“I remember the day Darby Crash died. The next day, John Lennon was shot and killed and the world at large didn’t even care that Darby was gone.. sadly, I am now seeing the same thing happen with Sky Saxon, who died this morning….I guess that’s the price you pay when you swim outside the mainstream….”
I read this yesterday on my friend Kurt Ross’ (a.k.a “The Infamous Jet Rash”) Facebook update and I couldn’t agree with him more. Lost in the sadness and flurry of Michael Jackson’s death (RIP), so many people, and alleged music connoisseurs, seemed to have forgotten or worse yet, didn’t even know who Sky Sunlight Saxon was and the profound impact him and his band The Seeds had on music. As the frontman for the groundbreaking 60’s garage rock band The Seeds, Saxon unfortunately passed away yesterday. This man and The Seeds are fuckin’ bad ass and put out some epic music during their time. If it wasn’t for them, the whole garage psychedelic blues revival of today would not be possible. It was disappointing to see some music mags, blogs and industry twitters not even giving a shout out to this King of Garage Rock. As Kurt said, “you’re not a music writer if you don’t know who Sky Saxon is. You’re just a poser with an electronic pulpit.”
Widely known for his hit songs with The Seeds, “Pushing too Hard” and “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine,” with the latter being popularized by the AXE body spray commercial. Both are dope songs and covered by many awesome musicians such as Johnny Thunders, The Ramones, Garbage, etc. So sad to hear of his passing, but so thankful for the kick ass music he gave us. Rest in Peace Sky Sunlight Saxon.
Check out these kind words on Saxon by Nels Cline at LARECORD.com.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmHTyLBIZ1g]
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Dig this podcast tribute to Sky:
THE MAL THURSDAY SHOW #16: Riot on Sunset Strip Revisited
In an episode dedicated to the memory of Sky Saxon, Mal Thursday trips back in time and space to Los Angeles, California, circa 1966, and the teenage riots that inspired the exploitation classic Riot on Sunset Strip. Then, dig some bitchin’ Seeds covers from Thee Headcoats, Alex Chilton, the Zeros, the Fiends, and the Freak Mountain Ramblers, as well as a set of Mal’s favorite Seeds tracks. Special guest appearances by Deborah Walley and Mimsy Farmer.
http://blip.tv/file/get/Malthursday-TheMalThursdayShow16789.mp3
Wow. Thanks! Well, you’ll be pleased to see a new and improved GrimyGoods.com coming through in the next month. It’s growing!!!! Yay! Keep checking and spread the word.
I live in boring middle America, dead end job, dead end relationship, no college education, shit pretty much sucks right now. I’m a huge music and skateboarding buff though and reading your blog on my trusty iPhone everynight as I work this o so borring night shift really stoakes me out. And now reading your post on my idol Sky Saxon, has made me like you a d this awesome blog even more. Please don’t think I’m a weirdo though! Just a fan of grimygoods and the fun things u do. I need to move to california. RIP SKY SAXON.
Very cool. The Seeds and Sky are icons to all.
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