Chapter 6:

1. Chapter 6: Acid Rock and Music Festivals of the late 1960s

2. America Counters the British Invasion • The West Coast was seen as “the new America” • Combination of the rock & roll world and political world, mods & rockers, policemen & drug-users, the Sierra Club & Hells Angels, punks, lawyers, doctors • Truly a melting pot • A large number of colleges in the region served as centers for the younger counter-culture • Almost every other region of the country seemed to represent “the establishment” • The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood became the epicenter of the psychedelic, flower-power world • The scene had reached its peak by 1967 • As many as 1500 local bands estimated in the SF area

3. Several factors helped pull all of these pieces of a fragmented society together • Rock Concert Halls – historic ballrooms like the Fillmore, Longshoremen’s Hall, the Avalon pulled SF youth into a small intimate area to experience big names and unknowns alike • FM radio leads to “progressive rock” format – more sophisticated jockeys, album tracks (non-singles), KSAN became the mainstay of the rock scene in San Francisco rock • The San Francisco sound – many of the young musicians of the period had cut their teeth on folk rock. Mixed w/ R&B influenced rock of the British Invasion, the result was a hard-driving rock that was the only American style that could counter the British hard rock

4. Four Characteristics typify most of the San Francisco bands • Drugs – sometimes called psychedelic rock or acid rock (especially outside of San Francisco) • More direct drug references than in the past (Eight Miles High – The Byrds, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles) • Double entendres were discarded & lyrics and other aspects were blatantly drug-oriented (band names, album titles) • The bands and their fans were assumed to be freaked-out acid-eaters (Grateful Dead & the Dead-heads) • Sound – Volume levels at live concerts reach new highs • Technology of the 1960s had allowed bands to amplify their sound • Vibrations could be felt in the chest & ringing in the ears could last for hours after the concert • Instrumentals – up to this point, the singer had dominated the rock scene • This is when the “solo” by guitarists and drummers really takes off • Electronic Technology – experimentation w/ electronic feedback created an alien, “far out” sound for the acid rockers

5. Jefferson Airplane • Formed in Mexico in summer 1965, emerged as one of the premiere folk rock bands of San Francisco • Drew their sound from various band members backgrounds in folk, pop, jazz, blues & rock • Origin of the band’s name is disputed: • A “Jefferson airplane” is an improvised “roach clip” made from a paper match, split to hold a joint • The name came from a joke about blues singer Blind Lemon Jefferson • Made 1st public appearance 8/13/65 @ The Matrix in SF

6. They spent the next year building their reputation, getting a record deal w/ RCA and releasing Jefferson Airplane Takes Off • The bands lineup goes through several changes several times 1965-66 • Most importantly - in late 1966, Grace Slick becomes the lead singer • Surrealistic Pillow (#3, 1967) released • Topped by Somebody to Love (#5, JA’s first and biggest hit) & White Rabbit (#8) • After Surrealistic Pillow, the band goes with a heavier sound based off of the success of Jimi Hendrix and Cream • Inconsistencies in the lineup and continuous changes in sound keep them from having consistent success until 1984’s Knee Deep In the Hoopla (#7 album) • 3 #1 singles and 3 more Top 40 singles • 1996 – inducted into the RRHoF