Tuesday, 11 September 2012

LINK: Paul Kantner expounds on celebrated career

Paul Kantner is the anarchic intellectual of the verdant 1960s San Francisco rock scene, an artist who remains incisive, smart, funny, and devoid of pretense or phoniness.

As the leader of Jefferson Airplane, which morphed into Jefferson Starship, Kantner stood at the swirling chaotic center of the musical movement with a 12-string guitar, a perpetually bemused expression, and an abiding appreciation for all things counter culture.

The bands also were armed with a remarkable arsenal of songs that evolved from hippie anthems -- "Volunteers," "White Rabbit," "Somebody to Love," "Wooden Ships" -- to sci-fi excursions "Crown of Creation," "Blows Against the Empire" -- and finally mainstream pop -- "Miracles" and "Play On Love."

Eventually the commercialism got out of control with songs like "Jane," "Find Your Way Back," and "We Built This City" so Kantner blew the band up and, after a series of lawsuits fighting over the name Jefferson Starship, regrouped into the current incarnation, whose most recent studio album is "Jefferson's Tree of Liberty" from 2008.

The current lineup along with Kantner is David Freiberg (vocals, guitar), Cathy Richardson (vocals), Slick Aguilar (lead guitar), Chris Smith (keyboards) and Donny Baldwin (drums).

Read on...

...and check out the Gonzo Artist Page for Jefferson Starship you know it makes sense

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