and Emerge with Tales From The Mothership
A SoundPress.net Feature Article by Rich and Laura Lynch
London, UK - "Roswell UFO Parade
& Festival Hosts Jefferson Starship Sci-Fi Extravaganza" read the headlines
for the annual July 3rd event that took place in Roswell, New Mexico in 2009.
Jefferson Airplane founder Paul Kantner and his legendary band Jefferson
Starship and special guests, which included original Grateful Dead keyboardist
Tom Constanten, performed a one-of-a-kind sci-fi concert at Pearson Auditorium
in Roswell in honor of the town's famed annual parade. The group was also
bestowed the honor of being the parade's 'Grand Martians' that year and rode
atop a special float especially built for them.
The entire concert was filmed and
recorded, and in addition to such iconic hits as "White Rabbit", "Somebody To
Love", "Volunteers", "Wooden Ships" recorded by its forebear Jefferson Airplane
(the last two penned by Kantner), a special programme of science fiction themed
compositions and select recordings were performed, some for the first time ever!
Now, much to the excitement of Jefferson Starship fans across the globe UK's
Gonzo MultiMedia is releasing the entire concert in an extravagant 4-CD box
set.
In 1971 the band's first album
(Paul Kantner's first solo album actually), 'Blows Against The Empire' was also
the first rock music recording ever nominated for literary science fiction's
prestigious Hugo Award. In addition to Kantner, 'Blows' featured a 'Who's Who'
of Bay Area musicians including David Freiberg from Quicksilver Messenger
Service. Freiberg and Kantner, later launched the ongoing Jefferson Starship,
eventually writing the hit "Jane." David rejoined the band full time in
2005.
In 1991 the late great rock
impresario Bill Graham signed on to produce 'Blows' from a 'scripted stage play
concept' co-written bu Paul Kantner and his (then) new manager Michael Gaiman, a
lifelong fan. Sadly, Bill was killed in a helicopter crash and the idea was
shelved until Sony Pictures pitched an 'option' for a 'Blows' motion picture in
1996. "That was a big year for sci-fi," recalls Gaiman. Stemming from a shared
interest in 1950s science fiction film and literature, Paul and Michael have
worked together for nearly 25 years. In 2008 they co-produced (along with David
Freiberg), 'Jefferson's Tree of Liberty,' Jefferson Starship's first studio
recording in a decade. The album garnered stellar reviews worldwide. In 2009
Jefferson Starship headlined 'The Heroes of Woodstock', the authorized touring
commemorative of the 1969 Woodstock Music & Arts
Festival.
"On July 3rd, 2009, thanks to the
Roswell UFO Festival Committee and Cool 94.9 Radio, we got to scratch that itch
and assuage a long time desire to stage a mosh of rock music and science
fiction," says Gaiman.
Along with Paul Kantner and David
Frieberg, Jefferson Starship also features lead singer Cathy Richardson (who
played Janis Joplin on Broadway in 'Love, Janis') and longtime band members
Slick Aguilar, Chris Smith and Donny Baldwin. In addition to Grateful Dead's Tom
Constanten, special guests include Pete Sears (the band's former bass &
keyboard player on all their hits), Barry Sless (guitar & pedal steel with
Phil Lesh & Friends), former lead vocalist Darby Gould and legendary folk
artist Jack Taylor, one of Paul Kantner's early musical
influences.
Renegade Productions, the band's
frequent collaborator ('Jefferson's Tree of Liberty' was the first album ever
recorded in their new studio at the time) staged the production and provided
custom sound, lighting and image projection. Karl Anderson of Global Recording
Artists filmed the event dubbed 'Tales From The Mothership,' a joint production
of The Roswell UFO Festival Committee and Jefferson Starship. "It's not a
documentary, not a 'rockumentary', not a 'mockumentary'...it's a
'Spockumentary," Gaiman quips.
Along with the entire concert
from July 3, 2009, the 4-CD set also includes rehearsals from 6/27/2009 and the
band's soundcheck before the show.
Related Links: For more information on the JEFFERSON
STARSHIP and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following
links - Jefferson
Starship | Roswell UFO
Festival
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