Sky Saxon, founder of The Seeds, has died

updated 11:37 p.m. ET June 28, 2009

AUSTIN, Texas - Sky Saxon, lead singer and founder of the 1960s band the “Seeds,” who had a Top 40 hit in 1967 with “Pushin’ Too Hard,” has died after a brief illness.

Publicist Jen Marchand said Saxon died Thursday but did not have other details. He was in his 60s.

The Seeds sprang up in California, and their garage-band sound with Saxon’s distinctive vocals became a favorite of the flower power generation. Another hit single of 1967 was “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine” and their song “Mr. Farmer” was included in the soundtrack for the movie “Almost Famous.”

The Mick Jagger-influenced vocals by Saxon (born Richard Marsh) dominated the sound and in turn influenced later punk rockers.

“All the bikers around San Diego thought the Seeds were apocalypse, then,” famed rock critic Lester Bangs wrote in “The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll.” “I recall one hog-ridin’ couple ... who didn’t take the Seeds’ first album off their turntable for three solid months.”

Saxon had recently moved to Austin, where he played with his new band, Shapes Have Fangs.

He had been planning to perform this summer with the California ’66 Revue, a tour featuring a lineup of California bands from the 1960s.

MORE FROM MUSIC

Music Section Front

50 Cent: ‘Pain is more monumental than joy’ ‘Shock is fun,’ Lambert says of performance Big night for Michael Jackson at AMAs MJ, Def Jam, AC/DC box sets out for holidays Susan Boyle to her bullies: ‘I’m all grown up’ Motown caps 50th anniversary with gala Lambert: Out editor ‘has his own agenda’ Aerosmith members worry Tyler back on drugs Slim pickings for Best New Artist Grammy John Mayer wants music to rise above tabloids Music Section Front   Add Music headlines to your news reader: