Sky Saxon
Encyclopedia
Sky "Sunlight" Saxon was an American rock and roll
musician who was best known as the leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles
psychedelic
garage rock
band The Seeds
.
on August 20, 1937. Different sources suggest a birth year of 1937, 1945 or 1946. His widow has said that his birthday was August 20, but would not confirm the year because he believed age was irrelevant.
He began his career performing doo-wop pop tunes in the early 1960s under the name Little Richie Marsh. After changing his name to Sky Saxon, he formed the Electra-Fires in 1962 and then Sky Saxon & the Soul Rockers. Several of these early songs were collected on a 1983 album on AIP
called New Fruit from Old Seeds / The Rare Sky Saxon, Volume One.
In 1965, Saxon founded the psychedelic flower power
band The Seeds with Jan Savage (guitar), Rick Andridge (drums) and Darryl Hooper (keyboards). Hit songs for Saxon and the Seeds included "Can't Seem to Make You Mine", "Mr. Farmer" and "Pushin' Too Hard
," which became a top 40 song and enduring rock anthem in 1967. Saxon's singing performance has been dismissed by critics like Lester Bangs
as an American imitation of Mick Jagger
, while others considered it a more complicated synthesis of Jagger, Eddie Cochran
and Buddy Holly
. The music on the Seeds 1966 albums The Seeds
(GNP Crescendo 2023) and A Web of Sound (GNP Crescendo 2033) have been described as "weird psychotic blues highlighting Sky's demented, vocal sermonizing."
A spinoff project, The Sky Saxon Blues Band, recorded one album, A Full Spoon of Seedy Blues, (GNP Crescendo 2040) with members of Muddy Waters' band. At the same time, Saxon continued The Seeds, recording Future (GNP Crescendo 2038) and Raw and Alive - Merlin's Magic Music Box (GNP Crescendo 2043). Later, in 1977 producer Neil Norman compiled and released Fallin' Off the Edge (GNP Crescendo 2107). an album containing rare "B" sides and unissued material.
Even though "Pushing Too Hard" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, The Seeds have still not been recognized by that institution.
In 1973, Saxon became a member of the Source Family religious group, a Hollywood Hills
commune led by YaHoWha (a restaurateur, whose real name was Jim Baker)
who gave Saxon the names Sunlight and Arlick. In 1998, Saxon orchestrated the release of a 13-CD set of the psychedelic tribal music recorded by the commune's band Ya Ho Wa 13 during the 1970s. These original vinyl were used from the archives of Damian and Isis Aquarian and photos from Isis archives. see the untold story of "Father Yod, Yahowha 13 and the Source Family" by Isis Aquarian
In subsequent years, Saxon released a number of albums under various band names including The Starry Seeds Band, Sky Saxon & Firewall, King Arthur's Court, and Shapes Have Fangs. Additionally, Saxon had several times reformed The Seeds with different musician line-ups.
In 2008, Saxon and the Seeds collaborated on some new songs and recordings with Billy Corgan
of the Smashing Pumpkins. Saxon later appeared in the music video of the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Superchrist
". Sky Saxon's last performance and recording was done in Austin, TX.
The Seeds' 'Can't Seem to Make You Mine' was used on a widely-aired Lynx body spray TV advert in the UK in 2009. See http://www.tvadmusic.co.uk/2009/03/lynx-bullet-pocket-pulling-power/
, Texas
hospital - the same day as Michael Jackson
and Farrah Fawcett
. Saxon died of an infection that had spread throughout his organs due to a simple infection contracted at some point that was never treated. At the time of his death, he had been scheduled to commence a tour of the United States and Canada as part of the "California '66" tour, featuring reformed versions of The Seeds, The Electric Prunes
and Love
.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
musician who was best known as the leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band The Seeds
The Seeds
The Seeds were an American rock band. The group, whose repertoire spread between garage rock and acid rock, are considered one of the pioneers of punk rock.-History:...
.
Biography
Saxon was born Richard Elvern Marsh in Salt Lake City, UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
on August 20, 1937. Different sources suggest a birth year of 1937, 1945 or 1946. His widow has said that his birthday was August 20, but would not confirm the year because he believed age was irrelevant.
He began his career performing doo-wop pop tunes in the early 1960s under the name Little Richie Marsh. After changing his name to Sky Saxon, he formed the Electra-Fires in 1962 and then Sky Saxon & the Soul Rockers. Several of these early songs were collected on a 1983 album on AIP
AIP Records
AIP Records is a record label that was started by Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records, being launched in 1983 to continue the Pebbles series. The abbreviation AIP stands for "Archive International Productions". The first 10 volumes in the Pebbles series had been released by BFD Records of Kookaburra,...
called New Fruit from Old Seeds / The Rare Sky Saxon, Volume One.
In 1965, Saxon founded the psychedelic flower power
Flower power
Flower power is a slogan used by the American counterculture movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of passive resistance and non-violence ideology. It is rooted in the opposition movement to the Vietnam War. The expression was coined by the American Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in...
band The Seeds with Jan Savage (guitar), Rick Andridge (drums) and Darryl Hooper (keyboards). Hit songs for Saxon and the Seeds included "Can't Seem to Make You Mine", "Mr. Farmer" and "Pushin' Too Hard
Pushin' Too Hard
"Pushin' Too Hard", originally titled " Pushin' Too Hard", is a song by American rock group The Seeds, written by vocalist Sky Saxon and produced by Saxon with Marcus Tybalt. It was released as a single in 1965, re-issued the following year, and peaked at number 36 on the U.S...
," which became a top 40 song and enduring rock anthem in 1967. Saxon's singing performance has been dismissed by critics like Lester Bangs
Lester Bangs
Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs was an American music journalist, author and musician. He wrote for Creem and Rolling Stone magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock 'n' roll criticism....
as an American imitation of Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, while others considered it a more complicated synthesis of Jagger, Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
and Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
. The music on the Seeds 1966 albums The Seeds
The Seeds (album)
-External links:* at Rate Your Music...
(GNP Crescendo 2023) and A Web of Sound (GNP Crescendo 2033) have been described as "weird psychotic blues highlighting Sky's demented, vocal sermonizing."
A spinoff project, The Sky Saxon Blues Band, recorded one album, A Full Spoon of Seedy Blues, (GNP Crescendo 2040) with members of Muddy Waters' band. At the same time, Saxon continued The Seeds, recording Future (GNP Crescendo 2038) and Raw and Alive - Merlin's Magic Music Box (GNP Crescendo 2043). Later, in 1977 producer Neil Norman compiled and released Fallin' Off the Edge (GNP Crescendo 2107). an album containing rare "B" sides and unissued material.
Even though "Pushing Too Hard" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, The Seeds have still not been recognized by that institution.
After The Seeds
In the 1970s, Saxon continued to work on the music scene, releasing a number of 45s and a few independently released LPs, often using the name Sky Sunlight Saxon, the New Seeds, or variations thereupon. His 1977 EP is particularly noteworthy.In 1973, Saxon became a member of the Source Family religious group, a Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
commune led by YaHoWha (a restaurateur, whose real name was Jim Baker)
Father Yod
Father Yod or YaHoWha was the American owner of a Los Angeles health food restaurant on the Sunset Strip who founded a spiritual commune in the Hollywood Hills known as the Source Family...
who gave Saxon the names Sunlight and Arlick. In 1998, Saxon orchestrated the release of a 13-CD set of the psychedelic tribal music recorded by the commune's band Ya Ho Wa 13 during the 1970s. These original vinyl were used from the archives of Damian and Isis Aquarian and photos from Isis archives. see the untold story of "Father Yod, Yahowha 13 and the Source Family" by Isis Aquarian
In subsequent years, Saxon released a number of albums under various band names including The Starry Seeds Band, Sky Saxon & Firewall, King Arthur's Court, and Shapes Have Fangs. Additionally, Saxon had several times reformed The Seeds with different musician line-ups.
In 2008, Saxon and the Seeds collaborated on some new songs and recordings with Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
of the Smashing Pumpkins. Saxon later appeared in the music video of the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Superchrist
Superchrist
"Superchrist" is a 2008 song by The Smashing Pumpkins.-History:The song originated during the sessions for Zeitgeist, but, according to Billy Corgan, "We didn't feel we understood the song and thought playing it on tour would help us sort it out". The band first performed the song on July 24,...
". Sky Saxon's last performance and recording was done in Austin, TX.
The Seeds' 'Can't Seem to Make You Mine' was used on a widely-aired Lynx body spray TV advert in the UK in 2009. See http://www.tvadmusic.co.uk/2009/03/lynx-bullet-pocket-pulling-power/
Death
Saxon died unexpectedly on June 25, 2009, in an AustinAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
hospital - the same day as Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
. Saxon died of an infection that had spread throughout his organs due to a simple infection contracted at some point that was never treated. At the time of his death, he had been scheduled to commence a tour of the United States and Canada as part of the "California '66" tour, featuring reformed versions of The Seeds, The Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes are an American rock band who first achieved international attention as an experimental psychedelic group in the late 1960s. Their song "Kyrie Eleison" was featured on the soundtrack of Easy Rider...
and Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
.
External links
- http://www.skysaxon.com}- OFFICIAL WEBSITE - Tribute album details here, as well.
- Sky Saxon - Daily Telegraph obituary
- Discography - Complete illustrated Sky Saxon discography
- family official website. The Source Family Official Website