In masonry, a cornerstone is the first stone to be laid in the foundation of a building. This is an important stone because it determines the position of all other stones in the structure, as well as the structure's position on the site. Throughout history and into more recent times, special and sometimes esoteric significance has been applied to the laying of a cornerstone. I once thought that a similar concept applied to various styles of music and specific musicians, composers, or recordings within the style. But that comparison isn't perfect, in fact, it's completely illegitimate. Preplanned construction is fundamentally different than a community of musicians all working independently, and at their own whim. Only later does anyone say they created a particular style. I guess my purpose is more like describing archetypes but to avoid dabbling in Hegelian philosophy, I'll draw a new comparison. How about... pillars. For anyone living under a rock, pillars are vertical structures that support other elements through static resistance. A style is like a structure, and the major works upholding the style are like pillars. There. Happy?
In the coming weeks I'll examine some of my favorite musical styles, and discuss recordings that I think are the pillars of those styles. I'll also review some recordings that have special value for being influential to other artists making similar music. I'll start with the
PILLARS OF PSYCHEDELIC ROCK (sounds cool, doesn't it?), an international subgenre of rock and roll that I find endlessly fascinating. Stay tuned, please, and don't drop out... well, not yet, anyway.
