What Made 1967 The Most Pivotal Year In Rock History?

Question

No question about it, Rock music underwent a drastic change in 1967
The old poppy 3 minute sound of the previous decade and a half vanished under a torrent of every new sound and texture imagineable
Who do You think were the innovators and architects of this change? and why?
My example would be Pink Floyd and their debut album "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" inventeninga new genreby themselves Space-Rock and sowing the seeds of it with songs like "Astronomy Domine". A style which would have many adepts and followers in the 70's ranging from BOC to Hawkwind to Yes to Rush

Your Turn, the floor is all Yours

Answer 1

It was wonderful growing up in the 60's. I was fortunate enough to witness first hand, new styles of music evolve and progress.
Rock music went through so many beautiful and drastic changes between 1963 and 1973. There was so much originality and creativity during those ten years, and quite honestly I don't think we've ever seen musical innovation/progression on that level during any decade/10 year span since.
For me 1967 was all about laying the foundations for what was to become one of my many favorite genres of rock music known as 'progressive rock'. I was living in Holland for part of '67, and at that time many people there were referring to bands such as Ten Years After, The Nice, Simon Dupree And The Big Sound, Soft Machine, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Creation, Family, Hapshash & The Coloured Coat, Chicken Shack, The Pretty Things, The Deviants, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Giles, Giles and Fripp, Cream, The Mothers of Invention, Tomorrow, The Bonzo Bog Dooh Dah Band, etc as "progressive rock". At that time the term progressive was used correctly in reference to music, and meant "moving forward/advancing". It wasn't until the early 70's that this term seemed to take on a whole new meaning, ushering in bands we all know today as prog rock, ie; Yes, Gentle Giant, VDGG, ELP, King Crimson etc.
Several of the 60's bands that I've mentioned, eventually morphed into a few of these aforementioned 70's prog bands.
I remember hearing The Mothers 'Freak Out' album in 1966 and being blown away. I doubt that someone listening to it for the first time today would be able to appreciate what was really happening in those grooves, the same way I did back in the day. After all, at the time Frank Zappa and Tom Wilson had basically revolutionized rock music with that double LP. Many of the recording techniques/studio trickery employed on that album had never really been done before on such a scale. Even Sir George Martin and The Beatles were influenced by the album, prompting them to use many of these recording techniques on the Sgt. Pepper album the following year.
The Mothers follow up LP in 1967 'Absolutely Free' was equally brilliant!
Looking back, I guess to some people 1967 symbolized 'The Summer of Love', while for me it represented things to come.
I just knew rock music was in for a big surprise!

Edit - Time Fabric -
Monterey Pop (the movie) was not released to theatres until the very end of 1968. Thought the concert itself (1967) would be considered a pivotal point in rock music history.

What's with all the thumbs down people? There's some truly great answers here!

Answer 2

The year 1967 was an important year for psychedelic music, with releases from The Doors (The Doors, Strange Days), Jefferson Airplane (Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxter's), The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Cream's Disraeli Gears, The Rolling Stones's Their Satanic Majesties Request & The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced?

Answer 3

I think 1976 for sure -Boston's Boston -ELO's A New World Record -Heart's Dreamboat Annie -The Ramones Ramones -Steve Miller Band's Fly Like An Eagle -Fleetwood Mac's Fleetwood Mac -The Buzzcock's Spiral Scratch EP you get the point also 1981 -Billy Squier's Don't Say No -The Cars' Shake It Up -Def Leppard's High 'n' Dry -Devo's New Traditionalists -Duran Duran's Duran Duran -Echo & The Bunnymen's Heaven Up Here -Foreigner's 4 -Human League's Dare! -Journey's E5C4P3 -The Police's Ghost In The Machine -Psychedelic Furs Talk Talk Talk -Styx's Paradise Theatre -Rush's Moving Pictures -Rick James' Street Songs -INXS' Underneath The Colours you get it?

Answer 4

LSD. - Actually, I think the impetus towards the "Summer of Love" (which actually started in '66, according to Grace Slick) was originally a result of the general counter-culture movement, that was spreading, year-by-year in the 60s. Kids were throwing-away their conservative 50s "sacrifices" and more and more were discovering the hedonistic FUN that was spreading and more easily available. Politically there was more awareness about Racism (and a desire to end it); anti-Vietnam; and continuous Population-growth. As stuff became harder to control, more and more bands kept going Farther (and yes, drugs were one aspect of this) -- pushing musical boundaries, beyond Blues rock and Beat music, towards more experimental. Yes, it helped that Sgt. Pepper was big, but that album was helped by having the most Production-effort, ever afforded to Rock music. Remember, the Beach Boys did Pet Sounds; P. Floyd was changing London; Cream's 2nd album, invented Heavy Metal; The Who created conceptual ideas with "Sell Out"; and a lot of later-to-be-great bands, mark their beginnings in 67.
Oh, yeah -- Monterey Pop was released to movie theatres...
- I don't know if I'm actually saying anything that contributes to your question -- I'm just writing, stream-of-thought....

Answer 5

I still believe the Beatles were at the forefront of what was happenin. Heck, how could anybody avoid or escape the noise they were makin.
Sgt Peppers certainly had an impact.



Edit:

BTW: Floyd's debut album was recorded at Abbey Road studios where the Beatles were simultaneously recording Sgt Pepper. But, you already knew that, didn't cha? (:

T/U to Mike's answer "it was the drugs" ... With what was goin on, The Airplane's "White Rabbit" wasn't teasin.

And, no doubt Hendrix raised the bar. What the man did with a guitar coulda got him arrested for assault.

Answer 6

THE DOORS
Sgt. Peppers was huge that year but 1967 also brought the release of the Doors self titled debut album featuring The End and thier smash hit Light My Fire which was a big summer hit that year.
I'm a Beatles fan for sure, but when I think of 1967, I think of the Doors.

Answer 7

The obvious answer is the Beatles since Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released in 1967. It was considered by many, although not the band itself, to be one of the first "concept" albums. They went from "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to "Strawberry Fields Forever" in a few years. I don't think any other band has had as much influence on music as they had.

Answer 8

The Beatles released 'Sgt Pepper' in 1967. That album was a HUGE progression for the Beatles, musically. It was also different than anything any other rock musician had done at the time.

The release of that album was a huge turning point in rock history.

Answer 9

I think 67' was one of the biggest years for Rock Music. In my opinion, the one thing that got everthing rolling was the Monterey Pop Festival. Hendrix, The Dead, Janis, Otis Redding, Airplane and many more. Also Stanley Owsley made it one hell of a party!! Check out this vid on you tube. Hendrix covering Like a Rolling Stone! Cool!There are many more to see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkkdsWgq2cI

Answer 10

FM freestyle Stereo radio -- doesn't exist anymore. And the drugs and the Beatle's Sgt. Pepper and Beach Boy's Pet Sounds., Jimi Hendrix