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The Seeds 1960s sessionography

Thanks to Alec Palao’s liner notes from the series of carefully curated Seeds deluxe CD reissues on Big Beat, it’s possible to reconstruct The Seeds’ 1960s recording sessions into a somewhat detailed sessionography. This page covers their time at GNP Crescendo beginning in 1965 and a few scattered sessions for MGM in 1970. This sessionography is based on Palao’s liner notes from those Big Beat CD packages, all of which are highly recommended purchases for Seeds fans.

The text describing the sessions in the CD liner notes is often precise but frequently vague, leaving engineers unnamed and not specifying exactly which band members were present at a given session. At times even the name of the studio is shortened or otherwise vague. Sometimes the number of takes, how they were numbered, and/or the identity of a master take goes unmentioned, often with a phrase such as “this song took eight takes to get a master” (in this case Take 8 would be assumed to be the master). Palao often fails to mention how many of a track’s attempts were complete, but most were numbered and totals seem to include incomplete takes and false starts.

Because of all this, the occasional detail below is the subject of educated guesswork. Some ground rules: Unless the liner notes state otherwise, all Seeds members (four or five people, depending on the era) are assumed to have been present, except for overdub sessions where they might not all be needed. Language such as “version 1” is usually used only when Palao has done so for the purpose of distinguishing bonus tracks (for example the four attempts at "The Wind Blows Your Hair" on four different dates, “version 4” of which was released as a single in 1967 and versions 1 and 2 of which are Big Beat bonus tracks; around Raw & Alive this system is used less due to the unique nature and goal of those sessions). Mixing sessions are usually unmentioned and not included here. Generally, “educated guesses” of any type (whether Palao’s or mine) are followed with a question mark.

Finally, entries for recordings that have been issued publicly include their first, only, and/or most commonly available form – usually a single and/or LP on GNP Crescendo, sometimes a Big Beat CD or other notable release. (Example: "Excuse, Excuse" was issued with its original lead vocal only on a French EP in 1965; the EP is mentioned in this sessionography for that track, but the EP’s other songs don’t differ from standard Crescendo discs in the U.S. so the EP isn’t mentioned again).

The Seeds sessions

Western Recorders – Wednesday, April 21, 1965

Engineer: Chuck Britz
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Rick Andridge; unknown second guitarist; unknown bassist (Harvey Sharpe?)

"Can't Seem To Make You Mine" – takes 1~4
Takes 1 and 2 rehearsals. Take 4 issued on GNP 354 single and LP.
"Daisy Mae" – takes 1~15
Take 15 issued on GNP 354 single. Take 1 issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).

Western Recorders – Tuesday, July 20, 1965

Engineer: Jimmie Maddin
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Rick Andridge; unknown bassist (Jimmy Lawrence?)

"Excuse, Excuse" – takes 1~8
Take 8 issued on a French EP (Disques Vogue INT 18022), plus (with a new vocal overdub) The Seeds.
"Out Of The Question" (version 1) – takes 1~14
Take 10 chosen as master (for now).
"No Escape" – takes 1~6
Take 6 issued on The Seeds.
"You Can't Be Trusted" – takes 1~4
Take 4 issued on The Seeds. Take 3 issued on a 2015 7″ single from Record Collector, then on 2016 double vinyl The Seeds reissue.

Western Recorders – Tuesday, September 14, 1965

Engineer: Jimmie Maddin?
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Rick Andridge; Harvey Sharpe (bass)

"Nobody Spoil My Fun" – takes 1~4
Take 4 issued (with overdubs) on The Seeds.
"Pushin' Too Hard" – takes 1~2
Take 2 issued (edited and with overdubs) as “You’re Pushing Too Hard” on GNP 364 single. Reissued as "Pushin' Too Hard" on GNP 372 single and The Seeds. Take 1 issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat). Unedited Take 2 issued on Big Beat NW 502 single and Singles As & Bs 1965-1970.
"Out Of The Question" (version 2) – take 1?
Issued (edited and with overdubs) on GNP 354 single and (with fake stereo effect) Future.

Western Recorders – Monday, September 20, 1965

Engineer: Jimmie Maddin?
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Jan Savage, Daryl Hooper?, Rick Andridge?

Overdubs: "Out Of The Question"
Vocal and guitar onto version 2 from September 14.
Overdubs: "Nobody Spoil My Fun"
Vocal and guitar onto Take 4 from September 14. Rejected at the time, this was Take 3a, issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).

Western Recorders – Tuesday, December 7, 1965

Engineer: Jimmie Maddin
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Rick Andridge; Harvey Sharpe (bass)

"It's A Hard Life" – takes 1~5
Take 5 issued on The Seeds. Take 3 issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).
"Girl I Want You" – takes 1~5?
Take 5 issued on The Seeds.
"She's Wrong" – take 1
Issued on Fallin' Off The Edge.
"Lose Your Mind" – takes 1~3
Take 3 issued on The Seeds.
"Out Of The Question" (version 3) – takes 1~2?
Take 2 chosen as master (for now).
“Dreaming Of Your Love” – take 1
Issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).

Universal Audio Recorders – January 1966

Engineer: Mike Dorrough?
Arranger: Vinnie Fanelli
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Rick Andridge; Jimmie Maddin (sax); unknown guitarist

"Try To Understand" – takes 1~6
Take 6 issued on GNP 370 single and The Seeds.
"The Other Place" – takes?
Issued on GNP 370 single. Take 2 issued on 2016 double vinyl The Seeds reissue.
“Dreaming Of Your Love” (version 2) – take 1?
Issued on A Web Of Sound (2013 Big Beat).
"The Wind Blows Your Hair" (version 1) – take 1
Issued on A Web Of Sound (2013 Big Beat).

Western Recorders – Friday, April 1, 1966

Engineer: Jimmie Maddin?
Musicians: Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage; unknown drummer; unknown harmonica player

"Fallin' In Love" – takes 1~4
Take 4? issued on The Seeds.
"Evil Hoodoo" – takes 1~2
Take 1 false start. Take 2 issued (edited from fourteen minutes to five) on The Seeds. Full unedited version issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).
"Evil Hoodoo" intercut section – five attempts
An ending to edit onto "Evil Hoodoo"; rejected. One attempt issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).
"Evil Hoodoo" opening chords – four attempts
Jan Savage re-recorded his opening guitar part to edit onto "Evil Hoodoo"; rejected.
Overdubs: "Excuse, Excuse"
Vocal and percussion onto Take 8 from July 20, 1965. Issued on The Seeds.
Overdubs: "Nobody Spoil My Fun"
Second attempt at overdubs to Take 4 from September 14, 1965. Lead and backing vocals, percussion, keyboards, and guitar yielding a Take 3b. Issued on The Seeds.
Overdubs: "Girl I Want You"
Vocal and guitar onto Take 5 from December 7, 1965. Rejected; issued on The Seeds (2012 Big Beat).