Laurel Canyon

Laurel Canyon is a neighborhood tucked away in the hills of Los Angeles. It is one winding street with small side streets, filled with looming trees and steep cliffs. The area became a hideaway for musicians and artists to escape the chaos of the Hollywood life. Many infamous stars inhabited the canyon in the 60s and 70s like Joni Mitchell, the Mommas & Pappas, The Byrds, Frank Zappa, Carol King, Jimmi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. This elite group of musicians would have jam sessions and experimental with each other musically. The canyon became the hotspot of Los Angeles because it was hidden and maintained a unique California vibe.

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young rehearsing for Woodstock in Laurel Canyon (1969)

5 Songs to Transport You to Laurel Canyon:

1. The Mammas & Pappas- California Dreamin'

2. Joni Mitchell- Both Sides Now 

3. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young- Suite Judy Blue Eyes

4. The Byrds- Eight Miles High

5. Jimmi Hendrix- All Along the Watchtower

Joni Mitchell in her Laurel Canyon Cottage (1967)

The Rolling Stones in Laurel Canyon (1969)

Laurel Canyon today is just as magical as it was in the 60s and 70s. You probably won't see Mick Jagger or Joni Mitchell in the canyon, although you may run into George Clooney. Listen to Global DJs and Benny Benassi's remix of "California Dreamin" for a fresh upbeat remix of the classic song.

Laurel Canyon Present Day


I obtained these pictures and information from the book, Laurel Canyon: the Inside Story of Rock n Roll's Legendary Neighborhood. It's an amazing source of information, check it out for more details!

Synthesizers

A Synthesizer is an electronic instrument that can generate, modify, and recreate the sound of musical instruments. It can manipulate sounds to give any effect desired. The first synthesizer was built in 1955, although it didn't become relevant until the 1960s. The instrument had a huge influence on music in this era and has until today. The Monkees, the Doors, Simon and Garfunkel, Yes, Pink Floyd, and the Beatles were some of the first bands to heavily utilize the synthesizer in the late 60s.

Synthesizer from 1960

Top 5 Early Synthesizer-Based Songs:

1. The Who- Baba O-Riley (aka Teenage Wasteland)

2. Pink Floyd- Eclipse

3. White Noise- My Game of Loving

4. United States of America- Heresey

5. The Doors- Strange Days

The genre of synthpop emerged in the 70s as a division of New Wave. Synthpop music is based solely on the sounds of the synthesizer. David Bowie, Devo, and A Flock of Seagulls are known as Synthpop musicians. 

Synthesizer Today

Synthpop wasn't as popular in the 90s because of the popular Grunge Rock genre that surfaced. In the last 10 years, there has been a resurgence of synthesizer use in Hip-Hop, Electronica, and Indie Rock. Take a listen to Crystal Castles- Magic Spells for an updated listen to Synthpop/Experimental.

Timothy Leary

Radical Hippie or Genius?

Timothy Leary was a Harvard professor, dismissed after giving LSD to his students. He was one of the most controversial figure in the 60s and 70s because he encouraged the use of psychedelic drugs to reach new realms of consciousness. He coined the phrase "Turn On. Tune In. Drop Out." which became a the motto for counterculture for the 60s.


And so the hippie generation began...
He was the catalyst of the social revolution. His message was simple: don't listen to the institutions rules. He was seen as a true radical. Richard Nixon once referred to him as "the most dangerous man in America."

His advocacy to experiment with psychedelic drugs led to a profound effect on music culture. Artists were influenced to recreate the LSD experience through their music and lyrics.


Here are the top 5 classic songs influenced by psychedelic culture Leary produced:

1. The Beatles- Tomorrow Never Knows
2. Moody Blues- Legend of a Mind
3. Jefferson Pillow- White Rabbit
4. Procol Harem- A Whiter Shade of Pale
5. Small Faces- Itchycoo Park

Try listening to Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti "Bright Lit Skies" for a contemporary sound of psychedelic music.


Click the play button on the right side of the screen to play these songs!