Jefferson Airplane

Formed: 1965
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Genre: Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Years Active: 1965 - 1973
Meaning of the Name: A jazz inspired nickname for guitarist Jorma Kaukonen was 'Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane'.
Core Members: Grace Slick, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Way of Working: Collaborative
Associated: Jefferson Starship

Essential Releases

Surrealistic
Pillow (1967)

A defining album of the summer of love.

After Bathing at
Baxter's (1967)

More experimental effort that fuses jazz with psychedelia.

Volunteers (1969)

A political album marching towards social progress.

How did Grace Slick, the iconic 'poster girl' of 1967's Summer of Love, transform from a wealthy suburbanite into a barefoot beatnik who infamously attempted to dose the American president with LSD? While drugs certainly played a role, her evolution was more than just chemical. Her free spirit embodied a rebellious post-war generation determined to change the world, a grand, idealistic vision that, like all good fairy tales, had to begin somewhere.

Growing up, Slick's parents read her such stories, and her favourite was Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (1865). She loved it because Alice saves herself in the end; Prince Charming was nowhere in sight. Walking in the footsteps of Alice, Slick embarked on an intrepid journey 'through the looking glass' into a strange and dangerous world of her own, defying her parents by moving to San Francisco to pursue a modelling career.

An interest in music soon followed. Using hallucinogenic drugs, she penned the soaring 'White Rabbit' in 1966 with her first band, The Great Society. She later joined Jefferson Airplane, recording her seminal version of the song in 1967. The resulting album, Surrealistic Pillow, became the Jefferson's most successful, reaching #3 on the U.S. Billboard charts.

This LP heralded a significant change in direction for the band, lurching away from the bluesy folk rock of their debut towards the abstract psychedelia prevalent at the time. Notably, The Beatles released their mind-bending masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, just four months after Surrealistic Pillow in June 1967.

A spirit of love radiated among young people that particular summer, serving as a potent form of protest against the war in Vietnam. For a brief while, a better world truly seemed possible. Unfortunately, this idealism didn't last. The fairy tale had come to an end. Many who had put flowers in their hair picked up a rifle when the draft was implemented in 1969. Jefferson Airplane adapted to this new climate with their protest record Volunteers (1969), that called for direct action against a militant America.

The barefoot beatnik who once embodied the hopes of a generation now fronted a band challenging a fractured nation and descended into alcoholism. Did Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane change the world? Not in a way that truly lasted. But did they make an indelible mark on pop culture that's still spoken about today? Overwhelmingly, yes. The music of Jefferson Airplane undoubtedly stands the test of time, offering a profound look into the hearts and minds of a generation, and it should be considered among the era's best.

Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?

80

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.

70

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.

80

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.

80

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?

60

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.

85

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.

70

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.

85

Singing

i Technical attributes.

85

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.

90

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?

60

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.

70

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.

60

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?

70

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.

60

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.

80

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards

Certifications >>>

• Surrealistic Pillow: 2x Platinum in USA; Silver in UK
• Crown of Creation: Gold in USA
• Volunteers: Gold in USA
• Bark: Gold in USA
• Long John Silver: Gold in USA

Charts >>>

• Surrealistic Pillow: #3 in USA
• Crown of Creation: #6 in USA

Critics >>>

• Rolling Stone: Surrealistic Pillow - 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2003): #136
• Rolling Stone: Volunteers - 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2003): #370

CRITICISM

• Grace Slick intended to spike President Richard Nixon with acid at a 1970 party in the White House, but wasn't allowed in.


• The ever-rebellious Grace Slick posed on a 1969 cover of Teenset Magazine in blackface. She also performed in blackface on a 1968 edition of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
  

Similar Acts

• Quicksilver Messenger Service
• The Grateful Dead
• Country Joe and the Fish
• The Doors

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