Jefferson Starship

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Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship in 2008 (Clockwist from Left): David Freiberg, Paul Kantner, Slick Aguilar, Chris Smith, Donny Baldwin, Cathy Richardson
Background information
Also known as	Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation, Starship
Origin	San Francisco, California, United States
Genre(s)	Psychedelic rock Acid rock AOR
Years active	1974 – 1984, 1992 - Present
Associated acts	Jefferson Airplane, KBC Band, Starship
Website	jeffersonstarshipsf.com
Members
Paul Kantner David Freiberg Cathy Richardson Slick Aguilar Donny Baldwin Chris Smith
Former members
Grace Slick Mickey Thomas Marty Balin Craig Chaquico Pete Sears Papa John Creach John Barbata Aynsley Dunbar Peter Kaukonen Jack Casady Prairie Prince Darby Gould Diana Mangano Gary Cambra T Lavitz Bret Bloomfield Mark Morgan

Jefferson Starship is an American rock band that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. It developed from San Francisco-based psychedelic rock group Jefferson Airplane.

[edit] History

[edit] Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship

During the transitional period of the early 1970s, singer-guitarist Paul Kantner recorded Blows Against The Empire, a concept album featuring an ad hoc group of musicians and credited on the LP as "Jefferson Starship", marking the first use of the latter name.^[1]

This 'prototype' version of Jefferson Starship included David Crosby and Graham Nash and Grateful Dead members Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart, as well as some of the remaining members of Jefferson Airplane, lead singer Grace Slick, drummer Joey Covington and bassist Jack Casady. The name of this group of musicians was changed to Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra.

In Blows Against the Empire, Kantner (and Slick) sang about a group of people escaping Earth in a hijacked starship. In 1971, the album was nominated for the prestigious science fiction prize, the Hugo Award, a rare honor for a musical recording. Rolling Stone calls it "a sci-fi song suite that now suffers from concept-album creakiness but at its time boasted an experimental edge." ^[2] It was while that album was being made that Kantner sealed his love affair with Grace Slick; their daughter China Kantner (who made a name for herself as an MTV veejay in the 1980s) was born shortly thereafter.

Kantner and Slick with the Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra released two follow-up albums: Sunfighter, an environmentalism-tinged album released in 1971 to celebrate China's birth, and 1973's Baron von Tollbooth & The Chrome Nun, titled after the nicknames David Crosby had given to the couple. The artist credit on Baron von Tollbooth gave ex-bassist-keyboard player-vocalist David Freiberg equal billing with Kantner and Slick. Freiberg had known and played with Kantner on the folk circuit in the early 1960s and also appeared on Blows Against the Empire, and he had joined Jefferson Airplane in time to appear on their live LP Thirty Seconds over Winterland. Early in 1974, Slick released Manhole, her first solo album. It was on the "Manhole" album that Paul and Grace next worked with Pete Sears (who had first played on Papa John Creach's first solo album, who was downstairs co-producing a Kathi McDonald album in the same studio. Sears wrote and recorded the song, "Better Lying Down" with Grace, and played bass on the song "Epic #38." It was during this 1973 session at Wally Heider studios in San Francisco, that Paul first asked Pete to play with a new band he was forming called, "Jefferson Starship". However, Sears had worked on three of Rod Stewart's early British recordings, and had to go back to England to play on "Smiler", Rod's last album made in London, so Jorma Kaukonen's brother Peter Kaukonen first played with the band early in 1974 before Sears returned to the States and replaced him in Jefferson Starship in late 1974.

Kantner is also credited with discovering teenage guitarist Craig Chaquico during this time, who first appeared on Sunfighter and would play with Kantner, Slick and their bands and then with Starship through 1991. He later embarked on a successful solo career as a smooth jazz artist.

[edit] Jefferson Starship

By 1973, with Kaukonen and Casady now devoting their full attention to Hot Tuna, the musicians on Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun formed the core of a new lineup that was formally reborn as "Jefferson Starship" in 1974.^[3] Kantner, Slick, and Freiberg were charter members. The line-up also included late-Airplane holdovers drummer John Barbata, and fiddler Papa John Creach (who also played with Hot Tuna), along with Pete Sears (who, like Freiberg, played bass and keyboards) and twenty-year-old guitarist Craig Chaquico. Marty Balin contributed the haunting ballad, "Caroline" to their first album Dragon Fly, but did not join the band again until November 1974. Balin stayed with the group for nearly the remainder of the decade. This line-up proved to be the band's most commercially successful so far. Balin's ballad "Miracles" helped 1975's Red Octopus reach multiple-platinum status. The follow-ups, Spitfire (1976), and Earth (1978), were both big sellers.

However, Slick's alcoholism became a problem, which led to two nights of disastrous concerts in Germany in 1978^[4]. The first night, fans ransacked the stage when Slick and the band failed to appear. The following night, Slick, in a drunken stupor, shocked the audience by using profanity and sexual references throughout most of her songs. She also reminded the audience that their country had lost during World War II, repeatedly asking "Who won the war?", and implied that all residents of Germany were responsible for the wartime atrocities^[5][6]. After the debacle, she was asked to leave the band.

Towards the end of 1978, Jefferson Starship (now without Grace Slick) recorded "Light the Sky on Fire" for the Star Wars Holiday Special and their forthcoming greatest hits album Gold. Gold, highlighting their work from 1974's Dragon Fly through to 1978's Earth, was released early the following year. "Light the Sky on Fire" (backed with Sears and Slick's "Hyperdrive", from Dragon Fly) was included as a bonus single in the original packaging of album. (When Gold was issued on CD, both tracks were included on the album.) The album originally had a shortened single version of the hit "Miracles"; early pressings of the CD repeated this, but later editions had the full length version from the album Red Octopus.

Shortly before the release of Gold, Balin too left the group, leaving Kantner and company to find a new lead singer in Mickey Thomas (who had sung lead on Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"). Thomas's soaring falsetto steered the band toward a harder rock sound. Barbata had been seriously injured in a car accident, and was replaced by Aynsley Dunbar, who had previously played with Journey.

After the 1979 release of Freedom at Point Zero (which spawned the hit single "Jane"), Grace Slick returned to the band. She joined in time to contribute one song, written by Pete Sears, "Stranger", on the group's next album, Modern Times (1981). Modern Times also included the humorous "Stairway to Cleveland," in which the band defended the numerous changes it had undergone in its musical style, personnel, and even name. Slick remained in the band for Jefferson Starship's final two albums, Winds Of Change (1982) and Nuclear Furniture (1984). One noted personnel change in the group between the two albums was Dunbar leaving and being replaced by Donny Baldwin, who had performed with Thomas in the Elvin Bishop Group. Around this time, the band began enthusiastically embracing the rock-video age, making elaborate videos typical of the era's superstar bands. Grace Slick would appear frequently on MTV and such music-oriented television shows as Solid Gold, giving the band a high visibility in the MTV era. However, the Jefferson Starship albums of this era were only modestly successful, yet the band remained a gold-selling (and thus commercially credible) act, and a popular concert draw.

[edit] Starship

In 1984, Paul Kantner, the last remaining founding member of Jefferson Airplane, left Jefferson Starship, and then took legal action over the Jefferson Starship name against his former bandmates. Kantner settled out of court and signed an agreement that neither party would use the names "Jefferson" or "Airplane" unless all members of Jefferson Airplane, Inc. agreed to it (Bill Thompson, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady). The band briefly changed its name to "Starship Jefferson" while legal proceedings occurred, but ultimately the name was reduced to simply "Starship". Freiberg left after the lawsuit, but before the next album was recorded.

The next album, Knee Deep In The Hoopla was released in 1985 and scored two #1 hits. The first was "We Built This City", written by Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf; the second was "Sara". No previous incarnation of the band had ever had a #1 hit. The album itself reached #7, went platinum, and spawned two more singles: "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (#26), and "Before I Go" (#68).

In 1987, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was featured in the film Mannequin and hit #1, although only Slick and Thomas (plus Craig Chaquico's guitar solo) appeared on it. At that time, the song made Slick the oldest female vocalist to sing on a number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit, at the age of 47. She held this record until Cher broke it at the age of 52, in 1999 with "Believe".) The following year, the band's song "Wild Again" (which reached #73 on the Billboard singles chart) was used in the movie Cocktail.

By the time No Protection was released, bassist, keyboardist Pete Sears had left the band due to the commercial direction the music had taken. Sears went on to play keyboards with former "Jefferson Airplane" members, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady in "Hot Tuna" for ten years. Starship's "No Protection" was not released until well after "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (its most popular single) had peaked on the charts, but still went gold; in addition to "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (#1), it featured the singles "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" (#9), and "Beat Patrol" (#46). The last song on the album, "Set The Night To Music", would later become a huge hit when re-recorded as a duet between Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest.

Grace Slick left Starship in 1988, announcing that she was retiring from music. Slick, then in her late forties, was becoming more self-conscious about her age. As Kantner, Sears and Freiberg had left the band, all the new and remaining members were more than a decade younger than her. To this day Grace maintains that old(er) people "don't belong on a rock and roll stage."^[7]

With Slick's departure, Thomas became sole lead singer. The revamped lineup released Love Among the Cannibals in 1989. On September 24 that year, Donny Baldwin seriously injured Mickey Thomas in a fight.[1] Thomas had to have reconstructive facial surgery and Baldwin was fired from the band.

[edit] Breakup

A tour in support of Cannibals was canceled, and manager Bill Thompson told RCA that the band was done making records. The band dissolved in 1990; the following year RCA assembled a greatest hits album, Greatest Hits (Ten Years and Change 1979-1991), which featured two new tracks that featured only Thomas from the band's previous lineup. Thomas revived Starship in 1992 as "Starship featuring Mickey Thomas" with different personnel and has toured steadily ever since. The same year, Kantner also revived the Starship name, as Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation.

[edit] Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation

In 1992, Kantner established Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation, a group that would, at times, include various former Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship members, to tour and perform. After the first couple of years, the band dropped the use of "The Next Generation", and now perform as Jefferson Starship. The revived band grew out of Paul Kantner’s decision, following the "Unplugged" trend, to hit the road in 1991 with an acoustic ensemble called Paul Kantner’s Wooden Ships, a trio that included Slick Aguilar and Tim Gorman from the KBC Band, a previous group centered on former Jefferson Airplane/Starship members. The Next Generation name is a reference to Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The success of this project prompted Kantner to reinvent his electric band, and Jefferson Starship took off once again. In addition to Aguilar and Gorman, Kantner recruited former collaborators Jack Casady and blues violin master Papa John Creach; former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince; and former World Entertainment War vocalist Darby Gould.

In 1993 Marty Balin rejoined Jefferson Starship, ending a 15-year hiatus from the group. Papa John died in early 1993, weeks after touring Europe. Concurrently a young vocalist, Diana Mangano, joined the group as Gould’s replacement.

In 1995 Jefferson Starship released Deep Space / Virgin Sky, a live album recorded at the House of Blues in Hollywood, California. The album featured eight new and seven classic tunes. Grace Slick joined the band for four songs, “Lawman,” “Wooden Ships,” “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit.” In 1999 Jefferson Starship released the studio album “Windows of Heaven,” which featured Slick on background vocals on one song, “I’m On Fire.”

Balin continued as a full-time member of the reunited band until 2003 and still occasionally joins them in concert as of 2008. Casady remained a member until the late 1990s and has since joined Jorma Kaukonen in a reunited Hot Tuna. Gorman left in the late ‘90s as well and was replaced by former Supremes keyboardist Chris Smith. In 2005, David Freiberg rejoined the group. Jefferson Starship played three songs on NBC’s “The Today Show” on June 30, 2007.

Jefferson Starship continues to entertain audiences worldwide with frequent live appearances. Mangano was replaced by vocalist Cathy Richardson in early 2008, and drummer Donny Baldwin who had played with Jefferson Starship in the 80s replaced Prince, and this revived Jefferson Starship can often capture a good deal of the feeling of the original Airplane.

As of 2008 Jefferson Starship continues to tour with a lineup of Paul Kantner (vocals, guitar), David Freiberg (vocals, bass, keyboards), Cathy Richardson (vocals), Slick Aguilar (lead guitar), Chris Smith (keyboards) and Donny Baldwin (drums). The band sometimes features guest musicians such as Balin, Gould, Gorman and former Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten.

In March 2008, basic tracks were recorded for a new studio album planned to be released in September, 2008, The Tree of Liberty.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

[edit] Albums

[edit] Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra discography

• Blows Against The Empire by Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship (1970) #20 US
• If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby (1971) #12 US
• Songs for Beginners by Graham Nash (1971) #15 US
• Sunfighter by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick (1971) #89 US
• Graham Nash David Crosby by Graham Nash and David Crosby (1972) #4 US
• Rolling Thunder by Mickey Hart (1972)
• Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun by Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, and David Freiberg (1973) #52 US

[edit] Original Jefferson Starship

• Dragon Fly (1974) #11 US
• Red Octopus (1975) (best-selling album for any incarnation of the Airplane/Starship) #1 US
• Spitfire (1976) #3 US
• Earth (1978) (last album with Marty Balin, until 1989) #5 US
• Gold (1979) (compilation album) #20 US
• Freedom at Point Zero (1979) #10 US
• Modern Times (1981) #26 US
• Winds of Change (1982) #26 US
• Nuclear Furniture (1984) #28 US

[edit] As Starship

• Knee Deep in the Hoopla (1985) #7 US
• No Protection (1987) #12 US
• Love Among the Cannibals (1989) #64 US
• Greatest Hits (Ten Years and Change 1979-1991) (1991)

[edit] Reformed Jefferson Starship

• Deep Space / Virgin Sky (1995)
• Windows of Heaven (1999)
• Across the Sea of Suns (2001)
• The Tree of Liberty (2008)

[edit] Non US and Other Releases

• Jefferson Starship at Their Best (1993)
• The Best of Starship (1993)
• Greatest Hits: Live at the Fillmore (1999)

[edit] Live Soundboard Recordings

These were CDs recorded directly from the soundboard at the live shows and sold to concert attendees who wished to purchase them. They were also sold online for a short time.

• Live at B. B. King's Blues Club (2000)
• Live at Vinoy Park (2000)
• Post Nine 11 (2001) (6 concerts released separately)
• UK (2002) (6 concerts released separately)
• Live (2003) (3 concerts released separately)
• Galactic Reunion Concert (2005)

[edit] Personnel

[edit] External links

• Unofficial Starship Home Page
• http://www.jeffersonstarshipsf.com/ Official Home page

[edit] References