Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane Dies

[David Root]

At 74, recently. Another one gone. At least Grace is still around.

[Phil_S]

I sometimes go back to the old stuff I listened to while in college. JA is surely one of those. I loved those albums. Being a Bay area band, they didn't come east as much as I've have liked and I never saw them, though I have seen Hot Tuna in several different incarnations, including within the last 5 years or so. Sometime within the last decade I pulled out a couple of the JA albums. I felt as if they were stuck in a time warp and did not stand the test of time (or maybe they are only really good with a head on.) It made me a little sad to come to this. Nevertheless, Paul Kanter made his mark and I believe he'll be missed. 74 is way too young these days.

[Leo_Gnardo]

We are the forces of chaos and anarchy.
Everything they say we are, we are.
And we are very proud of ourselves.

Takes a special kind of mind to write that sort of lyrics. Sort of a more poetic way of saying "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore." He wrote strong protest songs appropriate to the Nixon era.

He was capable of some quite beautiful writing too: "Have you seen the stars tonight" from Blows Against the Empire, good listening.

Paul was a stroke survivor, back when he was quite a bit younger.

Last week, heart attack then multiple organ breakdown and septic shock. What a way to go. His own innards gone to chaos and anarchy. AKKK!

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edit: I'll have to disagree, in the most friendly way I can, Phil. Those early JA albums are very much relevant. Particularly "Crown of Creation" the title track an apocolyptic and to-the-point criticism delivered with hammer-blow accompaniment, still fresh as the day it was made, much like Frank Zappa's "More Trouble Every Day." I still get a lot out of that album, plus Volunteers, After Bathing at Baxters (Last Wall of the Castle, holey friggidy-frackin' smokes!) and live "Bless Its Pointed Little Head." WOW, what a body of work. I'll try to settle down now. But Sunday mornin' there's bound to be a JA 'splosion in my living room. Earplugs may be necessary.

Gracie, after vocally blowing our brains out (and hers) has been enjoying a couple decades of peace & quiet being a painter.

Jorma & Jack still perk up our ears with hints of past glory. Their series of Hot Tuna albums, some better some worse but the good ones are must-have music everyone should listen & know, especially Burgers = pure magic. "First pull up then pull down" and the early "Live Acoustic" are top shelf, and Jorma's solo "QUAH" another no brainer, lotta good stuff there.

And Marty Balin, he of the terrific voice, still has me wondering about his rarely heard solo album "Bodacious DF", WTF is DF? Someday I'll know the answer to this deepest mystery.

Now back to our regular program Whew!

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RIP Mr. Kantner, another man done gone.

[Phil_S]

Leo,
I said it badly. What I meant to say was that I didn't think the music stood the test of time...the soundtrack, the acid rock sound. It's dated. This is personal...I found it was not so pleasing to the ear as it was back in the day. The verse, yes, I think it stands on it's own without the music. I think it always will. It reflects the sentiments of our generation. I'm glad you said what you said. BTW, I think I own that whole pile of albums you mentioned.

Curiously, I find that Hot Tuna is still very listenable. I saw them not too long ago and it was magic all over again, just like when I saw them when I was in college. I'm not sure why. (No Airplane music was played, except maybe what was rightfully Jorma's music.) Maybe it's 'cause Jorma and Jack are extraordinary musicians. I find this to be a paradox.

Phil

[Leo_Gnardo]

Leo, I said it badly. What I meant to say was that I didn't think the music stood the test of time...the soundtrack, the acid rock sound. It's dated. This is personal...I found it was not so pleasing to the ear as it was back in the day. The verse, yes, I think it stands on it's own without the music. I think it always will. It reflects the sentiments of our generation. I'm glad you said what you said. BTW, I think I own that whole pile of albums you mentioned.
Phil

Glad to see we're much on the same track Phil, I thought so anyway. In any case I still luv luv luv the music, nobody played like JA & still hasn't, and would jump at the chance to play it in a JA tribute act. My college band covered a couple, including "Somebody to Love" - it was a challenge & a hoot to get to play a rip roaring bass part instead of stick to the usual root & fifth oom pa pa. note occasionally raised eyebrow, a Casady gesture.

[Phil_S]

If Jorma and Jack should pass through nearby where you live, try to get there. They still give a wonderful show. Sometimes it is just the two of them, sometimes 3 or 4 people. Jorma is a still a very talented player and easy to listen to and Jack is a rare R&R bass player who can actually add sometime interesting to the mix, as you say, not just the root 5. He still raises a brow, too. They are playing smaller venues these days, which means you can get up close. It's nice.

[sliberty]

I am a huge Airplane fan, and always have been. I was just a little too young to have seen them live in their heyday, but I did get to see Hot Tuna many times in the 70's, Starship during that first Blows Against the Empire tour, and finally, I saw the Airplane when they reformed for that mediocre album in 89. That show (for me) was like seeing two different concerts. When they played the new music, it was OK, but nothing exciting. But the second half of the concert was filled with all of the classic tunes, and frankly, they were just stellar. It actually brought tears to my eyes hearing those favorites played live after enjoying them on record for nearly 20 years at that point. Wooden Ships and Won't You Try / Saturday Afternoon were real highlights - don't think I will ever forget the sound of Paul's 12 string Ric or Grace's singing.

If you are a fan, look for the reunion that took place at the Fillmore West in March of 1988. Paul and Grace joined Jorma and Jack for a few of songs - just wonderful. Grace's voice was heavenly, and Paul was in perfect form as well.

R.I.P. brother Paul.

[Structo]

I liked Jefferson Airplane a lot too.

Not so much for Starship.

[R.G.]

Signe Anderson, the female singer that walked away from Jefferson Airplane and was replaced by Grace Slick also died the same day as Kantner. She was 74 too.

[Structo]

Interesting.

[David Root]

Ain`t this the truth!

[Leo_Gnardo]

Signe Anderson, the female singer that walked away from Jefferson Airplane and was replaced by Grace Slick also died the same day as Kantner. She was 74 too.

Heckuva coincidence, that! She was no Grace, but I did enjoy A Jet Age Sound.

I liked Jefferson Airplane a lot too. Not so much for Starship.

Starship was hit or miss, a lot of misses. Some way too schlocky pop tunes, capped with "We sound so shitty, we're not rock and roll."

Craig Chaquico headed a version of Starship that was good live. Had 'em on as an opening act one fine California summer day @ 1992. He's a terrific guitarist. IIRC there were no former Airplane members. They did well by missing all the Starship dud songs.

Local riverfest about 15 years back had the Kantner/Balin band headline. They spent most of their time on stage arguing loud & long. Not much of a show, unless you like that kind of thing. It wasn't KBC, Jack would never stick around for that kind of clown show.