The 1960s were an incredibly important era for music. The most vital evolutions and changes in rock and pop music happened during that short 10-year period, and the music we love today probably wouldn’t exist without the bands and artists who changed the game in the 1960s. And yet, more than a few 1960s bands that played their part remain underrated today. Let’s look at a few examples, shall we?
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The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things, despite their name, were a gem of a gritty, vulnerable band in a sea of perfectly pleasant pop-rock acts in the 1960s. This outfit, formed in 1963, leaned toward blues rock, beat, and even progressive rock. Their work speaks for itself, as albums like their 1965 debut, The Pretty Things, and their later success, Silk Torpedo from 1974, remain beloved classics today.
Fun fact: In the late 1960s, The Pretty Things made some money by recording songs for the music library business DeWolfe. Some of their “stock” songs ended up in films like Dawn Of The Dead from 1978.
Kaleidoscope
There are a couple of 1960s bands called Kaleidoscope, but we’re talking about the enormously underrated American band that formed in 1966. Kaleidoscope would call it quits in 1970, but not before dishing out some seriously amazing psychedelic rock and folk-world tunes. Side Trips from 1967 is essential listening. You’ll definitely be impressed; fusion bands at the time were not doing it quite like Kaleidoscope.
The Troggs
Ah, The Troggs. “Wild Thing” remains a huge classic today. And yet, this is one of the most underrated bands of the 1960s. Beyond “Wild Thing”, this garage rock outfit with a proto-punk edge released a few memorable tunes, like “I Can’t Control Myself” and “Love Is All Around”, among others. They’re still together today, but I can’t help but feel that they deserve more credit for just how much they influenced rock music in the mid-to-late 1960s.
Clear Light
Remember this psychedelic West Coast outfit? Clear Light was pretty ahead of its time back in the 1960s, at least when it comes to their particular brand of rock. This group dropped just one album, a self-titled effort from 1967. The record did pretty well, and the band was even featured in the 1967 film The President’s Analyst. Sadly, though, they disbanded before the 1970s came to be. I think the single “She’s Ready To Be Free” alone makes this band deserving of a spot on our list of underrated bands from the 1960s.
Photo by CA/Redferns
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