Famous Psychedelic Rock Guitarists/Guitar Players

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture, or attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among garage and folk rock bands in Britain and the United States. Psychedelic rock bridged the transition from early blues-based rock to progressive rock, art rock, experimental rock and heavy metal; and also drew on non-Western sources such as Indian music's ragas and sitars.

The musical style typically features electric guitars, 12 strings being preferred for their 'jangle'; elaborate studio effects - backwards taping, panning (sound placement in the stereo field), phasing, long delay loops and extreme reverb; exotic instrumentation, with a particular fondness for the sitar and tabla; A strong keyboard presence, especially Hammond, Farfisa and Vox Organs, the Rhodes electric piano, Harpsichords and the Mellotron (an early tape-driven 'sampler'); a strong emphasis on extended instrumental solos; modal melodies and surreal, esoterically inspired or whimsical lyrics.

In recent years, many inventive artists from the Perth-scene in Western Australia, notably the Sleepy Jackson, The Panda Band,The Silents, Tame Impala and The Panics have experimented with lush, neo-psychedelic harmonies and avant-garde instrumentation. Sydney bands such as The Lovetones have attempted to revive the psychedelic-folk sound of the 1960s.


Stylistic Origins:
Blues-rock
Folk-rock
Rāga

Guitarist(s):
Billy Gibbons
Carlos Santana
Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Dean DeLeo
Eric Bloom
Huw Lloyd-Langton
James Gurley
Jerry Garcia
Jimi Hendrix
John Lennon
Mick Grabham
Nicke Andersson
Nigel Tufnel
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Paul McCartney
Robert Krieger
Robert Fripp
Sam Andrew
Steve Howe
Syd Barrett
Wayne Kramer

---