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revolutionary music Aug 27, 2009
This first album has always been one of my favorites, but is often underrated. To understand it's significance, the reader really must go back and listen to the banal, simplistic music that was out in 1966, like the Young Rascal's "Good Lovin" or "Ballad of the Green Berets" (#1 Billboard hit of '66) for example to hear how REALLY different "JA Takes Off" was.
The Jefferson Airplane was an outgrowth of the early sixties folk music craze, yes Bob Dylan, but Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary, etc. The name "Jefferson Airplane" came from an old black blues/folksinger Blind Lemmon Jefferson. Story goes, he had a folklorist who catalogued his music. When he didn't know who wrote the songs he would say, "That's one of Jefferson's Airplanes". stories abound. (note: this is NOT the explanation in the liner notes, but this is what JA said in a magazine in 1966!). So these folkies sat around the coffee houses, singing and passing the hat, but they spent years learning to sing harmonies together and play acoustic instruments. Then came Bob Dylan's "Bringing It all Back Home" where Dylan used electric instruments - and all the folkies, like DC's Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, turned on, tuned in and went electric, too. The psychedelic San Francisco scene burst upon the music industry and ripped it literally into a totally new direction, led by JA, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother, Greatful Dead, et al.
Initially, everyone in the group (but singer Anderson) played guitar! Casady was put on bass and Skip Spence, who "looked like a drummer" became group drummer. Kaukonen, who could play rings around everyone else, got lead guitar.
Well, the really different thing on this album was the modal chords (like those in Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue"), and rapid tempo changes, chords like no one in folk or rock had ever used before, mostly minor keys with nineths, thirteenths, jazz chords. Thick chords in vocals and guitars that just hang in the air! The double vocal leads. We couldn't believe it when we first heard it. Listen to "Blues From an Airplane", "Bringin Me Down", "It's No Secret".
"Come Up the Years" is a love song (probably) about the very very young groupee, Martha W, the runaway daughter of a local politco, who the Airplane reputedly hid from the authorities for years... "Don't Slip Away" may also be written about Martha, no ones talkin'. Another song would be written for her is on Bathing at Baxter's.
"Let's Get Together" written by QMS Dino Valente, would later become a huge hit in a weaker version by The Youngbloods.
Now some of the album falls back on it's folk roots a bit much, like "Tobacco Road", but the rest is very good music.
Pretty, perky singer Signe Anderson didn't get as many solos as Gracie Slick, who replaced her when Signe became pregnant, but she has a great voice. Her voice actually blends better with Marty Balin than Slick. Listen to her belt out the "Chauffeur Blues", popularized by Bessie Smith.
The reviewer in the liner notes says this album comes from a time when the standard was set higher. Amen to that!
This was Music that Changed Rock Forever.
Very well recorded, especially for it's day. good bass. Much better technical quality recording than Surrealistic Pillow for some reason!
Not to be a stickler, but.................. Jun 24, 2009
Eeegads...I still have my original "Black Dog" RCA pressing of this gem. It really is a great album. It stands up to the test of time and all that. I saw them twice with this line-up....before Gracie and before Skip Spence went off to found Moby Grape with Mosely and Miller. The pic shown of the back of the Jewel case is NOT accurate. That's Spencer Dryden on the drum set....not Skippy.
With either line-up, their performances in general were quite good and tight for those first few years. As their music got louder however, things started to unravel. One needs to remember that this was a time when stage monitors were rarely found. Unable to hear one another's voices made for some horrid harmonies. Marty Balin was getting edged out as well. In many respects he was the glue that kept the whole group going.
Just thought you'd like to know.
Tom
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
The One That Got Away Jan 09, 2009
There have been great albums that people don't remember as masterpieces, like Jethro Tull's "This Was." They always think of "Aqualung," but their first was really their best (Mick Abrahams - best guitarist Tull ever had!) Same with this one. As some reviewers say - this is a folk-rock classic. A shame, because it all went horribly wrong later on when psychedelia ruined it all. Folk-Rock, and especially the bands out of L.A. and San Fran during 1965 to early 1967 was phenomenal. This album along with Surrealistic Pillow were the best. After that, Marty Balin got pushed aside. BIG - BIG Mistake. But - like I said, a Folk-Rock Classic.
There are also bootlegs of this band live and if you get a chance, try to find them playing these songs live - very cool. 12 strings ringing out, baby! You can almost see Roger Mcguinn drool!! Buy this at all costs and you will not regret it. Only thing is - it will make you cry when you compare this to the crap that's out today. Oh - by the way...I heard a live concert of the group just after Grace replaced Signe Anderson and they played the songs from this record and...Grace does'nt cut it. Not on Signe's songs. Sorry Grace - you did well on your own but you could not match Signe on this stuff. I put this album in the top 10 BEST folk rock albums of all time! Get it!!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
An excellent, exciting, must-have album Apr 15, 2008
What a debut! This is a classic of 60s music and surely one of the best rock albums ever. It's superb from start to finish, exciting and refreshing like the Beatles' LP "A Hard Day's Night", but with a dose of the blues. The album opener "Blues from an Airplane" is a lovely mid-tempo song with gorgeous harmony singing (nicely coupled with Marty Balin's plaintive vocals) and attractive guitarwork. Next we have "Let Me In", a marvelous rocker with a stunning lead vocal by Paul Kantner and great electric guitar playing (has any group ever equalled JA's virtuosity with that instrument?). And then another fine rocker, "Bringing Me Down", with a groovy riff that you'll dig! The remaining eight songs are all great as well - right through to Balin's powerful blues closer "And I Like It" - as are the bonus tracks, especially "High Flying Bird".
Signe Anderson, Airplane's female vocalist only on this one album, has a voice that's amazingly similar to Grace Slick's, and after listening to "JA Takes Off" you'll be left in little doubt that she was just as good. Or putting it a little differently, we can say that Airplane was very fortunate in finding a new female vocalist as good as Signe. She handles the lead on "Chauffeur Blues" and makes strong contributions to "High Flying Bird" and "Let's Get Together" (just a two-line solo lasting 10 seconds in the latter, but how beautifully she sings it!).
So, fasten your seat belt and take off on Jefferson Airplane!
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
"It's No Secret" this can't be overlooked anymore! Jun 19, 2007
As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.
There has never been a more appropriate day to review the debut Jefferson Airplane effort. The female vocalist at the time Signe Anderson is now battling cancer and monetary issues. Before we get to the music, please help her. If you go to the Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship message boards, you will see information on making donations directly to Signe. If you need further information, please contact me directly and put Signe Anderson in the subject line.
As often happens in the world of rock and roll even passionate fans of a band will miss the actual birth. Deep Purple for example is often associated with the start of their musical journey when Ian Gillian took over the vocals, but they had three studio albums under their belt. The progressive band "Yes" had two records released, yet many people think the third album is their first.
The Jefferson Airplane did have a flight before the classic line-up took hold. The fantastic first record is before Grace Slick and Spencer Dryden (Drums) would be part of the crew.
The perfect opening track for the recording is Marty Balin's "Blues From An Airplane." After the first verse, any ear can decipher the brilliance and passion in his voice.
"It's No Secret" (Another Balin composition) would become a staple of the band's early stage repertoire. Balin changes gears and shows his musical diversity with the upbeat rocker.
"Tobacco Road" is indeed the often-covered tune written by John Loudermilk. The majority of folks may think of the Nashville Teens hit version, but the Airplane rendition is as good as any.
"Let's Get Together" (Written by Dino Valente) yeas later would become an anthem for the Youngbloods under the name of "Get Together." Before the well-deserved accolades were handed to them, the Airplane had done a superlative arrangement.
Signe Anderson's voice can be heard miles away on the brilliant "Chauffeur Blues." She relayed a great story to me for the book that during a studio session of the song a mixing board ended up exploding because the engineers had her levels too high.
If you don't already know how tight the reigns were on suggestive lyrics back then the bonus tracks will introduce you to the songs that were originally censored and how ridiculous the reasons were! Even from day one, Paul Kantner was pushing the musical envelope.
The remarkable achievement of the initial J.A. recording is the consistency. While they took some blues from Jorma, folk from Paul, and Marty's love for rhythm and blues, they also initiated a sound for the ages. As great as they would become, even if this line-up remained and the style didn't take the more esoteric approach, they could have had their place in history as a tremendous rock and roll band.
The remastered CD sounds even better with the additional tracks. Play it once and it won't ever be too far from your hands.
Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"
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