acid rock
acid rock
Pronunciation
Acid rock
/ˈæsɪd rɒk/
Ac-id:
/ˈæs/ - "as" sound (like in "cat")
/ɪd/ - "id" sound (like in "bid")
Rock:
/rɒk/ - "rock" sound (like in "clock")
Word Form Variations
"Acid rock" is primarily used as a compound noun. Therefore, its variations are limited:
Singular: acid rock
Plural: acid rock (The term itself is often used collectively, referring to the genre as a whole rather than individual "rocks" of acid. If one were to refer to multiple distinct subgenres or examples, it might be "acid rock subgenres" or "acid rock bands," rather than pluralizing "rock.")
There are no common verb, adjective, or adverb forms of "acid rock" as a single, combined term.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Acid rock
A subgenre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s, characterized by its often improvisational nature, extended instrumental solos, psychedelic lyrical themes, and the prominent use of electronic effects (such as fuzz, wah-wah, and distortion) to create a disorienting or hallucinatory sonic experience, often intended to emulate or enhance the effects of psychedelic drugs like LSD.
Synonyms: psychedelic rock, psychedelic music
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it's a specific genre. One might consider genres known for their conventional structure or acoustic nature as conceptual opposites.) e.g., folk music (traditional), classical music (structured), mainstream pop (commercial)
(Figurative, informal) A situation, experience, or artistic style that is intensely chaotic, unconventional, or mind-altering, reminiscent of the disorienting qualities associated with acid rock music.
Synonyms: chaotic, mind-bending, trippy (informal), disorienting, unconventional
Antonyms: orderly, conventional, clear-headed, straightforward
Examples of Use
Books: "The early Pink Floyd, with their extended instrumental passages and exploration of unconventional song structures, are often cited as pioneers of acid rock" (Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head, Rob Chapman, 2010).
Newspapers: "The article explored how bands like Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead defined the San Francisco sound, a blend of folk, blues, and acid rock that captivated the counterculture" (The Guardian, October 2019).
Online Publications: "While many associate acid rock purely with the 60s, its influence can still be heard in contemporary psychedelic and stoner rock bands today" (Pitchfork, February 2023).
Entertainment Mediums (Documentary): In the documentary Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), footage of artists performing often highlights the era's fusion of soul, R&B, and burgeoning acid rock elements, particularly in live improvisation.
Entertainment Platforms (Streaming Music Service Playlist Description): "Psychedelic Journeys: Dive deep into the swirling guitars and expansive soundscapes of classic acid rock from the late 60s and early 70s." (Spotify playlist description, accessed July 2025).
General Public Discourse (Forum/Blog Post): "Listening to Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love' still gives me that classic acid rock vibe; it’s just so raw and powerful." (Online music forum, November 2024).
General Public Discourse (Podcast Discussion): "...and then you had this explosion of creativity in the Bay Area, with bands just experimenting, pushing boundaries, really forging what we now call acid rock." (History of Rock podcast, Episode 4, January 2025).
10 Famous Quotes Using Acid Rock
"Acid rock as a term was initially (and often still is) loosely defined." (Nik Cohn, rock journalist, 1969)
"The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia believed that acid rock is music you listen to while under the influence of acid, further stating that there is no real 'psychedelic rock' and that it is Indian classical music and some Tibetan music 'designed to expand consciousness'." (Jerry Garcia, as quoted on Wikipedia)
"From jukeboxes and transistors across the nation pulses the turned-on sound of acid-rock groups: the Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, Moby Grape." (Time magazine, July 1967)
"I was in the music business at the time, and my very first recognition of acid rock ... was, of all people, the Beach Boys and the song 'Good Vibrations'." (Phillip Rauls, former Atlantic Records executive, as quoted on Wikipedia)
"In 1968, Life magazine referred to the Doors as the 'kings of acid rock'." (Life magazine, 1968)
"I love heavy metal, Metallica. I'm into Jefferson Starship and acid rock." (DJ Premier, as quoted on BrainyQuote)
"I think Acid Rock really is music made to reproduce the feel or experience of acid and the non-traditional or altered musical theory." (Jenell Kesler, It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine, November 2020)
"Listening to Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love' still gives me that classic acid rock vibe; it’s just so raw and powerful." (Online music forum, November 2024)
"The early Pink Floyd, with their extended instrumental passages and exploration of unconventional song structures, are often cited as pioneers of acid rock." (Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head, Rob Chapman, 2010)
"And then you had this explosion of creativity in the Bay Area, with bands just experimenting, pushing boundaries, really forging what we now call acid rock." (History of Rock podcast, January 2025)
Etymology
The term "acid rock" is a compound word, meaning it's formed by putting two words together.
Let's break down its etymology:
"Acid": This part of the term directly refers to LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), a powerful psychedelic drug that gained significant cultural prominence in the 1960s. The drug was often simply called "acid."
"Rock": This refers to rock and roll music, the popular music genre that developed from rhythm and blues, country, and other influences in the 1950s.
So, "acid rock" quite literally means "rock music associated with or influenced by LSD."
The first known use and meaning of the term emerged in the mid-1960s, specifically around 1966. It was coined to describe a new subgenre of rock music that was heavily influenced by psychedelic drugs, particularly LSD. The musicians experimenting with this sound aimed to create music that either mimicked the disorienting, hallucinatory, or expansive experiences of an acid trip, or was intended to enhance such experiences for listeners.
Initially, the term was a way to categorize this emerging sound which featured:
Extended instrumental solos: Allowing for more improvisational and "journey-like" musical explorations.
Loud, distorted guitars and other electronic effects: To create a "trippy" or altered soundscape.
Experimental song structures: Moving away from traditional pop song formats.
Lyrical themes often dealing with altered states of consciousness, dreams, or abstract concepts.
In essence, "acid rock" quickly became the label for the soundtrack of the psychedelic counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Acid Rock
Phrases and Descriptive Uses with "Acid Rock":
Classic acid rock: Referring to the foundational sound from the 1960s.
Pure acid rock: Emphasizing an unadulterated or quintessential example of the genre.
The spirit of acid rock: Evoking the ethos, experimentation, and counter-cultural vibe of the genre.
A dive into acid rock: Describing the act of exploring or immersing oneself in the genre's music.
Heavily influenced by acid rock: Indicating the strong impact of the genre on another artist or sound.
Pioneers of acid rock: Referring to the bands or artists who originated and developed the genre.
Original/Lesser-Known Phrases or Idioms with Synonyms for Similar Effect:
To go full psychedelic: To embrace a highly experimental, mind-bending, or visually vibrant style (similar to the excesses of acid rock).
Lost in a haze of wah-wah: Describing being immersed in or overwhelmed by a sound reminiscent of psychedelic or acid rock guitar effects.
A tripped-out soundscape: Referring to an auditory environment that is disorienting, surreal, or hallucinatory, akin to acid rock.
Through the fuzz and the feedback: Navigating or experiencing something intensely noisy, distorted, or chaotic, echoing acid rock's sonic characteristics.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of acid rock from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
