Disco de Jefferson Airplane: “Bark”

I purchased BARK on the day of its first release in 1971, and I don't recall listening to much anything else for a couple of weeks. Yes, Marty Balin was missing. Spencer Dryden was gone. And this was certainly a much different Airplane than we'd last heard from on VOLUNTEERS two years before. But BARK launched a NEW beginning, and a very exciting one at that!

One year before, we JA fans had been treated to the wonderful BLOWS AGAINST THE EMPIRE from Paul Kantner. Now, with BARK, Kantner really stepped forward as leader of the Jefferson Family. This album has not one, not two, but THREE boffo anthems by Mr. Kantner ("When the Earth Moves Again," "Rock & Roll Island," and "War Movie")--and it's here that the Airplane fully launched itself into the sci-fi realm that led it shortly to evolution into Jefferson STARSHIP.

And Grace Slick offers two classics here--"Lawman" (shades of Waco!) and "Crazy Miranda" (which is STILL relevant in today's era of lapdog media and politically brainwashed masses).

But the most interesting thing about BARK is this: 30 years later, I think it sounds BETTER than it ever has before.

Here's a band, last decades' faves, subconsciously realizing their time in the spotlight is getting short. What to do? Easy! They get themselves a skanky violinist who seems to be able to leap across several cultural divides, and a drummer who's as weird as their previous one, and they put out an album of songwriting jems that stand shoulder to shoulder with their earlier efforts.

There's the militaristic march of "When the Earth Moves Again" a la "We Can Be Together", the Tuna funk of "Feel So Good" and "Wild Turkey, the Grace of "Lawman", "Crazy Miranda", and "Never Argue with a German", and the nonsense of "Pretty As You Feel" and "Thunk". There's the epic sci-fi "War Movie", and on my CD, it says "Arranged and Produced by Jefferson Airplane, Inc." Since when had the avatars of 2400 Fulton become a corporation? Can there be any argument that this band was working very hard to survive the obvious demise of the peace and love movement that had only recently captured America's heart? The mix is single dimensional at best, Jack and Jorma play great, Grace wails, but there's a big vibe that the end is near. Without Spencer and Marty, it's good, but it ain't the Airplane.

I first heard BARK in May 1972. I thought it was amazing! I had never heard music like this. "Pretty As You Feel" blew me away. I heard it at a friends house. I immediately bought my own and played it non-stop for weeks. When I went to the store shortly thereafter and saw LONG JOHN SILVER I immediately bought it and loved it. I had 2 perfect albums in my mind. My friends all loved these 2 albums too. Then a few weeks later I heard VOLUNTEERS for the first time. Was stunned by how this music affected me. I was 17 at the time. Now I HAD to hear EVERYTHING produced by Jefferson Airplane! After all these years everyone knows me as a 'Jefferson' fan. I have over 40 CDs of their various incarnations. But BARK and LJS hold special places in my collection!

I don't understand why 'Bark' cops so much bad press. It's a mixed bag for sure but I look at it as being pretty fresh in the scheme of things as it offers a degree of variety we had not heard before but neither is it just a curiosity. There's some weaker material on it but no bad material there either. A worthy addition to any collection.

"Bark" and Kantner & Slick's "Sunfighter" could have been released as a double album. If you like one you will like the other. Many Sci-Fi themes permeate and Paul and Grace are having fun (albeit in a (honked) off and an alcohol driven manner). No, they are not for everybody. But they are good. The arrangements soar and, dang it, they are fun. I can't listen to "Thunk" without cracking up (even 40 years later). And maybe that was what was intended. The Occupy Movement could do worse than to to make "War Movie" their theme. Give these albums a fair listen. Good stuff.