The Jefferson Airplane What IF Game

[JoeD80]

Both bands had excellent composers, but the Great Society were more tastful in their choice of covers (Sally Go Round the Roses vs. Tobacco Road).

What does "more tasteful covers" mean? Sally Go Round the Roses is a good song, but the Airplane's version of Tobacco Road is quite excellent and I really like the rock arrangement the band gave it.

[Susan Butcher]

The Blues Magoos' "Tobacco Road" is the greatest. JA's version pales in comparison.

[JoeD80]

The Blues Magoos' "Tobacco Road"

I don't know that version. Where can it be found?

[Susan Butcher]

On the Magoos' first album "Psychedelic Lollipop", and on the original Nuggets compilation.

[JoeD80]

The original and Rawls' versions are straight blues, and the Airplane moved it to a rock arrangement with Paul playing added chords that were not played on the original version, Jorma playing a lead line that is completely absent from the earlier versions, Jack adding a new bass line, and Signe adding background vocals. It gives the song a much more enjoyable sound IMO.

Let's Get Together

Well they knew Dino Valente personally so I'm sure that's why they recorded it.

Of course JA did cover some good songs (Other Side, High Flying Bird), but I suspect that those songs were chosen by Paul Kantner.

Don't know about Bird, but Other Side was definitely chosen by Paul. He's a big fan of Fred Neil.

[Susan Butcher]

It's very easy to dismiss "Let's Get Together" as naive hippy crap. But I think it has something going for it, the flavour of its time I suppose. "We are but a moment's sunlight..."

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Thats ok if Jorma wrote most of the songs for an album.It was kinda odd that on Baxters Marty only had one song, Paul litteraly hijacking the band, whereas just previous Marty was THE Lead singer and songwritter, it was HIS band.Just choose the least commercial songs from Red Octopus(havent heard it yet), maybe the louder and faster ones(if there are...).Adds to the excitement to have a mixed JA album.I mean look at Volunteers, that ranged from Progressive Rock to Country.I dont know how far this could continue though.What would there be for 77-79?A hiatus?Because Jormas got nothing, and JS is some commercial territory.Then the 80s...

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Thats true, when something Marty is in is sucessful, he completely drops out of it.Some musicians can write songs on the road, others cant.Yeah i heard the electric version of Things Are Better in The East, i thought it was from the Crown of Creation sessions.Makes more sense it was from Baxters.He had to have had more than one song for 1967.I

I heard Dragon Fly, being told it was good.I was dissapointed, although i love Ride the Tiger, if the rest of the album(and JS catalog) was like that, i would be praising them.That also makes sense Red Octopus would suck, no album can make No. 1 in the U.S charts that many times in the mid-1970s and be really good, interesting or Airplaney.

[Ensign]

Here's one for ya':

WHAT IF Jorma and Jack never saw Cream play live?

[okeedoe]

In that case Dryden would have at least one chance more to stay.But he was kicked out mainly for other reasons anyway.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Here's one for ya':

WHAT IF Jorma and Jack never saw Cream play live?

....If so, they problably would have still thought of jamming.Its in their nature.They cannot not jam and be musical, especially infront of a crowd.Its what they did.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Yeah even if they hadnt seen Cream, there were plenty of other bands, British and American, that centered their set around jamming.And, i dont know how, but i always felt there was almost a "Mod-ness" to Baxters.Cant exactly spot it out, but an English influence is there.And i have not heard of that Airplane book until recently(im a youngster), when i saw a copy somewhere online.Ive really been wanting to get a couple books on the Airplane, so ill definitely check it out.

[redrabid]

Please, can you tell me what happened?
First thing I noticed: All my posts had been removed, including the ones concerning the JA What IF Game, that I started. Then trying to find out what the fuck was going on I couldn't log in anymore. No I am not CD. I am just a longtime JA fan that just recently joined. I am very, very disappointed, as you can imagine. I want my posts back and I want to know what has happened.
And an apology would be nice. All those lovely What If Albums; gone down the drain. I am very pissed off. Has this thing happend before?

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Yeah where did they go?Maybe *the one who shall not be named* hacked in and is going to delete everyones posts, a differant member each day .BTW, what was the last show Jack played his Guild Starfire II, the one he used for all those great albums and shows 1967-197?.Appearently sometime in 1972, but when?Last Airplane Show?I have not seen him use it since c.1970(based on circulating footage), has he sold it?WHAT IF!...He traded it?WHAT IF!...He lost it?WHERE IS THAT BASS!!


Have you seen this Bass?

[Ensign]

I think one of his earlier basses is in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I wonder if that's the one.