The Starship has left earth

Jefferson Starship is the image of washed up and datedness.

I recently had the "pleasure" of seeing them play a free show at the AC boardwalk. Thank god it was free.

Only one member remains from when the band was called "Jefferson Airplane" and only one other is from the original Jefferson Starship days of the mid-70s. Grace Slick apparently retired sometime around the late 80s, early 90s; leaving arguably the most identifiable member of the group out (especially to those who are not hardcore followers). In her stead, a washed up blues singer has filled the space. Her claim to fame thus far is playing Janis Joplin in a musical biography of the singer. Writer's note: She was born in 1969, according to wikipedia, meaning she was hardly even conscious for all of this stuff. The lead guitarist looked like a 60 year old sonic the hedgehog, at least the haircut. He's only been with the band since the mid 90s. Same goes for the keyboardist (who also plays bass synth, replacing the awesome need of having an actual bassist on stage, for shame). The drummer has been with the band maybe a year or two.

Maybe the show wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't so insistant on playing new material, including a folk song about Barrack Obama (San Francisco Liberals haven't done any of those yet, have they?")

Did black cargo pants come back in style? Were they ever in style?

Is Jefferson Starship the soundtrack to the daily life of a casino security guard?

How many packs of cigarettes can the lone original member smoke within a set/show?

Has the old starship member ever gotten off his seemingly decade long acid trip?

If they're anarchists then why do they support Barrack Obama, not only one in favor of institutions, but of creating new ones and making existing ones larger?

Are people still oblivious to the fact that "White Rabbit" is about drugs?

Why did the chick singer keep playing "solo" stuff?

Why didn't they play "we built this city (on rock and roll)"?


Much like the number of licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop (3), the world may never know the answers to these questions.

-- Knuttel