The sky is no limit (Paul Kantner) (LP 949)

Paul Kantner  The Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1983) ***  

Genre: San Francisco rock/ Grunt Records (it's not on Grunt Records exactly but it would be strange to put it anywhere else).

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Lilith's Song (Paul dedicates it to Grace - the model of the witch Lilith, and to the memory of John Lennon - silver Beatle)

Gear costume: The Mountain Song (Kantner/Garcia song, sung brilliantly by Paul and Grace)

Active compensatory factors: A weird one, as again Paul taps into the San Francisco rock aristocracy for musicianship. The cast is large and esteemed.

It's only credited to Paul though, so it makes it his one and only solo album - and a sequel of sorts to Blows Against The Empire. It's also a kind of soundtrack to his science-fiction novel (also called, The Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra).

Got all that? You can see why I didn't include it in Kantner's previous post looking at Blows, Sunfighter and Baron Von Tollbooth. It's just too complicated. Plus, we'll come to Grace's solo albums in due course so it's only fair that I separate this one out.

I love Paul Kantner and I love Grace Slick, so I'm not a very reliable commentator. Everything they do is worth hearing! Still, I wouldn't rate this an unconditional success. The concept Paul's hanging this on is okay as it goes (I haven't read the novel, but I need to) but you don't need to really follow the plot to enjoy the album.

As a sequel to Blows Against The Empire it's also a little un-convincing - it seems more of a stand alone album. This time out it's quite electric based where Blows was performed on a bed of acoustic guitars (which I like more).

It may be that I've heard Blows oodles of times, and Planet Earth only a few times, so Blows has more impact. Time will tell, because I need to come back to it again!

Where do they all belong? Back to Jorma when I return to Grunt Records.

Silver spoon (Kantner/Slick) (LP 870 - 872)

Paul Kantner/ Jefferson Starship  Blows Against The Empire (CD and Vinyl, RCA Records, 1970) ***** 

Paul Kantner/ Grace Slick  Sunfighter (Vinyl, Grunt Records, 1971) ***  

Paul Kantner/ Grace Slick/ David Freiberg  Baron Von Tollbooth and The Chrome Nun (Vinyl, Grunt Records, 1973) ****  

Genre: Grunt Records/ San Francisco rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy for Blows...; Roger Marbeck gifted Sunfighter; Marbecks Records for Baron... 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hijack, Have You Seen The Stars Tonite?, Starship

Gear costume: Flowers Of The Night

Active compensatory factors: These albums are the product of an amazingly fertile Bay area rock scene. Like David Crosby's first solo album, they all feature members of Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills Nash, Jefferson Airplane/Starship and others.

The Kantner 1970 concept album emerged while the original Jefferson Airplane was falling apart. 

The name of the album is tricky as four years later Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship as a band. In the meantime Kantner helmed these three 'solo' albums with that large collection of Bay area musicians - including principally Grace and David Freiberg.

It all gets a bit confusing but the albums, the songs, the playing - they all hold up!

Blows Against The Empire is superb from start to spectacular finish. Those voices! Paul and Grace were just magic together. Starship is a great example. The acoustic guitars and Grace's piano playing are standouts. The science fiction storyline holds things together. It's a classic!

Sunfighter came out straight after Jefferson Airplane's Bark - for a bunch of hippies these people had a great work ethic! It's another terrific album for JA fans to listen to, what with Grace's distinctive piano and the awesome vocal interplay between Slick and Kantner who were now parents of China Wing Kantner and the Bay musical family again coming to the party. It gets three stars because it's a fine album but it doesn't have the memorable songs needed to get to 4 or 5 stars.

Baron Von Tollbooth and The Chrome Nun is the third Kantner offshoot album from Jefferson Airplane and the songs are back to top quality again. It features all the usual Kantner/Slick strengths plus the vocals of David Freiberg - filling the Marty Balin harmony role, and the inspired choice of Craig Chaquico on three tracks. Then there's also the cameo by Jack Traylor who recorded for Grunt Records fleetingly (coming up later in the countdown). He contributes the song and vocals for Flowers of the Night.

Where do they all belong? It's back to the CD collection next. First up - Traveling Wilburys Vol 1.

All nite long (Jefferson Starship) (LP 270)

Jefferson Starship Earth (Vinyl - Grunt, 1978) ****

Genre: American pop/ rock 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records (Auckland, NZ)  

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: All Nite Long




Gear costume:  Count On Me




Active compensatory factors: Oh No, Not Marty too!! That was my first reaction when learning of his death this week.

Remember him as above in Count On Me - that voice and the cool melancholy of those lyrics. And the beautiful young face.

I love the whole album - Marty Balin's last with JS; it's been a firm favourite of mine since 1978. Mainly because it feels of a piece - there's a confident, laid back, casual swagger to the album. Encapsulated in All Nite Long's languid approach.

That video to Count On Me with David Freiberg and Grace Slick smiling on the couch and with a lovely ballad unfolding on a bed of acoustic guitars and harmony (real and sound wise) sums things up.

Now that Marty and Paul are no longer here, there is an added poignancy to the song.

Although it gets criticism for its pleasant songs and slickness, those are the things I love about this album. It sounds simple and effortless to my ears and so, it's an album I return to often.

Where do they all belong? Marty's joined Paul Kantner on board the hyperdriven starship. Look at them go!