Born Richard Marsh, Sky Sunlight Saxon emerged from the nascent Los Angeles music circle during the early 60s. He recorded "Goodbye" as Richie Marsh performing doo wop-influenced teenage pop in 1962, before taking the name Sky Saxon as the frontperson of two groups, the Soul Rockers and the Electra Fires. “In 1965 he formed the Seeds, arguably the city's finest punk/garage group, which later evolved into a psychedelic/flower-power attraction.”1

Sky Saxon and guitarist Jan Savage formed the Seeds with keyboardist Daryl Hooper and drummer Rick Andridge in Los Angles in 1965.  By the end of 1966, they had secured a contract with GNP Crescendo, releasing "Pushin' Too Hard" as their first single.  The song climbed into the Top 40 early in 1967, and the group immediately released two more singles, "Mr. Farmer" and "Can't Seem to Make You Mine," in an attempt to replicate their success; the latter just missed being in the Top 40.

“Best known for their rock & roll standard "Pushin' Too Hard," the Seeds combined the raw, Stonesy appeal of garage rock with a fondness for ragged, trashy psychedelia.   The band continued to record for the remainder of the '60s, eventually delving deep into post-Sgt. Pepper's psychedelia and art rock.”3   As the April 1967 cover of Teen Scene said, “Flower Power has arrived.”  

While their singles were garage punk, the Seeds attempted to branch out into improvisational blues-rock and psychedelia on their first two albums, The Seeds (1966) and Web of Sound (1966). With their third album, Future (1967), the band attempted a psychedelic concept album in the vein of Sgt. Pepper's. The record reached the Top 100 and spawned the hit "A Thousand Shadows,” Two other albums followed: Raw & Alive: The Seeds in Concert at Merlin's Music Box (1968) and A Full Spoon of Seedy Blues (1969), which was credited to the Sky Saxon Blues Band.

During the early '70s, Saxon led a number of bands before joining The Source Family, retreating from society and eventually moving to Hawaii.  Sky Saxon became Sunlight upon joining the Source Family and he began an intense spiritual journey that included music at its forefront with Father Yod creating and leading a few family bands including the most famous and cult favorite, YaHoWha 13.  

A collection of rarities and alternate takes, Fallin' off the Edge, was released in 1977.”3

“Saxon, who had not produced any new albums since 1978, returned on the U.K. Psycho label in 1984 with Starry Ride, which featured support from Steppenwolf's Mars Bonfire (composer of "Born to Be Wild"), as well as former members of Iron Butterfly and Fraternity of Man. The Saxon/Bonfire collaboration reached full fruition in the group Firewall, who debuted with the album A Groovy Thing in 1986 (Destiny's Children features the same songs in a different order). Firewall featured guest appearances from members of such California neo-psychedelic bands as the Dream Syndicate, the Plimsouls, the Droogs, and Yard Trauma, demonstrating Saxon's enduring influence and appeal, particularly among that set of musicians.

That same year, Saxon recorded a largely unrehearsed live album with his Purple Electricity band, a project featuring members of Redd Kross and the Primates, entitled Private Party.

Firewall returned in 1988 with In Search of Brighter Colors, which was released in the U.S. as World Fantastic, with several rare '80s cuts replacing the former version's weaker tracks. “2

In 2002, The Seeds reformed and hit Europe and the U.S. three tours in the mid-2000’s.    In 2004, The Seeds recorded the Red Planet album with The Seeds lineup at the time: . Sky Sunlight Saxon as lead vocalist, Drummer Dave Klein, Keyboardist Mark Bellgraph and Bassist Rik Collins.   

In 2007, The Seeds lineup changed for the Goodstock Festival and became lovingly known as the Goodstock Seeds with Sky Sunlight Saxon as lead vocalist, Lead Guitarist and Vocalist Jimmy Valentine, Rhythm Guitarist and Vocalist Sean M’Lady, Bassist Dave Waller, Drummer Tommy Gunn, and Harpist Christopher Robin as Harmonica.

The current lineup of The Seeds consists of amazing veteran musicians including Sky Sunlight Saxon as lead vocalist, Drummer Gary Stern, Bassist Don Bolles, Keyboardist Geoff Brandin, Lead Guitarist Atomic, and Rhythm Guitarist Kevin Dippold. 

While in Europe in the mid-2000’s, Sky completed two new albums with two bands he formed:  Transparency with Sky Sunlight Saxon and Lighter out of Great Britain and Atlantic Rising with Sky Sunlight Saxon and Atlantic Rising out of Greece. 

Sky Sunlight Saxon also has a solo career as Sky Sunlight Saxon, the Psychedelic Experience, with various musicians backing him as he continues to tour and play as many gigs as he can perform. 

Sky’s latest release (2008) is King of Garage Rock on Cleopatra Records label going back to his roots and performing his favorite hits from the 60’s including three of his hits.  Danny B. Harvey and Clem Burke produced this album with an amazing line-up of musicians backing him including Guitarist Danny B. Harvey, Keyboardist Don Randi, Bassist Trent Stroh and Drummer Clem Burke.  The album was engineered by Gilby Clarke and Danny B. Harvey at Redrum Studios, S.I.R., and Bedworth Studios. 

“. . . take a look at the current indie rock tree of life – from The Vines to Brandon Flowers and you’ll find traces of what Sky Saxon and The Seeds planted in the fertile of the 60’s blossoming everywhere.  Yes, The Seeds are still with us and for good reason – pure, powerful, passionate rock n’ roll never dies.”4

Sky Sunlight Saxon lives to perform and record music and for that his fans are eternally grateful as he is eternally grateful for all of his fans who still follow him and his music to this day.    The Flower Power movement is alive and well in Sky Sunlight Saxon The Seeds.

A new Seeds album is due out soon and may be a double-album. 

1. Encyclopedia of Popular Music
2. Steve Huey, All Music Guide
3. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
4. Cleopatra Records on The King of Garage Rock album