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Last Thursday, garage rock legend and founder of the Seeds Sky Saxon passed away here in Austin, where he and his wife Sabrina had relocated only a few months before. Saxon, born Richard Marsh, reportedly died of kidney and heart failure due to an undiagnosed internal infection. Although he had spent only a short time here in Austin, and news of his passing was eclipsed by other celebrity deaths last week, he had already left a mark on the city with his music and his presence, especially in his headlining set at the Psych Fest in March with locals Shapes Have Fangs backing him as the World Spirits. (Watch a video of the performance below).
In conjunction with memorials being held in LA, Northern California, and Utah, his wife Sabrina is holding an open tribute this Sunday, July 5 at the Scoot Inn. The service starts at 6:00pm sharp, and folks are invited to bring their dogs (on leashes) as apparently Saxon was renowned dog lover. In lieu of flowers, donations are being asked for to help with cremation costs and the dissemination of Saxon’s ashes in Hawaii.
Saxon and the Seeds’ legacy will be preserved in a number of upcoming projects, most notably a documentary about the Seeds that is set to be released next year. There is also a wealth of recorded material that has yet to be released.
thank you doug & austin sound, your support is amazing & we appreciate you.
now sky saxon lovers, come out & give peaceful good wishes to sky & remember
him for the lovely rocknroll luminary that he was! 6pm july 5th in austin at the scoot!
fly, drive, walk, ride your bike, walk your dog. come! bring a flower
jennifer marchand
publicist :: sky sunlight saxon
I met Sky back in the late 60’s in Topanga Cyn at his home.
I also knew the members of The Source back in the 70’s.
They were a very strange cult, see website:
http://www.yahowha.org/
Farewell Sky, R.I.P.
I have difficulty describing the influence Sky had on me. And will continue to have on me.
In the few years I knew him he taught me a lifetime worth of lessons. Sky taught me to never give up. Sky showed me the way of forgiveness and true love for my fellow beings of all sorts.
Sky taught me patience. With his help he taught me how to make a great album (Pisces Rising was produced by him over the phone!).
The musical legacy he left us will continue to enrich our lives and the lives of those yet unborn for ages to come!
Right now I just want to reflect on the loss of my friend and teacher…Perhaps at a later time I will get into more detail, but more than likely I won’t.
So many people were always trying to ride his cosmic and very long coat tails.
For me just having him as a friend and being blessed with having worked with him for a brief time is enough…If Sky taught me anything it was that with my heart in the right place and my mind unpolluted, I don’t need to be anybody’s side man. I can shine on my own.
So in closing I would like to say thank you Sky. Thank you for seeing something in me that I did not. Thank you for your influence and helping to shape my music. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your love.
I love you and I will miss you my friend…
Jimmy Valentine
Sky was truly an original. Here’s an Austin-based podcast tribute to his memory:
THE MAL THURSDAY SHOW #16: Riot on Sunset Strip Revisited (Dedicated to Sky Saxon)
http://blip.tv/file/get/Malthursday-TheMalThursdayShow16789.mp3