Looking for Influences please? :)
 

I've really been interested in like Art/ psychedelic/prog bands lately. Some of the bands I've been enjoying a lot lately are: Muse, Radiohead, The Doors, Rush, Yes, and Pink Floyd. I've been trying to write those kind of songs lately, but I guess I'm still too focused on being a groovy/funkish bass player like JPJ (which is not a prog/psychedelic thing, IMO) that I'm having trouble writing non blues/funk influenced music. So I guess I'm asking for some more bands to add to my repertoire in hope of influencing my writing. As always, thanks very much for reading, and thoughts are very appreciated :)

It Bites

Jethro Tull.

Fantastic band (IMO the best band in the history of man)... but let's just say the link takes you to this specific moment in the performance for a reason ;)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHmiFHzPqbM#t=1m43s

Another important one:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=88LlMO_dPRQ

And finally:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEtd_UC21Bk

Try giving a few seconds to the 1970 recording of "Jack the stripper", this is actually an intro to another song called "Faries wear boots", it's a slow yet heavy song by Black Sabbath -it's got a bass line that virtually defines the term 'heavy', who knows -you may actually like it

Great song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g9Hs3rnd6s

You're also going to want to take a look at King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, Tool, Gentle Giant, and bands like that.

IMO, as much as blues is not my favorite genre, it's hard to escape the blues influence in art/prog/psychedelic rock

There is a Canadian band called Black Mountain... give them a shot. I like their record "In The Future" in particular.

Discipline by King Crimson

Sorry to keep adding to the list but for something a little more contemporary than the links I posted above, check out Sleepy Sun. They're a really good psychedelic group from California. Their 2010 album "Fever" is pretty fantastic.

Well since we are talking about them in another thread, The Mars Volta.

I heard they just broke up.

I LOVE blues/funk, and that's the problem. I'm having trouble having that lot reflect in my writing. I'm just trying to surround myself around the genre I'm going to be writing in so I can write good psychedelic/prog/art songs.

'The Eclectic Measure' by Hypnos 69. I get eargasms every time I listen to it - the songwriting brings me to tears in a good way, and them bass lines...

Great stuff, thanks. I really like that vibrato the guitarist uses in country joe and the fish. Is that some sort of vibrato pedal, or is he bending that?

Surrounding yourself in the music is a good idea. You play what you hear in your head, we all do, and that could take a long time to change.
My advice is that in addition to listening, play all the songs by the bands you want to write/play like. Analyse the song forms, chord progressions, melodies, and the arrangements.

There is also something called "Psychedelic Funk"...

CAN

http://youtu.be/2dZbAFmnRVA

Amon Duul II

http://youtu.be/0CeGHhobHww

Cool stuff guys, I'll make sure to listen to all of it. So far, I've got:
King Crimson
Jefferson Airplane
Jethro Tull
It Bites
Country Joe and the Fish
Porcupine Tree
Tool
Gentle Giant
Black Mountain
Mars Volta
Can
Amon Duul II
Hypnos 69

Anyone know some modern influences for bands like Muse & Radiohead too? I've dived into Pixies & Sonic Youth, I like Pixies a lot, Sonic Youth is really hard for me to like, though. I've looked up Muse's influences and honestly I can't find their prog/space influence. I know they get their "bombastic" influence from Queen, but I'm looking for their influences like their song Forced In (a less common number off their REAL third album, Hullabaloo Soundtrack) or the slow part of Space Dementia or Citizen Erased. Thanks so much for helping me find some new cool music, too.

That's Mr. Barry Melton. Easily my favorite lead guitarist. In my mind, he defines the psychedelic guitarist. The vibrato comes from his intense use of both his fretting hand and the Bigsby on his Gibson SG.

fretting hand vibrato can be seen here around the 2min52sec mark:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk3-elEqUZs

and here's another all around mind boggling one from them
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPwmluotHLw

for some recent stuff check out tame impala, UMO, pond