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Jefferson Airplane

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band from San Francisco. Singer Marty Balin started the group in 1965 as the house band of his own nightclub The Matrix, a converted pizzeria. He found like-minded musicians in folk singer Paul Kantner, blues guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and later bassist Jack Casady. The name was a joke by Kaukonen, derived from the bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson. The band began in folk, but soon took inspiration from The Beatles and The Byrds and went electric.

Music and breakthrough

In 1966 the singer Grace Slick joined, from the group The Great Society. She had a powerful, low voice and brought two songs with her: Somebody to Love, written by her brother-in-law, and her own White Rabbit. Both were on Surrealistic Pillow (1967), the album that meant the breakthrough and became one of the most important records of the Summer of Love. White Rabbit uses images from Alice in Wonderland to describe the effects of drugs. The band mixed folk, blues and rock into a psychedelic sound with ripping guitars and multi-part vocals.

Influence

Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco area to have international success and defined what came to be called the San Francisco Sound. The group played at the great festivals of those years: Monterey Pop in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969. In the early 1970s the band broke up. Kaukonen and Casady carried on as Hot Tuna, Slick and Kantner from 1974 as Jefferson Starship.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to White Rabbit and follow how the track slowly builds, like a march that grows ever louder and faster. Notice how Grace Slick's voice erupts at the end.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: ArtistsPsychedelic rock