The “Father of Garage Rock” and “Flower Power” Sky Saxon meets the “Harbinger of Alt-Rock”- Billy Corgan by Sunny Sun-Downer
Billy Corgan debuted a new song on July 24th of this year at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, called “Freak,” as a tribute to 60’s legend Sky Saxon and there are indications that it will be coming out on the re-formed Smashing Pumpkins album sometime soon. This re-emergence of Billy Corgan with his new (internet-penned) “barely legal” drummer, 19 year-old Mike Byrne, was causing more stir in S.P. circles (and in Rolling Stone Magazine & on various music blogs) than the actual debut of the group Billy formed to perform this tribute: “Spirits in the Sky.” This “Alt-Rock Super Group” was composed of B.C. on guitar, and also featured the 60’s legendary Electric Prunes’ bassist Mark Tulin, as well as equally legendary 60’s band Strawberry Alarm Clock’s keyboardist Mark Weitz, Kevin Dippold on guitar and Catherine drummer-percussionist Kerry Brown (who at one point was married to former Pumpkins bassist D’Arcy Wretzky). Its purpose was to honor the legendary lead singer Sky Saxon of the band called “The Seeds”- who left us ironically a half-day earlier than another famous musician on that June 25th, Michael Jackson. The Seeds’ big hits back then were: “Pushin’ Too Hard,” (which, although apparently about a ‘relationship problem,’ Sky said was dedicated to “repressed society”), “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine” (look for “Betty Paige Dances to the Seeds” on you tube, and you’ll probably say something like, “Oh I heard that song on a deodorant commercial!”), “Mr. Farmer” (dedicated to the ‘Hippie Farmers,” [nudge-wink] & heard on the “Almost Famous” movie soundtrack), among others. Not only did Jim Morrison & his Doors band-mates used to stand in the audience of Sunset Strip night clubs back then- mesmerized and influenced enough to duplicate Sky’s “Rock n’ Roll-Shaman” style in their own music, but legends like Muddy Waters have been quoted saying that “…the Seeds were America’s Rolling Stones.” Indeed, Sky’s on-stage persona required lines of police to keep young women from rushing him during performances (a la “Beatles”) at such sold-out shows as at the Hollywood Bowl, where he would drive them “into a frenzy” with songs such as the trance-like (17 minute live version of) “Up in Her Room.” Speaking of the Rolling Stones, when I produced a show 5 years ago at Pappy and Harriet’s with Sky and a recent Seeds incarnation, he told me personally that when he met the Stones back in the 60’s, he turned them on to the concept of “Flower Power” and they then ran with it, even creating an album called “Flowers!”). Since those days, Sky’s popularity waxed & waned to varying degrees, and is greatly documented in the plethora of albums he created with the Seeds, his solo work as Sky “Sunlight” Saxon, etc. (More info: www.skysaxon.com) Just before Sky’s untimely death, Billy Corgan had been collaborating with the Seeds’ front-man on a variety of projects, including an unreleased song called “Choose To Choose Love” (called “Sky Saxon- Choose to Love feat. Billy Corgan” on youtube.com). It’s a very moving experience to watch it, and dare I say, is the forefront of the return of Sky’s notoriety 4 decades later, albeit posthumously. Before Billy introduced the Sky Saxon-inspired song “Freak” at the Echoplex tribute, he said, “I wrote this song, and then thought ‘these lyrics are so weird- I never would’ve written these before I met Sky.” He added, “Sky Saxon came into our lives, and our lives have never been the same,” to the grinning nods of his fellow musicians. This is also seen on the Pumpkins’ website, where Billy says, “This website is going to change. It is going to transform into something that is consistent with the concepts of love, grace, and community. We are not looking backwards anymore, only forward. What makes the things I'm saying here even more real to me is the passing of my dear friend Sky Sunlight Saxon. Sky lived everyday with the concept of LOVE as his guide, and he walked the talk. He was a spiritual warrior who would tell me that Yahowa knew the beauty of our hearts, and that musicians were the living prophets of the world. So in Sky's memory I am going to re-dedicate this website to represent the things he cared about most: love, life, music, his spiritual family, and the protection of all God's creatures, big and small.” When Billy brings his new “Spirits in the Sky” band to Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace this weekend, I pray that even with the added frenzy of Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro being added to the “Spirits,” that the focus remains on the eternal Love-Rock God, Sky “Sunlight” Saxon. (For more info on Billy, go to www.smashingpumpkins.com)
