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Summary: And anyone still believes in the 60s?
Review: Ok, I will admit right up front. I am a conservative. However, I grew up in the 70s, when the 60s were cool. So I am very familiar with the whole glorious iconography of the brilliant rebels and free spirits who fought the power, man....Ran across this book in the library, and picked it up. The Jefferson Airplane were a band that I always wondered what happened to...a few great early hits, then the descent into pop mediocrity ending in the excreable "We Built This City". So I figured I'd read this and find out. Immediately, it is clear that the author is a fan and supporter of the hippie movement, and Paul Kantner, the guitar player, writes the introduction, complaining of how people only want to talk of the drugs and destruction and disregard the art of the movement. So imagine my enjoyment when the book turns into nearly a primer of the complete and total failure of all hippie ideals. The Airplane and the people around them are a bunch of rich kids who basically rebel against anything that has anything to do with common sense or practicality. They do things for seemingly only the purpose of being obnoxious. None of them can get along with any other for more than a couple months at a time. Grace Slick (who is married to Jerry Slick the entire time until Kantner finally gets her pregnant) sleeps with nearly EVERYONE in the band. Once as a "thank you" for membership. A woman pops up, I forget her name, who is involved with one of the band members. Her history is a microcosm. She is a mayor's daughter, who runs off with David Crosby. Because she is underage, she marries a different musician so she cannot be sent home for her own good. She ends up having a baby by yet another musician, and eventually falls from the scene because of her drug addiction. Hmmm. This is definitely one of the beautiful people. There is another running subplot in which the only member who seems even slightly rational, Marty Balin, comes and goes due to his disgust with the rest of the band. The funny part is they only seem to be successful when he is involved, keeping the collection of drug addled nitwits somewhat on track. Eventually, the former idealists, who are now all cocaine addicts or alcoholics, form a series of bands named with variations of "Jefferson" that become steadily more commercial for the purposes of making money. One by one, the original members drop out, and the pop-oriented lead singer who was hired well after the 60s ends up using the name to tour state fairs doing the old hits. For me, the best part of the book is the end, where the author does an extended "where are they now?" segment. Everyone, except Balin, who has not died from drug related health problems is on their seventeenth marriage and living somewhere in the hills doing therapy. The other guitar player, Jorma Kaukonen, lets on that his ex-wife, who he divorced in the 80s after a tempestuous drug filled relationship, died homeless. He says she looked really bad the last time he ran into her on the street. Wonderful. Gracie makes her last public appearance shortly after 9/11, at a benefit concert, (?!), wearing a burka which is removed to display a T-shirt reading "F@#k Fear". Priceless. Highly recommended as it is an unwitting indictment of the whole 60s mindset.
Rating: 
Summary: Got A Great Book!
Review: Stop messing around and buy this book now! I have read countless books about rock and roll, from the Beatles to the Beach Boys and this one tops them all. A fantastic and informative read from start to finish. The book is full of humor, wit, and tons of quotes from the band. This is one not to be missed.
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Summary: The coolest book around is also the most intelligent
Review: The coolest book around is also the most intelligentI've long been a fan of Tamarkin's writing from his Goldmine days and from his liner notes, so I knew this would be a great book. But I didn't know just how great--incisive, smart, witty, and full of life, this book not only captures the band, but the times, as well. And what other bio boasts cameos from Charlie Chaplin? Great writing, great book!
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Summary: Slurp, slurp! Grunt, burp.
Review: This book is a fantastic read. It's scrumptiously entertaining. The subject matter is the band Jefferson Airplane and its spawn of musical configurations, and what a colorful bunch "the Jeffersons" are! So much dirt. So much GREAT music being made amidst the soap operatic goings on. Thanks, Jeff Tamarkin, for an irresistable page turner.
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Summary: Great Book!
Review: This book made me want to go out and buy all their albums again!
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Summary: Feed your head!
Review: This is a very entertaining book about a very entertaining band.
The input from band members and organization members is a huge plus.
Rating: 
Summary: 300+ pages on Jefferson Airplane?
Review: This is without question a well written book. While reading it, though, I was just could not get beyond my own doubts as to whether or not Jefferson Airplane really deserved a book of its own. However, I think the fact that the author seemingly loses interest in his subject matter about 1/4 of the way into the book (i.e., everything happening after "Surrealistic Pillow") may have played a role in that. If you're a true Jefferson Airplane fan, this is definitely something you'll want to read. If not, skip it.
Rating:
Summary: 300+ pages on Jefferson Airplane?
Review: This is without question a well written book. While reading it, though, I was just could not get beyond my own doubts as to whether or not Jefferson Airplane really deserved a book of its own. However, I think the fact that the author seemingly loses interest in his subject matter about 1/4 of the way into the book (i.e., everything happening after "Surrealistic Pillow") may have played a role in that. If you're a true Jefferson Airplane fan, this is definitely something you'll want to read. If not, skip it.
Rating:
Summary: got a revolution
Review: this was the best book i have ever read about a rock group. it was researched thoroughly and presented in a very literate style. i loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to relive the 60's or just wants learn about the 60's through the historical perspective of a very famous rock band
Rating:
Summary: got a revolution
Review: this was the best book i have ever read about a rock group. it was researched thoroughly and presented in a very literate style. i loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to relive the 60's or just wants learn about the 60's through the historical perspective of a very famous rock band
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