Category Archives: GNP Crescendo

Sky Saxon of the Seeds passes away

Seeds MGM 45 Bad Part of TownSky Saxon (born Richard Marsh) passed away this morning, June 25, 2009. As any garage fan knows, he was singer for the Seeds, the prototypical ‘garage’ band of all time.

I saw him in concert a couple times, once circa 1994 at a free show in San Francisco. He had a pick up band and was pretty out of it. The band tried to get him to sing “Pushin’ Too Hard” but he would only repeat a chant “Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out here”. Well, it was Mothers Day. A few years ago he came to Brooklyn, looking great in a white suit to match his beard and did a fine show with a new group that actually knew the material. I wish I’d taken the request to put him up for a few days.

Many of the Seeds early records on GNP Crescendo have been in print almost continuously since their release. Less well-known are two singles Sky made with a revamped Seeds lineup for MGM in 1970, the incredible “Bad Part Of Town” / “Wish Me Up” and “Love In A Summer Basket” / “Did He Die”. It’s a little vague who’s playing on these, but Patrick Lundborg gives a possible lineup of Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, and Richard Barcelona, with a few others only remembered by their first names, Chip, Rob, John.

Sky’s story is told piecemeal on the web. The ‘official’ skysaxon.com website is one place to start, but it lacks detailed info on his career. For info on his later recordings, including “Bad Part of Town” I recommend the Lama’s write up here.

“I ran out of gas one day, so I took Michael Jackson’s album in, and all I could get was a dollar” – Sky Saxon, ‘Rolling Stone’ #456, September 12, 1985.

The Ambertones


The Ambertones, from left: Jimmy Alvarez (on drums), Eddie Delgado (above on bass), Mike Sandoval (guitar), Frank Vasquez, Danny Medina, Tony Cardenas (sax), and Henry Hernandez (guitar).

The Ambertones were part of Los Angeles’ fabled East Side scene along with dozens of legendary bands like Thee Midniters, the Premiers, the Romancers and Cannibal and the Head Hunters. All these groupos could play in several styles, from garage to straight soul to r&b shouters and ballads.

The original lineup was:

Ray Arriola – sax
Henry Hernandez – lead guitar
Mike Sandoval – rhythm guitar
Eddie Delgado – bass and vocals
Danny Medina – keyboards
Jimmy Alvarez – drums

Later members included:

Frank Vasquez (Frank Olvera?) – vocals
Charlie Muñoz – vocals
Tony Cardenas (or is it Tony Duran?) – saxophone
Henry Sarnoff joined on piano and organ in 1966
Ruben Alvarez – drums

They began releasing records in 1963, with “Charlena” / “Bandido” on the GNP/Crescendo label. Next came two 45s on the Dottie label. I have never heard the first, “Chocolate Covered Ants” / “One Summer Night”.

Their second Dottie 45 is a ballad, “I Need Someone” backed with an excellent garage original “If I Do”, written by Eddie Delgado. The sound of the organ, vocals and guitar solo make “If I Do” my personal favorite of their records.

Originally released on a dark blue Dottie label in October of ’65, it was reissued with a pale blue label, pictured here, in 1969 or later, probably because of interest in the ballad, “I Need Someone”.

Their next two releases were on Rayjack. “Clap Your Hands” is a great party record, and “Cruise” is a riff on Thee Midniter’s “Whittier Blvd”. This 45 was also issued on the Newman label, pictured here, in 1966. Both of these were written by Leonard Mamola, who also produced all their records except their first.

“I Can Only Give You Everything” is another of their garage recordings, it too was issued on a second label, Treasure Chest.

In 1967 they signed with White Whale for two 45s in a soul style, giving them probably the best nationwide exposure of their career. “Ninety-Nine and a Half” is a fine cover of the Wilson Pickett hit, with a Sam and Dave song on the flip, “You Don’t Know Like I Know”.


top center: Henry Hernandez
middle row, l-r: Jimmy Alvarez, Eddie Delgado, Ray Arriola, and Mike Sandoval
bottom row l-r: Charlie Muñoz and Danny Medina
 

 

 

 

Source: Photos from collection of Victor B. and from Mark Guerrero’s excellent site markguerrero.net.

Leader of Mark & the Escorts of the classic “Get Your Baby,” Mr. Guerrero has also written extensively about Los Angeles music, including articles on the Romancers, The Premiers and the Blendells. I highly recommend setting aside a few hours to look through his site.

Thanks to Danny Medina for correcting the IDs on the photos.

Ambertones 45 releases:

Charlena / Bandido (GNP Crescendo 329) – 1963
Chocolate Covered Ants / One Summer Night (Dottie 1129) – 1965
I Need Someone / If I Do (Dottie 1130) – October, 1965, repressed on pale blue label in 1969.
Clap Your Hand / Cruise (Rayjack 1001) – December 1965
Clap Your Hand / Cruise (Newman 601) – 1966
I Can Only Give You Everything / I Only Have Eyes for You (Rayjack 1002) – 1966
I Can Only Give You Everything / I Only Have Eyes for You (Treasure Chest 001) – 1966
Ninety-Nine and a Half / You Don’t Know Like I Know (White Whale 242) 1967
A Million Tears / Little Bit Of Lovin’ (White Whale 302) 1969


from left: Danny Medina, Mike Sandoval, Eddie Delgado, Henry Hernandez and Ruben Alvarez