Psychedelic Rock Revisted -- Proto-Prog

I am interested in the years 1966 to 1968.  Can anyone give me

some of the bands that made the most musical strides in these years.

Obviously, the Nice, Floyd, Soft Machine, but I'm interested in something

that isn't jazz or classical done with more rock elements thrown in,

but something more harmonically innovative as well as sonic textures,

like studio effects.  

I'm curious what the year 1966 put out as far as innovative rock.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyiAFbKxfrw

The Beach Boys-Smile was about experimentation. Phase shifting vocal harmonies , chanting, sound effects and combine this with the influence of J.S.Bach and you have a very odd sound. The Beach Boys vocally, keep their distinctive sound , but unlike any vocal style they harmonized in prior to Smile. It's so "off beat" for 67' and so ahead of it's time and 3 of the instrumental pieces are in the vain of the early Residents albums. Sections of Mark of the Mole and Not Available perhaps. It's a very strange connection..but it's obvious to hear. Especially in the "Fire tapes".

Jefferson Airplane's Crown of Creation is the Airplane album I must single out as being the most influential to Space Rock. Piper At the Gates of Dawn featured the instrumental "Interstellar Overdrive" which may have been the first attempt at completeness in Space Rock. Crown of Creation tends to create atmospheric sounds that later turned up in the music of Gong, Hawkwind, Guru, Guru and Amon Duul II. It was a different influence entirely to Space Rock than Piper...although "Lather" is quite like a Syd Barrett composition and take notice sometime. Imagine Syd Barrett singing "Lather" and it all falls into place. However...Syd Barrett listened to Jefferson Airplane and the developing stages of this type of experimentation can't be pin pointed and historically documented exacting without having the answers to certain important questions. It's never discussed that deeply on any of the Pink Floyd documentaries and hardly mentioned in the films on the late 60's. Ron Geesin would probably know the answers and point me in the right direction. Some people assume that because everything was bursting out in the 60's scene at rapid speed...that the confused event itself holds the explanation as to why credit to an artist can not be given and that the observation of changing music cannot be credited to that artist until several people from that period are interviewed to confirm it. That's a lie.

Beaver & Krause's In A Wild Sanctuary was very groundbreaking and influential.

 

 

Definitely, Brian Wilson was a good call. 

That's what came to my mind as well. Such a great and adventerous album.