Psychedelic Fungi and Its Impact on Music and Art
Art
As psychedelic music became popular in San Francisco. The development of psychedelic art followed. The art came first as posters that advertised the concerts for the San Francisco groups during the 1960's. Below are two links to web sites that show examples of many such posters:
· Rick McGrath's web site has numerous posters for concerts in Vancouver, Canada
· Pooter Psychedelic Shack Art has numerous links to different artist
The poster art soon gave rise to album covers that were composed in the psychedelic style. Below are some examples from some of my album covers from the 60's:
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Disraeli Gears |
Donovan: Like It IS |
Bee Gees 1st |
Light shows also became a part of live concerts. Another innovation that was not present until psychedelic music. However, posters, album covers and light shows were not the only psychedelic art forms. Psychedelia in art eventually became an art form of its own, and some would argue that it had existed long before the popularity of LSD. An interesting page that you can look at is Hallucinogens and Creativity by Susan Opar. One page gives example of psychedelic art, which includes art by surrealistic artists, prior to the 60's, such as Salvador Dali. Also, examples of artist producing art work before and after taking LSD. How different is the surrealistic art by Dali and those produced by artist under the influence of LSD? More examples of Dali's work can be found here.
Terms of Interest
Acid Test: Experiment carried out by Ken Kesey where he gathered people together and had them experience LSD as a group. Individuals involved may be taking LSD of their own free will or in some instances the LSD was placed in their drinks and the individual was unaware that they were taking LSD.
Ken Kesey: The most prominent advocate of LSD in the Western United States. Also, famous author. His most famous novel being One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Merry Pranksters: Group of people that were part of Ken Kesey's entourage has he toured the country in his bus to promote the use of LSD.
Psychedelic Art: Referring to art that attempts to recreate the an individual's visual experience while under the influence of LSD.
Psychedelic Music: Referring to music that attempts to recreate an individual's visual and audio experiences while under the influence of LSD.
Questions of Interest
1.
What
was the mission of Ken Kesey and his Merry Prankster as they drove through the
country?
2.
Some
of the music of the 1960's had drug overtones. However, they were never ever
blatantly about drugs if they were also in the pop category, they had to be
very vague in their composition, e.g. Donovan's Sunshine Superman. Can
you think of an example of music that you know that fits into this category?
Dissect the song and describe how it is really about drugs?
3.
LSD
is thought to enhance your creativity. Do you think that it can really do that?
The Grateful Dead thought that it did, but Donovan believed that it was only
after the influence of LSD had worn off that he was competent enough to create
from his LSD experience. What do you think? (there is no right or wrong answer!
and this may be one of the questions on the last exam)
Literature
Hofmann, Albert 1980. Use
of LSD in Psychiatry. In: LSD, My Problem Child. Chapter 4. McGraw-Hill Book
Company. New York.
Dyck, Erika 2005. Flashback: Psychiatric Experimentation with LSD in Historical Perspective. Can. J. Psychiatry 50: 381-388.
Lee, M.A. and B. Shlain 1985. Acid Dreams: The
Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond. Grove Press,
New York. 343 pages.
