Nice read on this album by the Airplane. A number of songs from this album remain in my permanent music mix.

[observer.com]

There's a really great book which includes music of the San Francisco sound of the psychedelic era if any of y'all interested in exploring the history of that era. Here's a link I found on Amazon for it.

[www.amazon.com]

Jefferson Airplane were HUGE in '67. They were the face of the San Francisco scene, and symbols of a youth revolution--musical and otherwise.

It should be mentioned that the album was produced* by Aftermath engineer Dave Hassinger.

Dave was riding high that year. He also produced the Electric Prunes hit "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" and the Grateful Dead's first album.

While not as commercially successful, he also worked with the Everly Brothers around that time. Some of those songs collected on the Heartaches and Harmonies box set really have an Aftermath sound, and worth checking out for any fan of that album.

*CORRECTION: I recently pulled out my copy of Surrealistic Pillow a few months after writing this, and I saw that while Hassinger was the engineer, the album was produced by RICK JARRARD, who worked on the early Nilsson albums (also on RCA).

If you've seen the Nilsson documentary, (Who Is Harry Nilsson And Why Is Everbody Talking About Him?) Jarrard is interviewed about his work with Harry, which produced hits like "Everybody's Talkin'" and he seemed genuinely hurt by the way Nilsson suddenly dropped him without a word after a productive relationship that spanned several albums.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-03-20 21:52 by loog droog.

Love them but never understood how a band that was so much a part of the counterculture could sell out big time - first as a boogie style rock band and worse, as a lame pop/rock band trying to woo teenyboppersand going for the big buck with dross like We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll and Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now.

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Silver Dagger
Love them but never understood how a band that was so much a part of the counterculture could sell out big time - first as a boogie style rock band and worse, as a lame pop/rock band trying to woo teenyboppersand going for the big buck with dross like We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll and Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now.

Boogie style rock band?
Never thought of the post Airplane '70's era that way. Aside from a several nice rockers (Ride the Tiger for example), in my mind they were more like pop rock mellow adult contemporary, etc. Tunes like Caroline, Miracles, St. Charles, With Your Love, Count on Me, etc. pretty much sums them up during that period, and have to admit I have a certain fondness for alot of that stuff as they were pretty much staples on the radio and my older sister had all the albums! In fact, I would define that era as 'Older sister rock' vs. a 'Boogie style rock band'.

But then the next phase of the band was totally crap...the MTV era...Jane, Built this City, Find Your Way Back....

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Never saw the Dave Hassinger connection with Aftermath. Some people told me to get the MONO vinyl of Surrealistic Pillow. It should have more punsch then the stereo version. Now I understand if it`s a similar production like Aftermath on which I do prefer the MONO version.

Tom

never understood how a band anyone that was seemed so much a part of the counterculture could sell out big time keep on keeping on and roll with the times....

It is called making a living and staying alive, most people did it try to.

As far as the variety of music they put out... some of it was not to my taste, but there seems to be a never ending demand for lame music, it sells and they made a lot money with songs that are often chided.

I like some of the older and newer stuff and dont like some it. I personally reveled in the Freedom at point zero Modern Times Winds of change versions of the band... they were kick ass rock and roll. Grace and Micky singing, Paul and Craig Chaquico on guitar, Ansley on drums, Pete on bass and Dave or keyboards. I saw that line up 3-4 times in concert and they put on a fantastic live show, I mean they were really really good rock and roll show... and then they changed again... and that was it for me. But I still visit those albums and pick and choose the songs. Stairway to Cleveland



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-02-03 00:33 by HankM.

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Silver Dagger
Love them but never understood how a band that was so much a part of the counterculture could sell out big time - first as a boogie style rock band and worse, as a lame pop/rock band trying to woo teenyboppersand going for the big buck with dross like We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll and Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now.

Are you saying the Airplane sold out or the Jefferson Starship? I never considered them the same band.

Paul Kantner's 1970 Blows Against the Empire album was released under the name Jefferson Starship, the first album to use the "Starship" name while the Airplane was still active. Great album.

The official Jefferson Starship was formed in 1974 and they did have some good songs in the 74/75 time frame one being Ride the Tiger:[www.youtube.com]

And then we had the band the Starship

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Silver Dagger
Love them but never understood how a band that was so much a part of the counterculture could sell out big time - first as a boogie style rock band and worse, as a lame pop/rock band trying to woo teenyboppersand going for the big buck with dross like We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll and Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now.

Yes that awful version of Starship was after Paul Kantner and Marty Balin left.
Grace Slick was still there - but I'm not sure who else was left from the original Jefferson Airplane at that point.

The two hit songs on Surrealistic Pillow (and best known songs by the Jefferson Airplane) were brought to the band by Grace Slick, and originally done by her band The Great Society

[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]
(note that the vocals don't start until over 4 minutes in)

I thought I was the only fan of Ride the Tiger. If I remember right, it was the first song with Marty back with Grace and Paul, several years after Marty had quit the Airplane.

The Airplane and the Jefferson Starship were very different bands, with different feels from the beginning. The early Starship was great. After the first few albums they lost their way, as the drugs and the 'late 70's took their toll.

When Marty and Paul left and they became just Starship, they were a mediocre pop '80's band. All the magic was gone at that point.

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Silver Dagger
Love them but never understood how a band that was so much a part of the counterculture could sell out big time - first as a boogie style rock band and worse, as a lame pop/rock band trying to woo teenyboppersand going for the big buck with dross like We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll and Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now.

not sure what you mean. Jefferson airplane, Jefferson starship and starship are different bands hence the name change

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bam
I thought I was the only fan of Ride the Tiger. If I remember right, it was the first song with Marty back with Grace and Paul, several years after Marty had quit the Airplane...

Amazing song forever...

and btw
HUGE CHEERS AND PROPS TO GRACEF'n SLICK!!! Happy Birthday Grace! YOU KICK ASS!

Great album!!

Yes amazing album and Grace Slick is into painting

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runaway
Yes amazing album and Grace Slick is into painting

I dont buy much art, Im too poor, my art is mostly cool 12x12 LPs...
but if I had the money I would invest in some of Grace's paintings.


More... [www.google.com]

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HankM

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runaway
Yes amazing album and Grace Slick is into painting

I dont buy much art, Im too poor, my art is mostly cool 12x12 LPs...
but if I had the money I would invest in some of Grace's paintings.


More... [www.google.com]

Yes some Of the Original Artworks can be expensive but I've seen some Prints for a reasonable price.

"Ride the Tiger" LOL. I'd forgotten about that. Craig Chaquito..

I never liked them much; mainly because I couldnt stand Grace Slick. The most tone deaf lead singer ever.
But - "Bless it's Pointed Little Head" is a fantastic album.
When they let Casady and Kaukonen run it was good. How about "Feels So Good" from 30 Seconds over Winterland?

And least we forget...

"Jerry Garcia: Spiritual Advisor"

Jerry's contractual obligations to Warner Brothers Records prevented them from fully crediting his musical contributions to SP, but he was there too, as, of course were Jorma, Jack and Spencer Dryden, who was the first to bolt the JA Mach II line-up for an excellent stint in the New Riders Of The Purple Sage.

Always considered Jefferson Starship watered down pap compared to the Airplane or Jorma and Jack's work with Hot Tuna, which is still active.

If you're ever in Hollywood and visit Amoeba Music, as you look out the front doors, across the street to your right, catecornered at the Northeast corner of Sunset & Ivar, sits the building where SP was recorded, the old RCA studios that is now part of the Hollywood Film School.