album · December 2, 1966
The Psychedelic Experience
Folkways RecordsSee this day
psychedelic rockelectronic
An early, and perhaps the first, example of electronic music accompanying spoken word, this album documented Leary's interpretation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
- The album features spoken-word passages by Leary and others, overlaid on electronic music composed by Robert Thorne and Robert Rich.
- The release was part of Leary's project to explore the potential of psychedelic substances for spiritual and psychological exploration.
- Folkways Records was known for its ethnographic and educational recordings, making this a unique addition to their catalog.
Timothy Leary was a Harvard psychologist who became a prominent advocate for psychedelic drugs. "The Psychedelic Experience" was released during his expulsion from Harvard and the subsequent legal and social controversy surrounding his work.
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