Jefferson Airplane

like turrican said, neither of them get as much attention as Pillow, but to me they're huge validations of that time when psych was evolving into prog as something more than just "transitional"

Pillow is my least fave of that run actually (and I'm not saying that to be "interesting" or whatever, as I know it's the canonical choice; I've just never listened to it as much as the others). I think "Takes Off" is way underrated, love that one...

Baxters has been one of my favourite lps for the last few decades.
They were pretty great live in 68 too.

& I love the song Good Shepherd from Volunteers. As well as Hey frederick & Eskimo Blue Day. Gun Club covered that last one too.

I think Spencer Dryden is one of my all time favourite drummers. I don't like Joey Covington much seems to be too heavy handed and not as fluid or something.

Spencer was Charlie Chaplin's nephew apparently too.

There's so much to like about them, but I think Paul Kantner's songwriting is really my favorite aspect of the group. I haven't really studied it, but he seems to have a style that is very intricate and very much his own. He is so brilliant throughout the Baxter's album.

Yeah, those vocal lines are so distinctive... I don't think I was really attuned to his songwriting "voice" until I got into the Kantner/Slick/etc. offshoot stuff.

Seems like by this point the hippie dream was dead, songs veering from flimsy idealism (like the living on a farm track) to the bleak war commentary “hey Frederik”.

I think they got even bleaker and better after that: there was their 1970 single "Mexico" (rousing, but also bleak and weary), and--I'm probably alone on this--Bark's "Thunk" is brilliant.

I'm listening to Baxter's right now - the dual gtr break that comes in at 1:16 is so f'n gnarly

("Mexico" is an awesome song, btw -- the bridge kills me. "There are brothers everywhere...!")

I'm listening to Baxter's right now - the dual gtr break that comes in at 1:16 is so f'n gnarly
(^^I was referring to "The Last Wall of the Castle" in this post, btw)

...Baxter's is the one I listen to the most... 'Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon'!

Can’t say I’ve heard Mexico, will check that out.

Baxter’s is so good - two heads may be my favourite grace vocal other than frederik

Mexico is AMAZING

Grace's piano balladry on Baxter's is also AMAZING. it is oddly one of their albums i listen to most now but in the past i was definitely into the earlier stuff.

sorry no apostrophe intended. "two heads" kills me

omg and actually i meant VOLUNTEERS when i was talking about Grace's piano balladry -- HEY FREDERICK is one of my most memorable moments from her.

#geekingout

All the airplane love makes me happy

Great Society is worth checking out too, I do love Darby Slick's guitar. Wish there was a lot more of it.
The solo Grunt label lps are pretty great too, or maybe that's trio plus and solo.

Hey Fredrick is such a stunner

Surm Im not quite sure this is up yr alley but you ever hear Silver Spoon?

Grace inventing goregrind w a grand piano in 1971, thats all..

https://youtu.be/7Is2OeUZ6Sg

Sunfighter is a great alb

Haven't listened to the whole thing since I bought it (30 years ago?), but the one song I love and keep on the hard drive is "When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves."

I was listening to it a couple of years ago around the same time i was listening to Howlin Rain and thinking it shared some qualities like a near gospel feel.
THink I was really thinking Manhole and Baron Von Tollbooth when I was saying Grunt label stuff. So should listen to it some more.

Manhole rules. So does Baron Von Tollbooth. And Dragonfly. And yeah, Sunfighter. I grew up on this stuff.

& the very early live sets by Jefferson Starship have the band playing tracks from at least Manhole live. I'm thinking of a few from 1974 that I have.

I looked at a bunch of albums over the weekend that a friend's brother was scrapping, and ended up taking about 50. Best of all was a perfect copy of Flight Log, poster/book included. I've got all the JA albums except 30 Seconds Over Winterland, so I already have most of it, but it's something I always wanted and never bought at the time. I really noticed "Have You Seen the Saucers" for the first time--I've had Early Flight for ages, but somehow it escaped my attention. (I love "Mexico" so much, I guess I got sidetracked.) Great song. Christgau praises it in one CG entry, makes fun of it the next. He got it right the first time.

Oops--it's not "Have You Seen the Saucers," it's "Have You Seen the Stars Tonite?" from Blows Against the Empire. Which I don't have, so that explains it.

That whole LP is klassic!

that album is great! it's a trip!

Blows really is a great album - I especially get a kick out of 'Mau Mau Amerikon' cause it's like everyone assumed 'We Can Be Together' was the pinnacle of Kantner's revolution-speak lyrics and he went 'pff, I was just getting started', haha. "Rabid lover-feelin' the starch in your grin Callin' for acid cocaine and grass" etc

Just listened to Manhole for the first time. This is killer! I feel as if - especially on the title track - this is how I always wanted to hear Grace Slick sing. Her obsession with Spanish music is right up front on those first two tracks.

RIP Marty Balin

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jefferson-airplane-guitarist-marty-balin-dead-76-730912/

RIP Marty, goddamn what a voice.

RIP, gonna spin "Coming Back To Me" when I get home

What a voice, yes.

Today...I feel like pleasin you...more than before
Marty!

If you only you believe in Miracles...such a smooth yet haunted sounding voice.

so long marty, will always love those airplane records

Really saddened by this... such an amazing, smooth, sultry, sweet voice - whether on his own or as such a perfect counterpoint to Grace Slick. And an excellent songwriter too.

Damn, RIP

There's a nice Facebook post from Jorma Kaukonen that showed up on my wall twice removed. It's a little long...would it be a breach of some sort to post it here? It looks like it was meant to be widely disseminated.

Easily my favorite vocalist of that group. Grace tends toward stridency and Paul couldn't sing a lick. His was a fine, blue eyed soul voice. Besides the obvious JA material, i always liked, nay loved his mid to late 70s JStarship tunes also. And even his solo hit Hearts, which would make a fine song for Al Green himself!

Went down into the crowd to try to stop things at Altamont and got punched

Not only that, it looks like he got shoved off the stage @ around 4:40 in the clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLWhRDkJSWE

I love his voice, yeah. The combination of his and Slick's really makes some of the early Jefferson Starship stuff for me.

Seems like the world would have had a lot fewer people had "Miracles" not been written.

It's an amazing song, the way it builds and swells, and yeah the sexiness of it. Very unique. I remember precisely where I was when I first heard it and probably so do a lot of people

Today and With Your Love are my faves. eerie transcendent power of love.

Old enough that I bought Spitfire on release, just as I was beginning to love the Airplane via Worst Of.

After Bathing at Baxters is yer man innit.
Quite quite scrumptuous.

Long John Silver is a really solid album... sick guitar, great songs throughout.

Stash box 4 ever!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/Jaljs.jpg