William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: Dragon Fly ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock I wanted to go back and listen to something from Jefferson Starship for whatever reason, so here's one off of their debut album after the band re-emerged under the "Starship" name. Although, unofficially, the 1970 Paul Kantner album Blows Against the Empire was technically the first time you actually saw it under the name Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship . Anyway, this is one of those songs that is pure beauty all around. I still cannot comprehend why Grace Slick didn't get to perform more of the lead vocals; she is only lead on three tracks, this being, of course, one of them. I suppose I have always been an avid fan of hers as a songwriter, musician and vocalist; she is the full package. One of the biggest and best parts of this song is Papa John Creach's violin playing; it's just adds that beauty that really pushes their music's emotions over the top.   Hear Hyperdrive on YouTube.         My so...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Space Rock/Folk Rock Picking two today because I wanted to choose another track from this album: Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? However, the track the precedes it, Home is only 37 seconds long and is kind of a lead-in, so I thought it was a good idea. Anywho, both of these tracks are comprised of basically the who's who of the Bay Area music scene with members of The Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and, of course, Jefferson Airplane. Home has more of the expected science fiction music and sound effects, but Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? is more of a psychedelic space folk primarily with acoustic instruments and features Jerry Garcia's pedal steel work, which adds a lot of beauty to the song along with Grace Slick's piano playing.   Hear Home and Have You Seen the Stars Tonight? on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Molly Hatchet - Backstabber     My song pick 2 y...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock Been decompressing from being on the road out of town and am definitely using things like this blog to help get back to homeostasis you could say. Anyway, I have had this concept record by Paul Kantner and company on my mind off and on over the last bit and decided now would be a good time to choose another track from it. This is the "grand finale" of the "space opera" concept, which features a big group of who's who from the folk rock scene at the time contributing on this track and a few others. Starship features the lead guitar of the late-great Jerry Garcia, although you really wouldn't need to be told that because it is so obvious his sound and style. Also David Crosby and Graham Nash add some backing vocals, also Harvey Brooks on bass and other Jefferson Airplane alumni Grace Slick and David Freiberg as well. As you would guess, it's a rather big sounding progressive p...

From: Blows Against the Empire ; Year: 1970; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock Grace Slick's powerful vocals were on my mind, so I thought I would pick something from one of her many projects. From what I understand, Blows Against the Empire , which included both Paul Kantner and Grace from Jefferson Airplane seemingly happened during a lull with the band. This was a solo project and concept album by Kantner, who used the "Starship" name as a reference to the space vehicle in the overarching story told throughout the record. After the demise of Jefferson Airplane a few years later, they apparently reused this name for the launch of Jefferson Starship. Anyway, on this album, some other members from Jefferson Airplane joined them on some of the songs along with a list of who's who of Bay Area musicians at the time filled out the lineup. Mau Mau is the lead track from the story, which tells the story of a group of counter-cultural individuals commandeering the Starship ...

From: Modern Times ; Year: 1981; Genre: Psychedelic Rock Been having some songs from this album on my mind today, I thought I'd take it as a sign I should pick one. Alien caught my attention whilst listening to the album; it's got a nice raucous feel to it and I also love the overall psychedelic awesomeness.   Hear Alien on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Climax Blues Band - Couldn't Get It Right   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ten Years After - Over the Hill My song pick 3 years ago today: The Who - Sister Disco My song pick 4 years ago today: Pallas - Shock Treatment My song pick 5 years ago today: Marillion - Hooks in You My song pick 6 years ago today: Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity My song pick 7 years ago today: Queensrÿche - Breaking the Silence My song pick 8 years ago today: Aerosmith - Jaded My song pick 9 years ago today: Blind Faith - Had to Cry Today My song pick 10 years ago today: Jethro Tull - By Kind Permission...

From: Nuclear Furniture ; Year: 1984; Genre: Rock Wanted to lose myself in some mid-80s music; hadn't picked a song from Jefferson Airplane/Starship in a while, so it seemed like a good fit. No Way Out is one of Jefferson Starship's last bigger hits; definitely has that mid-80s vibe. Hear No Way Out on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Cybotron - Parameters of Consciousness My song pick 2 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - You Better Be Good (Or the Devil Gon' Getcha) My song pick 3 years ago today: Yes - No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed My song pick 4 years ago today: Weather Report - Havona My song pick 5 years ago today: Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention - Who Are the Brain Police? My song pick 6 years ago today: Johann Strauss II - Op. 314 - An Der Schönen Blauen Donau , or ( The Blue Danube Waltz ) My song pick 7 years ago today: The Walter Murphy Band - A Fifth of Beethoven My song pick 8 years ago today: Béla...

From: Freedom at Point Zero ; Year: 1979; Genre: Rock I had some of the music from Jefferson Starship running through my mind this morning, so, as I usually do, I took it as a sign that I should pick something from that band. Most probably already have heard this song, being that it's one of the band's biggest hits under this name. Great track; certainly brings back a lot of memories. Hear Jane on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Deep Purple - My Woman From Tokyo My song pick two years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man My song pick three years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Pioneers Over c. My song pick four years ago today: Al Di Meola - Race With Devil on Spanish Highway My song pick five years ago today: Falco - Titanic My song pick six years ago today: The Guess Who - Undun My song pick seven years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - The Ballad of Curtis Loew

From: Surrealistic Pillow ; Year: 1967; Genre: Psychedelic Rock I've been continuing to listen to Surrealistic Pillow off an on over the last couple of days; last night I started playing around with this track on the guitar, which was fun and thought it would be cool to pick it too. You gotta love this classic piece of psychedelia; the music is pure fun to play and listen to. Hear White Rabbit on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alice in Chains - Angry Chair My song pick two years ago today: Alestorm - Shipwrecked My song pick three years ago today: Steeleye Span - Dark-Eyed Sailor My song pick four years ago today: The Police - The King of Pain My song pick five years ago today: Chet Atkins - Yakety Axe My song pick six years ago today: Benjamin Britten - War Requiem

From: Surrealistic Pillow ; Year: 1967; Genre: Psychedelic Rock I felt like some Jefferson Airplane this morning, so I'm picking one. This is one of the lesser known tracks from the record, but one I still like quite a bit. Hear 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Metallica - Orion My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - No Lullaby My song pick three years ago today: Cyndi Lauper - The Goonies 'R' Good Enough My song pick four years ago today: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Into The Great Wide Open My song pick five years ago today: The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps My song pick six years ago today: Jethro Tull - Man of Principle

From: Modern Times ; Year: 1981; Genre: Hard Rock It's odd to think that I am so close to 2000 songs picked; it really doesn't feel like I've been at it that long. Anyway, here's my 1981st song picked, which, as I've been doing for a while now also comes from the year that coincides with the song pick number. While I have picked songs from both Jefferson Airplane and from Grace Slick's solo work, I haven't yet picked one from the band's second "Starship" incarnation. So I'm taking the opportunity today to rectify it with this rather nice track off of their Modern Times album. Hear Find Your Way Back on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Band of Horses - Compliments My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Lord of Light My song pick three years ago today: Karussell - Schattenkreuze My song pick four years ago today: The Proclaimers - I 'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) My song pick five years ago today: Arlo Guthri...