Jefferson Airplane |
The Great! Society!! ♦ Hot Tuna ♦ Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship |
Gotta Start Somewhere...
These first two singles are by Marty Balin, wannbe pop star:Nobody But You / You Made Me Fall Burgess (2:22) / Robertson (2:04) Challenge 9146, 4/62 |
I Specialize In Love / You Are The One Balin-Collis (1:58) / Fuller (2:19) Challenge 9156, 7/62 |
Let's skip ahead a few years and a local group with a dynamic lead singer:
Someone To Love / Free Advice Slick (2:01) / Slick (2:00) North Beach 101, 2/66 |
Note: Early concerts at The Matrix were released in 1968. Group info is there.
It's No Secret / Runnin' 'Round This World Balin (2:40) / Balin-Kantner (2:40) RCA Victor 47-8679, 2/66 |
Come Up The Years / Blues From An Airplane Balin-Kantner (2:33) / Balin-Spence (2:13) RCA Victor 47-8848, 5/66 |
Skip Spence to Moby Grape, baby-bearing Signe Anderson retires
Jazz drummer Lather joins, Grace Slick moves in from The Great! Society!!Bringing Me Down / Let Me In Balin-Kantner (2:25) / Balin-Kantner (2:55) RCA Victor 47-8967, 9/66 |
Takes Off | |
RCA LSP-3584 | |
9/15/66 BB [UK: 10/71] | |
Side One | ||
Blues From An Airplane | Balin-Spence | 2:10 |
Let Me In | Balin-Kantner | 2:55 |
Bringing Me Down | Balin-Kantner | 2:22 |
It's No Secret | Balin | 2:37 |
Tobacco Road | Warnick [Loudermilk] | 3:26 |
Runnin' 'Round This World | Balin-Kantner | 2:40 |
Side Two | ||
Come Up The Years | Balin-Kantner | 2:30 |
Run Around | Balin-Kantner | 2:35 |
Let's Get Together | Powers | 3:32 |
Don't Slip Away | Balin-Spence | 2:31 |
Chauffeur Blues | Melrose | 2:25 |
And I Like It | Balin-Kaukonen | 3:16 |
Note: There were several issues of this album. With and without Runnin' 'Round This World and censored/uncensored Let Me In and Run
Around. Check the Discogs link for more details. No UK release until 1971.
My Best Friend / How Do You Feel³ Spence (2:59) / Mastin (2:33) RCA Victor 47-9063, 1/67 |
"A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In"(1/14/67) |
Bell Telephone Hour: "Sounds & Sights Of San Francisco," 1/29/67, NBC The Airplane perform It's No Secret: video filmed at The Fillmore Auditorium, audio from Lp. You can see this portion on the Fly Jefferson Airplane DVD—what you don't have a copy? |
Somebody To Love / She Has Funny Cars Slick-Slick (2:54) / Balin-Kaukonen (3:03) RCA Victor 47-9140, 2/67 T20 |
Surrealistic Pillow | |
RCA LSP-3766 | |
2/1/67 T20 RS500 [UK: 9/67] | |
Side One | ||
She Has Funny Cars | Balin-Kaukonen | 3:03 |
Somebody To Love | Slick-Slick | 2:54 |
My Best Friend | Spence | 2:59 |
Today | Balin-Kantner | 2:57 |
Comin' Back To Me | Balin | 5:18 |
Side Two | ||
3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds | Balin | 3:39 |
DCBA-25 | Kantner | 2:33 |
How Do You Feel? | Mastin | 3:26 |
Embryonic Journey(as if you didn't know: Jorma solo) | Kaukonen | 1:51 |
White Rabbit | Slick | 2:27 |
Plastic Fantastic Lover | Balin | 2:33 |
Note: The Brits hosed this album. See the blue note. The "real" album was issued in the UK in 1969.
Jerry was the defacto producer and helped arrange many songs. Read all about it at Grateful Dead Guide .
White Rabbit / Plastic Fantastic Lover Slick (2:29) / Balin (2:35) RCA Victor 47-9248, 6/67 T20 |
Magic Mountain Music Festival(6/11/67) |
Monterey International Pop Festival(6/17/67) |
Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil² / Two Heads Kantner (4:45) / Slick (3:10) RCA Victor 47-9297, 8/67 BB |
Watch Her Ride / Martha Kantner (3:11) / Kantner (3:21) RCA Victor 47-9389, 11/67 BB |
Perry Como: "Annual Holiday Special" 11/30/67, NBC The Airplane and "Mister C"? Show was sponsored by RCA, both were RCA artists—sure, why not. Two songs: Martha was a promo film (see that DVD above) and Watch Her Ride was done in all it's Fillmore glory. Poor quality Youtube video . Some viewers were not impressed . Another liked the effort. And one seemed just right. |
After Bathing At Baxter's | |
RCA LSO-1511 | |
12/67 T20 [UK: 6/68] | |
Side One | ||
Streetmasse | ||
The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil | Kantner | 4:30 |
A Small Package Of Value Will Come To You, Shortly | Dryden-Blackman-Thompson | 1:42 |
Young Girl Sunday Blues | Balin-Kanter | 3:29 |
The War Is Over | ||
Martha | Kantner | 3:21 |
Wild Tyme (H) | Kantner | 3:05 |
Hymn To An Older Generation | ||
The Last Wall Of The Castle | Kaukonen | 2:46 |
rejoyce | Slick | 4:00 |
Side Two | ||
How Suite It Is | ||
Watch Her Ride | Kantner | 3:11 |
Spare Chaynge | Casady-Dryden-Kaukonen | 9:05 |
Shizoforest Love Suite | ||
Two Heads | Slick | 3:10 |
Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon | Kantner | 5:01 |
Note: In case you weren't on the bus, Baxters was the Airplane's code word for acid.
According to Spencer [RS#26], Young Girl Sunday Blues was recorded at the Fillmore Auditorium.
Greasy Heart / Share alittle Joke (With The World)² Slick (3:19) / Balin (3:08) RCA Victor 47-9496, 3/68 BB |
Conspicuous Only In Its Absence | |
Columbia CS-9624 | |
3/68 BB [UK: ?/68] | |
Side One | ||
Sally, Go 'Round The Roses | Sanders-Stevens | 6:32 |
Didn't Think So | G Slick | 3:23 |
Grimly Forming | Vandergeler | 3:54 |
Somebody To Love | D Slick-G Slick | 4:28 |
Side Two | ||
Father Bruce | Miner-D Slick-G Slick-J Slick | 3:31 |
Outlaw Blues | Dylan | 2:28 |
Often As I May | G Slick | 3:43 |
Arbitration | Vandergeler | 4:59 |
White Rabbit | G Slick | 6:15 |
Note: Recorded at The Matrix, late 65
Northern California Folk-Rock Festival(5/18/68) |
➜ Live: 5/3-4, Fillmore East; released 1998: Live At The Fillmore East
Life Magazine The New Rock June 28, 1968 |
Newport Pop Festival(8/4/68) |
Didn't Think So³ / Sally Go 'Round The Roses³ Slick (2:30) / Sanders-Stevens (2:18) Columbia 4-44583, 8/68 |
Crown Of Creation | |
RCA LSP-4058 | |
8/68 T20 [UK: 12/68] | |
Side One | ||
Lather | Slick | 2:55 |
In Time | Balin-Kantner | 4:07 |
Triad | Crosby | 4:54 |
Star Track | Kaukonen | 3:09 |
Share A Little Joke | Balin | 3:04 |
Chushingura | Dryden | 1:17 |
Side Two | ||
If You Feel | Balin-Blackman | 3:30 |
Crown Of Creation | Kantner | 2:52 |
Ice Cream Phoenix | Cockey-Kaukonen | 2:59 |
Greasy Heart | Slick | 3:25 |
The House At Pooneil Corners | Balin-Kantner | 5:46 |
Note: Bomb photo: Hiroshima (courtesy USAF) (actually, it's from a Nevada test).
Great South Coast Bank Holiday Pop Festivity(8/31/68) |
How It Was | |
Columbia CS-9702 | |
9/68 [UK: N/R?] | |
Side One | ||
That's How It Is | Miner | 2:35 |
Darkly Smiling | D Slick | 3:06 |
Nature Boy | Ahbez | 3:06 |
You Can't Cry | Miner | 3:13 |
Side Two | ||
Daydream Nightmare | Miner | 4:30 |
Everybody Knows | D Slick | 2:33 |
Born To Be Burned | D Slick-J Slick | 3:16 |
Father | Miner-D Slick-G Slick-J Slick | 6:41 |
Note: Recorded at The Matrix, late 65
Both albums re-released in 1971 as double album (Collector's Item From The San Francisco Scene)—see note 2 and a surprise in the last note.
The Ed Sullivan Show: 9/29/68, Crown Of Creation, Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon |
Crown Of Creation / Lather Kantner (2:52) / Slick (2:55) RCA Victor 47-9644, 10/68 BB |
|
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: "Really, Grace? ," 11/10/68, CBS Live vocal versions of Crown Of Creation and Lather |
On Nov 19, the group did something that The Beatles duplicated in Jan 69. Both groups got in some trouble (YouTube link)! |
Monterey Pop(12/26/68) | |
First and best rockumentary on festivals |
Bless Its Pointed Little Head | |
RCA LSP-4133 | |
2/69 T20 [UK: 6/69] UK | |
Side One | ||
Clergy† | - | 1:32 |
3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds‡ | Balin | 4:37 |
Somebody To Love‡ | Slick | 3:46 |
Fat Angel† | Leitch | 7:29 |
Rock Me Baby‡ | Traditional | 7:40 |
Side Two | ||
The Other Side Of This Life‡ | Neil | 6:35 |
It's No Secret‡ | Balin | 3:22 |
Plastic Fantastic Lover‡ | Balin | 3:40 |
Turn Out The Lights† | Casady-Dryden-Kantner-Kaukonen-Slick | :58 |
Bear Melt† | Casady-Dryden-Kantner-Kaukonen-Slick | 11:06 |
Note: Recorded live at the †Fillmore East (11/28-30/68) and ‡Fillmore West (10/24-26/68). 3 more tracks on 2004 CD.
Album was delayed by—yup, legal stuff. The opening to concert was the concluding scenes from the movie King Kong shown to thePlastic Fantastic Lover / The Other Side Of This Life Balin (3:40) / Neil (6:35) RCA Victor 74-0150, 5/69 |
Northern California Folk-Rock Festival(5/24/69) |
Atlantic City Pop Festival(8/2/69) |
Woodstock Music & Art Fair(8/16/69) |
|
Dick Cavett Show: "Woodstock Hangover ," 8/19/69, ABC Dick gets hip with Joni, C&S, and the Airplane right after the upstate mud-fest (see note below). |
Note: (cont'd) Only time "m*therf*ck*r was said on TV It was taped the day before (Monday afternoon) and that's why Jimi was
excused). Joni sings "Chelsea" and Stills does "4+20" and they join the f*ck*rs at the end with "Somebody To Love." Classic TV!
Read about the show @ wiki or Dangerous Minds —your choice.
New Orleans Pop Festival(9/1/69) |
Volunteers / We Can Be Together Balin-Kantner (2:03) / Kantner (5:50) RCA Victor 74-0245, 10/69 BB |
Sesame Street: "Grace sings Jazz Numbers ," in taped spots through the first season. Denny Zeitlin composed the music. More details at: Muppet Wiki |
Volunteers | |
RCA LSP-4238 | |
11/69 T20 RS500 [UK: 2/70] UK | |
Side One | ||
We Can Be Together† | Kantner | 5:50 |
Good Shepherd | arr Kaukonen | 4:22 |
The Farm | Blackman-Kantner | 2:55 |
Hey Fredrick† | Slick | 8:31 |
Side Two | ||
Turn My Life Down | Kaukonen | 2:55 |
Wooden Ships† | Crosby-Kantner-Stills | 6:00 |
Eskimo Blue Day | Kantner-Slick | 6:31 |
A Song For All Seasons† | Dryden | 3:30 |
Meadowlands | - | 1:01 |
Volunteers† | Balin-Kantner | 2:03 |
Note: In 1973, RCA issued a quadrophonic release of Volunteers (see note for cover).
There are quite a few diferences in the recordings (check out Volunteers!).
➜ Live: 11/28-29, Fillmore East; released 2007: Sweeping Up The Spotlight
Note: This was their annual Thanksgiving appearance at the Fillmore East—great show (on-the-scene report)
Palm Beach Music and Art Festival(11/30/69) |
Altamont Speedway Free Festival(12/6/69) |
Woodstock(3/26/70) | |
From Richie to Jimi—3 days of music, mud, and meandering |
Spencer Dryden to New Riders of the Purple Sage, replaced by Joey Covington.
Marty Balin to wander and produce Grootna.
Have You Seen The Saucers?¹ / Mexico¹ Kantner (3:37) / Slick (2:07) RCA Victor 74-0343, 5/70 |
Hot Tuna | |
RCA LSP-4353 | |
6/70 BB [UK: 8/70] | |
Side One | ||
Hesitation Blues | trad, arr Casady-Kaukonen | 5:05 |
How Long Blues | Carr | 3:24 |
Uncle Sam Blues | trad, arr Casady-Kaukonen | 5:04 |
Don't You Leave Me Here | Morton | 2:50 |
Death Don't Have No Mercy | Davis | 6:10 |
Side Two | ||
Know Your Rider | trad, arr Casady-Kaukonen | 3:59 |
Oh Lord, Search My Heart | Davis | 3:47 |
Winin' Boy Blues | Morton | 5:25 |
New Song (For the Morning) | Kaukonen | 4:55 |
Mann's Fate | Kaukonen | 5:20 |
Note: Recorded September 16 to 24, 1969, New Orleans House, Berkeley
6/28/70: Bath Festival 1970 (Hot Tuna) Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England |
Blows Against The Empire | |
RCA LSP-4448 | |
11/70 T20 [UK: 1/71] T20 | |
Side One | ||
Mau Mau (Amerikon) | Kantner-Slick-Covington | 6:33 |
The Baby Tree(Kantner & Garcia only) | Sorrels | 1:42 |
Let's Go Together | Kantner | 4:11 |
A Child Is Coming | Kantner-Slick-Crosby | 6:15 |
Side Two: Blows Against The Empire | ||
Sunrise | Slick | 1:54 |
Hijack | Kantner-Slick-Balin-Blackman | 8:18 |
Home | Kantner-Sawyer-Nash | :37 |
Have You Seen The Stars Tonite | Kantner-Crosby | 3:42 |
XM | Kantner-Sawyer-Garcia-Hart | 1:22 |
Starship | Kantner-Slick-Balin-Blackman | 7:07 |
Note: Thanks to Kurt Vonnegut, Robert A Heinlein, Michael Cooney, Jean Genet, Mike Lipskin, Buckminster Fuller, Theodore Sturgeon,
A A Milne, John Lear and The Bear - James Boyd, thanks
The album was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (sci-fi)—no award was given
The Worst Of Jefferson Airplane RCA LSP-4459, 11/70 BB [UK: 2/71] no unique tracks |
Gimme Shelter(12/6/70) | |
Stones 1969 tour, ending in Altamont |
Go Ride The Music: Winter 71, NET The Airplane and Quicksilver (studio and live) perform for NET's Fanfare series. |
First Pull Up, Then Pull Down | |
RCA Victor LSP-4550 | |
6/71 BB [UK: 10/71] | |
Side One | ||
John's Other | Creach | 8:12 |
Candy Man | Davis | 5:44 |
Been So Long | Kaukonen | 3:42 |
Want You To Know | Carter | 4:23 |
Side Two | ||
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning | Davis | 8:08 |
Never Happen No More | Blind Blake | 3:47 |
Come Back Baby | Hopkins | 9:28 |
Note: recorded April, 1971 at Chateau Liberté, Los Gatos, California
Been So Long¹ / Candy Man³ Kaukonen (3:42) / Davis (3:59) RCA Victor 74-0528, 9/71 |
Bark | |
Grunt FTR-1001 | |
9/71 T20 [UK: 9/71] UK | |
Side One | ||
When The Earth Moves Again | Kantner | 3:51 |
Feel So Good | Kaukonen | 4:35 |
Crazy Miranda | Slick | 3:21 |
Pretty As You Feel | Casady-Covington-Kaukonen | 4:25 |
Wild Turkey | Kaukonen | 4:35 |
Side Two | ||
Lawman | Slick | 2:40 |
Rock & Roll Island | Kantner | 3:40 |
Third Week In The Chelsea | Kaukonen | 4:40 |
Never Argue With A German If You're Tired Or European Song | Slick | 4:31 |
Thunk | Covington | 2:57 |
War Movie | Kantner | 4:41 |
Note: One of the more elaborate packages: LP came in brown bag (with credits on reverse), regular LP jacket, and doubled-sided poster
Too bad the music wasn't as neat!
Portraits of group member by Grace (except Grace's was done by Bill Thompson). Gary Blackman contributed the bag poem.
Pretty As You Feel³ / Wild Turkey Covington-Casady-Kaukonen (3:07) / Kaukonen (4:43) Grunt 65-0500, 10/71 BB |
Sunfighter / China Kantner (3:50) / Slick (3:13) Grunt 65-0503, 11/71 |
Paul Kantner & Grace Slick Sunfighter | |
Grunt FTR-1002 | |
11/71 BB [UK: 12/71] | |
Side One | ||
Silver Spoon | Slick | 5:40 |
Diana - Part 1 | Kantner-Slick | 0:52 |
Sunfighter | Kantner | 3:50 |
Titanic | Sawyer | 2:25 |
Look At The Wood | Kantner-Slick | 2:08 |
When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves | Kantner-Slick | 4:59 |
Side Two | ||
Million | Kantner | 4:02 |
China | Slick | 3:17 |
Earth Mother | Traylor | 3:16 |
Diana - Part 2 | Kantner-Slick | 1:01 |
Universal Copernican Mumbles | Gleeson-Kantner-Vierra | 2:03 |
Holding Together | Kantner-Slick | 7:40 |
Note: Album came with 16-page booklet, with many drawings by Grace.
Good Stuff From 2400 Fulton Here's a goody that was quite welcome in '74. Previously unissued tracks from the early days with Signe to a track done for Bark (Up Or Down). Plus three hard-to-find single tracks. All choice quality stuff, hand-picked by Bill Thompson, their long-time manager. Of special note are three songs recorded for Pillow, but lay unheard until now. Go To Her was reprised from an early Signe sung version. J P P and Morning are the other two. |
Early Flight | |
Grunt CYL1-0437 | |
2/74 BB [UK: 4/74] | |
Side One | ||
High Flying Bird | Wheeler | 2:30 |
Runnin' Round This World(non-LP 45) | Balin-Kantner | 2:21 |
It's Alright | Kantner-Spence | 2:15 |
In The Morning | Kaukonen | 6:25 |
J P P McStep B Blues | Spence | 2:48 |
Side Two | ||
Go To Her | Estes-Kantner | 3:58 |
Up Or Down | P Kaukonen | 6:18 |
Mexico(non-LP 45—different mix) | Slick | 2:05 |
Have You Seen The Saucers?(non-LP 45) | Kantner | 3:37 |
Note: P Kaukonen is Jorma's brother, Peter
Everything started to fall apart in 72. Long John Silver was their last studio album (7/72). Hot Tuna and Starship moved on. |