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Along with the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane
are regarded as the most successful San Francisco
band of the late 60s. The group were formed in August
1965 by Marty Balin (b. Martyn Jerel Buchwald, 30
January 1942, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; vocals, guitar).
The other members in the original line-up were Paul
Kantner (b. 17 March 1941, San Francisco, California,
USA; guitar, vocals) and Jorma Kaukonen (b. 23 December
1940, Washington, DC, USA; guitar, vocals). Bob
Harvey and Jerry Peloquin gave way to Alexander
Skip Spence (b. 18 April 1946, Windsor, Ontario,
Canada) and Signe Anderson (b. Signe Toly Anderson,
15 September 1941, Seattle, Washington, USA). Their
replacements, Spencer Dryden (b. 7 April 1938, New
York, USA; drums) and Jack Casady (b. 13 April 1944,
Washington, DC, USA), made up a seminal band that
blended folk and rock into what became known as
west coast rock. Kantner, already a familiar face
on the local folk circuit and Balin, formerly of
the Town Criers and co-owner of the Matrix club,
soon became highly popular locally, playing gigs
and benefits organized by promoter Bill Graham.
Eventually they became regulars at the Fillmore
Auditorium and the Carousel Ballroom, both a short
distance from their communal home in the Haight
Ashbury district. Anderson departed shortly after
the release of their moderately successful debut
Jefferson Airplane Takes Off and was replaced in
October 1966 by Grace Slick (b. Grace Barnett Wing,
30 October 1939, Evanston, Illinois, USA; vocals).
Slick
was already well known with her former band, the
Great Society, and donated two of their songs, "White
Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love", to
the Airplane. Both titles were on their second influential
collection, Surrealistic Pillow, and both became
US Top 10 hits. They have now achieved classic status
as definitive songs from that era. The lyrics of
"White Rabbit" combined the harmless tale
of Alice In Wonderland with an LSD trip. Their reputation
was enhanced by a strong performance at the legendary
Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. This national success
continued with the erratic After Bathing At Baxters
and the brilliant Crown Of Creation. The latter
showed the various writers in the band maturing
and developing their own styles. Balin's "If
You Feel", Kaukonen's "Ice Cream Phoenix"
and Slick's tragi-comic "Lather" gave
the record great variety. This album also contained
"Triad", a song their friend David Crosby
had been unable to include on a Byrds album. They
maintained a busy schedule and released a well-recorded
live album, Bless Its Pointed Little Head, in 1969.
The same year, they appeared at another milestone
in musical history: the Woodstock Festival. Later
that year they were present at the infamous Altamont
Festival, where a group of Hells Angels killed a
young spectator and attacked Balin.
Slick
and Kantner had now become lovers and their hippie
ideals and political views were a major influence
on Volunteers. While it was an excellent album,
it marked the decline of Balin's role in the band.
Additionally, Dryden departed and the offshoot Hot
Tuna began to take up more of Casady and Kaukonen's
time. Wizened fiddler Papa John Creach (b. 28 May
1917, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, USA, d. 22 February
1994; violin) joined the band full-time in 1970,
although he still continued to play with Hot Tuna.
Kantner released a concept album, Blows Against
The Empire, bearing the name Paul Kantner And The
Jefferson Starship. The "Starship" consisted
of various Airplane members, plus Jerry Garcia,
David Crosby, Graham Nash, et al. This majestic
album was nominated for the science fiction Hugo
Award. Slick, meanwhile, gave birth to a daughter,
China, who later in the year graced the cover of
Slick And Kantner's Sunfighter. Following a greatest
hits selection, Worst Of, and the departure of Balin,
the band released the cleverly packaged Bark. Complete
with brown paper bag, the album offered some odd
moments, notably Slick's "Never Argue With
A German", sung in spoof German, and new drummer
Joey Covington's 50s-sounding a cappella "Thunk".
It also marked the first release on their own Grunt
label.
The
disappointing Long John Silver was followed by a
gutsy live outing, 30 Seconds Over Winterland. This
was the last album to bear their name, although
an interesting compilation consisting of single
releases and studio out-takes later appeared as
Early Flight. Hot Tuna became Casady and Kaukonen's
main interest and Slick and Kantner released further
"solo" albums. The name change evolved
without any fuss, and one of the most inventive
bands in history prepared for a relaunch as the
Jefferson Starship. Kantner, Balin and Casady regrouped
briefly as the KBC Band in 1986. The Airplane title
was resurrected in 1989 when Slick, Kaukonen, Casady,
Balin and Kantner re-formed and released Jefferson
Airplane to an indifferent audience. By the early
90s Hot Tuna had re-formed, Kantner was rebuilding
his Jefferson Starship and Slick had apparently
retired from the music business.
Source:
VH1.com
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