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.
