1969 : first edition of « Super Pop Montreux » New festival that brought a wide variety of
musical styles and between 2’000 and 3’000 fascinated fans from all over the world to each concert. The venue was either in the Casino building or in the Pavillon. Here comes a list of the performers:

East of Eden, UK progressive Rock/Jazz outfit, East of Eden was formed in Bristol, in 1967, by violinist and multi-instrumentalist Dave Arbus. Joining Arbus for the band's first album, Mercator Projected, released in 1969, are guitarist Geoff Nicholson, bassist Steve York, drummer Dave Dufort and sax player Ron Caines. The band is very innovative, with a heavy Eastern Rock influence mixing Blues with Jazz, ethno with classical and psychedelic styles. The original incarnation of the band is never categorised in the general mainstream of progressive Rock, which invariably relies on guitar and keyboard pyrotechnics. Instead their front line of electric violin, played in an almost Hendrix-like mode, saxophone bordering on free form Jazz mixed with Bluesy guitar, gives it a unique identity. Its sound and style would sometimes get near to Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra or even Frank Zappa. In the same song the music will travel from one style to another. The Indian Blues-Rock song Centaur Woman slides into a Jazzy groove sound to reach an around 3 minute’s bass solo. The band becomes very popular in London's underground pubs, and it did amaze the audience in Montreux.

Krokodil : (German for Crocodile) is a Swiss band that emerged in the late 60’s as a Blues-Rock band putting progressive touches into its music. It is constantly promoted by the labels they signed to as a KrautRock band, yet though it’s members have the spirit of KrautRock in their veins; the truth is that they are Swiss! Well, Krokodil has Blues origins, it really knows how to rock-it and has a flair for the experimental, so it has the same sort of attitude as The Groundhogs. But, all that aside, Krokodil is an innovator in its own right, not at all copyist, except for maybe its John Mayall type roots. Like most Swiss bands, Krokodil is an unlikely combo, composed mostly of Swiss-Germans, with one Englishman: Terry Stevens. Early on, the quoted Swiss Bob Dylan Hardy Hepp seems to be in control, his softer Folk and Blues mix, and Mojo Weideli's harmonica provides a more down-to-earth sound.

Vanilla Fudge : is an American psychedelic band formed in 1967. Members include organist Mark Stein, bassist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist Vince Martell, and drummer Carmine Appice. The dawn of 1968 sees Vanilla Fudge headlining a bill at the Fillmore East with the Steve Miller Band. A week later they perform You Keep Me Hangin On at the Ed Sullivan television show. Trying to repeat their first success, the band attempts to take the concept of long, drawn out songs to a higher level on their second album, The Beat Goes On. The effort fails, as it lacks the originality of the first, and is received poorly, by fans and critics alike. The single from the album, an original called Where Is My Mind? never caught on. Despite its commercial failure, the band tours constantly across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. It also makes several other appearances on television in 1968 including the Beat Club and Wonderama TV shows. Starting on the 17th of August in Atlanta, Ga., Vanilla Fudge goes for a western tour as the opening act for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It is one of many attempts by the band to gain more exposure on the West Coast. In the fall of 1968, the band opens several dates for Cream's farewell tour, as well as sharing the bill with The New Yardbirds that will soon change their name to Led Zeppelin. On September 25th, 1969, Vanilla Fudge releases its final LP, Rock & Roll and plays at the Montreux Pop Festival.

Deep Purple: Initially, the band is formed in 1967 and is called Roundabout: so-called because the members get on and off the band, like a musical roundabout. They are the classically-trained Hammond organ player Jon Lord, session guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bass guitar, Nick Simper, singer Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice. After a brief tour of Denmark in the spring of 1968, Blackmore suggests a new name: Deep Purple, which was his grandmother's favourite song. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered one of the pioneers of Heavy Metal and modern hard Rock, although the members of the band always refused to label themselves as Heavy Metal. The band also incorporates pop and progressive Rock elements. Deep Purple plays live at the Casino, Montreux, on October 4th, 1969.

Yes: is an English progressive Rock band formed 1968 in London. Squire and Banks play from 1966 in The Syn. Jon Anderson joins them in 1968, and the band is called Mabel Greer’s Toyshop. Drummer Bill Bruford is recruited from an advert placed in the Melody Maker, and he’s replacing Bob Hagger. The group also includes guitarist Peter Banks. Its music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, often extended song lengths, esoteric, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of its members' instrumental skills. Yes uses symphonic and other so called classical structures its blend of musical styles in an innovative marriage of music. Yes comes very often to Montreux mostly for recording at the Mountain Studios.

Chicago Transit Authority: (later be known as Chicago) is a Rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois by musicians Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, and Peter Cetera - with one dream: to integrate all the musical diversity from their beloved city and weave a new sound, a Rock band with horns. The band begins with a politically charged, sometimes experimental Rock, and later moved to a softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads.

Brian Auger and The Trinity : British Jazz-Rock organist Brian Auger and his group The Trinity (Dave Ambrose on bass and Clive Thacker on drums), together with singer Julie Driscoll (aka Julie Tippett), score a Nr. 5 UK single hit in 1968, with a cover of Bob Dylan and Rick Danko's This Wheel's on Fire. Auger later has several albums and singles that chart both with and without Driscoll present. As Jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger plays or tours with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon and others. He incorporates Jazz, early British pop, R&B, soul music and Rock, and he’s been nominated for a Grammy.

Some other, less well known bands also perform in Montreux: Goldfinger, Tusk or Circus and as if the program is not copious enough, Montreux welcomes the Traditional Jazz Studio Prague, the Cannonball Adderley’s quintet and the Gospel singer Marion Williams.