Psychedelic soul (originally called black rock[1] or conflated with psychedelic funk[2]) is a form of soul music which emerged in the United States in the late 1960s. The style saw African-American soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrumentation, effects units such as wah-wah and phasing, and drug influences.[3] It came to prominence in the late 1960s and continued into the 1970s, playing a major role in the development of funk and disco.
George Clinton's interdependent Funkadelic and Parliament ensembles and their various spin-offs took influence from Detroit rock groups including MC5 and the Stooges, using extended distorted guitar solos and psychedelic sound effects coupled with surreal imagery and stage antics forming part of an Afrofuturistoverarching mythology,[1] leading to three US top ten singles, and three platinum albums.[10]Shuggie Otis' 1974 album Inspiration Information emerged too late to take advantage of the style's peak of popularity, but later found acclaim when it was reissued in 2001.[11]
Decline and influence
While psychedelic rock began to waver at the end of the 1960s, psychedelic soul's popularity continued into the 1970s and declined only towards the end of the decade.[3]Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield added orchestral instrumentation to psychedelic soul, creating a style known as cinematic soul which became a predecessor to disco.[12] Artists which began in psychedelic soul such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, and the Ohio Players incorporated its sounds into funk and disco.[13]
^ abR. Gulla, Icons of R&B and Soul: an Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm, Volume 2 (London: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008), ISBN0-313-34046-3, pp. 278–81.
^ abcG. Case, Out of Our Heads: Rock 'n' Roll Before the Drugs Wore Off (Milwaukie, MI: Hal Leonard Corporation, 2010), ISBN0-87930-967-9, pp. 70–1.
^J. Ankeny, "Marvin Gaye", AllMusic, retrieved 3 July 2010.
^V. Bogdanov, C. Woodstra and S. T. Erlewine, All Music Guide to Rock: the Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul (Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books, 3rd edn., 2002), ISBN0-87930-653-X, p. 226.