Sky Saxon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sky Saxon
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Saxon in Germany in March 1989
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Elvern Marsh |
| Also known as | Little Richie Marsh |
| Born | August 20, 1937 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | June 25, 2009 (aged 71) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, garage rock, acid rock, proto-punk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass guitar, guitar |
| Years active | 1962–2009 |
| Labels | GNP Crescendo |
Sky "Sunlight" Saxon (born Richard Elvern Marsh; August 20, 1937 – June 25, 2009) was an American rock and roll musician. He was best known as the leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles garage rock band The Seeds. Sky Saxon helped create a unique sound that influenced many other bands.
Early Life of Sky Saxon
Sky Saxon was born Richard Elvern Marsh in Salt Lake City, Utah. His birthday was August 20, 1937. He grew up in a Mormon family on the west side of Salt Lake City. He spent much of his childhood in areas like Glendale and Rose Park. Later, he went to West High School.
Sky Saxon's Music Career
Sky Saxon started his music journey in the early 1960s. Back then, he sang doo-wop pop songs and was known as Little Richie Marsh. He later changed his name to Sky Saxon. In 1962, he formed a band called the Electra-Fires. After that, he created Sky Saxon & the Soul Rockers. Some of these early songs were put together on an album in 1983.
In 1965, Saxon started his most famous band, The Seeds. Other members included Jan Savage on guitar, Rick Andridge on drums, and Darryl Hooper on keyboards. The Seeds had several hit songs. These included "Can't Seem to Make You Mine", "Mr. Farmer", and "Pushin' Too Hard." The song "Pushin' Too Hard" became a top 40 hit in 1967. It is still a popular rock anthem today.
The music from The Seeds' 1966 albums was very unique. People described it as "weird psychotic blues." It featured Sky's wild and powerful singing style.
Sky Saxon also had a side project called The Sky Saxon Blues Band. They recorded one album with musicians from Muddy Waters' band. At the same time, Saxon kept working with The Seeds. They recorded more albums like Future and Raw & Alive: The Seeds in Concert at Merlin's Music Box. Later, in 1977, an album called Fallin' Off the Edge was released. It had rare songs and unreleased material.
"Pushin' Too Hard" was recognized as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. This shows how important the song was to rock music history.
Life After The Seeds
In the 1970s, Sky Saxon continued to make music. He released many songs and albums on his own. He often used names like Sky Sunlight Saxon or the New Seeds.
In 1973, he joined a religious group called the Source Family. This group lived in a commune in Hollywood Hills. The leader, YaHoWha, gave Saxon the names Sunlight and Arlick. Because of this, Sky Saxon became a vegetarian. In 1998, Saxon helped release a 13-CD set of music. This music was recorded by the commune's band, Ya Ho Wha 13, in the 1970s.
Over the years, Saxon released many albums with different bands. Some of these band names included The Starry Seeds Band and Sky Saxon & Firewall. He also reformed The Seeds several times with new musicians.
In 2008, Sky Saxon and The Seeds worked with Billy Corgan. Billy Corgan is from the band Smashing Pumpkins. Saxon even appeared in the music video for the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Superchrist". Sky Saxon's very last performance and recording happened in Austin, Texas.
Sky Saxon's Passing
Sky Saxon passed away on June 25, 2009, in an Austin, Texas, hospital. He was 71 years old. He died unexpectedly from heart and kidney problems. These health issues were caused by an untreated infection. His death happened on the same day as Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Because of this, his passing was not as widely reported.
At the time of his death, he was planning a tour across the United States and Canada. This tour was called "California '66." It was going to feature new versions of The Seeds, The Electric Prunes, and Love.
On July 24, 2009, a special concert was held in Los Angeles. Members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Love, and The Electric Prunes performed. They played music to honor Sky Saxon's memory.
