A to Z of Psychedelia on 6 Music

Follow A to Z of Psychedelia on 6 Music
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Taking listeners on a trip through the golden age of psychedelia from the mid-sixties to Altamont. Researched & presented by 6 Music’s Marc Riley and music journalist Rob Hughes.

BBC Radio 6 Music


    • Jul 17, 2018 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 22m AVG DURATION
    • 62 EPISODES


    More podcasts from BBC Radio 6 Music

    Search for episodes from A to Z of Psychedelia on 6 Music with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from A to Z of Psychedelia on 6 Music

    Welcome to the A to Z of Psychedelia on 6 Music

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 16:51


    Full length introductory episode to welcome you to the box set. Marc and Rob set out their stall discussing the main themes and players & their flexible approach to the alphabet!

    A is for Acid, Animals and Ambrose Slade

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 24:03


    Did you know the Rolling Stones took a witch on tour with them? How drugs affected the 13th Floor Elevators' Roky Erickson and the treatment he had to endure? It's all in here.

    B is for Barrett, Buckley and Byrds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 21:36


    When Syd met Gilmore, what is the definition of psycedelia, the truth about the Byrds song Eight Miles High and how a gift of a banjo aged 13, influenced the young Tim Buckley.

    C is for Cream, Crazy World and Chocolate Watchband

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:17


    The Chocolate Watchband support Frank Zappa but don't support The Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane - disaster. The Creation play an electric guitar with a violin bow - unique.

    D is for Doors, Donovan and Dantalian's Chariot

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:56


    Was Jim Morrison's dad responsible for the escalation of the Vietnam War? Was there tension between Donovan and Bob Dylan? - see Donovan's song Hey Mr Tangerine Eyes.

    E is for Easy Riders, Experiments and Electric Prunes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:57


    Which band were given their first break by an estate agent and played the definitive Psych song? Eddie Kramer helps the beatles and the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix - legend.

    F is for Funkadelic, Fairport and Flowers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 21:26


    Non violent demonstrations and the flower power symbol linked to HG Well's Time Machine - wow. There's an in-depth look at The Fool a Dutch Design company working for The Beatles.

    G is for Groundhogs, Garcia and Grace Slick

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:11


    Advice for Jerry Garcia's parents, while a middle finger goes missing. Bill Graham is discussed, the greatest rock promoter ever. Plus Grace Slick's lift off moment - pun intended

    H is for Hendrix, Head and Hapshash

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:05


    A plot-less film called Head as the Monkees go slapstick, Beatniks are explained, discussed and dissected and band posters come into their own under Hapshash and the Coloured Coat

    I is for International Times, Iron Butterfly and Incredible String Band

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:47


    In The Park becomes a tribute to Brian Jones and why were Marc's wife's grandparents there. Jeff Lynn and Roy Wood a match made in heaven and Marianne Faithfull's botty on show?

    J & K are for Jefferson Airplane, John's Children and Kevin Ayers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 21:38


    The only band to play at Woodstock, Monterey and Altamont - Jefferson Airplane. Marc Bolan leaves John's Children after 4 months to join Tyrannosaurus Rex & Kevin Ayres in Malaya

    L is for Love, Lewis Carroll and Lucy In The Sky

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:53


    Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - the stories behind this iconic title. The Leaves take over The Byrds' residency at Ciro's on sunset Boulevard and the real Pat Boone steps forward.

    M is for Move, Monterey and Moby Grape. Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:25


    Moby Grape launches first album at The Avalon Ballroom - they had their own wine made - but nobody brought a corkscrew - oops and somebody skips recordings by The Move - naughty.

    M is for Moody Blues, Misunderstood and Magical Mystery Tour. Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:32


    Facts - The Beatles's Magical Mystery Tour reaches only number 2 in the UK charts, John Peel champions The Misunderstood and The Moody Blues perform their first gig in 1964.

    M is for Middle Earth, Mardas and Mamas and Papas. Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:01


    Michelle Phillips is served with a writ to leave the Mamas and The Papas, Mama Cass is involved in blanketgate & Magic Alex promises The Beatles x ray cameras and invisible paint.

    N is for Nirvana, Nice and Nuggets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:58


    Todmorden is revealed as the rock capitol of the north, The Nice recruit Lemmy as a roadie and Floyd's Nick Mason owns a helicopter and completes the Le Mans classic car race.

    O is for Owsley Stanley, Other Half and Os Mutantes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:02


    Does Randy Holden save the day for The Yardbirds? Did he really leave The Other Half because he didn't like his guitar? And what band used to be called The Six Sided Rockets? Enc.

    P is for Prankster, Procol Harum and Pink Floyd. Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:52


    Where did Syd Barrett get the name Pink Floyd from? Which Procol Harum track sold over 10 Million copies? And Linda Perhacs releases Parallelograms.

    P is for Parliament, Pearly Queens and Pink Fairies. Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:09


    George Clinton straightens hair for a living but goes onto produce cosmic funk operas. Janis Joplin has a sad decline but The Pink Fairies are on the up and up.

    P is for Peel, Protest and Purple Band. Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:12


    It's all kicking off in Vietnam and the Civil Right's Movement is centre stage. The Purple Gang's singer was a disciple of occultist Aleistar Crowley, John Peel was a huge fan.

    Q & R are for Quicksilver, Roky and Rolling Stones

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:25


    Virgos and Geminis are all ruled by the planet Mercury - a good way to name a band? The Rolling Stones take inspiration from African culture and Rocky Erickson's hair cut protest.

    S is for Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 25:11


    Marc's Uncle Chris played the Sgt Pepper album to him when he was 6 so The Beatles were the first band he ever got into, Rob's first was I'm a Tiger by Lulu - enough said.

    S is for Seeds, Sky Saxon and Strawberry Alarm Clock. Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 21:05


    Can Marc and Rob solve the mystery of Sky Saxon's birth date? Did you know The Seeds coined the phrase Flower Power? Plus Strawberry Alarm Clock on tour with The Beach boys.

    S is for Skip Spence, Studios and Syd Barrett. Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 24:28


    Skip Spence's life is dissected as is his album Oar, learn more than you've ever forgotten about legendary studio Abbey Road and hear Marc's Abbey Road anecdotes - tempting.

    S is for Small Faces and Steve Marriot. Part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 24:35


    The Small Faces and their singer Steve Marriott profiled in this episode. Steve was a huge Buddy Holly fan, a prankster and played in the stage play Oliver, much more inside.

    S is for Smoke, Shankar and Strawberry Fields. Part 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:27


    Giggles galore as Marc and Rob discover The Smoke were managed by The Krays. Strawberry Fields is put under the microscope and Ravi Shankar too small to dance? - discuss.

    S is for Steppenwolf, Spirit and Sly Stone. Part 6

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:01


    Some great names in this Acid Rock episode - Mars Bonfire, Goldy McJohn, Hoyt Axton and Rushton Moreve download to check for other humdingers. Spirit play with Led Zeppelin - wow.

    S is for Soft Machine, Simon Dupree and Side Trips.Part 7

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 24:31


    Soft Machine's first single was produced by Chaz Chandler, Jimi Hendrix was very shy and polite, extremely courteous to a Victorian extreme.

    T is for T. Rex, Trip and Tintern Abbey. Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 23:15


    T. Rex go from making rock to baroque in a musical career change. The film The Trip, staring Peter Fonda, happily confuses Marc and Rob as to its location.

    T is for Traffic, Tomorrow and Technicolour Dream. Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 21:59


    Marc calls Traffic's Steve Winwood a genius Rob calls him something all together different. While still as school Steve supported the likes of Muddy Waters, BB King & Chuck Berry

    U & V are for UFO, Vanilla Fudge and United States of America

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 22:19


    Politics feature highly in The United States of America band, courtesy of singer Joseph Byrd and singer Dorothy Moskowitz. Plus The UFO club was a victim of it's own success.

    V is for Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart. Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 25:10


    Unravelling the truths from the many claims made about Beefheart's extraordinary & dark life from the LA Zoo to Trout Mask Replica. Marc recounts a story about a Beefheart doodle

    V is for Voorman, Vincebus Eruptum and Velvet Underground. Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 23:07


    The emergence of 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' under Warhol's management, 'Revolver' sleeve designer Klaus Voorman and ground-breaking and gut-busting volume from Blue Cheer.

    W is for Woodstock and Brian Wilson's Beach Boys

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 23:24


    We explore the psychedelic brilliance and sandpit of Brian Wilson and hear how Woodstock became a free festival by default with Hendrix playing the Monday morning graveyard shift.

    W, X & Y are for Who, Yardbirds and West Coast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 21:56


    A band named The Detours change their name to The Who, write Tommy and sell over 20 million copies - but was it an original idea, controversial - See, The Pretty Things.

    Y & Z are for Yellow Submarine and Zombies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 21:15


    Ringo Star sings, Abbey Rd sound effects room is raided and The Beatles Chauffeur performs backing vocals. Marc and Rob also look at the career of the Zombies.

    Z is for Zappa and Year Zero

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 27:41


    Zappa and the Mothers of Invention 'Freak Out!' and insist 'We're Only In It For The Money'. Plus the ultimate death of the psychedelic Summer of Love at Altamont.

    A to Z of Punk: A is for Anarchy, Ants and Adverts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 17:33


    Stories from the notorious Anarchy Tour in 1976, how watching The Sex Pistols inspired Stuart Goddard to form Adam and the Ants and ‘One Chord Wonders' The Adverts get a deserved mention.

    A to Z of Punk: B is for Boredom, Brains and Blondie

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 19:14


    The story of Buzzcocks including the seminal ‘Spiral Scratch', ‘hardcore' punk band from Washington Bad Brains, who famously hated the association with hardcore and the band Blondie, not just the lead singer.

    A to Z of Punk: C is for Complete Control and The Clash

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 19:21


    The Clash sign to CBS, New York's CBGB venue becomes the home of punk and New Wave and the bard of Salford himself Dr John Cooper Clarke makes an appearance.

    A to Z of Punk: D is for Damned Damned Damned

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 19:01


    Find out how Chrissie Hynde was very nearly in The Damned and what Dave Vanian did before he became lead singer of the band.

    A to Z of Punk: E is for EMI, Eater and the Electric Chairs

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 19:48


    Ever wondered who Eddie was in Eddie and the Hot Rods? Wonder no more. Plus learn all about Erics, Liverpool's Punk rock answer to the Cavern.

    A to Z of Punk: F is for Falling Out, Fire Engines and Factory

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 21:41


    Tales of The Fall with its 66 members, the phenomenon of fanzines including the bible of the punk movement, ‘Sniffing Glue' fanzine plus the ubiquitous record label Factory Records, set up in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus.

    A to Z of Punk: G is for Grundy, Goading and Gobbing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 22:00


    The story of the provocative Bill Grundy interview with Sex Pistols and the furore that followed. Plus, the story behind why Glenn Matlock wasn't in the film ‘The Great Rock ‘n' Roll Swindle', a film accounting the rise and fall of the Sex Pistols.

    A to Z of Punk: H is for Heroin, Heartbreakers and Hynde

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 22:14


    Marc and Rob take a look at the introduction of Heroin into the Punk scene. H is also a tribute to Buzzcocks frontman Howard Devoto, the influence of the 100 Club, plus Marc reads some special memories from Vic Godard of Subway Sect.

    Claim A to Z of Psychedelia on 6 Music

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel