Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship/Hot Tuna/Solo & More: Album-By-Album

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/JEFFERSON STARSHIP/STARSHIP/HOT TUNA/SOLO & MORE: ALBUM BY ALBUM

Fly Jefferson Airplane, gets you there on time.

Welcome to the Jefferson family. It’s a big family with lots of artists and music and we’ll be going through almost all of it. From Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship, to the The Great Society, Hot Tuna, Bodacious DF, and also Paul Kantner solo, Grace Slick solo, Marty Balin, solo, and Jorma Kaukonen solo. If somebody would like to comment on New Riders of the Purple Sage, SVT, Papa John Creach’s solo or Mickey Thomas’ solo stuff, (or anything else I missed) feel free, just try to keep it in chronological order.

Maybe you only like the Airplane or only Jeff Starship or just Hot Tuna maybe you’ll stay for those segments, maybe fly to new lands as well, but hopefully there’s something for everybody and it won’t be too hard to juggle around the various airlines as we go chronological. Plus, I have a lot of it organized already.

Well, it’s been 2 years since I made a thread, and I’ve only done two, the Love album-by-album thread and the Monterey Pop Festival Performance-by-Performance thread. I usually put a lot of time in these so I don’t do them often but it will be thorough. Side features, questions, album ranking, song ranking, vocal/writing breakdowns, lineup changes, lyric quotes, pics, videos…we’ll have some of everything.

This is a major band of the counterculture, the 1960’s and overall and it’s not just because of 2 huge songs during the Summer of Love. With a unique lineup, tons of talent and being great live and in studio, the Airplane are memorable for a number of reasons. Though much of the material may sound ‘dated’ to some, there’s so much of it that is universal and transcends generations that ‘dated’ doesn’t really matter. Whether we take it as a music history lesson or go out listening to it in headphones on a beautiful day for current entertainment, it’s well worth the flight.

 

What's on the on-flight menu?


JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – TAKES OFF [August, 1966]

THE GREAT SOCIETY – CONSPICUOUS IN ITS ABSENCE [live, 1966]

THE GREAT SOCIETY – HOW IT WAS [plus bonuses] [live, 1966]

Jefferson Airplane – Live At the Fillmore Auditorium [Signe’s final show, live 1966]

Jefferson Airplane – Live At the Fillmore Auditorium {Grace’s first show, live 1966]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – LIVE AT THE MATRIX – [11/25/66, 11/27/66]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – SURREALISTIC PILLOW [February, 1967]

Jefferson Airplane – Live At the Monterey Pop Festival [June, 1967]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – AFTER BATHING AT BAXTER’S [November, 1967]

Jefferson Airplane – Return to Matrix [live February, 1968]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – CROWN OF CREATION [September, 1968]

Jefferson Airplane – Bless Its Pointed Little Head [live, February, 1969]

Jefferson Airplane – Live At Golden Gate Park [live May, 1969]

Jefferson Airplane – The Woodstock Experience [live August 1969]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – VOLUNTEERS [November, 1969]

Jefferson Airplane – Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Live At the Fillmore East [live November, 1969]
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HOT TUNA – HOT TUNA [August, 1970]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – BLOWS AGAINST THE EMPIRE [October, 1970]

Jefferson Airplane – The Worst of Jefferson Airplane [November, 1970]

HOT TUNA – FIRST PULL UP THEN PULL DOWN [June, 1971]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – BARK [September, 1971]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP - SUNFIGHTER [Kantner/Slick, November, 1971]

HOT TUNA – BURGERS [February, 1972]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – LONG JOHN SILVER [July, 1972]

Jefferson Airplane – Thirty Seconds Over Winterland [Live, April, 1973]

HOT TUNA – THE PHOSPHORESCENT RAT [1973]

BODACIOUS DF- BODACIOUS DF [1973]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – BARON VON TOLLBOOTH & THE CHROME NUN [1973]

Jefferson Airplane – Early Flight [February, 1974]

GRACE SLICK – MANHOLE [1974]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – DRAGONFLY [September, 1974]

JORMA KAUKONEN – QUAH [1974]

HOT TUNA – AMERICA’S CHOICE [1975]

Jefferson Starship – Live in Central Park [May, 1975]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – RED OCTOPUS [June, 1975]

Hot Tuna – Splashdown [live, July, 1975]

HOT TUNA – YELLOW FEVER [1975]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – SPITFIRE [June, 1976]

HOT TUNA- HOPPKORV [1976]

Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Solo – Flight Log [January, 1977]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – EARTH [February, 1978]

Jefferson Starship – Light the Sky on Fire [November 1978]

Hot Tuna – Double Dose [Live, 1978]

JORMA KAUKONEN– JORMA [1979]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – FREEDOM AT POINT ZERO [November, 1979]
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GRACE SLICK -DREAMS [1980]

JORMA KAUKONEN-BARBECUE KING [1980]

GRACE SLICK – WELCOME TO THE WRECKING BALL [February 1981]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – MODERN TIMES [April, 1981]

MARTY BALIN – BALIN [1981]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – WINDS OF CHANGE [October,1982]

MARTY BALIN – LUCKY [February, 1983]

PAUL KANTNER -PLANET EARTH ROCK AND ROLL ORCHESTRA [August 1983]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – NUCLEAR FURNITURE [May, 1984]

GRACE SLICK – SOFTWARE [1984]

JORMA KAUKONEN – TOO HOT TO HANDLE [1985]

STARSHIP – KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA [September, 1985]

KBC – KBC BAND [1986]

Jefferson Airplane – 2400 Fulton Street (Anthology) [May, 1987]

STARSHIP – NO PROTECTION [July, 1987]

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – JEFFERSON AIRPLANE [August, 1989]

STARSHIP – LOVE AMONG THE CANNIBALS [August, 1989]
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HOT TUNA – PAIR OF DICE FOUND [1990]

Jefferson Airplane – Jefferson Airplane Loves You (box) [October, 1992]

Jefferson Starship – Deep Space/Virgin Sky [live, June, 1995]

JEFFERSON STARSHIP – WINDOWS OF HEAVEN [June, 1998]
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JEFFERSON STARSHIP – JEFFERSON’S TREE OF LIBERTY [2008]

HOT TUNA – STEADY AS SHE GOES [2011]

Most items in CAPS will get longer time then the others. We’ll probably move faster once we hit the 1980’s. Once we’re in the 1990’s to today, we’ll keep a distant eye on solo stuff from Marty and Jorma and any additional releases from the bands or anything else related. I guess the list is about 50 albums worth but I’ll make sure it ends before the end of the summer.

So I’ll give you all some time to gather your thoughts since this is a big project to spring on the forum without notice. I was always surprised there wasn’t more coverage here in general on the Jeff Air and Jeff Star so it would be nice to fill the gap. All opinions are welcome, even if they may be unpopular. Some things are great, some things aren’t-it’s not an appreciation thread so if you like it, you like it, if you don’t, you don’t. We still can be together.

 

Call me when you get to Red Octopus.

Oh and hang up when you reach Knee Deep.

 

I'll be looking forward to this one.

 

I got into Jefferson Airplane a couple of decades after the beginning. I was just becoming a major music fan and was exploring 1960’s bands and of course the name came up and seeing old documentaries and hearing the Airplane’s big hits got me in more interested. I picked up Surrealistic Pillow and the compilation 2400 Fulton Street right before they did the CD remasters and then the rest when the other remasters were available since I dug everything I heard. I still love them today. I had to advance to Jefferson Starship and again went mostly chronological adding in Blows From the Empire. I knew of Starship hearing them on radio and I acquired their best of for a couple of bucks but never got the albums. Though I had chances to see Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship, Marty Balin, and Hot Tuna, I never got to see any of them. Worst of all was before Kantner died, he played in Times Square at BB King Blues Club 2015, and I missed it; he passed away a little later the next year. Just months earlier, I just missed seeing a great live show with Marty Balin playing a good 30 songs- also in Times Square, but I was busy all day and I got there just when they sold the final tickets. Though I missed the show I did meet Marty Balin’s daughter who was waiting for her husband to meet her there. I just said “your father’s great” and she said “thank you”.

So how did you get into any of the Jefferson family?

 

I only have a few JA albums and the Hot Tuna album, so this will be an interesting thread for me to follow and learn more.

 

Hearing them on the radio when I started listening to FM as a kid 1970/71-ish. Heard Ride The Tiger on the radio when it came out & got me interested in the Starship stage when I was in 7TH grade at the time released. Red Octopus was a big release for them i recall among kids at school. Hot Tuna (Burgers) was my first listen in the '78/'79(I think?) at a buddy's house. Liked that too at the time. Finally got around to "re exploring" all of Hot Tuna's catalogue in the past 10 years + Airplane & Starship too (better late than never,right?) Glad I did too.

Also glad I have the DCC Gold Of Red Octopus too

 

I didn't pay any attention until the 2 hits - Somebody and Rabbit - were all over the radio. Then I went into the first lp and then Pillow to get into the deep cuts.
Been with Tuna most of its path but not into Jeff Starship/Starship though I kind of like Sunfighter. I do like Kantner's Against the Empire set.

 

White Rabbit got me interested, leading to purchase of Surrealistic Pillow in 1967 which I have loved ever since . Gave up on them after listening to Bark. Couldn't stomach Starship except for Blows Against the Empire. I still enjoy Hot Tuna and Jorma's solo work though. Will be looking forward to these discussions.

 

So sorry about my weird inquiry, by any chance is anybody aware of a Hot Tuna LP where there is a song where it seems a dog is singuing or vocalizing behind a guitar? I already tried to listen most of them. Thanks

 

J. Airplane - yes
J. Starship - no
Starship - NO
Hot Tuna - studio recordings -yes. live - no
Jorma Kaukonen - YES, YES

 

Maybe not Hot Tuna, but Pink Floyd's "Seamus"?

 

I have all the JA studio albums plus a bunch of live ones, along with Grace's four solos, Sunfighter and Baron von Tollbooth. Pillow, Crown, Volunteers, Dreams and Tollbooth are my favorites. Favorite song from all those? David Freiberg's Harp Tree Lament. I'm also a huge Quicksilver fan.
I'm not a Starship fan. At all.

 

Jefferson Airplane never featured on Irish radio during my teenage years but I did come across the odd mention of the group in music papers like the NME. I took a chance and bought Baxter’s. Loved it and continued on from there. That was back in the early 1970’s and I am still very much a fan of JA and all offshoots. My favourite albums are Crown of Creation (JA) and QUAH (Jorma).

I got to see Jefferson Starship at Knebworth in 1978, STV in 1982, Jorma (solo) in 1984 and the Starship again in the early 1990’s.

Your thread on Love was fantastic. Looking forward to this one as well.

 

Thanks for the comments so far everyone. So we have some fans who have differing favorites that's a plus.

Thanks for the comment about Love. It was so much fun and I put a ton of effort into that. I got fanatical back in 2016 reading and hearing everything I could. I think we're going to get that great vibe here too.

 

'jane" is the best late whatever the called themselves single they ever cut.

 

I thought Flight Log was a pretty cool collection.

 

One item that's likely missing from the original list of releases is the 1970 single of Have you Seen the Saucers/Mexico. I realize that you likely don't want to get bogged down with singles and that both tracks were included on 1974's Early Flight. However, the mix of Mexico that appeared on the single is not the same mix that appeared on Early Flight and the omission is a major one if you did Jack's bass work. On the single version of Mexico, about 45 seconds in, Jack's bass morphs into a tactical nuclear warhead and lays waste to everything. Simply glorious.

I also wouldn't attribute Sunfighter or Baron von Tollbooth to Jefferson Starship. They belong to Slick/Kantner and Slick/Kantner/Freiberg, respectively.

As for favorites, while I'm not a fan of Jefferson Starship (as most folks view them), the original side project named Jefferson Starship released Blows Against the Empire in 1970. That's one of my top all-time records. Otherwise, After Bathing at Baxter's and Crown of Creation would be my favorites. Great idea for a thread!

 

Saw them in their early years, Grace Slick that is, the few times they flew into Philly. The last was with John Mayall performing his Turning Point album. The Airplane were touring on Volunteers I believe. I have all their studio albums, Grace with the Great Society, two of them, lot's of Hot Tuna and some Jorma solo efforts. When the Airplane veered I went left with Hot Tuna. I don't listen to them much lately and I am guessing this thread will reignite the engine. Looking forward to all the fun.

Baxters and Crown are my two favorite Airplane albums. I love the Great Society albums I have, the eastern feel in the guitar work is great. I hope you also go over the various TV shows they performed and were interviewed on. Maybe linking YouTube videos would be fun.

 

I'm one of the rare few that enjoy every incarnation and line up. Own everything from 1966's Take Off to 2013's Loveless Fascination and all of Grace and Marty's solo output. I spent more than I should to have the Japanese 11CD mini replica LP box of the Jefferson Starship albums. I discovered the bands by listening to all the radio hits in the late 70's and 80's. Marty Balin's "Hearts" is a song I remember hearing daily at the pool one summer. Then I went back and collected the early albums as CD's in the 90's. The variety of musicians and singers over the decades make every album a pleasure to listen to. I look forward to hearing the views of everyone out there.

 

Yes, thank you. I knew about both but it just slipped past me. On my computer, I have them listed under Jefferson Starship cause it's easier for me but I meant to change that and add the single. Yes, it's Paul Kantner/Grace Slick for Sunfighter and Kantner/Slick/Freiberg for Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun. Good catch - yes we're covering the single and those albums with those artists as the feature. Interesting I didn't change those cause those 2 I heard way later than a lot of the stuff here. Those were unavailable in stores so only years later did I get them.

 

I was too young to witness the Airplane first-hand and only got into them in the early/mid '70s, but I managed to catch a Jef. Starship show in '78, in Amsterdam, when Grace, Kantner and Marty were still on board. The encore was Somebody To Love, and they sang it with a passion as if it was 1967 again. Hippie euphoria! Which was funny, because only a few days later they were supposed to headline a german festival, but a completely drunk Grace Slick caused a huge scandal, insulting the crowd, who responded by rioting and thrashing the band's gear. Slick was consequently booted out of the band, only to return three years later.

 

Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, The back of the record jacket said the were " A Jet Age Sound". I had to have it.

 

First, great idea for a thread and great work pulling together the chronology of releases.

Regarding "JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – LIVE AT THE MATRIX – [11/25/66, 11/27/66]", I believe the actual title of this CD set is "Live At The Fillmore Auditorium 11/25/66 and 11/27/66"

An official CD release to add to the chronology is "Live At The Fillmore East, May 1968". This is the one with Egyptian figures on the cover, RCA ‎– 07863 67563-2. It's different from "Bless Its Pointed Little Head" or "Sweeping Up The Spotlight", which were also at one of the Fillmore Auditorium, so it's confusing. Discogs has the US release date as 1998.

 

The first time I saw the Jefferson Airplane was in April 1967 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, along with Canned Heat and the Grateful Dead. This was the early stages of the San Francisco groups coming down the coast to LA and playing concerts.
I will never forget this concert because it was at the Ambassador Hotel, where the Coconut Grove was. This was a pretty snazzy place in those days and I still remember how out of place we felt in this hotel going to see a bunch of hippie bands from San Francisco. Well, two of the bands were from San Francisco, Canned Heat was from Topanga Canyon near LA. I was hooked on Jefferson from the first time I heard Surrealistic Pillow, then Bathing at Baxter's took it to another level along with Crown of Creation. I still like listening to their early vinyl up thru Bless It's Pointed Little Head. The concert at the Ambassador was unique because it was off in the back in smallish banquet room, it was great and I can still remember one of people introducing the groups as the came out and saying If They Can Do It In San Francisco, we can do it here too. Those were the days