“Wild Roses” / “Focus Point”
by Sky Sunlight Saxon Dragonslayers SSS
1989 7-inch single (picture sleeve)
Label: Pinpoint [LC-7437]
In 1989, Pinpoint Records in Germany issued two songs, “Wild Roses” and “Focus Point”, from the Just Imagine album which it released by Sky Sunlight Saxon Dragonslayers SSS that same year on vinyl and CD. The "Wild Roses" 7-inch single came in a picture sleeve, with art based on the LP cover.
As on the LP, the track "Wild Roses" has the incorrect time on this 45. The song is about 4:45 long, but is listed as 3:35 on the label. "Focus Point", at 3:45, is listed correctly. The catalog number of this 7-inch single is LC 7437.
"Wild Roses" is a spooky, slow, melodramatic song, with Sky singing self-consciously poetic lyrics that he probably had little to do with the writing of. It is not representative of the album, which finds Sky and his Dragonslayers engaging in some good, heavy garage rock. It may be reasonable that it was felt to be more commercial than the rest of the album, though, and it is a highlight of Sky’s career.
The b-side, "Focus Point", finds the band playing a noisy, wild rock song while Sky talks throughout, telling a rambling story full of bluster and attitude.
Finding copies of the "Wild Roses" b/w "Focus Point" is not too hard, and the picture sleeve looks good on display. It is not musically necessary, strictly speaking, since the two songs are identical to the LP. Interestingly, though, this single and the Just Imagine album would be the last new vinyl available from Sky until the 2003, when his early-1960s compilation A Starlight Date With Richard Marsh would be released. The first vinyl album of new music would be 2004’s Red Planet by Sky Saxon and The Seeds.
