R.I.P. Paul Kantner(Jefferson Airplane)

[Tom 1960]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/jefferson-airplane%e2%80%99s-paul-kantner-dies-at-74/ar-BBoPIdg?li=BBnbfcL

[GA Russell]

RIP.  My recollection is that he was famous for being a member of Jefferson Airplane, but not famous for being good at playing the guitar or singing.  Anybody want to disagree?  Perhaps he and Grace Slick were the best at giving interviews.

[jazzbo]

I don't think he was famous for playing guitar or singing, probably better known for his writing and his "concepts." That said I thought he played decent rhythm guitar and sang okay. RIP Paul.

Edited January 29, 2016 by jazzbo

[felser]

I liked his singing for what it was, his guitar playing did what it had to do, and he was an outstanding songwriter and a visionary.  The Airplane in the 1960's were WAY more than the sum of their parts.  He, Slick, and Balin had amazing harmony mix.  In their prime, they were the best there was.   And he was by far the best thing about the Starship.  And "Wooden Ships" is my favorite record cut ever, and that was pure Paul Kantner.  I'm 61, and I assume we are from different generations, but boy, you hit a nerve with your post.  BTW, Richard Thompson and Ian Anderson are the best at giving interviews.

[clifford_thornton]

RIP. Huge fan of the Airplane and he wrote some of their finest.

[MomsMobley]

37 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

RIP. Huge fan of the Airplane and he wrote some of their finest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jlhoots]

Surrealistic Pillow

R.I.P.

[Hardbopjazz]

R.I.P.

[BFrank]

Sum of the parts - exactly! I was a BIG fan of the Airplane! Also the early Jefferson Starship albums that Paul, Grace and others release immediately after the JA broke up - notably "Blows Against the Empire" and "Sunfighter."

"After Bathing At Baxters" is one of my all-time favorite rock albums of the period.

RIP, Paul.

[Swinger]

Terrible loss! RIP!

[A Lark Ascending]

RIP

Can't say JA were central to my listening in the early 70s (I had a friend who was very keen on them) but in retrospect I've enjoyed their records. They definitely evoke a particular time with all its optimism, anger and self-contradiction. 

The musical names from my youth are falling very quickly now...really gives you a sense of mortality. 

[jazzbo]

5 hours ago, BFrank said:

Sum of the parts - exactly! I was a BIG fan of the Airplane! Also the early Jefferson Starship albums that Paul, Grace and others release immediately after the JA broke up - notably "Blows Against the Empire" and "Sunfighter."

"After Bathing At Baxters" is one of my all-time favorite rock albums of the period.

RIP, Paul.

Just a quick note: "Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship" (NOT "Jefferson Starship") were responsible for "Blows Against the Empire" and it was recorded in 1970 while the Jefferson Airplane was in full flight. Likewise "Sunfighter" was also recorded while the Jefferson Airplane was firmly together, and was not a "Jefferson Starship" album, but a release from "Paul Kantner and Grace Slick" in 1971. Rather than "Jefferson Starship" it might be better to refer to these two albums as done by the "Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra". . . .

"Jefferson Starship" as a group was quite different from either of the ensembles that created those two albums, and the first of the "Jefferson Starship" groups formed around 1974.

Edited January 29, 2016 by jazzbo

[felser]

 

7 hours ago, BFrank said:

"After Bathing At Baxters" is one of my all-time favorite rock albums of the period..

Mine also.  That was their musical masterpiece as an album.  But 'Wooden Ships' is the moment for me, and I  still play it very frequently, especially in the car.  "If you smile at me, I will understand, cause that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language".  Post-apocalyptic beauty.  Go ride the  music.  

 

 

 

[clifford_thornton]

Volunteers is a hair's breadth second to Baxter's in my opinion. Great album.

[felser]

1 hour ago, clifford_thornton said:

Volunteers is a hair's breadth second to Baxter's in my opinion. Great album.

It is a great album, but they are very different albums,  with Baxter's being a more unified whole and Volunteers more a collection of songs (to me, anyways).  I wouldn't want to be without either of them (or any of their other 60's albums - though I can certainly live without Long John Silver or Bark) .

[Hot Ptah]

I saw him live in 1976 and he was as good a guitar player and singer as many of the rock stars of that time. He was primarily a songwriter, and wrote distinctive songs.

[MomsMobley]

41 minutes ago, felser said:

though I can certainly live without Long John Silver or Bark) .

 

a Grace song but still... 

"Blows," "Sunfighter" " & "Baron von Tollbooth" among thee greatest-- maybe thee greatest-- bargain bin avant- weirdo pysche albums ever too...

Paul's "Twilight Double Leader" a highlight of spotty "Long John Silver" but this live version even better

 

 

 

 

[Hot Ptah]

I have often thought that Bark would have been a good album if they had taken off "Thunk" and "Never Argue With a German When You're Tired", and substituted the two songs from the non-hit single, "Have You Seen the Saucers" and "Mexico".

I listened to "Long John Silver" last fall. It struck me that many groups end with a whimper, a low energy album where you can feel the air leaving the balloon. In contrast, "Long John Silver" seems to be the product of angry energy to me. It may be their hardest rocking album overall. The songs are not as distinctive as on prior albums, however.
 

[jazzbo]

I like them all, and Paul and Grace's joint albums, and of course Blows Against the Empire. 

However I've never been able to get into Jeferson Starship. I do like Paul probably most of that batch but still. . . .

[paul secor]

I was a Jefferson Airplane fan until my early 20's. Then, they and I went in different directions.

[bluenoter]

https://www.facebook.com/GraceSlickOfficial/

 

http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Jefferson-Airplane-s-Paul-Kantner-dies-at-74-6791483.php

 

I'm old; I got to see the Airplane at least twice. R.I.P.  

Edited January 29, 2016 by bluenoter

[felser]

2 hours ago, Hot Ptah said:

I have often thought that Bark would have been a good album if they had taken off "Thunk" and "Never Argue With a German When You're Tired", and substituted the two songs from the non-hit single, "Have You Seen the Saucers" and "Mexico".

 

Well, certainly a much much better album, if  not a good one.  They left some really good work off their albums through the years.

1 hour ago, jazzbo said:

I like them all, and Paul and Grace's joint albums, and of course Blows Against the Empire. 

However I've never been able to get into Jeferson Starship. I do like Paul probably most of that batch but still. . . .

I also like "Blows Against The  Empire", "Sunfighter", and "Thirty Seconds Over Winterland" fine, and am OK with "Baron Von Tollbooth".  I'm also OK with the first three Jefferson Starship albums (love "Caroline" and "St. Charles"), but those were something totally different (and less) than the 60's Jefferson Airplane.  But I never could really stand Hot Tuna.

[jazzbo]

Can't stand the Jefferson Starship, any of the albums or singles. But I liked the early Hot Tuna at the time and learned this century to like the other 'seventies albums by Hot Tuna. But I play guitars and basses and they are fun to play along to.

[felser]

1 hour ago, jazzbo said:

Can't stand the Jefferson Starship, any of the albums or singles. But I liked the early Hot Tuna at the time and learned this century to like the other 'seventies albums by Hot Tuna. But I play guitars and basses and they are fun to play along to.

The guitar and bass playing was fine.  My concerns were singing (one Jorma vocal per Airplane album was OK, but not a steady diet), material (not a country blues guy), and Papa John Creach (never did get him).   

[jazzbo]

I'm not crazy about Jorma's singing but can take it, Jack is always worth it, I do like me some country blues and dug Papa John (especially after I saw him perform). So there you go, I'm a Hot Tuna guy. They included some of the elements that JA didn't in my early to mid-seventies listening world.