Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

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redcloud
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Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

Any fans?

I have droughts where I don't listen to anything by the Airplane for months but then something pulls me back, I dust down my LP's and listen to them non-stop for days or weeks and rediscover what a truly great band they once were. Forgive me, as I am currently in that phase (again).

In my opinion, the first five Airplane albums are all excellent and should be owned by all fans of SF 60's rock. Every time I listen to the Airplane I am amazed at the tone of Kaukonen and Kantner's guitars. They are so unique in their sound that one knows it is the Airplane as soon as the guitars start wailing. Marty's harmonies with both Signe and Grace are also pitch perfect and beautifully juxtaposed with one another. Their three albums, in particular, released late '67-69 ('Baxter's, 'Crown of Creation' and 'Volunteers') highlight this unique guitar sound better than the first two LP's. But, of the five original JA albums it is their third LP, 'After Bathing At Baxter's' that has always been my favorite album of theirs. It is easily their most psychedelic but also, in my opinion, their best and most complete writing appears on this LP.

It is, however, their 2nd, 'Surrealistic Pillow' that tends to get the most nods simply because it is Slick's first album with the Airplane and it contains their two biggest hits, which Slick brought with her from The Great Society.

But, their often overlooked and under appreciated 1966 debut ('Takes Off') with Signe Anderson is such a wonderful LP and a really great example of mid 60's Bay Area folk/pop rock. There are some lovely touches throughout this debut and Balin's songs are the perfect 3 minute love ballad. I have always loved this album for what it is. No pretensions just a straight up folk/pop/rock record. Few songs perfectly hit the chord that 'Come Up The Years' or 'And I Like It' do. These are truly wonderful tunes. So, being on holiday, the nerd in me decided to pull out the two different copies of this album that I own, the mono and the stereo versions and last night I spent time carefully comparing the two. The mono version of this LP definitely receives two thumbs up. It feels warmer and fuller than its stereo counterpart. By the time 'Surrealistic Pillow' came out stereo was replacing mono in the US and many rock bands were utilizing the benefits of two track stereo and mixing their records to compliment the new technology. If you haven't discovered this first JA album, I highly recommend that you do. If you have only heard the stereo remix then I also highly recommend you search out the mono version.

'Volunteers' was the last great studio JA album. The band were still creative and the songs were taking on a whole new dimension. Kantner had also taking on a bigger role within the band, which was an indicator that things were not great with Marty. The '68 live LP, 'Bless its Pointed Little Head', is also brilliant and showcases the mammoth rock sound that the band evolved into. Sadly though the drug use (cocaine) took its toll and it was downhill from there. Once Marty decided to leave the band they were never the same.

EDIT: I decided to edit the name of this thread as we are now discussing more than just the Airplane.
Last edited by redcloud on Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bruce_brobertson
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by bruce_brobertson »

I once had 'Greasy Heart' on repeat for months, love Grace Slick's vocals on that song!
redcloud
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

I have some decent Airplane boots, actually. As with Quicksilver, they are available but probably easier to find and better quality than QMS. But, they're not as readily available as live Dead shows. I will dig around and get a list of what I have and PM you.

Do you have the several CD set called 'Ultimate Jefferson Airplane' that came out to coincide with Tamarkin's book? It was released in limited numbers and I think Tamarkin may actually have had a hand in putting it out. It consists of live as well as unreleased, outtakes and lots of rarities. Very, very good indeed and fills many gaps between the LP's and the live sets.

Just listening to 'Comin' Back To Me' for the umpteenth time today....what an absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful song! "The summer had inhaled and held its breath too long". Magical.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by angelsighs »

thanks for the info on this band, they are one I have always wanted to investigate further but never got round to it.

I really like that whole era of psychedelic rock.

how do they compare to QMS?
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by runcible »

I love the Airplane records I have. Surrealistic Pillow is a lovely record - so much variety - and I love Bless Its Pointed Little Head too which chucks that feel into a live atmosphere. I must admit I struggled with the totally tripped out angle of Baxter's but I own it and it's an album I keep meaning to explore more.

Quite how that awful 80s rock Grace Slick produced came about is beyond me. Another band who fell from grace I guess.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by marmalade »

Volunteers is both my favourite Airplane album, and one of my all time albums from anyone. Airplane boots turn up pretty often on the torrent sites; Dime, Zomb and Losslesslegs have some great ones up at the mo
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

angelsighs wrote:
how do they compare to QMS?
Personally, I think '67-'68 QMS best sum up the San Francisco acid rock sound. Cipollina's and Duncan's dueling guitars between 67-68 are outstanding. By '67 they were beginning to write their own material ('66 QMS boots rely heavily on fairly pedestrian covers) and by 1968, summer '68 in particular, they hit their creative peak. For me, once Dino returned that was the end of QMS. I'm not a huge fan of their albums after 'Happy Trails'. There are some interesting songs during this period, 'Subway' and 'Mojo' come to mind, but nothing compares to 'Gold & Silver', 'The Fool', 'Light Your Windows', 'Pride of Man' or the incredible heights they soared during 'Who Do You Love' or 'Mona' at the now infamous June '68 Fillmore East show.

BUT, going back to your question...I really don't think one can compare QMS to the Jefferson Airplane. Their songwriting is totally different. Marty Balin penned many love songs but he was also a master at creative prose. Paul Kantner also developed into a creative writer. Also, the big thing that sets the two bands apart, QMS really had no singers. With all due respect to QMS, David Freiberg and Gary Duncan (and Jim Murray in the early years) were not brilliant singers. It works....but only just. Balin on the other hand had a very good voice and could harmonize extremely well with Anderson and Slick's voice. Kantner too had a decent voice and as mentioned above, he proved on 'Volunteers' that he was also a very competent writer.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

MattBenn wrote:does a studio version of The Other Side of This Life exist? I know it's a cover, but the Airplane version is always so wild.
It was a staple of their live set since the early days and I would be surprised if they never tried it out in the studio or as a demo (only an early live version shows up on 'Ultimate JA'). If they did work it out in the studio they were clearly never happy with it as they never committed the song to record until they chose it for inclusion on the live 'Bless its Pointed Little Head' LP.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by johnnyboy »

Nice post Redcloud.

I've only got Crown Of Creation and Surrealistic Pillow. I probably love SP more as it was the first one I got into and contains some beautiful songs like, as you mention, Comin' Back To Me. I really love Today, which is nicely done on the Monterey Pop Festival movie. It's an album I always fall back on as like Runcible says it's full of variety, plus there's all those 60's images it's connected to - White Rabbit in Platoon for example. It just ties in so nicely with the Haight Ashbury dream.

I'm a big sucka for that whole San Fran hippie scene of '66-'67. Wonderful sounds and a sense of innocence and freedom about it all. Pretty sure it all got messy and (bad) druggy quite quickly but with rose tinted specs firmly on it'll always be an era I'd like to venture back to given the chance, ie: coming across a time machine.

Apparently SP was a personal fav of Hunter S Thompson.

I keep meaning to buy Baxters and Pointed Head, maybe Volunteers too, to check out their more meaner, tougher sound. The clips I've seen of them live from that time in films like Gimme Shelter and Woodstock suggest the hippie dream had soured and harder drugs were being consumed. The smile had darkened. Well, I can imagine it would playing at Altamont with a bunch of Hells Angels beating everyone in sight, including their own band member. There's only so long you can ride the wave for before it begins to crash and recede. Hunter S Thompson (him again) had a great quote about if you look hard enough you can still see the high water mark left from those times.

Is the Woodstock release worth getting? I bought the Sly Stone one and that's marvellous. Does anyone know the Disco Evangelists track "A New Dawn" from the 90's? One of the mixes on the 12" samples Grace Slick and her "morning maniac music" quote from Woodstock. I love that they did that. The E clubbing scene giving a nod to the LSD 60's scene.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

'Volunteers' is certainly worth getting and 'Baxter's' is essential.

'Volunteers' reflects well the anger that had taken over their generation as well as the desire to escape the city. 'Crown of Creation' too has some great moments. The first three tracks are gorgeous and the closing song, 'House At Pooneil Corners' is amongst their very best. It definitely hints at things beginning to go wrong. It is so much darker than anything they had previously written. It also highlights Kantner's writing ability and the angle that he was beginning to take the band. Neither of which seemed to gel with Balin's vision. Battling egos that were in check when they were smoking and tripping but once one starts snorting their attitude and perception changes.

I remember hearing 'Lather' for the first time and thinking that it was, quite possibly, the most beautiful female voice ever committed to record. But then I heard Hope Sandoval.

Still, Grace was lovely and had a gorgeous voice.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by jadams501 »

Jefferson Airplane is one of those bands that I've never gotten around to listening to at all -- maybe the Starship thing made them seem like too much of an ordeal to become familiar with.

Plus, I've never much cared for that San Francisco sound. I like some Sly and the Family Stone, but the rest of the scene I find disquieting somehow.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by angelsighs »

thanks for the info guys (especially redcloud), i will definitely be investigating more
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

jadams501 wrote:Jefferson Airplane is one of those bands that I've never gotten around to listening to at all -- maybe the Starship thing made them seem like too much of an ordeal to become familiar with.
Hard not to enjoy this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwiQpXSbSEo
Plus, I've never much cared for that San Francisco sound. I like some Sly and the Family Stone, but the rest of the scene I find disquieting somehow.


:shock:

Sly Stone may have been from the Bay Area but I'm not sure if he or his band technically qualify as "The San Francisco Sound". That label was attached more to the acid rock bands.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by moop »

maybe this question deserves it's own thread, but can anyone recommend other good bands from this 'scene'? I really like JA and the grateful dead, but had never even heard of quicksilver before. i'm guessing if i dont know them i must be missing out on others too. I'm also wondering which ones you guys think have stood the test of time, since a lot of 60s stuff can sound dated and cheesy.

in terms of JA, i'd only really listened to SP, so i'm looking forward to delving into the rest of their stuff. i had assumed that people only really talk about that one album because the rest of them weren't up to much... but obviously/thankfully not.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

moop wrote:maybe this question deserves it's own thread, but can anyone recommend other good bands from this 'scene'? I really like JA and the grateful dead, but had never even heard of quicksilver before.


Quicksilver were one of the last of the original SF bands to record an album. As such, their 1st LP (black Rick Griffin designed album cover simply titled: "Quicksilver Messenger Service") came out in 1968 but it is a chock full of studio versions of some of their most exciting songs. I love it!

Their second album, "Happy Trails" is often considered by many to be their finest. Like the Dead's 'Anthem of the Sun', it is essentially a live album but it is culled from a couple different shows and pieced together with studio overdubs. It features the side long 'Who Do You Love' and on side 2 it features 'Mona' + lots of cool guitar instrumentals that form out of 'Mona'. Both songs were highlights in their live set and best define the blistering and shimmering QMS acid rock sound.

HOWEVER, after 'Happy Trails" Dino Valente got out of jail and rejoined the band and their sound changed dramatically. This is the Quicksilver that released a few classic rock radio friendly tunes such as 'Fresh Air' and 'What About Me'. I like some of their stuff from this era but, in my humble opinion, the band truly peaked and hit their creative zenith in 1968.

Back in the 80's, Psycho Records out of England released a bootleg titled 'Maiden of the Cancer Moon" that was taken from a now legendary show on June 7, 1968 at the Fillmore East. Psycho didn't release the entire set and they jumbled the set up a bit but the album itself was/is incredible. I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard this bootleg album and I was totally blown away! Since then that show has been released and or traded by QMS heads in its full glory and with its set restored to the proper order. Therefore, I highly recommend the first two QMS albums and, if you can get a hold of this show, it too is required listening.

As a post script and word of warning regarding the Fillmore East '68 show....Wolfgang's Vault are selling the show BUT they have broken it up into two shows (6/7 and 6/8). Tapes from 6/8 are not known to exist leading me to think that what WV have done is split the 6/7 set up over two dates to get more money out of selling it as two different shows. :x

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2bFy9v- ... re=related


and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVVCHZveR3U
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by angelsighs »

i've only got the one Quicksilver Messenger Service album- Happy Trails- and I really like it. it's got lots of jamming, like the Dead, but it's a bit more muscular and blues based. the production is fantastic too- very clear. the set starts with one fat, juicy bent note, and you can really hear the amp humming, then bang.. it's off!!

like the Dead, the 'psychedelic' elements come from the jamming and the interplay rather than any goofy effects or gimmicks too- the guitars are actually quite clean and crisp (people say their sound influenced Television in that regard but I think that's lazy journalism)

Who Do You Love is turned into an extended mulitpart suite (When Do You Love, Where Do You Love, etc) including a bass solo, and one part credited to the 'Filmore audience' :)

i noticed there's a lot of other live QMS albums out there but they look like quasi-bootleg type things...

other bands from the era.. erm.. Moby Grape isn't that another one?
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

angelsighs wrote: i noticed there's a lot of other live QMS albums out there but they look like quasi-bootleg type things...
Yea and most are shitty quality too. You only realize that once you have spent your dosh. March 19, 1967 is a really great show and the sound is excellent.
other bands from the era.. erm.. Moby Grape isn't that another one?
Man, there were so many bands from SF, Oakland and Berkeley. Moby Grape were indeed one and a great one at that. The Grape's story is quite sad and well documented. But, their first LP (s/t) is excellent and their second LP, 'Wow' is also good as is the EP, 'Grape Jam', which is similar to the Bloomfield, Kooper, Stills 'Super Session' late night jam LP. Live though is where the Grape dominated and I have read many reports as well as spoken with people who witnessed the Grape live who all testify to their live shows being head and shoulders above most other bands of the era.

Country Joe & The Fish are also another important band from the era. Their first two records may be dated in sound but they brilliantly capture the LSD/Summer of Love sound and are arguably the most psychedelic records to come out of the Bay Area.

Big Brother & The Holding Company too were obvious major players. They were primarily an amphetamine (speed) band until Janis joined and they learned how to play electric acid/whiskey blues to suit her voice.

Santana are one of the later bands to emerge out of the scene. Their first three albums are incredible and early live shows are unbelievably awesome with the latin rhythms/percussion, Carlos' incendiary guitar and the swirling keys. No other band was quite like them.

There were many, many second tier bands too that were brilliant but relatively unknown to the masses (Frumious Bandersnatch, Country Weather, Chocolate Watchband, Mad River, Blue Cheer, H.P. Lovecraft, Ace of Cups, Charlatans etc.). The whole scene and area was full of bands. Some great and some not so great.
moop
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by moop »

wow! lots of leads to chase up... :D

those youtube tracks sound great! i definitely see the GD comparison (but with more gusto it has to be said. i'm very much into bluesier stuff, so that really appeals). will definitely track down those first 2 albums. i'm downloading that march 1967 bootleg you mentioned and will give that a try. Is the june 7th 1968 show an especially good gig? i think you're right that Wolfgang's vault are selling it as 2 shows and that also seems to be the only place to acquire it on the internet.

i know some of those bands mentioned, but not all. gonna have to do some investigating and see what jumps out...
cheers! i knew it was worth asking...
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by redcloud »

moop wrote: Is the june 7th 1968 show an especially good gig?
Killer! Better than 3/19/67 (which is a very good show and one of my faves). Those interested in this 6/7/68 QMS show can PM me.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane

Post by angelsighs »

I think you can stream albums at Wolfgangs Vault too?

redcloud wrote: Country Joe & The Fish are also another important band from the era. Their first two records may be dated in sound but they brilliantly capture the LSD/Summer of Love sound and are arguably the most psychedelic records to come out of the Bay Area.
I thought these guys were one of the highlights of the Woodstock movie
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Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

I decided to edit the name of this thread as we are now discussing more than just the Airplane.
angelsighs wrote:
redcloud wrote: Country Joe & The Fish are also another important band from the era. Their first two records may be dated in sound but they brilliantly capture the LSD/Summer of Love sound and are arguably the most psychedelic records to come out of the Bay Area.
I thought these guys were one of the highlights of the Woodstock movie
By Woodstock only Barry Melton (guitar) and Country Joe remained as original members in the group. The two essential Fish albums were recorded in 1967.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by marmalade »

here's Jefferson Airplane playing in '68 filmed by Jean Luc Goddard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAJJE5Wo_OY

someone asked about their Woodstock set, as a huge Volunteers fan i think it's great. The first Starship album from '71 is a fave as well, it's called Blows Against The Empire and features a cast of SF musicians. As does David Crosby's If Only I Could Remember My name, another personal fave from the era and place
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by plastic37 »

I got a The Great Society record a few months ago. That's worth checking out as it's Grace Slick singing at least one song that JA went on to play. I love Sally Go Round The Roses. I'm a sucker for Grace Slicks voice and attitude and tthose early recordings, before mega fame and all it entailed kicked in, didn't disappoint. I know they did a couple of records and will get round to buying those before too long.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

Good call on The Great Society. Their two "albums" were released after Grace had left the band and joined the Airplane. Both were recorded live at the Matrix. 'Conspicuous' is the better of the two. But, several studio recordings survive from '65/66 and were on the 'Nuggets from the Golden State' comp. Sundazed since released these studio recordings as 'Born to be Burned', which I think is now out of print. Worth getting though if you are interested in the early days of SF acid rock.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by kaleidoskull »

awesome! its a scene im only halfway familliar with,but always loved! guess i always focused on the strip....there is a lot of great info comin from you guys!
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

kaleidoskull wrote:i always focused on the strip....there is a lot of great info comin from you guys!
The Hollywood Strip deserves it's own thread. Some very, very good bands were kicking around down there too. But, that sound was quite a bit different from what was happening in the Bay Area.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by plastic37 »

Conspicuous only in its Absence is the one i have.
Do you know why the wicker chair appears behind the image of Slick on the cover?
Giving it a spin now.

Another question for Prof Redcloud. The Wikipedia entry for Vanilla Fudge does not mention a hometown. I have always assumed San Fransico? Also, amazed to read that the were touring in 2011! VF just sound like the everything i know about the SF sound 1967-ish. But were they just taking it on? Also, don't hear this: "one of the few American links between psychedelia and what soon became heavy metal". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_Fudge
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

plastic37 wrote:Conspicuous only in its Absence is the one i have.
Do you know why the wicker chair appears behind the image of Slick on the cover?
Giving it a spin now.

Another question for Prof Redcloud. The Wikipedia entry for Vanilla Fudge does not mention a hometown. I have always assumed San Fransico? Also, amazed to read that the were touring in 2011! VF just sound like the everything i know about the SF sound 1967-ish. But were they just taking it on? Also, don't hear this: "one of the few American links between psychedelia and what soon became heavy metal". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_Fudge
Not sure about the symbolism of the wicker chair...it may be as simple as it being in their Victorian squat in the Haight. That type of furniture was pretty common in hippie pads. Or, it may be a symbol of the empty chair (spot in the group) left by Grace when she joined the Airplane. Keep in mind, both Great Society albums were released after Grace had joined the JA.

Vanilla Fudge were from New York (NYC/Long Island). I saw VF in '86 or 87 at the Akron Agora in Akron, Ohio. Great night. They were thunderously heavy. They were never great on record though. Some good moments here and there ('Near The Beginning' being my favorite album of theirs). Their second record - 'The Beat Goes On'' was quite possibly the worst rock album of the 1960's. Steer clear of it!
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by johnnyboy »

Country Joe & The Fish "Electric Music......" album is essential in my humble opinion. As is the first Moby Grape album (the one with Hey Grandma - if that was the debut?), David Crosby "If Only.....", Chocolate Watchband...........

Will check out some of those youtube clips later on at home.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

MattBenn wrote:
Redcloud, you seem like the kind of guy to know the answer to this question: does a full video of the Woodstock set exist? Or even a single video that is a compilation of all the released clips from that set?.
Definitely film out there of their full Woodstock set. Also film out there of their Monterey set. The 'Fly Jefferson Airplane' set is also good as it culls footage from their various tv appearances.

The Airplane always sound good in the summer. Maybe if you keep playing their records the clouds will part and England will see some sunshine. :D
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

Yea, I don't think I have video of the full Woodstock set but I have definitely watched it. There is also full audio available of Woodstock as well as several other Airplane gigs that are now being officially released. Many of these though, like the Dead, have been around the trading circuit for years and years so are easily obtainable without having to pay a middleman (especially for inferior audio quality).

I also love the Airplane footage on top of the building in NYC. They are the perfect example of a peace, love, hippie band who gradually grew more and more frustrated with "The Man" and by '68/69 they were pretty angry.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

Paul (Warmth) asked about Country Joe & The Fish in the "What Are You Listening To Now" thread, which I replied to. On reflection, that thread gets a lot of traffic and it will soon be lost amongst its many pages. So, for those who are interested or maybe new to the 60's SF/Bay Area acid scene I decided to copy and paste that conversation in here so it has a home and can be easily accessed.
TheWarmth wrote: I admit that I'm not very familiar with Country Joe & the Fish. What album is best to start with?
I have a great relationship with their albums, and in particular, their first two; 'Electric Music For The Mind & Body' and 'I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin-To-Die'. With exception to the goofy jug band song of the latter album's title, both are tremendous records and along with the Pretty Things they were my go to band during my high school years. These were nearly 17 year old albums even then but I discovered them at the perfect time in my life. But, both are very dated and even more so now than when I first heard them in 1984/5. So you can't listen to them with 21st century ears. They are relics of their time. The former, when released, was advertised as "the ultimate album to trip to". There are some tremendous tunes on it and are very lysergic. Joe McDonald's hippie lyrics and Barry Melton's scorching fuzz mixed with David Cohen's cheesy, swirling keys makes for a blissful mix and arguably some of the most truly psychedelic music to come from the Bay Area in the late 60's. Songs like 'Bass Strings', 'Grace', 'Section 43', 'Happiness Is A Porpoise Mouth', 'Magoo', 'Thursday' and 'Eastern Jam' ooze pure Owsley LSD off their grooves. They are absolute classics and essential records for any psychedelic collection. I'll hook you up but you should locate original Vanguard copies. Vanguard struggled to record them so the production isn't great but original copies are well worth picking up. The second album came with a "Fish Game" insert and if you locate one with its game it will be a little more pricey but neither will break the bank.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by TheWarmth »

I listened to the first 6 or so songs of Electric Music For The Mind & Body this morning and absolutely loved it. Amazing stuff. KILLER guitar work, great organ tones (I wouldn't describe them as "cheesy," though) and excellent songs. Really wonderful.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

TheWarmth wrote:I listened to the first 6 or so songs of Electric Music For The Mind & Body this morning and absolutely loved it. Amazing stuff. KILLER guitar work, great organ tones (I wouldn't describe them as "cheesy," though) and excellent songs. Really wonderful.
Glad you are digging it. Wait until you hear the rest and then put on the 2nd LP.

Also, cheesy doesn't have to be bad or corny. I simply used "cheesy" in the sense of the dated farfisa sound (probably best example of this is in 'Porpoise Mouth'). But, I do believe David Cohen may have been the most trained musician in the band. He also plays rhythm guitar (as does Joe McD). I too love the swirling, brain plucking keys though!

And man, that tambourine in 'Death Sound Blues' comes on like a menacing rattlesnake!
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by johnnyboy »

I'll tip my hat to the Electric Music love-fest. I picked it up on vinyl during my teenage years (late 80's) and have loved it ever since. It is a pure San Fran acid album, really captures that whole vibe.......not that I was there of course, but it captures what I imagine it was like. Great atmosphere in the grooves, the slower ones more so, and the swirly trippy cover only adds to the flavour.

Well worth watching the Monterey Pop Festival film to see their brief appearance - painted faces and stoned expressions.

I did have the 2nd album but lost it over the years. The only other one I have of theirs is Here We Are Again but it's not so great and I've hardly played it.

There's a great alternative version of Section 43 on an old music magazine CD I've got tucked away at home. All Psychedelic songs, great tracklist featuring Country Joe, Spacemen 3, Funkadelic, Telescopes. Will dig it out and re-post later.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

johnnyboy wrote:
Well worth watching the Monterey Pop Festival film to see their brief appearance - painted faces and stoned expressions.
Love that too! They perform 'Section 43' on camera. 'Sweet Lorraine' was added later on the dvd as bonus footage. I also have about 45 minutes of them performing live on Danish(?) tv. Amazing.
I did have the 2nd album but lost it over the years. The only other one I have of theirs is Here We Are Again but it's not so great and I've hardly played it.
No they lost their way after the 2nd. Their third LP, 'Together' has glimpses of the acid brilliance but it's nowhere near as consistent. 'Here We Are Again' was their 4th album and it has a couple decent tracks but they got crazy in the studio and added horns and strings and it's definitely their weakest.
There's a great alternative version of Section 43


Yes! Before 'Electric Music' they recorded several tracks, which were released as the 'Rag Baby' EP's out in Berkeley. Early versions of 'Section 43' (which is awesome and possibly superior to the album cut) plus 'Bass Strings' were on it.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by johnnyboy »

I wish I had Monterey Pop on dvd. I've only got it on VHS recorded from TV years back. Brilliant festival.

That Danish TV footage sounds interesting, will have to have a rummage around YouTube later on this weekend.

I feel a San Fran listening streak coming on........
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by D. »

check out this amazing footage of JA. i don't know if it was the coke or inter-band animosity but there is a real edge to this performance. nasty hippies. plus its cut with Quicksilver footage as well

http://vimeo.com/39569670
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

D. wrote:check out this amazing footage of JA. i don't know if it was the coke or inter-band animosity but there is a real edge to this performance. nasty hippies. plus its cut with Quicksilver footage as well

http://vimeo.com/39569670
The Airplane were definitely getting angrier and there was real tension by '68/69. You can tell just by listening to the first two albums compared to 'Crown' or 'Volunteers'.

By the way, this footage is from Gleason's TV show "Go Ride The Music' and "A Night At The Family Dog" from 1970 that highlighted the original SF bands (Airplane, Dead and Dino era QMS) but also had a large segment devoted to the young, up and coming Santana Blues Band. Great films. I have both but my dvd's were cut from a video tape that wasn't as well digitized as this footage. Coincidentally, I dug both out earlier this week and watched them again.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by D. »

redcloud wrote:Yes! Before 'Electric Music' they recorded several tracks, which were released as the 'Rag Baby' EP's out in Berkeley. Early versions of 'Section 43' (which is awesome and possibly superior to the album cut) plus 'Bass Strings' were on it.
this CD has the early stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Items- ... B000002R6N

CJ&F were the only SF band i could get into besides Blue Cheer for years. i (ignorantly) wrote the scene off as soft and not really very psychedelic. "Electric music" is a mind bender though and led me to investigate further. no pun intended.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

For Christmas my wife bought me an LP release of odds and sods by 'Country Weather' ('68-71). They were from the Bay Area and only recorded a one-sided EP in 1968/69. To make matters worse for the collector they only pressed 50 EP's as they were initially made to get the band gigs. This double LP compiles that rare EP + some live stuff + a side of material recorded in '71 but never released. I've had the old EP from '68/69 on CD-R back in the days of trading and always loved it but it was recorded from an old, scratchy EP. I knew about this LP release back in '04 but I never bought it. Anyway, finally got a hold of it and man, I have to say this company, RD Records (Switzerland) have done a beautiful job with this! Sound is wonderful, vinyl is 180g, the gatefold sleeve is very thick card with a beautiful colorful illustration from Randy Tuten (60's poster artist) and a lovely eight page booklet with photos, poster art and loads of liner notes. A truly amazing job that most definitely warrants the $40 that it cost. But most importantly, musically this band freakin' kicked ass!

I'm currently in analog bliss! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPbEEzKTf7I
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by semisynthetic »

I was very pleased when my daughter called from school w/ "Surrealistic Pillow" playing in the background; I was sort of tear-eyed when I asked "why that?", and she told me she was buying music she had written a list of from "reading the spines of your LPs". Cool, yes?

(Usually it is Mozart or one of 100 different versions of "The Moldau" I hear if any music is on).
"Everything is a Poison; it is the amount or degree that separates one Poison from another"
Paracelsus
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by TheWarmth »

I just transferred my mono Vanguard LP copy of the second Country Joe & The Fish record. If anyone is interested, just shoot me a PM. Awesome stuff, barring the title track.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

I dug out a couple records of the original Charlatans last night and have continued to listen to them today. Something strikes me about this band. They had a great look and in many respects their Wild West/Edwardian costume thing is actually quite trendy today (well, in Portland it is) but when their album was finally released in 1969 the waltzy, country/psychedelic folk must have sounded very dated even back then.

There is something very endearing about them though. I love their version of "Codine".
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Moby Grape

Post by redcloud »

Moby Fucking Grape...man, their first album is such a great record! No, wait...lets go as far as saying it is a perfect record and maybe, it is the best album to come out of San Francisco in 1967. Yes, some great albums came out that year but think about this first Grape album....a band full of incredible talent, great musicians, excellent singers, wonderful songwriters. Man, they had it all in spades. But, what they were able to do better than most was compose perfect songs wrapped up in a tapestry of rock, country, folk, blues, psych etc.

Had there not been a catalog of blunders in its original release stemming from Columbia Records the album may be one of those classic records that rolls off everybody tongue rather than just collectors. Had Matthew Katz's ego not got in the way of the band and their enormous talent and had bad drugs not tore what was left of the band apart...the Grape may well have been bigger than the Airplane and possibly even a top international act.

Playing the album now, some 46 years after it was originally released, and the songs literally leap off the turntable. One of the very best! I sometimes forget just how great it is. Nice to remind oneself about these things every now and then. 8)
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by runcible »

I played that Grape album last week actually and really enjoyed it. I noticed the Black Crowes occasionally cover Hey Grandma...
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by johnnyboy »

runcible wrote:I played that Grape album last week actually and really enjoyed it. I noticed the Black Crowes occasionally cover Hey Grandma...
Me too, great album. I was picking songs for my guest slot on a friends radio station and had Hey Grandma in the bag for it. Love that song, easily the best track on teh album for me. First heard it on the Psychedelic Years vinyl boxset http://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Psyc ... se/1980518 where I discovered quite a few treasures.
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Re: Jefferson Airplane & The San Francisco Sound

Post by redcloud »

johnnyboy wrote:
runcible wrote:I played that Grape album last week actually and really enjoyed it. I noticed the Black Crowes occasionally cover Hey Grandma...
Me too, great album. I was picking songs for my guest slot on a friends radio station and had Hey Grandma in the bag for it. Love that song, easily the best track on teh album for me.
My favorite track is "Omaha". I love the feedback start, the clashing cymbals and then the crunching punky locomotive style rhythm. The howl towards the end of the song perfectly sums up its manic energy. Also, to close the album with the haunting, and downright eerie "Indifference" is a superb finish to a perfect album.
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