Counterculture within a Counter-Culture: New Zealand, Psychedelic Rock, and the Moral Guardians of the 60s and 70s
Rock Music Studies September 2, 2018 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1080/19401159.2018.1510739 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
New Zealand's unique history of state-controlled broadcasting, conservative Britishness, and youth delinquency shaped a counterculture in the 1960s that differed markedly from elsewhere. Psychedelic rock particularly struggled, as many artists experimenting with the genre were caught in accelerated change. Music festivals and hippie culture arrived late, while successful artists had already moved overseas. The 1980s seemed to arrive before the 1960s had fully run its course.
Study at a glance
| Design | historical analysis |
|---|---|
| Population | New Zealand's counterculture and psychedelic rock artists |
| Key finding | New Zealand's counterculture and psychedelic rock scene developed differently from elsewhere due to state-controlled broadcasting, conservative Britishness, and delayed cultural shifts. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT New Zealand started as its own counter-culture, and its history of state-controlled broadcasting, conservative Britishness, youth delinquency and drugs meant that “the” counterculture of the 1960s played out very differently to elsewhere. Psychedelic rock fared the worst of all, and the reasons for this are manifold. Numerous artists experimented with psychedelia, but the music of the counterculture became caught in a period of accelerated change. Despite a late showing of music festivals and hippiedom, many artists had already moved away achieving success overseas, and the 80s seemed to arrive in New Zealand before the 60s had entirely run its course.