Progressive Rock and Psychedelic Coding in the Work of Jimi Hendrix
Reading Pop June 8, 2000 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198166122.003.0012 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that musical analysis of 1960s progressive rock is underdeveloped, with only a few notable studies (Willis 1978; Mellers 1973; Middleton and Muncie 1981) addressing it. Proposes that the genre's music warrants closer examination, as its meaning may lie in subtleties beyond conventional blues tropes. |
Abstract
Abstract But like, the blues is what we’re supposed to dig…sometimes the notes might sound like it, but it’s a different scene between those notes. (Hendrix quoted in Pidgeon 1967: 2) Discussion of the 1960s generally identifies progressive rock as the prime organ of communication within the counter-culture. At the same time, musical analysis of the genre is an underdeveloped field of study, including only an identification of musical characteristics (Willis 1978), Mellers’ analysis of the Beatles (1973) and Middleton and Muncie’s analysis of five representative songs in the Open University’s course, Popular Culture (1981).