Jefferson Airplane

The Great! Society!! ♦ Hot Tuna ♦ Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship

Gotta Start Somewhere...

Nobody But You / You Made Me Fall Burgess (2:22) / Robertson (2:04) Challenge 9146, 4/62

I Specialize In Love / You Are The One Balin-Collis (1:58) / Fuller (2:19) Challenge 9156, 7/62

 
Let's skip ahead a few years and a local group with a dynamic lead singer:

Someone To Love / Free Advice Slick (2:01) / Slick (2:00) North Beach 101, 2/66 as by The Great!! Society!!

Note: Early concerts at The Matrix were released in 1968. Group info is there.
 

It's No Secret / Runnin' 'Round This World Balin (2:40) / Balin-Kantner (2:40) RCA Victor 47-8679, 2/66

Come Up The Years / Blues From An Airplane Balin-Kantner (2:33) / Balin-Spence (2:13) RCA Victor 47-8848, 5/66

Skip Spence to Moby Grape, baby-bearing Signe Anderson retires

Bringing Me Down / Let Me In Balin-Kantner (2:25) / Balin-Kantner (2:55) RCA Victor 47-8967, 9/66

	Takes Off
	RCA LSP-3584
	9/15/66 BB [UK: 10/71]
	Back Cover

Side One
Blues From An Airplane	Balin-Spence	2:10
Let Me In	Balin-Kantner	2:55
Bringing Me Down	Balin-Kantner	2:22
It's No Secret	Balin	2:37
Tobacco Road	Warnick [Loudermilk]	3:26
Runnin' 'Round This World	Balin-Kantner	2:40
Side Two
Come Up The Years	Balin-Kantner	2:30
Run Around	Balin-Kantner	2:35
Let's Get Together	Powers	3:32
Don't Slip Away	Balin-Spence	2:31
Chauffeur Blues	Melrose	2:25
And I Like It	Balin-Kaukonen	3:16

Note: There were several issues of this album. With and without Runnin' 'Round This World and censored/uncensored Let Me In and Run
Around. Check the Discogs link for more details. No UK release until 1971.
 

My Best Friend / How Do You Feel³ Spence (2:59) / Mastin (2:33) RCA Victor 47-9063, 1/67

"A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In"(1/14/67)

TV Guide Program Listing =KRON, San Francisco  Full Page Ad

Bell Telephone Hour: "Sounds & Sights Of San Francisco," 1/29/67, NBC The Airplane perform It's No Secret: video filmed at The Fillmore Auditorium, audio from Lp. You can see this portion on the Fly Jefferson Airplane DVD—what you don't have a copy?

Somebody To Love / She Has Funny Cars Slick-Slick (2:54) / Balin-Kaukonen (3:03) RCA Victor 47-9140, 2/67 T20

	Surrealistic Pillow
	RCA LSP-3766
	2/1/67 T20 RS500 [UK: 9/67]
	Back Cover     UK Back Cover

Side One
She Has Funny Cars	Balin-Kaukonen	3:03
Somebody To Love	Slick-Slick	2:54
My Best Friend	Spence	2:59
Today	Balin-Kantner	2:57
Comin' Back To Me	Balin	5:18
Side Two
3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds	Balin	3:39
DCBA-25	Kantner	2:33
How Do You Feel?	Mastin	3:26
Embryonic Journey(as if you didn't know: Jorma solo)	Kaukonen	1:51
White Rabbit	Slick	2:27
Plastic Fantastic Lover	Balin	2:33

Note: The Brits hosed this album. See the blue note. The "real" album was issued in the UK in 1969.
Jerry was the defacto producer and helped arrange many songs. Read all about it at Grateful Dead Guide .
 

White Rabbit / Plastic Fantastic Lover Slick (2:29) / Balin (2:35) RCA Victor 47-9248, 6/67 T20

Magic Mountain Music Festival(6/11/67)

Monterey International Pop Festival(6/17/67)

Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil² / Two Heads Kantner (4:45) / Slick (3:10) RCA Victor 47-9297, 8/67 BB

Watch Her Ride / Martha Kantner (3:11) / Kantner (3:21) RCA Victor 47-9389, 11/67 BB

TV Guide Close-up =KRON, San Francisco

Perry Como: "Annual Holiday Special" 11/30/67, NBC The Airplane and "Mister C"? Show was sponsored by RCA, both were RCA artists—sure, why not. Two songs: Martha was a promo film (see that DVD above) and Watch Her Ride was done in all it's Fillmore glory. Poor quality Youtube video . Some viewers were not impressed12/16 Issue: Letters . Another1/18/68 Issue: Letters liked the effort. And one2/3/68 Issue: Letters seemed just right.

	After Bathing At Baxter's
	RCA LSO-1511
	12/67 T20 [UK: 6/68]
	Full Cover   Inside Cover   Inner Sleeve   Inner Sleeve   UK Cover   UK Back Cover

Side One
Streetmasse
The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil	Kantner	4:30
A Small Package Of Value Will Come To You, Shortly	Dryden-Blackman-Thompson	1:42
Young Girl Sunday Blues	Balin-Kanter	3:29
The War Is Over
Martha	Kantner	3:21
Wild Tyme (H)	Kantner	3:05
Hymn To An Older Generation
The Last Wall Of The Castle	Kaukonen	2:46
rejoyce	Slick	4:00
Side Two
How Suite It Is
Watch Her Ride	Kantner	3:11
Spare Chaynge	Casady-Dryden-Kaukonen	9:05
Shizoforest Love Suite
Two Heads	Slick	3:10
Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon	Kantner	5:01

Note: In case you weren't on the bus, Baxters was the Airplane's code word for acid.
According to Spencer [RS#26], Young Girl Sunday Blues was recorded at the Fillmore Auditorium.
 

Greasy Heart / Share alittle Joke (With The World)² Slick (3:19) / Balin (3:08) RCA Victor 47-9496, 3/68 BB This great Greasy Heart AdGreasy Heart Ad appeared in Rolling Stone #9 (4/27/68)

	Conspicuous Only In Its Absence
	Columbia CS-9624
	3/68 BB [UK: ?/68]
	Back Cover

Side One
Sally, Go 'Round The Roses	Sanders-Stevens	6:32
Didn't Think So	G Slick	3:23
Grimly Forming	Vandergeler	3:54
Somebody To Love	D Slick-G Slick	4:28
Side Two
Father Bruce	Miner-D Slick-G Slick-J Slick	3:31
Outlaw Blues	Dylan	2:28
Often As I May	G Slick	3:43
Arbitration	Vandergeler	4:59
White Rabbit	G Slick	6:15

Note: Recorded at The Matrix, late 65
 

Northern California Folk-Rock Festival(5/18/68)

 ➜ Live: 5/3-4, Fillmore East; released 1998: Live At The Fillmore East 

Life Magazine The New Rock June 28, 1968 click to go read the issue article by Zappa, lotssa bands, good issue

Newport Pop Festival(8/4/68)

Didn't Think So³ / Sally Go 'Round The Roses³ Slick (2:30) / Sanders-Stevens (2:18) Columbia 4-44583, 8/68 as by Grace Slick & The Great Society, both are edited tracks from Conspicuous Only In Its Absence

	Crown Of Creation
	RCA LSP-4058
	8/68 T20 [UK: 12/68]
	Back Cover   Dog Poster This is Robert Kennedy's dog (allegedly)  Poster Back

Side One
Lather	Slick	2:55
In Time	Balin-Kantner	4:07
Triad	Crosby	4:54
Star Track	Kaukonen	3:09
Share A Little Joke	Balin	3:04
Chushingura	Dryden	1:17
Side Two
If You Feel	Balin-Blackman	3:30
Crown Of Creation	Kantner	2:52
Ice Cream Phoenix	Cockey-Kaukonen	2:59
Greasy Heart	Slick	3:25
The House At Pooneil Corners	Balin-Kantner	5:46

Note: Bomb photo: Hiroshima (courtesy USAF) (actually, it's from a Nevada test).
 

Great South Coast Bank Holiday Pop Festivity(8/31/68)

	How It Was
	Columbia CS-9702
	9/68 [UK: N/R?]
	Back Cover   Reissue Cover   Harmony Reissue Cover with three Graces!

Side One
That's How It Is	Miner	2:35
Darkly Smiling	D Slick	3:06
Nature Boy	Ahbez	3:06
You Can't Cry	Miner	3:13
Side Two
Daydream Nightmare	Miner	4:30
Everybody Knows	D Slick	2:33
Born To Be Burned	D Slick-J Slick	3:16
Father	Miner-D Slick-G Slick-J Slick	6:41

Note: Recorded at The Matrix, late 65
Both albums re-released in 1971 as double album (Collector's Item From The San Francisco Scene)—see note 2 and a surprise in the last note.
 

The Ed Sullivan Show: 9/29/68, Crown Of Creation, Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon

Crown Of Creation / Lather Kantner (2:52) / Slick (2:55) RCA Victor 47-9644, 10/68 BB

TV Guide Program Listing =KGO, San Francisco

Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: "Really, Grace? ," 11/10/68, CBS Live vocal versions of Crown Of Creation and Lather

On Nov 19,AP Wire Story the group did something that The Beatles duplicated in Jan 69. Both groups got in some trouble (YouTube link)!

	Monterey Pop(12/26/68)
	First and best rockumentary on festivals

	Bless Its Pointed Little Head
	RCA LSP-4133
	2/69 T20 [UK: 6/69] UK
	Back Cover   Poster   Poster Back

Side One
Clergy†	-	1:32
3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds‡	Balin	4:37
Somebody To Love‡	Slick	3:46
Fat Angel†	Leitch	7:29
Rock Me Baby‡	Traditional	7:40
Side Two
The Other Side Of This Life‡	Neil	6:35
It's No Secret‡	Balin	3:22
Plastic Fantastic Lover‡	Balin	3:40
Turn Out The Lights†	Casady-Dryden-Kantner-Kaukonen-Slick	:58
Bear Melt†	Casady-Dryden-Kantner-Kaukonen-Slick	11:06

Note: Recorded live at the †Fillmore East (11/28-30/68) and ‡Fillmore West (10/24-26/68). 3 more tracks on 2004 CD.

Plastic Fantastic Lover / The Other Side Of This Life Balin (3:40) / Neil (6:35) RCA Victor 74-0150, 5/69

Northern California Folk-Rock Festival(5/24/69)

Atlantic City Pop Festival(8/2/69)

Woodstock Music & Art Fair(8/16/69)

TV Guide Program Listing =WABC, New York (EST)

Dick Cavett Show: "Woodstock Hangover ," 8/19/69, ABC Dick gets hip with Joni, C&S, and the Airplane right after the upstate mud-fest (see note below).

Note: (cont'd) Only time "m*therf*ck*r was said on TV It was taped the day before (Monday afternoon) and that's why Jimi was
excused). Joni sings "Chelsea" and Stills does "4+20" and they join the f*ck*rs at the end with "Somebody To Love." Classic TV!
Read about the show @ wiki or Dangerous Minds —your choice. 
 

New Orleans Pop Festival(9/1/69)

Volunteers / We Can Be Together Balin-Kantner (2:03) / Kantner (5:50) RCA Victor 74-0245, 10/69 BB

Sesame Street: "Grace sings Jazz Numbers ," in taped spots through the first season. Denny Zeitlin composed the music. More details at: Muppet Wiki

	Volunteers
	RCA LSP-4238
	11/69 T20 RS500 [UK: 2/70] UK
	Back Cover   Inside Cover   "Newspaper" Insert Front   "Newspaper" Insert Back—lyrics   Quadrophonic Cover

Side One
We Can Be Together†	Kantner	5:50
Good Shepherd	arr Kaukonen	4:22
The Farm	Blackman-Kantner	2:55
Hey Fredrick†	Slick	8:31
Side Two
Turn My Life Down	Kaukonen	2:55
Wooden Ships†	Crosby-Kantner-Stills	6:00
Eskimo Blue Day	Kantner-Slick	6:31
A Song For All Seasons†	Dryden	3:30
Meadowlands	-	1:01
Volunteers†	Balin-Kantner	2:03

Note: In 1973, RCA issued a quadrophonic release of Volunteers (see note for cover).
There are quite a few diferences in the recordings (check out Volunteers!).
 

 ➜ Live: 11/28-29, Fillmore East; released 2007: Sweeping Up The Spotlight 
Note: This was their annual Thanksgiving appearance at the Fillmore East—great show (on-the-scene report)
 

Palm Beach Music and Art Festival(11/30/69)

Altamont Speedway Free Festival(12/6/69)

	Woodstock(3/26/70)
	From Richie to Jimi—3 days of music, mud, and meandering

Spencer Dryden to New Riders of the Purple Sage, replaced by Joey Covington.
Marty Balin to wander and produce Grootna.

Have You Seen The Saucers?¹ / Mexico¹ Kantner (3:37) / Slick (2:07) RCA Victor 74-0343, 5/70

	Hot Tuna
	RCA LSP-4353
	6/70 BB [UK: 8/70]
	Back Cover   Inner Sleeve   Inner Sleeve

Side One
Hesitation Blues	trad, arr Casady-Kaukonen	5:05
How Long Blues	Carr	3:24
Uncle Sam Blues	trad, arr Casady-Kaukonen	5:04
Don't You Leave Me Here	Morton	2:50
Death Don't Have No Mercy	Davis	6:10
Side Two
Know Your Rider	trad, arr Casady-Kaukonen	3:59
Oh Lord, Search My Heart	Davis	3:47
Winin' Boy Blues	Morton	5:25
New Song (For the Morning)	Kaukonen	4:55
Mann's Fate	Kaukonen	5:20

Note: Recorded September 16 to 24, 1969, New Orleans House, Berkeley
 

6/28/70: Bath Festival 1970 (Hot Tuna) Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England

	Blows Against The Empire
	RCA LSP-4448
	11/70 T20 [UK: 1/71] T20
	Back Cover   Inside Cover   Inner Sleeve   Inner Sleeve

Side One
Mau Mau (Amerikon)	Kantner-Slick-Covington	6:33
The Baby Tree(Kantner & Garcia only)	Sorrels	1:42
Let's Go Together	Kantner	4:11
A Child Is Coming	Kantner-Slick-Crosby	6:15
Side Two: Blows Against The Empire
Sunrise	Slick	1:54
Hijack	Kantner-Slick-Balin-Blackman	8:18
Home	Kantner-Sawyer-Nash	:37
Have You Seen The Stars Tonite	Kantner-Crosby	3:42
XM	Kantner-Sawyer-Garcia-Hart	1:22
Starship	Kantner-Slick-Balin-Blackman	7:07

Note: Thanks to Kurt Vonnegut, Robert A Heinlein, Michael Cooney, Jean Genet, Mike Lipskin, Buckminster Fuller, Theodore Sturgeon,
A A Milne, John Lear and The Bear - James Boyd, thanks
The album was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (sci-fi)—no award was given
 

The Worst Of Jefferson AirplaneWorst Of Jefferson Airplane RCA LSP-4459, 11/70 BB [UK: 2/71] no unique tracks

	Gimme Shelter(12/6/70)
	Stones 1969 tour, ending in Altamont

Go Ride The Music: Winter 71, NET The Airplane and Quicksilver (studio and live) perform for NET's Fanfare series.

	First Pull Up, Then Pull Down
	RCA Victor LSP-4550
	6/71 BB [UK: 10/71]
	Full Cover   Inside Cover   Inner Sleeve

Side One
John's Other	Creach	8:12
Candy Man	Davis	5:44
Been So Long	Kaukonen	3:42
Want You To Know	Carter	4:23
Side Two
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning	Davis	8:08
Never Happen No More	Blind Blake	3:47
Come Back Baby	Hopkins	9:28

Note: recorded April, 1971 at Chateau Liberté, Los Gatos, California
 

Been So Long¹ / Candy Man³ Kaukonen (3:42) / Davis (3:59) RCA Victor 74-0528, 9/71 Been So Long is a studio recording, although the label states live recording

	Bark
	Grunt FTR-1001
	9/71 T20 [UK: 9/71] UK
	Back Cover   Bark came in this bag   Back of bag   Bag opened   Poster Front   Poster Back

Side One
When The Earth Moves Again	Kantner	3:51
Feel So Good	Kaukonen	4:35
Crazy Miranda	Slick	3:21
Pretty As You Feel	Casady-Covington-Kaukonen	4:25
Wild Turkey	Kaukonen	4:35
Side Two
Lawman	Slick	2:40
Rock & Roll Island	Kantner	3:40
Third Week In The Chelsea	Kaukonen	4:40
Never Argue With A German If You're Tired Or European Song	Slick	4:31
Thunk	Covington	2:57
War Movie	Kantner	4:41

Note: One of the more elaborate packages: LP came in brown bag (with credits on reverse), regular LP jacket, and doubled-sided poster
Too bad the music wasn't as neat!
Portraits of group member by Grace (except Grace's was done by Bill Thompson). Gary Blackman contributed the bag poem.
 

Pretty As You Feel³ / Wild Turkey Covington-Casady-Kaukonen (3:07) / Kaukonen (4:43) Grunt 65-0500, 10/71 BB

Sunfighter / China Kantner (3:50) / Slick (3:13) Grunt 65-0503, 11/71 A-side as by Paul Kantner With The Edwin Hawkins Singers; B-side as by Grace Slick

	Paul Kantner & Grace Slick Sunfighter
	Grunt FTR-1002
	11/71 BB [UK: 12/71]
	Full Cover   Inside Cover   Booklet (sample)

Side One
Silver Spoon	Slick	5:40
Diana - Part 1	Kantner-Slick	0:52
Sunfighter	Kantner	3:50
Titanic	Sawyer	2:25
Look At The Wood	Kantner-Slick	2:08
When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves	Kantner-Slick	4:59
Side Two
Million	Kantner	4:02
China	Slick	3:17
Earth Mother	Traylor	3:16
Diana - Part 2	Kantner-Slick	1:01
Universal Copernican Mumbles	Gleeson-Kantner-Vierra	2:03
Holding Together	Kantner-Slick	7:40

Note: Album came with 16-page booklet, with many drawings by Grace.
 

	Early Flight
	Grunt CYL1-0437
	2/74 BB [UK: 4/74]
	Full Cover   Inside Cover

Side One
High Flying Bird	Wheeler	2:30
Runnin' Round This World(non-LP 45)	Balin-Kantner	2:21
It's Alright	Kantner-Spence	2:15
In The Morning	Kaukonen	6:25
J P P McStep B Blues	Spence	2:48
Side Two
Go To Her	Estes-Kantner	3:58
Up Or Down	P Kaukonen	6:18
Mexico(non-LP 45—different mix)	Slick	2:05
Have You Seen The Saucers?(non-LP 45)	Kantner	3:37

Note: P Kaukonen is Jorma's brother, Peter
 

Everything started to fall apart in 72. Long John Silver was their last studio album (7/72). Hot Tuna and Starship moved on.

Links!