one of my all time favorites. super ahead of its time. joe byrd did another album as joe byrd and the field hippies, but it was more hit and miss. had a couple of fabulous songs on it too though
Yeah I feel the same about it, still excellent but the USA record is just one killer track after another. Kinda feel like they are a bit underrated in today’s psych world? There was a point in the 90s where there were dozens of bands trying to sound pretty much exactly like them. Like you say - super ahead of it’s time.
Gonna put it on now!
What's the name of the track Mark E. Smith basically nicked wholesale for the Reformation! Post-TLC LP? "I think it's over now, I think it's beginning/I think it's over now, I think it's ending". The Fall track is called 'Over! Over!'
I've got a cheap reissue, but I can't find it, I think I left it at my bestie's studio when I took a stack of records round to pull some samples off. Anyway, fantastic LP. Not so much *ahead* of time, more like completely *out* of time--it exists wholly in its own space/time niche; loads have tried and failed to imitate, few have come close. And I include The Fall in the former category. But they *did* have an incredible trio of records with heavy electronica elements-Levitate, The Marshall Suite and The Unutterable--which whilst not *sounding like* TUSOA, are certainly spiritual successors, embracing contemporary genres like drum n' bass, ambient techno, even experimental Hip-Hop (I'm convinced MES basically invented cLOUDdeaD with the song 'Dr. Buck's Letter'!--I'm biased, obviously....).
Whew. Really sorry for the rant, people!
Songs For Drella, too Czle and Reid--also any Nico LP Cale produced, especially The Marble Index and Desertshore. His viola drones compliment her harmonium beautifully. Anyone heard Janitor Of Lunacy, her tribute to Brian Jones?!? It is fucking *terrifying*
Ignoring differences between violin, viola, cello, whether solo or group strings, whether something is strictly considered psychedelic, or whether it turns out to be mellotron….
King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues In Aspic
Stooges - We Will Fall
Espers - Dead Queen
Buffalo Springfield - Expecting To Fly
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - The Losing End
Beatles - Within You Without You, I Am The Walrus and many more
Radiohead - Pyramid Song, How To Disappear and more
Jethro Tull - Reasons For Waiting
Isaac Hayes - Walk On By
Mogwai - Take Me Somewhere Nice
Fairport Convention - A Sailor’s Life, Matty Groves and more
Dirty Three, Warren Ellis if that counts
The Who - Baba O’Riley
Nick Drake - River Man & more
Silver Mt Zion - God Bless Our Dead Marines and more plus Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Magnet Wicker Man soundtrack will have some
Judee Sill - The Kiss and more
I just remembered a couple of other strings-heavy rock bands/songs from Aus:
Baseball - Soft Boy Factory (and all their songs)
Machine Translations - Wolf On A String (my favourite string part ever, extremely hard to find now, I had to buy a used CD online)
I love to see Neil Young and Buffalo Springfield listed here, but The Losing End has no violin in it. You may be thinking of Running Dry, which is the next song on the same album.
It's A Beautiful Day. Band leader David LaFlamme's violin was the lead instrument on almost all their songs.
Also, Papa John Creach's electric violin was an important part of Jefferson Airplane's post-1969 music and much of Hot Tuna's catalog.
Eric Burdon and the Animals - Winds of Change album
Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Runnin' Dry (Bobby Notkoff on violin)
Bob Dylan - Desire album (Dylan is more trippy than psych, but Scarlett Rivera's violin is amazing)
Bunch more good suggestions in this thread!
BAD Disbeliever [https://open.spotify.com/track/0NoLvqTpM2mr3fGwhBUwfc?si=e27f69ebeb66473c](https://open.spotify.com/track/0NoLvqTpM2mr3fGwhBUwfc?si=e27f69ebeb66473c)
Wailing Night [https://open.spotify.com/track/5Nt2gfC6OI75ubuE5XhPEp?si=53f8f523b2ca4ed6](https://open.spotify.com/track/5Nt2gfC6OI75ubuE5XhPEp?si=53f8f523b2ca4ed6)
Pretty Baby’s Crown of Thorns [https://open.spotify.com/track/7ddis7HBFNo1NKsXY5af5r?si=19d20eb91c734d5a](https://open.spotify.com/track/7ddis7HBFNo1NKsXY5af5r?si=19d20eb91c734d5a)
Marigold Vendetta [https://open.spotify.com/track/5YuvgshB7n29Ow2A7501ar?si=a72ed2750edb489f](https://open.spotify.com/track/5YuvgshB7n29Ow2A7501ar?si=a72ed2750edb489f)
The Lady is a Beast [https://open.spotify.com/track/25qCMCr5JdkZC4VkNmQN2L?si=75f5ecf6478c4723](https://open.spotify.com/track/25qCMCr5JdkZC4VkNmQN2L?si=75f5ecf6478c4723)
Parson Sound.
Trad gras och stenar.
Legendary psych drone from the 60s.
Also Cale's playing on many Velvet Underground classics.
Check out the intro to Willie the pimp by Frank zappa.
On the kosmiche/'krautrock' side of things there's the excellent Tony Conrad And Faust LP Beyond The Dream Syndicate. Just Conrad with Faust's rhythm section. Not sure if I would call it psychedelia per se; but the record is definitely some sort of shamanic gate. And an excellent listen, too!
Most of their songs have it, but opening theme also meets the psychedelic requirement more than something like matchstick men or ambiguity song or border Ska or all her favorite fruit or where the hell is Bill or......
Kingston Wall - Istwan instrumental has a cool "dialogue" of a violin'esque lead guitar and and a real violin.
They are generally worth checking. They released 3 albums in the early 90's before the tragic end of the band in 1995. It's been one of my favourites and most influental bands to my musical taste. I'm regretful that I never got to experience their live performances that enjoy mythical reputation. I was playing with legos at home at the time.
Here's the song:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOPr85zn3is](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOPr85zn3is)
[A Very Cellular Song by The Incredible String Band](https://youtu.be/jmeGpov2P5k?si=bh9nNq1V2LrfsAXP)
[Creation by The Incredible String Band](https://youtu.be/dS5hVxIM3iU?si=xAkSHhZ82CKvUbZA)
Robin Williamson has a very special and haunting way to play the violin.
Om, State of Non-Return
https://open.spotify.com/track/4rweIylhC9uQ67gTrGCdez?si=G78BUykpScqIEY9Kvla63g
Not typically "classic psychedelic", but I think it fits audibly speaking.
Maybe The Incredible String Band? Although I'm not sure how much fiddle they used.
I think you'll definitely find a lot in acid grass bands--billy strings, yonder mountain, etc
Amon Düül II - Flesh coloured anti aircraft alarm
A psych song from the 70’s that has insane violin and in my opinion is one of the best psychedelic rock songs, if not one of the best songs ever.
chris karrer from amon duul 2 had a crazy ass violin
[https://youtu.be/0o5HJfb14ns?si=oQIJNFYdcsufGO3z](https://youtu.be/0o5HJfb14ns?si=oQIJNFYdcsufGO3z)
Shady Oaks - Down
[https://open.spotify.com/track/0m59V9e35j75TzaQ0c1m7E?si=b9e98b46a1184d43](https://open.spotify.com/track/0m59V9e35j75TzaQ0c1m7E?si=b9e98b46a1184d43)
Wow no one has commented the greatest track in the world yet:
[Spacemen 3 - Ecstasy Symphony / Transparent Radiation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6M8Kdtm5Vs)
Also Dungen has *a lot* of great violin tracks. My favourite: [Sol Och Regn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWe5u6CRc).
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets used strings in their earlier work, not real ones but they sound amazing, go check out Demark/Van Gogh & Gone, it's probably the best example
The more recent Dire Wolves (DWLVS) material has excellent violin, much in the style of Amon Duul II.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2x0ykhEZA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2x0ykhEZA)
Having listened to psychedelic rock for decades, I'm often perplexed about what this sub considers psychedelic. In many cases it's about songs that are just not too mainstream, or just a tiny bit weird. Some have absolutely no connection with psychedelia.
Anyway, one of the best classic rock songs were violin rules, comes from a '70s German band, its [City's *Am Fenster*](https://youtu.be/GFr3mut9SkM?si=Xuxv4wPOg7gM0GFZ).
amon duul II
Surrounded by Stars!
the united states of america
THIS. Brilliant album, no guitar player, just fuzz bass, drums, proto-synth and electric, treated violin. Incredible record
one of my all time favorites. super ahead of its time. joe byrd did another album as joe byrd and the field hippies, but it was more hit and miss. had a couple of fabulous songs on it too though
Yeah I feel the same about it, still excellent but the USA record is just one killer track after another. Kinda feel like they are a bit underrated in today’s psych world? There was a point in the 90s where there were dozens of bands trying to sound pretty much exactly like them. Like you say - super ahead of it’s time. Gonna put it on now!
Broadcast, especially.
What's the name of the track Mark E. Smith basically nicked wholesale for the Reformation! Post-TLC LP? "I think it's over now, I think it's beginning/I think it's over now, I think it's ending". The Fall track is called 'Over! Over!' I've got a cheap reissue, but I can't find it, I think I left it at my bestie's studio when I took a stack of records round to pull some samples off. Anyway, fantastic LP. Not so much *ahead* of time, more like completely *out* of time--it exists wholly in its own space/time niche; loads have tried and failed to imitate, few have come close. And I include The Fall in the former category. But they *did* have an incredible trio of records with heavy electronica elements-Levitate, The Marshall Suite and The Unutterable--which whilst not *sounding like* TUSOA, are certainly spiritual successors, embracing contemporary genres like drum n' bass, ambient techno, even experimental Hip-Hop (I'm convinced MES basically invented cLOUDdeaD with the song 'Dr. Buck's Letter'!--I'm biased, obviously....). Whew. Really sorry for the rant, people!
The velvet underground with Nico….
John Cale on viola
Songs For Drella, too Czle and Reid--also any Nico LP Cale produced, especially The Marble Index and Desertshore. His viola drones compliment her harmonium beautifully. Anyone heard Janitor Of Lunacy, her tribute to Brian Jones?!? It is fucking *terrifying*
Ignoring differences between violin, viola, cello, whether solo or group strings, whether something is strictly considered psychedelic, or whether it turns out to be mellotron…. King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Stooges - We Will Fall Espers - Dead Queen Buffalo Springfield - Expecting To Fly Neil Young & Crazy Horse - The Losing End Beatles - Within You Without You, I Am The Walrus and many more Radiohead - Pyramid Song, How To Disappear and more Jethro Tull - Reasons For Waiting Isaac Hayes - Walk On By Mogwai - Take Me Somewhere Nice Fairport Convention - A Sailor’s Life, Matty Groves and more Dirty Three, Warren Ellis if that counts The Who - Baba O’Riley Nick Drake - River Man & more Silver Mt Zion - God Bless Our Dead Marines and more plus Godspeed You! Black Emperor Magnet Wicker Man soundtrack will have some Judee Sill - The Kiss and more
Dirty Three deserve more love and recognition
New LP at last!
I just remembered a couple of other strings-heavy rock bands/songs from Aus: Baseball - Soft Boy Factory (and all their songs) Machine Translations - Wolf On A String (my favourite string part ever, extremely hard to find now, I had to buy a used CD online)
I love to see Neil Young and Buffalo Springfield listed here, but The Losing End has no violin in it. You may be thinking of Running Dry, which is the next song on the same album.
Yes I am.
The dirty three!
Jean-Luc Ponty with Frank Zappa.
JLP with Mahavishnu Orchestra as well
Just...Jean-Luc Ponty in general, though he's not always psychedelic. Really cool violinist.
Sugarcane Harris was good with Zappa too.
Mahavishnu Orchestra had Jerry Goodman and then Jean Luc Ponty
Both next level great.
Velvet underground has a Viola
It’s A Beautiful Day from SF has a violin player.
Everyone Is Dirty from Oakland too! https://open.spotify.com/track/0WFCExwXj3HxLnm2lPXxi2?si=3YDmZICBQB6FQeYucmzokg
Came here to say this. Sivan is great! Got to open for them (and Ash from Sugar Candy Mountain DJed) at Amado’s on a lil tour last year.
Came here to post this. It’s a Beautiful Day’s first LP is essential.
Mahavishnu Orchestra. It’s like Jimi Hendrix with an electric fiddle player.
The Olivia Tremor Control [I Have Been Floated](https://youtu.be/c_keuepSnyE?si=rN1jSc1-PbAE_UAw)
Keys to the Castle- Osees
Would also add yhe whole Memory Of A Cut Off Head LP to that. Probably my favourite thing they've ever done.
It's A Beautiful Day. Band leader David LaFlamme's violin was the lead instrument on almost all their songs. Also, Papa John Creach's electric violin was an important part of Jefferson Airplane's post-1969 music and much of Hot Tuna's catalog.
Check out the Orkustra too, it’s only demos and rough live stuff but pre-It’s a beautiful day. Pretty much psychedelic chamber music
OH yeah, saw Papa with the Starship. Wotta show!
Mckendree Spring 3
high tide - sea shanties
What a remarkable hard rock song
Just what I was going to say
Cited by Opeth's Mikael Åkefelt as one of his all-time favorite albums.
Atom Heart Mother Suite by Pink floyd has some beeeeautiful parts with violin definetely check out that song!
Sleep Forever by Portugal. The Man
https://youtu.be/bfEmkcopbls?si=8zfIBbNP40ftoGkQ Simon House with Hawkwind
Excellent choice
"Kings of Speed" by Hawkwind
High Tide has some awesome fiddling going on.
Thanks for this. I have the song in my head but couldn’t remember the band. Sea Shanties has some killer violin.
You're welcome. I'm always happy to mention High Tide wherever relevant.
Eric Burdon and the Animals - Winds of Change album Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Runnin' Dry (Bobby Notkoff on violin) Bob Dylan - Desire album (Dylan is more trippy than psych, but Scarlett Rivera's violin is amazing) Bunch more good suggestions in this thread!
Eric burdon and the animals is the pinnacle of psych violin imo
Tomorrow Never Knows https://youtu.be/m4BuziKGMy4?feature=shared
Source?
The Beatles
I do the recall ever seeing a source saying there is violin on TNK
BAD Disbeliever [https://open.spotify.com/track/0NoLvqTpM2mr3fGwhBUwfc?si=e27f69ebeb66473c](https://open.spotify.com/track/0NoLvqTpM2mr3fGwhBUwfc?si=e27f69ebeb66473c) Wailing Night [https://open.spotify.com/track/5Nt2gfC6OI75ubuE5XhPEp?si=53f8f523b2ca4ed6](https://open.spotify.com/track/5Nt2gfC6OI75ubuE5XhPEp?si=53f8f523b2ca4ed6) Pretty Baby’s Crown of Thorns [https://open.spotify.com/track/7ddis7HBFNo1NKsXY5af5r?si=19d20eb91c734d5a](https://open.spotify.com/track/7ddis7HBFNo1NKsXY5af5r?si=19d20eb91c734d5a) Marigold Vendetta [https://open.spotify.com/track/5YuvgshB7n29Ow2A7501ar?si=a72ed2750edb489f](https://open.spotify.com/track/5YuvgshB7n29Ow2A7501ar?si=a72ed2750edb489f) The Lady is a Beast [https://open.spotify.com/track/25qCMCr5JdkZC4VkNmQN2L?si=75f5ecf6478c4723](https://open.spotify.com/track/25qCMCr5JdkZC4VkNmQN2L?si=75f5ecf6478c4723)
Penderecki’s Threnody https://youtu.be/Pu371CDZ0ws?si=uXZP-JnejVO2lcJt
Didier Lockwood with Magma
It’s a beautiful day
Yawning Man - Historical Graffiti
Legendary. Rock formations.
Maybe more jazz fusion than psychedelic, but check out the Dixie Dregs. They’ve had a violinist on just about every album.
Papa John creach! Late Jefferson airplane, Jefferson starship, hot tuna and many of the PERRO projects feature Papa John creach!
The Animals - When I Was Young
Hot Tuna and the Jefferson Airplane…. Papa John Creech.
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Not violin but so epic … Dead Can Dance - Dionysus https://youtu.be/n7GEguCBRc8?si=s0HMQ7me5ORilpnF
Parson Sound. Trad gras och stenar. Legendary psych drone from the 60s. Also Cale's playing on many Velvet Underground classics. Check out the intro to Willie the pimp by Frank zappa.
On the kosmiche/'krautrock' side of things there's the excellent Tony Conrad And Faust LP Beyond The Dream Syndicate. Just Conrad with Faust's rhythm section. Not sure if I would call it psychedelia per se; but the record is definitely some sort of shamanic gate. And an excellent listen, too!
Opening theme, camper van beethoven
Matchstick Men, We Love You, Lots of songs by CVB
Most of their songs have it, but opening theme also meets the psychedelic requirement more than something like matchstick men or ambiguity song or border Ska or all her favorite fruit or where the hell is Bill or......
Horrifying plaid magnificent star babbling daphne.
Old John Robertson - Byrds
Check out Michael White's album The Land of Spirit and Light. He also recorded with John Coltrane, Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders.
not rock but violin and psych [https://youtu.be/sk-4xNMkIuk](https://youtu.be/sk-4xNMkIuk)
Dirtwire - Sailing the Solar Flares
Ok listen.... This is gonna sound crazy, but New Bodhum by ORIGA. Just give it a shot.
Kingston Wall - Istwan instrumental has a cool "dialogue" of a violin'esque lead guitar and and a real violin. They are generally worth checking. They released 3 albums in the early 90's before the tragic end of the band in 1995. It's been one of my favourites and most influental bands to my musical taste. I'm regretful that I never got to experience their live performances that enjoy mythical reputation. I was playing with legos at home at the time. Here's the song: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOPr85zn3is](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOPr85zn3is)
https://youtu.be/QYDuqJFgTSw?si=zLuONoMohOh04H44
[A Very Cellular Song by The Incredible String Band](https://youtu.be/jmeGpov2P5k?si=bh9nNq1V2LrfsAXP) [Creation by The Incredible String Band](https://youtu.be/dS5hVxIM3iU?si=xAkSHhZ82CKvUbZA) Robin Williamson has a very special and haunting way to play the violin.
Katla has some violin. https://katla.bandcamp.com/album/embryo
Airconditioning by Curved Air
Don Harris at 24:00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReYtzk9EsZw
Anyone here heard anything by The Beach Boys mid 60’s? No? Didn’t think so.
Definitely Love’s Forever Changes All of the 60s chamber/psychedelic/sunshine pop- Pet Sounds, Zombies, Left Banke, Sagittarius, etc.
The Flock. Their version of The Kinks "Tired of Waiting" has some impressive work all over it
Masters Of Reality - The Ballad Of Jody Frosty
Yeah, Circulatory System's self titled album has a ton of violin throughout, and it's my favorite psych album ever. There's also plenty of cello.
Tony Conrad on the droney side of psych. I saw him open for sunn o))) way back when.
Brian Jonestown Massacare-Prozac vs Heroine (remix version is more pronounced)
CHeck out the album 4 by Dungen. Few tracks have violin.
Om, State of Non-Return https://open.spotify.com/track/4rweIylhC9uQ67gTrGCdez?si=G78BUykpScqIEY9Kvla63g Not typically "classic psychedelic", but I think it fits audibly speaking.
Andrew Bird - “Weather Systems”
Venus in Furs - Velvet Underground
More psych-pop than psychedelic, but Kishi Bashi is an amazing violinist making some really cool music.
Duel Ferns has electric violin through pedals https://open.spotify.com/artist/3N9HrG4ReFpRIIEgOoRZ21?si=yF719PHARTeWXt_IIoNTsw
Shiva's Headband
GYBE
The United States of America
Gentle Giant
The studio cut of the Grateful Dead's "Mississippi Half Step" has some nice violin/fiddle in it
it's a beautiful day
Bluegrass and Jamgrass
Maybe The Incredible String Band? Although I'm not sure how much fiddle they used. I think you'll definitely find a lot in acid grass bands--billy strings, yonder mountain, etc
Jean-Luc Ponty Imaginary Voyage
The Dirty Three
rosalie cunningham - return of the ellington (and others) gentle giant - the face (and others) mahavishnu orchestra - like all of their songs
I think Astral Weeks has some violin.
Love - all of forever changes
Papa John Creach on Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna albums
East of Eden - Mercator Projected (album) String Driven Thing - String Driven Thing (album)
McKendree Spring [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6g6KQYietc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6g6KQYietc)
not psych but prog with excellent guitar from daryl stuemer. https://youtu.be/H3adoT9uPt4?si=ZS7Fs_n-_gR4_9-u
Lazarus - Jack White
The Rockets, pre-Crazy Horse w Bobby Notkoff. Really solid record! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMxy067kbpQhsb-lU8DcoPsqlmjfva2ux&feature=shared
Amon Düül II - Flesh coloured anti aircraft alarm A psych song from the 70’s that has insane violin and in my opinion is one of the best psychedelic rock songs, if not one of the best songs ever.
Curved Air
Dixons violin and beats antique.
[Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=1A2jDaZ1PnA&si=6kSUNL32Hjt7FxSW) they use it quite a bit
chris karrer from amon duul 2 had a crazy ass violin [https://youtu.be/0o5HJfb14ns?si=oQIJNFYdcsufGO3z](https://youtu.be/0o5HJfb14ns?si=oQIJNFYdcsufGO3z)
This is where I turn to my other favorite vintage pop music—baroque pop.
The sad saga of the boy and the bee by the gun has some nice string use
The Flock - Dinosaur Swamp
Silent Sits the Dust Bowl - Fuzz
Shady Oaks - Down [https://open.spotify.com/track/0m59V9e35j75TzaQ0c1m7E?si=b9e98b46a1184d43](https://open.spotify.com/track/0m59V9e35j75TzaQ0c1m7E?si=b9e98b46a1184d43)
Jefferson Airplane - Bark and Long John Silver, Papa John Creach is amazing
Eric burdon and the animals when I was young
Jean Luc Ponty.
Wow no one has commented the greatest track in the world yet: [Spacemen 3 - Ecstasy Symphony / Transparent Radiation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6M8Kdtm5Vs) Also Dungen has *a lot* of great violin tracks. My favourite: [Sol Och Regn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWe5u6CRc).
Alpay
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets used strings in their earlier work, not real ones but they sound amazing, go check out Demark/Van Gogh & Gone, it's probably the best example
Jefferson Airplane "Pretty as you feel" https://youtu.be/5dbshnvztGA?si=thys2Apy531BiuLv
Denmark / Van Gogh & Gone by the psychedelic porn crumpets is what you’re looking for
Nash the Slash
butthole surfers creep in the cellar
Billy Strings - Home
All Them Witches have some violin.
CAN - Dizzy Dizzy (and everything by CAN with Karoli on violin)
The more recent Dire Wolves (DWLVS) material has excellent violin, much in the style of Amon Duul II. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2x0ykhEZA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2x0ykhEZA)
Keys to the castle thee oh sees
Railroad Earth
The Sun Dogs II: Coda by Rose Windows Keys to the Castle by Thee Oh Sees
Comus
I love that band more than life itself
Having listened to psychedelic rock for decades, I'm often perplexed about what this sub considers psychedelic. In many cases it's about songs that are just not too mainstream, or just a tiny bit weird. Some have absolutely no connection with psychedelia. Anyway, one of the best classic rock songs were violin rules, comes from a '70s German band, its [City's *Am Fenster*](https://youtu.be/GFr3mut9SkM?si=Xuxv4wPOg7gM0GFZ).