Disco de Jefferson Airplane: “VH1 Behind the Music: The Jefferson Airplane Collection”

As with many groups that have existed for more than three decades, a single CD is going to be inadequate. Indeed, two CDs may be insufficient for the amount of quality material that any such group would have. Such is the case with this single CD that purports to cover Jefferson Airplane and the two subsequent incarnations, Jefferson Starship and Starship.

From a marketing viewpoint this CD is a great idea. Take some of the most popular music from a group that has existed in various forms for three decades and put it onto a single CD, thereby creating a single CD that previously did not exist. From a customer viewpoint the concept is marginal as it trivializes the scope of the contribution of that group, unless you are a casual fan that only wants to have a best of the best sort of CD, and are willing to give up all the other quality music a group created. Thus, this CD becomes more of a sampler for the three groups versus any sort of real representative collection.

While this CD is a sampler, it is a decent sampler. "White Rabbit," "Somebody to Love" and "Volunteers" were among Jefferson Airplane's most well-known music, though not Jefferson Airplane at its cutting edge best. Similarly, Jefferson Starship is represented by seven songs that all had a fair amount of radio play; some of them significant amounts of radio play, including the nearly seven minute "Miracles." Starship is represented by five selections, including "We Built this City," "Sara," and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now." However, these selections again point out the weakness of this sampler. Very little of the highly artistic and cutting edge music of these groups is here. The focus of this CD is on the music that was popular.

While this CD may serve for casual fans, more serious fans have several options. There is another collection of hits for the three groups that is a two disk set that has twice the music. There are also multiple greatest hits albums of various sizes for each of the individual groups. Of course, for the very serious fan there are also the numerous albums, including "Surrealistic Pillow" and "Red Octopus," both of which are regarded as being among their best.

I give this CD 4 stars as a sampler versus a true collection of greatest hits or best of. Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship, without mentioning the Hot Tuna connection, had a scope far greater than a single 80-minute CD could hope to cover. If you think you might like these groups and you wanted to take this next step to discovering the scope of their music, this CD could be an excellent next step. However, if you like what you hear on this CD, please continue on to discover the true scope of the contributions of these groups.

Even though you watch them play live, they look as though comatosed, and ready to fall over from exhaustion, or from taking too much ludes, whatever, they sounded pretty groovy. Love this album and planning on extending my set. As far as their early stuff, Embryonic Journey is a good acoustic non vocal song, as well as acoustically and Marty singing Coming Back To Me. Crown of Creation, pretty solid along with Volunteers, good little protest. Now as far as the MOR sessions, not to bad, I liked Marty Balin's voice, Miracles, the full version I'm use to when I was a kid, great. With your Love, sincere. Count on Me, good little # there. Now life after Balin OK, Sara, was pretty good, No Way Out, or even Jane are pretty good little numbers. REMEMBER.... This is a starter kit for these guys, you might get hooked. Go out and get this gem, treat yourself to some interesting music.

I agree totally with all the aforementioned, but it is important to consider one other factor; the sound quality on this package is "out of sight".

That alone should give it at least 4 stars in my opinion..oh yes, I am an audiophile..so what?!

this CD misses a 5 star review for the omission of two songs: Find Your Way Back and Familiar Stranger. Of course, there is always the double disk Hits collection.