Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California that developed in January 1974 as a successor to Jefferson Airplane.[1]
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Three lineups of Jefferson Starship in 1976, 2013 and 2016.
History
editThe group initially featured the five remaining members of Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick (vocals, piano), Paul Kantner (rhythm guitar, vocals), David Freiberg (bass, keyboards, vocals), Papa John Creach (violin), and John Barbata (drums, vocals); in addition to new members Craig Chaquico on lead guitar and Peter Kaukonen (brother of Jorma Kaukonen) on bass.[1] The name "Jefferson Starship" was originally used on the co-billing of the 1970 Paul Kantner album, Blows Against the Empire, and was selected as the name for the revised band.[1] After the band's first tour, Kaukonen was replaced by Pete Sears (bass, keyboards) in June 1974.[1] Former Airplane vocalist Marty Balin joined the band in January 1975, having co-written and performed on the song "Caroline".[2] Creach left in August 1975 to start a solo career.[3] The band's lineup remained stable until June 1978, when Slick left the band after being asked to resign by Kantner, following a show in Germany in which she drank excessively and abused the crowd.[4] Balin also departed the band after the end of the touring cycle for Earth.[1] Additionally, Barbata dropped out after he was seriously injured in a car accident which left him unable to perform.[5]
The remaining members of Jefferson Starship rebuilt the band in early 1979, adding drummer Aynsley Dunbar in January and vocalist Mickey Thomas in April.[1] Slick returned to the band in 1981, after performing guest backing vocals on Modern Times.[1] Dunbar was asked by Kantner to leave in 1982, with Donny Baldwin taking his place in September.[6] Shortly after the band released Nuclear Furniture, Kantner left Jefferson Starship and later sued the remaining members of the band in October 1984 over ownership of the name; the lawsuit was settled in March 1985, with the name Jefferson Starship retired and the remaining band members continuing as simply Starship.[7]
In January 1992, Kantner reformed Jefferson Starship with former KBC Band bandmates Mark "Slick" Aguilar (lead guitar) and Tim Gorman (keyboards, vocals), former Jefferson Airplane bandmate Jack Casady (bass) and Jefferson Starship bandmate Creach, and new members Darby Gould (vocals) and Prairie Prince (drums).[8] Diana Mangano joined the following October and initially shared vocal duties,[9] before becoming an official member of the band when Gould departed in 1995.[10] Balin also rejoined the band in 1993.[11] Creach died on February 22, 1994.[12] Kaukonen returned briefly in 1994, and Gorman left around the same time; he was replaced first by Barry Flast, then by Gary Cambra, and finally by Terry "T" Lavitz.[13] Chris Smith took over on keyboards in 1998.[14] Casady left in 2000 and was replaced until 2004 by Tom Lilly.[15]
Jefferson Starship returned with new studio album Jefferson's Tree of Liberty in 2008, which was the first by the band to feature vocalist Cathy Richardson, who had recently replaced Mangano, and the first since 1984's Nuclear Furniture to feature returning frontman Freiberg, who replaced Balin.[16] Baldwin returned to the band after the album's release, replacing the departing Prince.[17] In September 2012, Jude Gold took over from Aguilar who was forced to cease activity with the band after being diagnosed with hepatitis C.[18][19] Richardson briefly left in November 2015, with Rachel Rose taking her place,[20] before returning in March the following year.[21] On January 28, 2016, Kantner, the only constant member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, died of multiple organ failure and septic shock following a heart attack a few days earlier.[22] Since 2016, the lineup consists of Freiberg (vocals and acoustic guitar),[23] Donny Baldwin (drums and backing vocals), Chris Smith (keyboards and bass), Cathy Richardson (vocals and rhythm guitar),[23] and Jude Gold (lead guitar and backing vocals).[24]
Members
editCurrent
edit| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Freiberg |
|
|
| |
| Donny Baldwin |
|
|
| |
| Chris Smith | 1998–present |
|
| |
| Cathy Richardson |
|
|
| |
| Jude Gold | 2012–present |
|
Mother of the Sun (2020) |
Former
edit| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Kantner |
|
|
all Jefferson Starship releases through Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008) | |
| Craig Chaquico | 1974–1984 |
|
all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Nuclear Furniture (1984) | |
| Grace Slick |
|
|
all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Nuclear Furniture (1984), except Freedom at Point Zero (1979) | |
| John Barbata | 1974–1979 (died 2024) |
|
all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Earth (1978) | |
| Papa John Creach |
|
violin |
| |
| Peter Kaukonen |
|
bass | none | |
| Pete Sears | 1974–1984 (touring 2005, guest in 2009 and 2016, session guest 2020) |
|
all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Nuclear Furniture (1984), guest appearance on Mother of the Sun (2020) - three tracks only | |
| Marty Balin |
|
|
all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Earth (1978), and from Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008) | |
| Mickey Thomas | 1979–1984 | lead and backing vocals | all Jefferson Starship releases from Freedom at Point Zero (1979) to Nuclear Furniture (1984) | |
| Aynsley Dunbar | 1979–1982 |
|
| |
| Mark "Slick" Aguilar | 1992–2012 |
|
all Jefferson Starship releases from Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008) | |
| Prairie Prince | 1992–2008 (guest 2008–16) |
| ||
| Jack Casady | 1992–2000 | bass | all Jefferson Starship releases from Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008), except Across the Sea of Suns (2001) | |
| Darby Gould | 1992–1995 (guest since 2000) | lead and backing vocals |
| |
| Tim Gorman | 1992–1994 (guest in 2005) |
|
Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) | |
| Diana Mangano | 1993–2008 (guest 2008–15) | lead and backing vocals | all Jefferson Starship releases from Windows of Heaven (1998) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008) | |
| Barry Flast | 1994–1995 (died 2013)[26] |
|
none | |
| Gary Cambra | 1995–1996 | |||
| Terry "T" Lavitz | 1996–1998 (died 2010) | Windows of Heaven (1998) | ||
| Rachel Rose | 2015–2016 (guest since 2016) | lead and backing vocals | none |
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Touring
edit| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Schuster | 1978–1980 | saxophone | Schuster was a regular member of the Jefferson Starship touring lineup between 1978 and 1980. | |
| David Farey | 1978 | horn instruments | Farey toured alongside Schuster with Jefferson Starship after the release of Earth in 1978. | |
| Signe Toly Anderson | 1993–1994 (died 2016) | backing and lead vocals | Anderson, a former member of Jefferson Airplane, made occasional guest appearances in the 1990s.[27] | |
| Trey Sabatelli |
|
|
Sabatelli occasionally substituted for and performed alongside regular drummer Prairie Prince. | |
| Bobby Vega | 1998–2000 | bass | Vega and Huff each spent spells substituting for Jack Casady between 1998 and his 2000 departure. | |
| Chico Huff | ||||
| Tom Lilly |
|
After Casady's departure, Lilly regularly appeared on live bass at Jefferson Starship concerts. | ||
| John Ferenzik |
|
|
Ferenzik occasionally performed keyboards, as well as lead guitar and bass alongside regular member Chris Smith. | |
| Michael Eisenstein |
|
|
Eisenstein substituted for Paul Kantner regularly between 2002 and 2012, when he was unable to perform. | |
| Prof. Louie | 2003 | keyboards | Prof. Louie, Falzarano, Kearney and Alexander Kantner made occasional substitute and guest appearances. | |
| Mike Falzarano | rhythm guitar | |||
| Kerry Kearney | ||||
| Alexander Kantner |
| |||
| China Wing Kantner | 1992-present | backing vocals and occasional tambourine | Kantner has made occasional guest appearances.[28][29][30] | |
| Linda Imperial | 2005–2007 | backing vocals | Imperial, Traylor and Morley each performed with Jefferson Starship at select shows during the 2000s. | |
| Jack Traylor | 2005 |
| ||
| Tony Morley | 2006–2016 | drums | ||
| Anne Harris | 2008–2016 | violin | Harris has made regular live appearances with Jefferson Starship on violin since 2008.[31] |
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Source: Fenton 2008, p. 104
Timeline
edit
Lineups
edit| Period | Members | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| January – June 1974 |
|
none – live performances only |
| June 1974 – January 1975 |
|
|
| January – August 1975 |
|
|
| August 1975 – June 1978 |
|
|
| June – October 1978 |
|
none – live performances and single "Light the Sky on Fire" only |
| October 1978 - January 1979 |
|
none |
| January – April 1979 |
|
none – studio rehearsals only |
| April 1979 – early 1981 |
|
|
| Early 1981 – September 1982 |
|
|
| September 1982 – June 1984 |
|
|
| Band inactive June 1984 – January 1992 | ||
| January 1992 – 1993 |
|
none – live performances only |
| 1993 – February 1994 |
| |
| February 1994 – mid-1995 |
|
|
| 1995 |
|
none – live performances only |
| 1995–1996 |
| |
| 1996–1998 |
|
|
| 1998–2000 |
|
|
| 2000–2005 |
|
|
| 2005–2008 |
|
|
| 2008–2012 |
|
none – live performances only |
| September 2012 – November 2015 |
| |
| November 2015 – January 2016 |
| |
| January – March 2016 |
| |
| March 2016 – present |
|
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Ruhlmann, William. "Jefferson Starship: Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ DeRiso, Nick (June 13, 2015). "Revisiting Jefferson Starship's Zenith, 'Red Octopus'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Helander, Brock (2001). The Rockin' 60s: The People Who Made the Music. New York City, New York: Schirmer Trade Books. p. 387. ISBN 978-0825672200. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Swanson, Dave (June 20, 2013). "35 Years Ago: Grace Slick Quits Jefferson Starship After Drunken Germany Show". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Reardon, Tom (June 3, 2014). "Why Johny Barbata Chose to Drum for CSN&Y Instead of the Eagles". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Tamarkin, Jeff (2003). Got a Revolution!: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane. New York City, New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 318. ISBN 978-0671034047. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Tamarkin, Jeff (2003). Got a Revolution!: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane. New York City, New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 329–330. ISBN 978-0671034047. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Graff, Gary (May 17, 1992). "Paul Kantner Back At The Helm Of Jefferson Starship". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Fenton 2006, p. 458
- ^ Fenton 2006, p. 424
- ^ Holden, Stephen (July 3, 1993). "Review/Pop; Jefferson Starship, Reassembled for the 90's". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ "Papa John Creach, A Violinist Versed In Pop, Dies at 76". The New York Times. February 23, 1994. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Fenton 2008, pp. 113, 124–125, 128, 142, 144
- ^ Fenton 2008, p. 161
- ^ Fenton 2008, pp. 145–146
- ^ Schwartz, Greg M. (August 7, 2008). "Jefferson Starship + The Zombies". PopMatters. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ "Donny Baldwin". Drumchannel.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ "Jefferson Starship's Mark "Slick" Aguilar In Need of a Liver Transplant". Jambands.com. Relix Media Group. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ "Jude Tours US and Abroad with Jefferson Starship". Jude Gold. September 2012. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Sharp, Keith (January 29, 2016). "R.I.P. Paul Kantner". The Music Express Canada. Archived from the original on March 7, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Richardson, Cathy. "I'm back! And better than ever..." Cash Rich Records. Archived from the original on March 7, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ Vaziri, Aidin (January 29, 2016). "Jefferson Airplane's Paul Kantner dies at 74". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 12, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ a b Speicher, Melanie (October 20, 2021). "Jefferson Starship soars into Sidney". Sidney Daily News. AIM Media Midwest. Archived from the original on March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
- ^ ""Magical!" Jefferson Starship LIVE! at the Newton Theatre". New Jersey Stage. Wine Time Media, LLC. July 5, 2019. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Spitfire (liner notes). Grunt. 1976. BFL1-1557.
- ^ "Barry Flast Obituary (1950-2013) - Eugene, OR - Eugene Register-Guard". Legacy.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Fenton 2008, p. 107-108
- ^ Fenton 2008, p. 137-139
- ^ Smith, Steve (August 2, 2017). "Jefferson Starship at Burbank's Starlight Bowl; MusiCares to honor Fleetwood Mac". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Digital First Media. Archived from the original on March 10, 2024. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Dinaberg, Leslie (March 8, 2024). "Review Retro Rocking the Night Away with Jefferson Starship and the Marshall Tucker Band". Santa Barbara Independent. Archived from the original on March 10, 2024. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Morey, Cheryl (January 21, 2024). "Mississippi Heat and special guest Anne Harris will perform at The Acorn". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
Bibliography
edit- Fenton, Craig (August 7, 2008), Have You Seen the Stars Tonite: The Jefferson Starship Flight Manual 1974–1978 and J. S. the Next Generation 1992–2007, Createspace, ISBN 978-1438245348, archived from the original on October 16, 2017, retrieved October 15, 2017
- Fenton, Craig (November 22, 2006), Take Me to a Circus Tent: The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: Infinity Publishing, ISBN 978-0741436566, archived from the original on October 16, 2017, retrieved October 15, 2017