Though I was born after Jefferson Airplane and before Jefferson Starship, I happen to like all three incarnations of the band. I know this will offend many fans, but it's true. Pop is pop especially if it's good. Great songs like "White Rabbit", "Somebody To Love", "Miracles", "Count On Me", "Jane", "Stranger", "Find Your Way Back", "Be My Lady", "Layin' It On The Line", "No Way Out", "We Built This City", "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight", "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", "It's Not Over Til It's Over" and "It's Not Enough" all make this band what it was. They're all here, digitally remastered, plus great non-hits as well. Some fans will scratch their heads in disbelief that someone like myself could like all incarnations of this band since they changed drastically over the years. Sure, Airplane stood for something entirely different than Starship. Things change. This two disc compilation is a very good one because it has everything a non-fan would like to own from this band. The fans can collect each album individually. This compilation is a must have for any rock collector.
I've been reading the reviews on this collection, and quite frankly, the name of this package is HITS...not what some people regard as their favorites maybe, but all the hits are there from all three incarnations of this band between 1967 and 1990. I've always been of the train of thought that band members come and go for reasons, and they chose the ones they thought would serve them the best. I don't see any of the changes this band made as any kind of sellout at all...hey, no one held a gun to their heads and said "You will make THIS type of music..." they wrote and performed the songs that were on these albums, and the ones they didn't write were ones they liked enough to record. Grace Slick and Marty Balin sounded great together...and when I had the chance to see the band in 1985, she sounded great together with Mickey Thomas...and in 2002 when I caught Mickey Thomas's Starship on tour with Eddie Money, he still sounded great doing all the Starship tunes associated with him. Every song is someone's favorite, and a lot of mine are on this collection. If you don't want to spend tons of money to get all their hits in one place, buy this collection. If, on the other hand, you prefer one period of this band's varied history over another...then go buy the best of collection from that period, or collect the albums they put out during that period. Hits collections seem to take it on the chin for not including one person's favorites or inevitably another person has to ask "how could they NOT include...?" (like the track "Winds of Change", but I already have that on another CD, it's not like I can't listen to it). All in all, great collection, comprehensive...
and affordable.
This is a great collection of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship music. This set does a nice job, with help from the liner notes, showing the band's music and personnel go through many changes in three decades of rock music. Who would have ever thought that the anti-commercial, psychedelic rock band of the 60's would eventually turn out 80's pop ballads that hit the top of the billboard. All of the bands' staples are found here: "Somebody To Love", "White Rabbit", "Volunteers", "Miracles", "Jane", "We Built This City", "Sara", and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", plus some other great selections including one of my favorite Airplane songs "Wooden Ships." One fault that I find is that they don't include any songs, like "Fast Buck Freddie", showcasing Grace Slick from the Jefferson Starship era. Plus if you want to find any of Jefferson Starship's new material, you'll have to get "Windows of Heaven." Still, this is a great set for any Airplane/Starship fan.
I'm surprised to see people complaining that this 2-CD collection is too much songwise. As an avid music lover, I think it's a shame that too many people crave only the obvious hits, or can't handle hearing the psychedelic, acid-folk of the Airplane coupled with the polished 80's pop of Starship. This is by far the best all around Jeffersion Airplane/Starship collection available and I like how it provides a greater insight into the earlier Jefferson Airplane material -- more than might be expected. Sure there are always songs that would have been nice to include like Airplane's "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds" or the superb non-hit "Save Your Love" from 1981's MODERN TIMES, but this pretty much hits the nail on the head for a two disc anthology.
I enjoy this 2 cd set but for strange reasons. I appreciate the irony of this force-feeding.
This is not really a compilation since, even though the word "Jefferson" maybe there, or there may be a common denominator of Paul Kanter spread throughout these bands, this is a forced and very artificially condensed collection of bands that not only have nothing to do with each other but they probably don't want to have anything to do with each other.
"Jefferson Airplane" was an organic sounding, ground breaking ensemble of talented and adventerous musicians that explored the blending of folk, blues, psychodelic and hard rock. The volitivity of the band's personalities was cathartic in the mutliple voicings and textures of their songs.
Some members of that band recognized the phasing out of that flower power/psychodelic era and that there was an emergence of FM radio as the forefront of "cool" pop music and, hence, "Jefferson Starship" came along. This band, although it had many of the same band members, was completely different and returning vocalist Marty Balin was the dominating vocal sound. These songs were exquisitely produced and featured a guitar attack that was more riff-oriented with more rock cliches and a lack of conventional blues attack (sorry Jorma).
As rock music became more profitable and, with the emergence of MTV and other commercial avenues to market the songs, the band morphed into "Starship" with the goal of capturing the widest audience possible by writing anthemic songs.
Now, if you are a real music fan, then it is a "no brainer" that Jefferson Airplane was an important band and that the others were pale imitations (or even rip offs) of the earnest "Airplane" legacy. As the band progressed/degressed, the legitimate musicians left and the so-called "posers" took over. It is hard to compare the "White Rabbit" group with the Grace Slick, with tons of mousse in her hair, singing in the video of "We built this city". It's a perfect apples to oranges comparison.
Decades later, in hindsight, I have to give an honest re-classification of some of this post "Airplane" music. Despite the incredible change in sound and obvious chasing for commerciality, the songs, all of them from all of their phases, can be quite good!
I'm not going to discuss the "Jefferson Airplane" songs since side 1 of this album does a nice job in creating a greatest hits compilation. All the songs that should be there are there (including "Embryonic Journey", my favorite).
"Caroline" joins the jammy band from the past and integrates them into a more modern sound. It's a nice lengthy song that has a familiar Slick/Balin dueling vocals with a more precise-sounding musicianship. "Ride the Tiger" is an obvious stab at riff-oriented, hard rock that is a quality song.
When it was in it's radio friendly 3 minute form, "Miracles" was a boring song. However, when you listen to the full length, almost 7 minute version, the music takes on a completely different form. There is a very subtle, funk-like groove going on and there is a lot of interesting musicianship, vocals and harmonizing worthy of attention. "With your love" and "Count on Me" are as good as anything this collection of musicians have ever done making this "Jefferson Starship" material on par with anything that "Airplane" ever did.
The "Starship" is a completely different animal from the other bands. Whereas "Jefferson Starship" sounds like "Airlplanes'" more sophisticated older sibling, "Starship" has hardly any connection to the predecessors. These are clearly the weakest songs in this collection.
Setting aside how syrupy and crazy removed they are from where some of the artists came from, there is a certain twisted, nostalgic appeal to the better of the songs ( I went to college in the early 80's). "We built this city" is like a car wreck that I can't take my eyes off of. It represents so much bad but, as much as I try to fight it, it still sounds good... it's a guilty pleasure. Same thing with "Sara", "No Way Out" and "Nothings gonna to stop us now". I think of the MTV videos and have a smile on my face. They are wel written, catchy songs.
Vocalist Mickey Thomas received flack for taking over this band, however, today, if he was playing live at some small festival , singing "fooled around and fell in love and his "Starship" hits, I would go to that (most ilkely free) concert in a heartbeat. As much as I would hate to admit it, some of the "Starship's" 80's fluff sounds pretty good today... an obvious "acquired taste".
What makes this unappealing to many (most likely die hard ""Airplane" fans makes it all the more fascinating to me. The gall of combining songs that should not be combinable! It forces you to listen to some of these songs that you would not have otherwise and creates a new appreciation for some. While I tolerate the "Starship" material in a fun, nostalgic sense, I have an entirely different appreciation for their Jefferson Starship" phase and, today, it is clear that the modification of the group was unjustly maligned and improperly criticized. I feel comfortable by saying that the "Jefferson Starship" phase had more dimensions that "Airplane" perhaps making it a better, more endearing, all around band.
Similar to a great soundtrack that exposes you to a variety of different music, this bizarre compilation is a fun trip.
