The Ken Kesey Influence

The Ken Kesey influence on Magical Mystery Tour. Ken Kesey’s journey across America in his bus called Further was a major influence on Paul for Magical Mystery Tour.

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The Beatles Unravelled #113
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Ken Kesey – the original Mystery tour

Ken Kesey’s 1964 road trip across America, was a major inspiration for Paul McCartney and the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour.

Kesey was a counterculture figure, who wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In 1959 he took part in a CIA funded LSD experimental programme.

In 1964 Kesey and his Merry Pranksters journeyed across America, in their bus named Further. The trip was documented in the movie, The Merry Pranksters Search for a Cool Place.

Ken Kesey and His Merry Pranksters held the first of their Acid Test festivals in 1965. This featured music from Grateful Dead and orange juice – spiked with LSD, called Electric Kool Aid. This event’s often referred to as the birth of psychedelic rock.

Ken Kesey – also, three-degrees of separation, between the Beatles and Grateful Dead.

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Ken Kesey influence on Magical Mystery Tour