Rak en Rol: The Influence of Psychedelic Culture in Philippine Music
James Gabrillo
Rock Music Studies September 2, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/19401159.2018.1510757 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that pioneering Filipino acts of the 1970s, including the Juan de la Cruz Band, Asin, and Sampaguita, adapted British and American psychedelic rock to covertly reference drug-taking and countercultural themes as a form of cultural reorientation and escape from political turmoil. Because this psychedelic movement stayed concealed, it could not flourish, yet it continued to influence artists from the 1990s onward. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT This article discusses the development of a psychedelic music scene in the Philippines during the 1970s and onwards. Pioneering acts such as the Juan de la Cruz Band, Asin, and Sampaguita emulated the styles and themes of the psychedelic rock genre in Britain and the United States to produce songs that covertly referenced countercultural activities, particularly drug-taking and its effects, with the intention of cultural reorientation and a detachment from the country’s political turmoil. Due to its concealed status, this local psychedelic movement was unable to thrive, though it continued to influence music artists during the 1990s and onwards.