The First Wave, spanning years 1963 to 1971
" '63 was a wild and fast-changing time. For me, as a musician at that time, music took a total three-sixty on me. At that time--for me--my music took a radical change. I knew that what I was listening to was not satisfying, and I needed something harder, faster, pulsating, something that would get the adrenalin' pumpin', man! And the shit that was on the radio, and the bands that were playin' the shit--you know, I was tired of the Beach Boys and the fuckin' surfin' in the sun and lookin' for the perfect piece of ass, ya' know. That was just their thing, you know."
In 1963, the world is suddenly struck down with a tragedy, and because of this, Metal (a new revolution in music) rears its head. The tragedy was the assassination of President Kennedy. After three days of mourning, the first time rock stations were allowed to return to their regular format, they came forth with the "British Invasion", new stuff that had never been played on the radio before! The first song that started this British Invasion was "I Wanna' Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles. Shortly after that came the Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, Eric Burton & the Animals, Gary & the Pacemakers, the Yardbirds, the Black Knights, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (which consisted of Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, and Ginger Baker). The First Wave of the British Invasion would continue for the next twenty years.
Thanks to the Beatles making the break-through, the American Underground was starting to be recognized. The forerunners were the Doors, the Birds, Buffalo Springfield, Poco, the James Gang, the Rascals, Frigid Pink (one of the first "Screech" bands), and Jimi Hendrix. Jimi was originally from Seattle, he played in Little Richard's band, and then left for England to make a name for himself.
Brian Epstein discovered Hendrix and helped him land a contract with a major recording label in London, England. He also discovered the Beatles and managed them all through their early years with Capital Records, all the way up to the time of his suicide. It shocked the entire fuckin' music world, when Brian Epstein did himself in on August 27, 1967. What an idiot! Brian had so much goin' for him--he was the guy who got the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to where they were. It was the pressure of his being so fuckin' successful that drove him to take his own life. He worked with the Stones up until they fired Brian Jones. And the only reason they fired Brian Jones was because he was the best lookin' of them all! He got all the fuckin' pussy, man!