Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
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On this episode, we look at an album that was a fundamental part of the soundtrack to the “Summer of Love” and one that is considered to be one of the top 10 psychedelic LPs ever recorded, the second album by Jefferson Airplane, 1967’s Surrealistic Pillow.
Fresh off their marginally successful debut Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, the band finds itself without a female vocalist after Signe Toly Anderson leaves to take care of her young child. However, fortune smiled on the band. Grace Slick had recently been made available because her former group had broken up. Grace Slick brought a big voice that was full of swagger and two songs from her former band that were massive for Jefferson Airplane. As a result, her impact on the band’s sound was immediate and Surrealist Pillow’s influence on the soundscape of late 60’s rock was immeasurable.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
The original line up of Jefferson Airplane (Pictured L to R) Paul Kantner, Skip Spence, Marty Balin, Signe Toly Anderson, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady
Signe Toly Anderson was the original female vocalist for Jefferson Airplane. She left after recording their first LP Jefferson Airplane Takes Off to take care of her new born child. Skip Spence was asked to leave due to various personal issues. Anderson was replaced by Grace Slick. While Spence plays drums on a couple of tracks from Surrealist Pillow, he was ultimately replaced by Spencer Dryden. Spence would go on to help found the band Moby Grape.
Here’s the original line up of Jefferson Airplane performing "It's No Secret" at the Fillmore Auditorium in 1966. Notice the psychedelic elements (at least visually) are already present.
Grace Slick’s first band: the Great Society. This picture was taken at the same place the cover of Surrealistic Pillow was taken. Grace Slick brought two songs with her from her days with the Great Society: “Somebody to Love” (originally tilted “Someone to Love” and “White Rabbit,” both of which were on Surrealistic Pillow and were huge hits for the band. (Pictured L to R): Darby Slick, Grace Slick, Jerry Slick, and David Milner.
Before becoming a producer for likes of Jefferson Airplane and Harry Nilsson, Rick Jarrard was in a folk based badn called the Wellingtons. AFter he had left the band, the Wellingtons recored the theme song to Gilligan’s Island and even appeared on the show as a Beatles style band called the Mosquitos.
(Pictured L to R) Rick Jarrard, Kirby Johnson, Ed Wade, George Edwin Patterson
You can listen to the Great Society versions of “Someone to Love” and “white Rabbit” below. Both are very different than the Jefferson Airplane versions.
Jefferson Airplane performed “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” on American Bandstand in June of 1967. Watch Dick Clark interview the band below.
Jerry Garcia is only listed as a “spiritual advisor” in the liner notes of Surrealist Pillow. By all accounts, he was much more, helping out with the arrangements and playing guitar on a couple of tracks. Note the background!
Jefferson Airplane beat the Beatles to a Apple Records rooftop concert by a year. here they are performing “House at Pooneil Corners” on a rooftop in a New York roof in 1968. The police even make an appearance, just like the Beatles concert.
Jefferson Airplane were the only band form the “Summer of Love” era to play all three of the major music festivals - the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock, and Altemont. You can watch the band’s performances below.
Monterey Pop Festival - 1967
Woodstock - 1969
Altamont - 1969
