Unlike their rock 'n' roll predecessors, many rock musicians of the mid-sixties came to consider themselves as artists--self-consciously presenting themselves as creators of a new sonic medium.

Sixties Rock offers a provocative look at these artists and their innovations in two pivotal rock genres: garage rock and psychedelic music. Delving into everything from harmony to hardware, Michael Hicks shows what makes this music tick and what made it unique in its time. Looking at bands like the Doors, the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, and Love, Hicks puts legends and flashes in the pan alike through a rigorous analysis that places their music within rock history while exploring its place in the oft-swirling contexts of the time.