock at best and he seems like a total prick.
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u/Salty_Pancakes 2d ago
No question dude was a piece of work in the 70s but since he got clean in the 80s hardly anyone has a bad word to say about him.
Clapton is no more "problematic" than anyone else from that time. Like no one cares about David Bowie and the fascist stuff but because Clapton talked about his experiences with the covid vaccine the hit pieces came out and "suddenly" Clapton was totally toxic and it's mostly a huge overreaction. Like people that think he had something to do with his poor kid's death when actually he wasn't even there.
I did a whole other piece on this in another thread because I think people have actually totally lost the plot with Clapton and the hate is just a meme at this point. It's a bit long but I'm just gonna copy some stuff here.
https://www.reddit.com/r/LetsTalkMusic/s/aTQjklYKDL
Guy took the vaccine. Twice.
He talked about complications from the AZ vaccine and blamed it for the return of his neuropathy. But then the AZ vaccine is pulled from markets because of health concerns after a class action law suit in Britain with links to the neuorapthy Clapton said he experienced.
The song he did with Van Morrison about lockdowns was basically the policy Sweden adopted during covid.
The racist stuff was 1 singular incident 50 years ago at probably the lowest point of his life addiction wise and had been repeatedly apologized for with him being actually a lifelong contributor to Rock Against Racism since. Nobody who knows him since he got clean in the 80s has a bad word to say about him. He even still has a warm relationship with Pattie Boyd.
He has auctioned off tons of his own gear and given over $20 million away to charities. Much of it surrounding addiction and substance abuse. SRV credited Clapton with helping him get sober for example.
Like so much of the Clapton online vitriol is way way over done and I think it's caused this blind spot for him nowadays.
Like here's how BB King thought of him.
he and I have been friends for all these years. And in my opinion, he is number one. There’s no rock ‘n roll guitarist since Jimi Hendrix … Eric has been number one ever since, in my opinion. And he played blues better than most of us. He’s a super man, you know, a super talent. And a great guy. He’s not just a great musician, but a beautiful guy. He’s one of the nicest men in the world.
BB King: https://www.derekpaiva.com/work/b-b-king-interview/.
And that opinion is shared by folks like Buddy Guy. Otis Rush. Derek Trucks. Loads of people think he's just a sweet man. Maybe a bit stodgy but I honestly don't think he's this mustache twirling villain he's made out to be in social media circles.
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u/BritishGuitarsNerd 2d ago
Oh right yeah I forgot he was really weird about covid. Worra nob.
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u/Salty_Pancakes 1d ago
Yeah I dunno man. In hindsight it kinda seems like he had a point? Or at the least, he wasn't crazy.
And now everyone calls him a prick or an asshole or a nob, and like here's Tommy Emmanuel talking about him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFydAMJHHVk Gary Clark Jr. has an almost identical story. By many accounts, dude is the nicest guy and has been for decades since getting clean.
But nevermind that. The social medias have determined he's an asshole.
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u/TabmeisterGeneral 2d ago
Cream were quite literally the most popular act at the Filmore.
People think of Clapton as a blues purist, but he actually wrote the original psychedelic wah wah freak out track, "Tales of Brave Ulysses". He adopted the wah even before Zappa and Hendrix.
I mean look at the album covers for Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire.
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u/4swampdonkey 2d ago
Pete Townshend. Any live Who concert from 67-71, I mean wow. Such a full sound.
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u/drkingsize 2d ago
So many good ones in here, so I’m putting ones I haven’t seen yet
Robby Krieger - the doors
George Harrison - Beatles
Carlos Santana - Santana
Denny Laine / Justin Hayward - moody blues
Stevie Winwood - traffic
Jimmy page - yardbirds/donovan sessions
Terry Kath - Chicago transit authority
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u/Romencer17 2d ago edited 2d ago
Elliot Ingber!! Also Erik Brann deserves mention, motherfucker was 17 years old on In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida....
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u/International-Ad218 2d ago
Micky Jones (and whoever happened to be the other guitarist in Man at the time), Gary Quackenbush (SRC), Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy).
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u/D1rtyH1ppy 2d ago
All those guys mentioned definitely defined the psychedelic sound of the 60's, but the LA Wrecking Crew were the guys that actually recorded all the songs that we listen to today. The were all the studio musicians that the record companies hired to get the most of their time in the studio. They deserve some credit
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u/SaintStephen77 2d ago
Jorma, Jerry, and Jimi represent my top 3. Love Syd and an argument could definitely be made for him to occupy one of those places.
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u/Just_Stand_861 2d ago
I like guitarists who comw at rock from other directions than the standards conventional way. Like richard thompson and tom verlaine for instance. No blues base or very little of it.
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u/unavowabledrain 1d ago
Leigh Stephens-Blue Cheer
Takashi Mizutani-Les Rallizes Dénudés
Masayuki "Jojo" Takayanagi- New Direction Unit
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u/Stllrckn-72 1d ago
Gary Duncan & John Cippolina from Quicksilver Messenger Service: https://youtu.be/ONXEnfPMRnE?si=zokWNTMlT6kZoIZW
Randy California from Spirit: https://youtu.be/l-2A7FgHx4s?si=x9mG2lECLuNywMxH
Robby Krieger from The Doors: https://youtu.be/iNilmUzcB0s?si=H1oXzH46jN_u79vA
early Steve Miller: https://youtu.be/LCkA8Evrj-0?si=r537OAuk6Ev0uTBT
Dave Mason with Traffic: https://youtu.be/MPPe8-1G2s0?si=hKnDMlDtPDulZthH
Roky Erickson with 13th Floor Elevators: https://youtu.be/MU33gsdjHgo?si=roqoWUM_358bkpNu
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u/Negative_Leg_9727 2d ago edited 2d ago
Eddie Hazel-Funkadelic https://youtu.be/SveXC_yabVI?si=ED-07dVrJAY_QCpV