“Psychedelic Music”

Well, you see, at the time Freak Out! came out, there was no such thing as psychedelic music. And there was no such thing as Suzy Creamcheese, or "Freak Out", or . . . That wasn't the happening thing. And the use of the word "Freak Out" in Los Angeles, as a colloquial localism, uh, referred to . . . and there’s an explanation in the album, you know, had this whole thing about people getting together and dancing and doing this big thing, and that's what the scene was in L.A., and that's what the intent of the title was to convey. Not a bad LSD trip, or . . . weirdness. It’s just . . . people, uh . . .

For instance, in Pachuco slang . . . Do you know anything about Pachucos? Pachucos, during, uh, the season when they were really happening, uh . . . They're Mexican youths who wore a certain type of clothing. That's where peggers came from, real tight at the ankles, and then gradually getting bigger here, pleated fronts on the pants, one-button rolled pink flannel coats, key chains, now, zoot suit guys, alright? Uh, they have a peculiar sort of slang, which is based on, uh, Spanish, but words change in, uh, pronunciation from area to area. One . . . a Spanish ghetto in one city will say a word one way and, uh, in another state, the same ghetto is gonna say it a different way. The word means basically the same thing, but the context in which it use, is used may change, like, uh, there's an expression that means "gee whiz," in one place it may be "Híjola," in another place it may be "Hijuela." And . . . language is not really adequate for communicating ideas, you know, when you have to . . . The only way you're really gonna be able to get ideas across is when people can think 'em to each other. Words really get in the way, so . .. You get hung up in the packaging expressions.

I was offended when, uh, Capitol put out an album that had a glossary of, uh . . . terms in there that described "Freak Out" as a bad LSD trip. Cuz I thought people would start associating our album with, uh, that. And then . . . And they did. What can you do?