FLY JEFFERSON AIRPLANE

On this DVD you fly back with Jefferson Airplane to the second half of the Sixties when the birth of progressive rock was in the embryonal state. Everywhere bands and musicans left the ordinary and predictable 3 minutes pop and rock and roll tunes and started to experiment with varied styles, improvisations and long compositions. For me Jefferson Airplane is one of the most captivating bands of that era, along with The Doors and Santana. The record company mentions that "Ravin' Films is pleased to announce the completion of Fly Jefferson Airplane, a DVD program that presents performances by the famed rock band, new interviews with all of the band members, photographs by legendary rock photographer Jim Marshall and rare footage of Jefferson Airplane with their original singer Signe Anderson. Bonus materials on the DVD include additional interviews with longtime Airplane lighting artist Glenn McKay and RCA recording engineer and Jefferson Airplane collaborator Pat "Maurice" Ieraci." OK, here we go!

1. It's No Secret (1966, from Bell Telephone Hour): This clip is very rare footage of Jefferson Airplane with their original singer Signe Anderson (very soulful vocals), filmed at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium in 1966 prior to Grace Slick joining the group. Enjooy the typical 'happy hippie' atmosphere with psychedelical liquid slide projections and dancing flower children!

2. Somebody to Love (1967, Monterey Pop Festival): One of the highlights on this DVD delivering very inspired and powerful vocals by Grace Slick, accompanied by a fluent rhythm-section and excellent duo-guitarwork.

3. High Flying Bird (1967, from Monterey Pop Festival): Exciting psychedelic projections and great duo (male and female) vocals.

4. White Rabbit (1967, from Smother Brothers Comedy Hour): My favorite Jefferson Airplane track, a kind of USA answer to Arnold Layne featuring a hypnotizing climate, again wonderful psychedelic projections and the distinctive voice by Grace Slick.

5. Martha (1968, from Perry Como Special): Here's the folky side of Jefferson Airplane with flute, acoustic guitar and dreamy vocals by Grace Slick. The sensitive and flowing electric guitar contrasts beautifuly with the acoustic instruments.

6. Crown of Creation (1968, from Smother Brothers Comedy Hour): This is CCR/Fleetwood Mac rooted bluesrock, fun to hear the Freudian slip during the introdution: "and of course .. Grace Sick..pardon Grace Slick!"...

7. Lather (1968, from Smother Brothers Comedy Hour): Another dreamy and folky piece with warm vocals by Grace Slick.

8. House at Pooneil Corners (1968, from the rooftop performance in Manhattan, New York): the stunning idea to let the band perform on a rooftop caused a traffic jam and it's funny to see all those people looking up out of their windows. The band seemed to enjoy it.

9. Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil (1970, from Night At The Family Dog): This is a jam session with the focus on a growling bass - and fiery electric guitar solo, blended with the slow motioned scenes of a young, sexy dancing hippie.

10. We Can Be Together (1969, promo film): Music with images from Woodstock 1969, it matches perfectly!

11. Plastic Fantastic Lover (1970, from Go Ride The Music): A catchy and swinging rhythm featuring great male vocals and exciting duo-guitar play.

12. Volunteers (1970, from Go Ride The Music): Here a typical late Sixties song with split screen images: anti-warm demonstrations blended with Woodstock, the band on stage and psychedelic projections, very compelling!

13. Embryonic Journey (from Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame Introduction Ceremony): This is a never a before seen performance of Jorma Kaukonen's Embryonic Journey from Jefferson Airplane's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jorma delivers an outstanding performance on the acoustic guitar with great finger-picking, it's blended with nostalgic photos.

THIS DVD IS THE BEST YOU CAN GET FROM JEFFERSON AIRPLANE!!

4.5 stars really!!!!

Of all the DVD I was hoping for one day, I never thought this one would see the light of day the way it has: a real rockumentary that only in prog-related affairs Colosseum's previously existed. Right from the background music's menu, you just know you are in for a treat. While there is no full concert footage, there is plenty of different film footage from festivals or TV shows or even videos. One of the few claims I would've rather seen included would've been a wider view on the Haight-Ashbury scene which thev Airplane was so linked with. Alas that small subject showing and discussing the "Be- ins" around the Golden Gate Bridge parks and even a full shot of their headquarters in 2400 Fulton Street are all absent. To bad for the tour guide of the scene.

Through the many interviews of the members (all of them except Barbata, Creach, Skip Spence and Signe), we are taken for a chronological (general but not complete or even thorough) overview of the group's career. From the early ballrooms gigs to the Monterey Pop Festival to the few TV shows they did to JL Godard's shoot of their sole rooftop track and police arrest, from their manager and recording technicians or light engineers (The Airplane was hardly behind Floyd in this dept) to the nightmare of Altamont (The Airplane was of all events , even the bad ones), the essential years are fairly deeply explored, but hardly exhaustively (see above and below), but suffieciently to allow their legend to grow more.

Actually one might just be a little frustrated and have a little taste of "not enough" as the later years of the Airplane are not covered >> they actually shun Bark and LJS and do not talk that much of Hot Tuna or the Kantner sci-fi-influenced solo albums etc. One has the feeling that if they could rewrite the story, they would've stopped the Airplane in 70 instead of mid-73. This is understandable because the Airplane had stopped being groundbreaking by then and the hippy dream was over. So apart from this last remark and the opening one about the Frisco summer of love scene, we have one of the best kinds of documentary about one of the most important and groundbreaking group around the 60's and had they not been around, we would've had to invent them. Hopefully we will get some full concerts DVD soon (although the Airplane and Hot Tuna could easily surpass the 5-hours gigs) and eventually a coverage of the transition years between the Airplane and the Starship years, because there is much to be said of those years as well.

Although related rather from afar from the scope of our interest, these guys and gals were essential in developing the freedom that further groups would beneficiate in the early 70's. The Airplane's early years are filled of "firsts" or "among the firsts" happenings (see the blog I wrote on them in the forum section) that they truly deserve their inclusion in this site under the label proto-prog.

While on a study visit to USA in Spring 2006 I took the opportunity to rent several classic music videos via Netflix. One of them was "Fly Jefferson Airplane". What an amazing experince it was! The film literally takes you back to the crazy, freaky 60s in San Fransisco scene. Excellent performances by the masterful rock band captured live from various settings, accompanied by insightful interviews with latter-day original members are simply awsome. Especially touching is Grace Slick in her senior age recalling the history and the music scene of the era and giving some highly critical and objective remarks on the "Woodstock generation". Excellent film all the way through.

An essential Airplane DVD featuring many classics. Among the numerous highlights: "White rabbit" from "Smother Brothers Comedy Hour" American TV show in 1967. A "Martha" psychedelic clip illustrates the studio piece. "Crown of Creation" from Smother Brothers in 1968 shows the band at the top, both instrumentally and vocally. "Lather" from the same show features impressive visual acid psychedelic effects. "Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil" live in 1970 and its excellent guitar solo. A great compilation.

Quality overview of an important American band

"Somebody once said there was a period, maybe about a week in 1966, where anything you wished for would come true. Like you know, 'wish upon a star' kinda stuff. And sure enough, it did."

And so Paul Kantner kicks back with a cigarette and fondly recalls how the real days of magic were actually the summer before the Summer of Love. The summer of 1966 in San Fran was when it all came together in pure magic for those who lived there. Anything can and did happen. By the time the rest of the country heard about it and poured in for '67 Summer of Love, it was a bit ruined by the popularity and this got markedly worse in the following years. I have heard this same sentiment relayed by prominent scenesters in both San Fran and London, that the period just before the Summer of Love was better than the hyped period. Sorry for the false start but I loved the above quote despite my loathing for much of the counterculture's politics. There's no doubt they knew how to throw a party.

"Fly" is an amazing time capsule not just for those interested in the Airplane, but for everyone wanting to experience a bit of San Fran in the 60s. Its biggest selling point is that it features not only quality JA live video, but the story is told by the members themselves. All of their classic line-up are featured along with their manager. This is the real deal, not one of those lame DVDs which features a bunch of silly unknown "critics" dissecting the group's album. Instead we get the story of Airplane from beginning to end, told in glorious detail by Paul, Grace, and the others, from the comfort of their living rooms. Even Spencer Dryden is featured shortly before we lost him. Most importantly, the musical segments are full and complete songs. Nothing worse than "song excerpts" cut short just as you're starting to get into it. This DVD respects the music.

The main feature is just over an hour and alternates between band members talking and the music clips. Both the narrative and the music were outstanding and informative. I only wish it were longer. The music clips are naturally very old and thus the sound quality is not like todays, but it's not bad really and can be turned up enjoyably loud. It begins with "It's No Secret" featuring the first pre-Grace vocalist Signe Anderson, followed by two clips from Monterey. Live cuts of "White Rabbit" and "Crown of Creation" from The Smother Brothers show were highlights for me. The iconic and creepy psych of "Lather" was assembled into a music video. Their historic live rooftop performance of "Pooneil Corners" is included, which the Fab Four copied a few months later-who says the Brits were always first? There are some cool videos to accompany the Volunteers material and it closes with a live acoustic performance of "Embryonic Journey" at their Hall of Fame induction.

Bonus features include a wealth of additional interviews. There are also many high quality photographs uncovered. Highly recommended.