heavy psych

Heavy Psych: A Trip Through Time

Heavy psych, a psychedelic journey with a heavy, fuzz-drenched heart, emerged in the late 1960s, a direct descendant of the British Invasion and the emerging psychedelic scene. But while the Beatles were trippy, and the Stones were gritty, heavy psych added a thick layer of fuzz, echoing drones, and extended jams, creating a sonic landscape that was both hypnotic and disorienting.

Early Days:

Bands like Blue Cheer (whose vocalist, Dickie Peterson, was known for his onstage antics, including spitting beer on the audience) and The Seeds, with their iconic “Pushin’ Too Hard” song, paved the way with their raw, blues-infused sound.

The Golden Age:

The late 60s and early 70s saw a wave of heavy psych bands emerge, each with their own distinct style. The Jimi Hendrix Experience pushed the boundaries with their innovative use of distortion and feedback, while Iron Butterfly, with their epic 17-minute “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” solidified the genre’s penchant for extended jams.

Funny Fact: The Seeds frontman, Sky Saxon, was known for his eccentric stage persona, once famously claiming he could “speak the language of the birds.”

A Genre Evolves:

Through the 70s, heavy psych began to morph into harder-edged sounds, influenced by proto-metal bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Bands like Pentagram and Budgie embraced a darker, more aggressive sound, while Hawkwind, with their space-rock anthems, took heavy psych in a cosmic direction.

Funny Fact: Hawkwind‘s eccentric leader, Dave Brock, was known for his love of shamanistic rituals and his belief in extraterrestrial life. He once claimed to have been abducted by aliens.

The Revival:

Heavy psych experienced a revival in the 90s and early 2000s, with bands like Queens of the Stone Age and The Sword injecting the genre with fresh energy. The 21st century saw a new wave of heavy psych artists, including Electric Wizard and Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, pushing the boundaries of the genre even further.

Funny Fact: Electric Wizard frontman, Jus Oborn, once claimed he could “smell death” and had a vision of his own demise, which involved a “giant, hairy spider.”

Heavy Psych Today:

Heavy psych remains a vibrant genre, with a global community of artists continuing to explore its sonic possibilities. From the fuzz-soaked riffs of Sleep to the trippy landscapes of Dead Meadow, heavy psych offers a journey into the depths of sound, filled with psychedelic textures, driving rhythms, and an enduring legacy of experimentation.

And remember, a little bit of weirdness goes a long way in the world of heavy psych!