The Ultimate Garage Rock Band

On Saturday we went to a screening at the Egyptian Theater's Cinematheque of "Pushin' Too Hard," a documentary about the ultimate garage rock band, The Seeds.   The documentary was directed by Neil Norman and produced by Alec Palao.  After the movie there was a panel discussion hosted by Kirk Silsbee, including the director, producer and Seeds members Daryl Hooper and Jan Savage.

From the Cinematheque website: Beginning in the mid-1960s, The Seeds spread a web of sound from the Sunset Strip to the rest of the country with such anthems of teen frustration as “Pushin’ Too Hard” and “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine.” Fronted by the sneering, attitude-laden delivery of charismatic lead singer Sky Saxon, the band’s driving sound would help lay the groundwork for punk. This definitive documentary on The Seeds follows the quartet’s bizarre odyssey from rags to riches to rags again - and ultimately their rediscovery by new generations of garage-rock fans - using vintage television and concert performances, rare photos and recent interviews with all of the group’s original members, as well as fans and observers including Iggy Pop, Kim Fowley, Johnny Echols of Love and Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.

The flower children were out in full force, as well as a few Sky Saxon impersonators.

The documentary was excellent.  The Seeds were on TV shows, performed at  high schools and clubs and had tons of press and publicity.  There was LOTS of original footage which is what made this film so great.  We enjoyed the panel discussion after the screening, especially the insight of two of the original band members, keyboardist, Daryl Hooper and lead guitarist, Jan Savage.  If you have a chance to view this film, it will really give you an excellent window into what the scene on the Sunset Strip was like during the mid to late 1960's and early 1970's.

Jan Savage on guitar, with a fade to Sky Saxon, lead singer of The Seeds

Jan Savage, Daryl Hooper