Bridget Burke: interesting post, and thanks for the links. I’ve still got some of the - ahem - ‘artwork’ I did while tripping circa '67 and what surprises me is how similar (in style, not quality) it is to what I would sooner or later see by the likes of Wes Wilson et al. I still treasure one I called ‘Calliopely Underlamb’ So, yes I wholeheartedly agree that the acid experience informs the style of the artwork.
But I’ve never - then or now- got the psychedlia of the likes of the 13th Floor Elevators or the Charlatans or Love’s first album. They seem like fairly pedestrian rock/blues to me. May be their life style was psychedelic, but, to me, not the music. Love’s Forever Changes *was *a psychedelic masterpiece, but I’m not sure why. It doesn’t seem very acid-y to me, but it’s indisputably psychedelic. That’s what prompted me to start this thread. Some psychedelic music is clearly acid influenced, but some, like the above, doesn’t seem to me to be.
Modern acid is a weak sister compared to what was moving around in the 60s. Back then, acid would send you into other planes of existance and let you see God. Today, all acid lets you do is watch your feet sink through the couch and not care much.
To me, psychedelic music would be characterised by such things as unusual instrumentation, expanded jams, expansive rhythms and structure, and a desire to “expand your boundaries.” A lot like free-form jazz, in fact. Only with electric guitars and feedback. A classic touchstone of the genre is “After Bathing At Baxter’s” by the Jefferson Airplane.
You cant explain the sensation of a certain state of consciousness to someone who hasen’t actually experienced it themselves no matter how many references you make or styles you connect it to.
Its like trying to describe colour to someone who can only see in black and white.
Agree with your comments about post sixties acid too,I remember even pre micro dot(though they were excellent IME) but I hated the strychnine come up.
I’m more into neo-psych, as in stuff made from the punk era onwards. I’ve always been drawn to the “strange and unusual”, be it slightly off tone colors, otherworldly melodies, stream-of-consciousness lyrics, or what have you. Anything beyond the pale will get my attention, hinting at realms, real or imagined, which exist outside the realm of normal human concerns.
I went through a late-to-the-party Beatles appreciation phase in high school (late 80s), and listened to Sgt. Pepper and the White Album numerous times, and never while on any drugs. I’ve been drunk twice in my life, tried marijuana once, and other than that and temporary, short-term prescription drugs and otc pain relievers (and tobacco), have been clean my whole life.
I’d still listen to both albums today if I happened to still have them.
Chandler Laughlin later changed his name to Travis T. Hipp and is a well known radio personality around N. Ca. and N. Nv. Recently got busted for drugs ( he’s in his 70’s ) and I think he’s still sitting in jail.
Wow, you can name exceptions to the majority style? Dude, I can name twice as many exceptions. Doesn’t change the fact that a HUGE amount of psychedelic art is symmetrical. My theory, they’re too high to come up with a whole idea; half of one is good enough, just do it twice.
I’m sorry - I’m not trying to pick an argument here, but I really can’t recollect any symmetrical examples. Though, considering the volume produced, there must be some, but I can’t remember any. I’ve cited artists that back up my assertion. Can you cite examples to support yours? I genuinely would like my ignorance fought.
Op art (eg Bridget Riley) was often symmetrical, but I’ve always thought that, despite being contempary, it was a different movement.
You do have previous knowledge though. You might not have first hand experience, but you have the knowledge. You couldn’t create it if you didn’t know what it was to begin with.
‘I love you all, and want you to gain something from these new sounds as I gain from listening to my saints in the past years. If you feel alone and confused and unhappy discontented, just know that I (and there are many like me) love you. And maybe you’ll know why I am happy contented and unconfused. The games I play are mostly games of children (not all) happy games, games of love, games of mystery, games of wonder, please excuse my games of fear and jealousy, I’m only human after all and I’m still a student of life. Maybe the next production will be all games of love, but by then I could be in another world…’
Today, that probably sounds gauche and naive. But in 1967 that was just one example of psychedelic mindset. We really meant it then.
A tiny sampling. Note that even the pieces that aren’t perfectly symmetrical in every detail, the single clearly defining compositional principle is symmetry, whether bilateral or radial. Again, there is much psychedelic art that is asymmetrical, but no other genre I can think of is so strongly associated with symmetry.
So, yes I wholeheartedly agree that the acid experience informs the style of the artwork.
