Jefferson Airplane/ J. Starship/ Starship

MANDRAKEROOT wrote: Is it  just consider Jefferson Airplane/ Jefferson Starship/ Starship one alone band?   For always yours, Mandrakeroot.

I think that Starship has nothing in common with J. Airplane/J. Starship. Starship was a commercial Pop band without Paul Kantner. Even Grace Slick left Starship to record a reunion album with J. Airplane in 1989. Starship was/is mainly Mickey Thomas` band.

for me...

a HUGE Airplane fan but....


 not here.  For many of the same reason's I'm against the Doors.  Psychedelia was the womb in which Prog grew... but I really think they should be kept seperate.  Prog in general is not a lyrically topical genre... it deals in art and artistic notions which far and away in most cases are shrouded in mysticism and are not direct and actually obtuse in nature.  'Up against the wall motherfu....'  you get the idea ... while lyrically powerful and well... quite direct is not  represenative of what prog was about on the lyrical side.  Musically.... they obviously were very jam orientated. The albums were nothing more a framework for extended instrumental sections in their live shows... which is what the Airplane was about.. regardless of early chart sucess.  I have always considered STRUCTURE  to be a conerstone of prog... the lack of any real concrete structure at all strikes me as a benchmark for the Airplane.  Then again.. few to any bands winged it as good as they did which is why I'm such a fan of them and the Alllman Brothers.

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

Man Erg wrote: I saw Jefferson Starship supporting Genesis at Knebworth '78. Grace Slick decided not to play so they went into prog' excess in the worst possible way.A 30 minute bass and drum solo .They were one of two bands to be canned off(almost) that day.Devo were the others.

She left the band before that concert. She had problems with the band, particularly with Kantner. She also had problems with her drinking, and the band was tired of these problems. Fortunately she recovered, and she rejoined the band in 1981 or in 1982.

I saw Jefferson Starship supporting Genesis at Knebworth '78. Grace Slick decided not to play so they went into prog' excess in the worst possible way.A 30 minute bass and drum solo .They were one of two bands to be canned off(almost) that day.Devo were the others.

I would say Jefferson Starship's Dragonfly and Red Octopus were mostly Progressive Rock albums, the others are a streach. All Fly Away/Devils Den, Hyperdrive,etc from Dragonfly are a good place to look for progressive/psychedelic rock.

It's really not fair to lump all three stages of this bands career into one convenient mass. Jefferson Airplane were a top of the line psyche band. They uncaptulated the era 65-69 perfectly.The blend of folk/blues and rock with thoughtful  lyrics ranging from drug experiences, sci/fi, social and political awarness and change. The Airplane had it all. Even Crown Of Creation has a definate concept album feel to it.

Jefferson Starship was more a hard headed rock band, with pop tendencies.As the decade (70's) rolled on the more commercial the sound became. Certainally not without it's success's,Jefferson Starship, lacked the overt passion and creative energy that it's previous incarnation had.

Starship, what can be said? Commercial gain was the motive. Nice little ditties designed to fit perfectly on the radio waves. Of little intent and no inspiration, Starship was little more than the caboose on a long since passed train.

As far as prog goes? Well I suppose the latter 60's work ie, Crown and Volunteers could be concidered as proto-prog. As far as I go, they'll always be "high" in the annals of psychedelia.

oliverstoned wrote: I do love Jefferson Airplane but dislike Jefferson Starship. I found it very bad, especially this one:

One of the most succesfull albums of their career as J. Airplane or J. Starship.

I agree that J. Starship was more oriented to Arena Rock than J. Airplane.

I do love Jefferson Airplane but dislike Jefferson Starship. I found it very bad, especially this one:

In my opinion Jefferson Airplane made an adventurous, progressive blend of several styles (rock, blues, psychedelia), their DVD Fly Jefferson Airplane is awesome proto-prog  !