The Ten Best San-Francisco Albums of The Psychedelic Era 

Quicksilver Messenger Service were one of the best bands and are often overlooked . "Happy Trails" is amazing .

The eponymous debut album by It’s A Beautiful Day is very melodic and atmospheric - definitely worth checking out for anyone who likes Surrealistic Pillow. Cool cover too.

My favorite track from Surrealistic Pillow is "Comin' Back To Me". Sheer beauty.

The early Steve Miller Band lps are stellar. Among my favorite albums.

Great list, but I'm with some others mentioning the self-titled IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY. No other album ever like it. Haunting performances, best use of electric violin in rock music, and really catchy songs -- each different from the others.

I saw Jefferson Airplane in concert in 1970. I was right up against the stage and Jack Casady was about 5 feet from me and I marveled to see his hands traveling up and down the neck.

I found your list very well constructed as someone who lived in San Francisco at the time and was not interested in music except for old 78 big band classics my parents played. I was an electronics nerd to move from middle class Sacramento to San Francisco because it had museums, and culture.very quicky musicians found out I could repair their amps for free since there was only one repair shop in the city. I was 17 and had run a hifi and CB radio repair shop since age 13 and sold it the day I graduated HS midterm. I had a fortune in my pocket, $4000 from the sale so rented a nice apartment on the cliff overlooking the beach and famous Cliff house. I parked my 58 Chevy I had gotten free as a junker and rebuilt the engine and replace the transmission with a manual. I was not a car buff but liked repairing thing.since I was closs to Golden Gate Park, I experienced a lot free jams out in the park. I repaired an amp for a tall Mexican a little older than me, ,who had no money but wrote out a note for free entrance to him playing that night. I was not really interested but since I was in the city center on other matters, I went to the palace, Winterland and found that there were 6 bands playing that night. One of the bands was the guitarist I had repaired his amp. The note got me in, it was full of people and heard my first real intoduction to the San Francisco sound, and heard my new friend's band, Santana. I was blown away but everyone there know the band, he had no record deal so he was not on the radio yet. Eventually I designed and build many custom electronics projects for the many bands there and across the bay in Oakland, and Berkely, so many unique bands. Later after the Summer of Love when a hundred thousands kids from across the country hitchhiked to San Francisco for the dreams of free drugs and rock and roll, the scene got ugly. Many of the bands, artists, writers of leftovers of the Beats of the 1950s, moved over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and for a while it was cheap, beautiful, cool, laid back and perfect. eventually anyone with a lot of money from all over the country moved there for its artistic vibe, which ruined it just like where they came from. For several years however, many of the bands of SF moved there plus many from UK. I designed a unique sound system, the first one that was really hi-fi for a North American tour supporting the UK band Jethro Tull some nerd friends helped build it, everything was custom from the mixing console, speakers, electronic cross-overs and all the power amps. It was tri-amped with seperate cabs and amps for each bass folded horn, mid range direct radiator, and high freq curved array of SEAS tweeters, 24 cabinets. The band insisted on high sound since everyone was used Altec conventional cabs. The most radical element was mixing console that changed how boards were built, 4 of use toured the US and Canada doing the house sound, first and lanst tour. A far less glam job than people would have imagined. I designed a lot of things for my favorite live band, the Grateful Dead. But other favs were Steve Miller, John Fogerty(I liked him personally, one of the great guys, along with Jerry Garcia) and all the rest. And started recording and ended up with a 2 studio complex and built a 3rd smaller studio in the complex and recorded really good records for everyone from Whitney Houston, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Journey, StarShip, John Fogerty's return to recording Center Field, Heart, Boz Skaggs, Metallica, Carlos Santana,Tower of Power, Huey Lewis and the News, Aretha Frankin, BB King, and many more. The era in the 60s however, when the San Francisco sound and scene before it was overrun by kids only interested in getting high, was a uniquely local creative environment. I moved out of the US 23 years ago and have only returned 5 times for 1-2 weeks each. San Fransico from the 80s on has declined badly and it is too sad to see. In fact everything is uncomfortable in the US now and I stay out except for family emergencies or renewing my passport. Now I focus on culture in one of the most cultured cities in the world and work with ballet, opera, classical music, jazz and photography in a gigantic arts scene that San Francisco hinted at in the 50s and 60s. The music that came out of the 60s and 70s was unique and sorely missed. The current trends and loss of the PetroDollar means a very deep hole I doubt there is enough unity to crawl out of. Most of the world has gotten much better while since about 1970 the quality of life in the US has declined for all but the wealthy.

For people who like Jefferson Airplane, I would also recommend their follow-up to Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxter's. They were unconcerned about making a "commercial" record at that point, so it's got some of their most experimental music, full of wonderfully unpredictable twists and turns.

Jefferson Airplane's album, "Crown of Creation" is great also !

I am 74 and was in SF in 1969. Saw the Sons of Champlin at the Avalon Ballroom and was blown away. Steve Miller was the headliner. I had every one of these albums, and I must agree with you...although it could be titled "The Twenty Best..." Your inside information is a real pleasure to hear. I have a copy of Moby Grape's Dark Magic from 1966; the year before their 1967 debut album. All great stuff. Thank you! One other I might include would be Michael Bloomfield and Al Kooper's Session - fantastic!

Can't agree more on that album by CJ and the Fish. I think it's one of the most underrated albums of that Era. SO beautifully psychedelic it makes me want to go back to '67 just for the sake of dropping some. Great list by the way !!

Band: Fever Tree Album: San Francisco Girls. HEAVY

This was the music of my childhood. I grew up there in the '60s. You really encapsulate that sound. Your choices are impeccable.

Totally agree. QMS Happy Trails should be included too. It contains the psych atmosphere of the SF sound altogether. Ethereal and rocker live album.

Those albums are historically interesting, but the best albums to represent Psychedelic-era San Francisco are (1) Live/Dead by The Grateful Dead, (2) After Bathing at Baxter's by Jefferson Airplane, and (3) Happy Trails by Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Intelligent...eloquent...sincere...insightful...and imbued with love for the music is how I would describe your review.

Spot on selections 👍 but.. if there was a #11 it would be the debut album by It's a Beautiful Day 😍

I was a sixties boy, LSD and marijuana was very good back then and so was the music. It made no difference what music was playing. The best band for thr tripped out hippie was seeing a swan take off from a canal and fly right past his line of vision, or sitting in the woods on a windy day listening to the roar of the wing through the trees. On my first acid trip I heard Electric Ladyland, it had a profound effect on me. QMS were the real acid band, Cream were up there, Beatles too. There were a lot of great bands back then. I saw a lot of them.

Today is a gem, as is coming back to you. Embryonic journey is a classic among fingerpicking guitarists

My list would have to include: Grateful Dead - Anthem Of The Sun Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing At Baxter's Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails Moby Grape - Moby Grape It's A Beautiful Day - It's A Beautiful Day Country Joe & The Fish - Electric Music For The Mind And Body Big Brother & The Holding Company - Big Brother & The Holding Company Moby Grape - Wow/Grape Jam Grateful Dead - Aoxomoxoa And here's a dark horse record: the self titled solo debut of Bob Mosley of Moby Grape

The Sons of Champlain , Loosen up Naturally… is my favorite. QuickSiver is also a joy…

Howdee Do, I was 16 in 1966 in San Francisco, and grew up amongest it All. I wish someone would cover Lee Michaels who came out with a Self Title Record in 1969. His Purple Alblum. That Particular contribution, blew it ALL AWAY GOOD JOB You Nailed 'Em. Bruce Spiegelman

Growing up in San Francisco, and being a purveyor of the Brotherhood Of Light show, You nailed it. Those are the records. Once again truly the 10 great studio albums I would include "Live Dead" as one of the greatest ever and then" It’s a Beautiful Day" and on my show, I mentioned "Sly and the Family Stone" work

Excellent presentation of music from a very special time.

lets not forget - Its a Beautiful Day 1st album - a classic with White Bird. The Grateful Dead's Live Dead album (the classic Dark Star). Jefferson Airplane - Crown of Creation album - even better than Surrealistic Pillow in my opinion. Fifty Foot Hose - the amazing Cauldron album. The Youngbloods - self titled album with the beautiful Get Together track.

I would replace "Quicksilver Messenger Service" with "Happy Trails", and "Green River" with "Bayou Country", and I would probably drop Steve Miller entirely for something else; maybe giving his slot to Kak, The Mystery Trend, the Oxford Circle, the Charlatans, or The Loading Zone. I do love that Sons of Champlin album; it's often forgotten these days. Good list; it's perhaps my favorite era and scene of rock music history.

It might be useful to note that the Carousel Ballroom at the intersection of Market and Van Ness is the same venue that was later referred to as the Fillmore West (as distinct from the "old Fillmore", still located at Fillmore and Geary).

Great exposition on a mythical time in the history rock, maybe even music in general. I've been a fan of this period since I started buying music.

Wonderful stuff my friend.I consider myself highly illuminated from this masterclass.

Happy Trails by Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Great selection. Brought back a lot of memories:)

An incredibly well written and presented review. I'm familiar with some of these albums, but not others. After watching this video, I'll certainly check out your recommendations. You just earned yourself a subscriber, sir.

Another excellent overview. Thanks 🤩

Your videos are always a pleasure to watch/listen to so well done mate. Fever Tree's first album could very easily have been on your list. They were actually a Texas band but everyone always thought of them as California. "Return of the Native (San Francisco Girls)" is magnificent, the guitar work showcases some very Fripp-like sustain a couple of years before "In the Court of . . . ". Finally, the Crimson comparison is doubly appropriate in that Fever Tree were proto progressive working well outside the box long before it was popular. Cheers!

nice video i agree with the majority of your picks ,i may have ranked a few differently but its your channel and you did a wonderful job with details ,im getting the steve miller today and i've seen all these bands in their time with the exception of sons of chaplain,thanks for trying so hard with your picks,cheers and stay safe-l'm subjng your channel ,good luck

It’s cool to guess which ones might be included. “It’s a Beautiful Day” has to be one. Thanks for your channel.

A keeper! Thanks for the excellent work. You nailed it.

The initial It's Aa Beautiful Day album, Happy Trails by Quicksilver and Blows Against the Empire by Jefferson Starship are favorites of mine.

Good picks. Anthem was the first Dead Album I ever bought. First of about 50 and every format available

I appreciate the groups mentioned and their contributions to the vibrant music scene of the period. However I would take exception to albums mentioned by the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane. Anthem of the Sun was described as a learning experience by Jerry Garcia in a classic rock video covering their first 2 albums. American Beauty to me, featured the actualization of the unique hybrid approach the Dead brought to scene. Although I really loved the music on Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxters I feel really put The Airplanes stamp on the movement. I consider this an overlooked and under-appreciated masterpiece with everyone in the Airplane at the top of their game both compositionally and musically.

Anthem of the Sun is one of my favourite albums.

Enjoyed this video a lot. And 10 albums is a small sampling. I'm wondering about Live Dead. Was your criteria only studio albums? Was it defined by time? I can't argue about any of the albums you picked of course, and I'm particularly fond of Anthem of the Sun, but Live Dead seems to me the ultimate psychedelic experience.

As always there are a few surprises for me in your choices. you always teach as well as celebrate.

I lived in San Francisco and worked at Tower Records around the time you are focusing on. I remember unpacking the first box of the Santana album to appear in the wild. And I saw most of those bands live. So I was a little skeptical about what you would might choose. But you have put together an incredible list. I would say unimpeachable, save for the fact that I could never stand CCR, which is of course a matter of taste, and the fact that "the Fish" in Country Joe and the Fish comes from Barry "The Fish" Melton's nickname. If he got it from Chairman Mao, it's news to me. That notwithstanding, I was more and more impressed as your list went on. The Sons of Champlin are a personal favorite, and not widely known. This is my first experience of your channel, and I subscribed instantly. Great work!

Yeah. It’s A Beautiful Day. Just as amazing live as on vinyl.

Bravo. Deft choices, rankings and insight. If I were to make a mix of SF Psych I would definitely draw tracks from your list, perhaps peppered, or 'spiked', with some lesser knowns like Serpent Power's "Flying Away" and Blackburn and Snow's "Yes Today." (BTW, Sherry Snow is said to have been the Airplane's first choice to replace Signe, she turned them down.) In any case, well done! Greeting from San Francisco. -- Stuart

Another very interesting deep dive into this subject. I’m a fan of the genre, and agree with most of your opinions. This era of music was adventurous and some of it stacks up for experienced listeners, but also some of it has dated badly and misses the mark. Your use of English language is interesting and amusing at times. I really enjoyed this topic.

Fantastic thanks to be reminded of past favourites to be revisited - Steve Miller's great album.

I've got all but two of these. From the day. The more I watch your vids the more I'm glad I keep them all.

As a boomer born and raised in the Bay Area, the first 36 years, I love this episode. Great job! ☮️

almost perfect , great presentation !!!

Great choices enhanced by your ornate commentary. One interesting moment during "Anthem of the Son" analysis: it sounds like you said, "Teutonic shift," which might suggest The Grateful Dead had Wagnerian tendencies, but I imagine you meant "tectonic shift" which would be more apropos of California's daily flurry of earthquakes. Glad you included Sons of Champlin. "Loosen Up Naturally" is a fantastic recording that deserves more appreciation.

Not saying Pete Townshend is wrong, as he is likely right from his own place of origin, but most of the chord progressions that were found in the psychedelic sounds found in San Francisco scene from that time period were a result of the folk boom that preceded the era and of which most of the purveyors of the sounds found in these prominent bands were themselves rooted. In fact many of the bands themselves started as folk and jug bands prior to the arrival of the Beatles.

Quicksilvers 1st is as tight as it gets and from the heart.The fool is thee journey which takes you through to a spiritual peak with lead guitar playing like his life depended on it .

Happy Trails , wow , fantastic and the best lol P cover of them all

Nice review - had 7 of these and Big Brother sleeve framed on my wall.

Thanks for the great video. I've been a Deadhead since I first saw the Grateful Dead in 1967 a few months after my first Country Joe & the Fish concert. ☮

Purple Owsley LSD and Electric Music for the Mind And Body is the perfect combination when combined with a set of Headphones. Speaking from personal experience as a HIGH school student in Eugene Oregon 1969 of course. What a great time with all the changes going on in R&R.

I loves me some psychedelic music. Thanks for suggesting some albums to try.

I pressed 0 like one million times to see that fade in. nice work, my man

Honarble Mentions: Sly and The Family Stone, Blue Cheer and Lydia Pense & Cold Blood.

Slight correction to your Santana-at-Woodstock anecdote. By his own telling, Carlos and a couple of other band members dropped the acid voluntarily. It may have come from the Grateful Dead, but at any rate they took it quite knowingly early in the day, as their set wasn't supposed to be until well into the evening, and they thought they would just be easing in for a smooth landing when it was time to play. But since the organization at Woodstock was very chaotic, it turned out that most of the acts scheduled to precede Santana weren't ready, and so the organizers asked Carlos and his band to take the stage when they were indeed peaking on the acid. Carlos was terrified and prayed to God to let him play in key and in tempo, and if he did, he swore never to take LSD again. And so it was. But what a historic performance. (Carlos does look very jittery, adjusting his volume and tone knobs after almost every phrase, and now we know why. Still, the result is for the ages.)

Kaleidoscope, David Lindley’s band comes to mind as one of the best albums of the era.

Woo Hoo! I called the top 3. Wasn’t sure which would be which, but got them.

Greetings from San Francisco. Great list. I have every one of those records

One could probably push the number to 20 great psyche. LP 's? Anyway nice to see Country Joe in there...... that album doesn't always get the credit it deserved. All good choices but l would have included "Live Dead" & " Happy Trails" because they were live and are prime examples of improvisation on stage which as you mentioned in your intro. Love there extended version of "Who do you Love". Although CCR worked out of the bay area and recorded there l can't see them lumped into the other selections you chose. l always felt they could be the beginnings of the Americana tag before Americana existed as a genre. They and a few others like the Band had that woodsy, downhome elements in there sound with a melodic infectious groove that grabbed you and never let you go. Anyway keep up the good work. Like your presentations .....Cheers!

Miss you James (Gurley)! 🎶

Resurrection by Aum also would be in my list. Grossly underrated

Superb. Artful articulate and well deserved. Country Joe was iconic. He became a lawyer. I would argue with two selections. Steve Miller was one of my all time favorites, but it was Sailor that is his best album. Everyone remembers him for his more commercial cuts. And Terrapin Station should be seen as the Dead's finest album. Many would argue. No doubt about Janis' rendition of Summertime. Happy Trails was the iconic Quicksilver. You had to be there to really appreciate the Tectonic shift these records created. The really defining characteristic -- none were overly commercial. CCR was at the top of their game. The only exception was Moby Grape. Even today I find it rambling without coherence. But kudos for such a masterful presentation.

Thanks for this video. For the most part I agree with your choices. The only album you listed that I'm not familiar with is Sons of Champlin-- I'll have to check that out. I love the first three Steve Miller albums. I was a big fan of the Fish (though to my mind the Fish haven't worn as well as some others on the list). Surrealistic Pillow in my opinion is great, the best Jefferson Airplane album. I do think the first Moby Grape should be on such a list. Also did you consider the first Joplin album, with "Down on Me"? The first Dead album is very good also. Oh yeah, It's a Beautiful Day too. Thanks again.

That's a great list full of great albums. I grew up in Northern CA and went to many concerts in the Bay Area 60's. What a ride!

I've loved Steve Miller Band-Children O' The Future since my first listen shortly after it's release. It was years later I recognized the acid inspired writin' hidden between the green squiggles on the cover art actually spelled out the album title if you concentrate 'n focus on the space....trippy indeed! It's A Beautiful Day's first album is my perfect soundtrack to 1969-one o' the best albums start to finish o' all time.

When I started watching this video, I thought, The Sons of Champlin LOOSEN UP, NATURALLY hasta be mentioned. Great job!

Top drawer take on a still fascinating period in music.

I am a fan of these albums. Informative.

Thank you for the video

fun review. Thanks for the contact high.

The Haight Ashbury A History by Charles Perry is a really good book about the era. He goes pretty deep into the Diggers. Hey that's a pun.

I saw every one of these bands live in 1968. Your choices are spot on

Great Review, subscribed yesterday after stumbling across your Mark Farner interview (GFR is my favorite, and my first concert at 12 years old). Agreeing with your list here and fortunate to be of an age where I was able to own and hear most of these in the first printing. As well as seeing live, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Deep Purple (and a few others including Black Sabbath, Humble Pie, Grand Funk Railroad, and Fever Tree all before my 16th birthday). The first three were actually in the same show in Houston. I would like to know your thoughts on The Fever Tree and where their contributions rank in the history books. Although being from Houston, TX, they [IMHO] embodied the San Francisco sound, if memory serves several members of FT were classical musicians. Their self titled debut album would have made my top ten, yet I cannot say which of yours I would take off. I do know that Fever Tree, Surrealistic Pillow, GFR's Red album are in my top 5 albums from the 60's.

Summer tour 1985. I went to 34 shows in 1985 while studying at UCSB. I hit the second half of the summer tour from Houston through Red Rocks. I only missed one California show that year for a final exam. I don't know if I would include Anthem, but great video.

Cristo Redentor (1968) by Harvey Mandel. The title track echoes the whole sound of Dark Side of the Moon, although the song was written by jazzman Duke Pearson in the early 1960's. Bowie was listening to Mandel's album heavily while he was writing Hunky Dory.

Great selection.I grew up in the Bay Area in those days and owned and played to death all of these albums. I might swap out a few of these, or add one, like Live Dead. Or add some. Folks have mentioned It's a Beautiful Day. Agreed. There was also a thriving East Bay soul scene. Tower of Power East Bay Grease. Sly and the Family Stone, Stand. All great stuff.

Honorable mention or just a near miss from the top ten, Sly and the Family Stone's "Stand!"

Interesting and knowledgeable list, but leaving off Its a Beautiful Day was a mistake. The CCR disc is great, but not at all representative of the subject matter. In the alternative IABD is clearly a better choice than the Champlin album. Interesting decision to choose the first QMS over Happy Trails. I love both albums and find your reasoning vis a vis giving the debut the nod pretty convincing

The band that started me down the road of Rock Blue Cheer

I grew up in the Bay Area with all these groups playing everywhere and I can't fault any of your choices although I would have to find room for Its A Beautiful Day and Cold Blood. Great to see The Sons of Champlin included, they were a great live jam band and i loved their horn section.

So much great stuff made back then. One that stands out was JK and Company. This is a little known album but is amazing.

As a native SF born in 1965. Literally raised on this music. ✊🏽 Respect on your breakdown. The Chicago first Album first side is ❤as brilliant as Santana’s debut. Inagadadavita was my favorite. San Diego band. Big Brother rather than Airplane or the Dead is definitive sound of psychedelic SF in my opinion. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in detail.

'Anthem' is my favourite Dead LP. I've got quite a few of the shows that were used on bootleg.

You put The Quicksilver Messenger Service in there. YES!

Steve Miller's early work was very psychedelic and bluesy but some fascinating groundwork was laid for where he dominated the 70s and 80s.

Nice video, a v good selection from one of my favourite eras of music. I've heard of Sons of Champlin but don't think I've heard them; I'll correct that ASAP. Arguably Baxter's is more psychedelic but I, like you, prefer Pillow. I've always understood that CJ&TF was named after the 2 founders: Country Joe McDonald, and Barry 'The Fish' Melton.

I loved all those bands at that general time, esp Country Joe, but being an L.A. kid I was more into Love and Buffalo Springfield and even the Doors a couple years later.

The Moby Grape debut is one of the finest rock records ever, top shelf tunes from top to bottom (btw, who the heck is the photoshopped sixth member you have pictured on the far left? 😳). Frumious Bandersnatch is worth a mention, they embodied the psych/long jam ethos (few members later hooked up with ex Santana members to form Journey). The L.A. scene was equally interesting, some great under the radar bands…West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Human Expression etc. Of course the more well known and revered bands, Doors/Love/Byrds/Buffalo Springfield etc. Good list here, happy to see Country Joe and The Fish…a bit forgotten about aside from the one big anthem, but had some great albums that I still listen to regularly.

Grew up in the SFO Bay Area in the 60s and 70s. I was waiting to see if you would get to the Sons "Loosen Up Naturally". The big side 2 track "Get High" was an anthem for us. Good onya.

White Rabbit is probably the best song I’ve heard from that scene! Grace Slick has a great voice!

A club run by the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver and the Airplane ? Oh. My. Goodness.

We both picked Steve Miller without the other's knowledge. Sometimes Children is high in my falsetto moment. I do a wicked good interpretation of that song. Kids love it.

I enjoyed your little foray into the psychedelic 60's. Maybe you should do another on the Los Angeles bands like Clear Light and Love. I'm sure there are others that I'm not even aware of. Thanks