Acid rock appeared in California in the late 1960s.
It combines elements of free jazz, folk music, blues and psychedelia. In many cases, the instrumentation included electric guitars and amplifiers, drums, basses, and synth sounds. The name « acid » has been used as a prefix to describe the effect of drugs LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) or psilocybin mushroom (psilocybin). Acid Rock was often produced in small quantities by fans who had been heavily influenced by the 1960s counterculture and served as the background soundtrack for « acid trips ».

Who invented Acid Rock?

Several versions are possible! Acid rock is believed to have been invented during the 1960s by musicians from the British group The Who. Their signature hit « My Generation » was regarded as an anthem for acid rock, and people from all walks of life took notice of this new musical style. Acid rock is a psychedelic rock subgenre that combines elements of hard rock, heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and folk music.

Why is it called Acid Rock?

It was also a reference to LSD, which was widely used at the time.

There is no doubt that the word Acid Rock was coined by our friend Nicky Chinn, who was part of a band called The Psychedelic Furs. It’s a name he coined to describe his band’s music. It’s easy to forget, but this is the first time that acid rock has been used as an umbrella term for any music that straddles the line between psychedelic rock and hard rock.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine , Jerry Garcia quotes Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh saying that acid rock is « what you listen to when you’re deep in acid. » « 

Jerry Garcia once described what you listen to when you are on acid. Told Rolling Stone in an interview, “Acid rock is what you listen to when you’re deep in acid”.

Acid rock and the counter-cultural revolution of the 1960s

A reminder of a time when society was changing.
A movement born at the end of the 1950s, acid rock is a musical genre stemming from psychedelic rock. The genre was born out of experimenting with new technologies and drugs to produce a different sound. Along with experimenting with drugs, people also began to question religion and authority, which led to this counter-cultural revolution.
The emergence of acid rock and the counter-cultural revolution are two important chapters in the history books of America. At that time, there was a change in mindset about what society should be. People were starting to question authority and traditional values ​​such as religion that would eventually lead us into modern society today.
The pop culture of this era was also heavily influenced by Western media. American films like Rebel Without A Cause and Rebel Without a Cause are the most influential films of this decade. It showed the lives of adolescents in rebellion against societal norms with violence and sex as a common theme. Teens were also embracing new fashion trends like jeans and rockabilly hairstyle, while teens still mostly dressed conservatively or wore school uniforms.

Covering the ground: the revival of the 90s in France

French fashion has been on the rise in recent years, and it is no coincidence that this growth comes at a time when French designers are turning to the 90s.
The 90s were a decade of innovation for the French fashion, with brands such as Jean-Paul Gautier and Givenchy becoming household names. This surge of interest in the 90s is visible in many different areas of the industry, from street clothing stores to high-end designer brands.
Designers don’t just look to the 90s for inspiration. They also use similar techniques to create their most recent collections. For example, many designers have used structured fabrics such as denim with more feminine cuts and prints.

How to identify acid rock

Acid rock is a genre of psychedelic rock characterized by improvisation, long instrumental solos and little talking. The name “acid rock” derives in part from the use of electric guitars with distortion and feedback, which in turn creates a “high-pitched or“ squeaky ”sound that is both visceral and painful”.

3 great artists and groups from Acid Rock

“Acid rock is a style of music that was popularized in the 1960s and is typically characterized by buzzing guitars, distorted electric guitars, deep basslines, and frequent use of distortion. Acid rock draws its tone. name of the psychedelic drug LSD.  »
1) Jimi Hendrix:
Jimi Hendrix was a well known guitarist who performed in many genres. He played blues and jazz as well as acid rock. He had a good voice and often used it for singing rather than playing the guitar.
2)
Black Sabbath : Black Sabbath was one of the first bands to play heavy metal music. They are often regarded as one of the founders or pioneers of the metal as they were very influential in the
3) Pink Floyd:
Pink Floyd

List of other Acid Rock bands!

Des groupes comme Love, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Country Joe and The Fish, Moby Grape, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Spirit, Spirit of ’69 et Vanilla Fudge ont joué de l’acid rock. Les origines de l’acid rock sont difficiles à retracer. Certains musicologues affirment qu’il est né de l’intersection entre la musique surf et l’expérimentation du LSD.Quelle que soit son origine, l’acid rock est l’un des genres les plus importants de la musique psychédélique. La chanson « Cupid Shuffle » de Love est souvent citée comme la première chanson acid rock. Elle figure sur l’album « Abbey Road » de 1968. D’autres artistes ont enregistré des chansons acid rock notables, notamment Jefferson Airplane (« We Can Be Together ») et The Doors (« Love Her Madly »).