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Thread: Early Jefferson Starship

  1. #1

    Early Jefferson Starship

    I've been revisiting those first 5 Jefferson Starship albums a lot lately. Some really good material on them, and a far cry from the much later "We Built This City" days. Some psych, hard rock, and most importantly some killer pop tunes (mostly written by Marty Balin) that were big radio hits back in the day. Craig Chaquico was a very underrated guitar player in my opinion.

    Any fans out there? What are some of your favorite albums & songs?

  2. #2
    Progdog ThomasKDye's Avatar
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    'Sandalphon' is a GREAT instrumental number, and, dare I say it, "proggy."

    Last edited by ThomasKDye; 11-11-2013 at 12:13 AM.

  3. #3
    Yes, you can certainly say that. I find quite a few songs on those early albums are bordering on prog-Poppa John Creach's violin certainly added a jazzy/proggy quality to that band.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sotdude View Post
    I've been revisiting those first 5 Jefferson Starship albums a lot lately. Some really good material on them, and a far cry from the much later "We Built This City" days. Some psych, hard rock, and most importantly some killer pop tunes (mostly written by Marty Balin) that were big radio hits back in the day. Craig Chaquico was a very underrated guitar player in my opinion.

    Any fans out there? What are some of your favorite albums & songs?
    Agreed, lots of good stuff to be found on these. My favorite JS album came a bit later, the first one with Micky Thomas "Freedom At Point Zero" still rocks my ears today (just recently picked it up on CD). I would also agree that Chaquico is underated. I saw him with JS several times and he was very very good.

    Steve Sly

  5. #5
    Yep, that is a very good album (#5 I believe, unless you count that sci-fi concept album that Grace & Paul did, which would then make it # 6) One killer cut after another on that-loved "Jane" back when it first came out, and still do today. I also really like the Winds of Change album & especially the song.

  6. #6
    Count me in on those first few.. Blows, Dragon Fly, Red Octopus and even Spitfire.. got a bit too poppy for my taste after that..

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  8. #8
    I have a big fondness for Dragon Fly and Red Octopus. Spitfire was pretty good, too, but here Marty starts going into drippy balladeer mode. Earth was pretty worthless, mostly faceless AOR stuff and more syrupy MOR ballads from Marty...though “Count on Me” is a bit of a guilty pleasure (the single is cheaper, and with less filler). I got off the Starship after that (I have heard Freedom at Point Zero, but apart from “Jane” I remember nothing about it; must not have been very good, obviously).

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    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
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    I like the early JS albums as well. Blows Against The Empire is the best!

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    Isn't that technically a Paul Katner solo album?

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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JIF View Post
    Isn't that technically a Paul Kantner solo album?

    of course it is...

    AAMOF, it's more of an Airplane album than a Starship thing, by looking at who plays on it
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  12. #12
    Re: Blows Against The Empire

    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    of course it is...

    AAMOF, it's more of an Airplane album than a Starship thing, by looking at who plays on it
    Actually, it's more of a San Francisco all star record. There's people like Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, David Crosby, and a bunch of others. The name coined for the group of musicians who played on Blows Against The Empire, Baron Von Tollbooth & The Chrome Nun, Sunfighter, one of David Crosby's solo records (If I Could Only Remember My Name, I think was the title) and a few other records was The Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra (which eventually became the title of a Kantner solo album in the early 80's).

  13. #13
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    Actually, it's more of a San Francisco all star record. There's people like Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, David Crosby, and a bunch of others. The name coined for the group of musicians who played on Blows Against The Empire, Baron Von Tollbooth & The Chrome Nun, Sunfighter, one of David Crosby's solo records (If I Could Only Remember My Name, I think was the title) and a few other records was The Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra (which eventually became the title of a Kantner solo album in the early 80's).

    All four of these albumls are actually delightfully delicious too... If you add Grace's Manhole and to a lesser extent Dreams (but that came lateron in the 70's) all of these albums are better than anyhthing Jefferson Starship has done (even their earlier albums)....

    IMHO of course, but...
    Last edited by Trane; 11-09-2013 at 04:49 AM.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    All four of these albumls are actually dek-lightfully delicious too... If
    The Crosby album I can't comment on, but yeah, Blows..., Sunfighter, and Baron Von Tollbooth... are all great records.

  15. #15
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    The Crosby album I can't comment on, but yeah, Blows..., Sunfighter, and Baron Von Tollbooth... are all great records.
    With your eyes closed: Easily Crosby's best album by a mile...

    I"sd even say "easily the best album bearing his name", whether alone or with others.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  16. #16
    I like them all up and including "Spitfire", but I prefer the Kantner/Slick solo albums over them.

    "If I Could Only Remember My Name" is a different thing though. A beast of an album and very close to being a masterpiece.
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  17. #17
    Saw Starship before Marty boarded. They played songs from Blows. It was a mindblowing experience.

    Years later I stood at a urinal with Craig C. We were both high and laughing about the piped-in music in the bathroom.

  18. #18
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blah_Blah_Woof_Woof View Post
    Saw Starship before Marty boarded. They played songs from Blows. It was a mindblowing experience.

    Years later I stood at a urinal with Craig C. We were both high and laughing about the piped-in music in the bathroom.
    sounds like a possible entry for the brush with greatness thread
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  19. #19


    My favorite from the time period.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Blah_Blah_Woof_Woof View Post
    Years later I stood at a urinal with Craig C.
    The same urinal?

    I once watched Stephen Stills snort coke off the top of a urinal.

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    Quote Originally Posted by spacefreak View Post
    "If I Could Only Remember My Name" is a different thing though. A beast of an album and very close to being a masterpiece.
    Unfornunately, his next solo effort could've been called "If I Could Only Remember Where I Left My Car Keys".

  22. #22
    The version with Mickey Thomas was essentially a different band, but I love the first two albums he sang with JS.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Blah_Blah_Woof_Woof View Post
    Saw Starship before Marty boarded.
    So, Marty did not tour with Jefferson Starship in '74? I know he sang Caroline on Dragonfly, but I don't think he was an official member yet.

  24. #24
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AcousticWalden View Post


    My favorite from the time period.
    Yeah, With Blows Against The vEmpire, this could be the best album from the whole Jefferson galaxy (outside the Airplane ones, of course)... I mean I love Hot Shit/Tuna, but they never pulled a studio album of that magnitude.

    The music is simply grandiose with that stunning sidelong piece...



    Quote Originally Posted by Banquo View Post
    The same urinal?

    I once watched Stephen Stills snort coke off the top of a urinal.
    Sounds like a real male-bonding experience
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Banquo View Post
    Unfornunately, his next solo effort could've been called "If I Could Only Remember Where I Left My Car Keys".
    Oh Yes I Can (imagine...)
    Macht das ohr auf!

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