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The Discovery of LSD
z Acronym is from the German,
LysergSaure-Diethylamid.
z Properties discovered in 1938 but
recreational usage occurred during
1960s
z Impact on society:
„ Fashion
„ Music
„ Art
The Discovery of LSD
zFirst isolated from the dark purplish
The Discovery of LSD
sclerotium,
sclerotium, or ergot of the fungus
Claviceps purpurea.
Ergot (=Sclerotium)
zAlbert Hofmann, chemist, Sandoz
Laboratories, in Basel, Switzerland.
The Discovery of LSD
zAlbert Hofmann isolated lysergic
acid and synthesized LSD-25 from it.
„Hofmann first experienced LSD
in 1943 through inadvertent
contact. A “pleasant
experience”.
„A few days later Hofmann tried
it again!
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LSD Revolution
LSD Revolution
zCame about inadvertently:
„OSS and later CIA looking for
truth inducing compound for
interrogation purpose.
„Settled on LSD as most
promising candidate and
experimented
„Funded secret research at
various universities.
LSD Revolution
z
Gordon Wasson in “magic” mushroom
ceremony. From LIFE magazine article,
1957.
LSD Revolution
zCame about inadvertently:
„Included Harvard University
where Timothy Leary and
Richard Albert were on faculty.
Richard Albert became
Ram Dass in 1967
z
Timothy Leary and Gordon Wasson,
the former influenced Leary’s
interest in psychedelics.
LSD Revolution
zCame about inadvertently:
„Both dismissed from Harvard in
1963.
LSD Revolution
zCame about inadvertently:
„Leary and Albert continued to
promote LSD usage.
Set up Castalia Institute to
continue his studies.
„Timothy Leary and Richard Albert
in 1963
Founded League of Spiritual
Discovery to legalize LSD.
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LSD Revolution
zCame about inadvertently:
„Leary and Albert continued to
promote LSD usage.
Went on tour as LSD advocate.
“Turn on, Tune in, Drop out.” Leary
(1967), in San Francisco.
Despite Leary’s influence, did not
have impact on music
Impact of LSD on Music
Became volunteer for drug
testing experiment in Menlo
Park (CIA operation).
Led to exposure to various
psychedelic drugs.
Inspiration for his most well
known writing, “One Flew Over
the Cuckoo’s Nest”.
Impact of LSD on Music
Trace LSD impact on
music, specifically
psychedelic music, to
Ken Kesey.
An Olympic caliber
wrestler.
Awarded fellowship in
creative writing to
attend Stanford.
Impact of LSD on Music
Kesey started his own
experiments with mind
altering drugs, i.e. LSD.
The Acid Test: Party where
people went to take acid,
sometimes without their
knowledge.
Began the psychedelic
movement and hippies of the
1960’s.
Hippie? What’s That?
Hippies: Youth movement (15-25) of
the counterculture, during the
1960’s and 70’s.
Rebelled against authority and
morals of the time:
Ken Kesey: Author and LSD advocate,
originated “Acid Test”
Rejected “establishment”
Anti-war, i.e. Vietnam
Championed sexual liberation
Promoted psychedelic drugs.
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Hippies? What’s That?
Led to many changes in society.
Hippies? What’s That?
Changes in other genre of music, i.e.
folk.
Impact of LSD on Music
During these acid test parties, a
“house band” called the Warlocks
provided the music.
They would later changed their
names to The Grateful Dead.
Meanwhile, at the same time, in
Virginia City, Nevada, in the Red Dog
Saloon, “acid parties” were also going
on.
Impact of LSD on Music
Chandler Laughlin and friends
created “The Red Dog Experience”
with then unknown musical acts:
Jefferson Airplane
Big Brother and the Holding Company
(featuring Janis Joplin).
The Charlatan
Quicksilver Messenger Service
And many more
The Grateful Dead, one of the first
psychedelic rock groups.
Impact of LSD on Music
Owsley Stanley, chemist,
provided LSD.
It was at this time that:
First light shows used
during music.
Experimentation with
LSD.
The Charlatan became
the first band to play
loaded with LSD.
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Impact of LSD on Music
Psychedelic music or “Acid Rock”
originated independently in at least
two places at same time.
Kesey and Laughlin eventually got
together for bigger concerts in San
Francisco:
Impact of LSD on Music
“San Francisco Groups”
Longshoreman’s Hall
Avalon Ballroom
Fillmore Auditorium
Impact of LSD on Music
z Following closely behind the Grateful
Dead was the Jefferson Airplanes.
Impact of LSD on Music
“San Francisco Groups”
„ First album,
Surrealistic
Pillow included
White Rabbit,
Rabbit A
drug induced
version of Alice
in Wonderland?
Impact of LSD on Music
Acid rock would eventually spread
throughout the western world.
Groups beyond San Francisco began
using LSD and composing and playing
Acid Rock:
The Doors
Jimi Hendrix
Beatles and other pop groups
Impact of LSD on Music
z The Doors.
Doors
„ How The Doors
got their name.
Ray Manzarek :
„ From Aldous
Huxley’s Doors
of Perception:
Perception
„ Morrison story
by John
Densmore:
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Impact of LSD on Music
Jimi Hendrix
Impact of LSD on Music
z If you made a list, one of the top
psychedelic groups would have to
include Cream.
Cream
Ginger Baker
Eric Clapton
Jack Bruce
Impact of LSD on Music
Impact of LSD on Music
Impact of LSD on Music
Impact of LSD on Music
“Pop” to Acid Rock
“Come together” written by John
Lennon for Timothy Leary.
zDid LSD really help?.
„Warlocks (Grateful Dead)
played during acid test. Jerry
Garcia:
„Dennis McNally (biographer of
Grateful Dead:
“Pop” to Acid Rock
z Most did not agree with Jerry Garcia
concerning LSD and performing and
writing music.
„ Donovan’s opinion:
z Impact on rock music?
„ David Quanta, narrator of
“History of Psychedelia”
„ Very simplistic in theme
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Impact of LSD on Music
z LSD encouraged experimentation to
music once very limited in its scope:
„ Country Joe (McDonald) and The
Fish
„ Paul Kantor of Jefferson Airplane
„ Donovan
„ Chris Dreja of The Yardbirds
Transition to Psychedelic
z Transition to psychedelia obvious in
some rock bands, e.g. The Beatles.
Impact of LSD on Music
z Not everyone achieved desirable
state when taking LSD.
„ Pink Floyd
 Joe Boyd, producer for Pink
Floyd, on Syd Barrett:
 Roger Walters, member of Pink
Floyd, on Syd Barrett:
„ Similarly, Roky Erickson of The 13th
Floor Elevator, suffered from
schizophrenia resulting from LSD.
Transition to Psychedelic
z Abrupt transition came in Revolver
album.
album
z Last cut, Tomorrow Never Knows
„ “Turn off your mind
and float down
stream”
„ “The Psychedelic
Experience: A Manual
Based on the Tibetan
Book of the Dead” –
Timothy Leary
Transition to Psychedelic
z Album followed by release of singles:
Strawberry Fields Forever.
z Later followed by Sergeant
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
„ Included the
controversial
Lucy in the Sky
with Diamonds.
„ Interpretation
incorrect. Paul
McCartney:
End of 60’s Psychedelia
z As the 60’s came to an end, many
musicians were turning away from
LSD.
„ The Beatles, Beach Boys, Donovan, and
Bob Dylan all became disciples of the
Marahishi.
7
End of 60’s Psychedelia
z The end of 60’s psychedelia:
„ According to Dennis McNally:
„ According to Joe Boyd:
Impact on Fashion
Prior to this time, no fashion for
young people.
One fashion fits all.
Some change in 1950’s
Impact on Fashion
Fashion of 1960’s.
Impact on Fashion
Part of hippie rebellion was own
identity, which included their own
fashion.
San Francisco Fox Theater closed.
Hippies bought up costumes.
Other clothing from second hand
stores.
Native American and other ethnic
clothing.
Impact on Fashion
1950’s to early 60’s fashion
Impact on Fashion
Fashion of 1960’s.
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Impact on Fashion
Eventually became absorbed into
mainstream fashion.
Art
Psychedelic Art
z With psychedelic music came
psychedelic art.
„ First art were the posters
advertising the concerts:
Psychedelic Art
z More posters:
Psychedelic Art
z More posters:
Psychedelic Art
z With psychedelic music came
psychedelic art.
„ Record album covers soon followed:
9
Psychedelic Art
z With psychedelic music came
psychedelic art.
„ More album covers:
Psychedelic Art
z Eventually becoming an art form of
its own:
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