Best JA related studio-albums after/at 1970

[Susan Butcher]

"Holding Together" is perfect, because it's a wonderfully sloppy performance that just manages to hold together.

[PrayForPlagues]

It has a really lucid, dreamy feel that I've only heard Paul create.

Who else is curious about what the original Volunteers follow-up would've been like? I've read that it was supposed to have live recordings of 'Mexico' and 'Have You Seen the Saucers?' but apart from that I'm curious as to what it would have been. I would imagine 'Emergency' would've been on it.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Oh, I've fathomed that very deeply, and from what I've gathered, it would've been an amazing album. Emergency definitely would've been on it, probably You Wear Your Dresses too. I know Been So Long would've been on it, because that was recorded during the same sessions as Mexico and Saucers. Uncles Sam Blues would've been on it too, and maybe bits of Blows, like Starship and Let's Go Together, or A Child is Coming. Definitely Mau Mau... I know there's other songs from that time that were also recorded and have yet to see the light of day. I've even considered what the album art would've been, and I think it's in the lyric booklet that came with the vinyl copy of Blows, that cool alien-looking head that Grace drew, with the Jefferson Airplane logo-like thing in the top left corner. It would've been a very cool album...

[PrayForPlagues]

Yeah, I think 'Starship' would be contender for being on the album. I think it's possible 'Bludgeon of a Bluecoat' could've been on it, and maybe 'Whatever the Old Man Wants'.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Possibly, but that's to say that Joey Covington was on it. I think one of the reasons the album never made it was because Spencer left, he was the glue. Without him everyone went off to do their own thing, and thus the end came, despite some great music in the process. And who knows, they might've made this album and let Paul do Blows anyway. That would've been nice...

[redrabid]

As much as I love these "What If" games, let's stick to the facts.
In an article about JA in Rolling Stone ca. 1970 the reporter (Ed Ward? Ben Fong Torres?) advised the readers to buy the single "Saucers"/"Mexico","because the word is, that there won't be an album for quite some time". See also Tamarkin p.216: "With no new album on the horizon" (early 1970) and p.222: "With no immediate plans for the Airplane" (mid 1970). The main reason was that JA was re-negotiating its contract with RCA at the time. So there isn't a long lost album between "Volunteers" and "Bark". But in the "JA What If" game we dreamed up some great JA albums from the songs on those side projects, didn't we?
Spencer Dryden was never the glue of the group. On the contrary, his position in the band was always precarious. After his affair with Grace Slick ended (1968), the group immediately started a search for a new drummer. Marty Balin contacted Joey Covington already in 1968! Luckily for us and JA, Spencer had a lot of staying power. Joey's drummimg nor his songs did fit JA well.

[PrayForPlagues]

Not to burst your bubble, but to quote an interview with Paul from February 1971

'We're giving RCA another record, and that should finish them. Saucers and Mexico will be on it, probably live versions; Marty has a couple of songs, Joey Covington's got a song called Bludgeon the Bluecoats -- social protest.'

Sounds like an original idea of what BARK was supposed to be. the idea must've been scrapped quickly. So perhaps, this 'long lost album' is what Bark was originally supposed to be.

[redrabid]

Yes, I agree with that.
And then Marty left, changing everything again.

[PrayForPlagues]

here's the full article (it's actually a great read):

http://www.airplane.freeserve.co.uk/int ... antner.htm

[SuperSlick66]

Hmm....I'd say Long John Silver. I love a lot of songs from that album.

[PrayForPlagues]

Alright, I have to admit Baron von Tollbooth has grown on me recently. Not all of it, just certain songs. I've gotten to really love 'Harp Tree Lament', 'Across the Board', and 'Sketches of China'. HTL is really pretty, but it definitely is not something I would expect on a PK oriented album. 'Across the Board' reminded me of 'Hey Fredrick' as far as the lyrics subjects go, and 'Sketches of China' really drew me in with the opening chords on the 12 string.

[plasticfantastic]

I do rather like Baron Von Tollbooth. I have to be in the right mood, but when I am, it's great. I do love that 12-string, you're right-- it is great.

I do wonder how David Freiberg ended up as a vocalist, just in general. Not to say his voice was bad, I don't think that, but I do wonder: In the Quicksilver Messenger Service, he was a really fantastic bass player. It seems odd that he'd switch.

[PrayForPlagues]

Eh, I think Freiberg's vocals work on the BVT stuff, but he sounds really strained and out of place on Last Flight. Perhaps it was just that performance and he was tired, but his vocals on 'Volunteers' are really annoying. He was no equivalent to Marty.

In recent years he has sang with Jefferson Starship, but not played bass. Paul Kantner has even emphasized that many of the Airplane's songs don't work without a bassist. I guess David is more interested in singing.

[PsychedelicRabbit]

I said Manhole. I love that album. Especially since "Come Again? Toucan" is on it. That's got to be my favorite Grace song out there. It's fabulous.