10 60s Albums That Shaped Rock

Speaking of psychedelia, not everything that was psychedelic had to come from the land of Woodstock. Over in England, blues trio Cream had integrated psychedelia very tastefully into their bluesy roots.

Cream could justifiably be considered one of the first great power trios, with guitar god Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce, and madman Ginger Baker locking in to create some of the hardest grooves ever heard in the 60's. On songs like "Strange Brew," you can definitely see this dynamic at work. It's blues for sure, but with a few other colors thrown in for good measure.

What gives the band their magic factor is the way they utilize each other's strengths. Bruce and Baker lock in to form an incredibly heavy beat, but Clapton's heaviness is a bit different. His distortion is nasty but at the same time butter-smooth for the ears. The vocals of Bruce and Clapton (often trade-offs) compliment the guitars to fill out the mid-range beautifully.

Clapton has been lauded endlessly for his work with the Yardbirds and a fantastic solo career, but Cream could be considered his greatest achievement. While Cream flamed out by the decade's end, Disraeli Gears will continue to be a classic for years to come.