Administrators James Posted January 29, 2016 Administrators Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Don't know how many of you are Jefferson Airplane fans, but it's co-founder and guitarist Paul Kantner has passed away today aged 74. Quote Kantner passed away on Thursday (Jan. 28) of multiple organ failure, following a heart attack earlier in the week. From 1965-1972, Jefferson Airplane was a pioneer in the Bay Area counterculture psychedelic rock scene, first defining what became known as the "San Francisco sound." Kantner and guitarist and vocalist Marty Balin formed the band in a bar called the Drinking Gourd, intending the group to be a folk-rock group. Amidst the city's drug experimentation, they developed something far more interesting. "Jefferson Airplane had the fortune or misfortune of discovering Fender Twin Reverb amps and LSD in the same week while in college. That’s a great step forward," Kantner told author and music historian Harvey Kubernik. "We went into it our normal selves.... The point is if you find something that makes you joyful take note of it. Amplify it if you can. Tell other people about it. That's what San Francisco was about. Both musically, idealistically and metaphorically and every other way. That's what we did here." As more and more flower children moved to San Francisco, Jefferson Airplane's local following grew and it became the first of the city's psych-rock bands to sign to a major label, releasing its debut Jefferson Airplane Takes Off in 1966. That same year, they became the first band to headline concert promoter Bill Graham's now legendary Fillmore Auditorium. By the following year, the band's second album, Surrealistic Pillow, became a soundtrack to the Summer of Love. It hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with the help of singles "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit," as the rest of the country began following in San Francisco's hippy footsteps. "On our first U.S. tour we were in cities where all the kids came in prom gowns and tuxedos. Then we came back to Iowa a year later and they were having nude mud love-ins and everybody had their faces painted," Kantner told Kubernik. Jefferson Airplane performed at the three most famous American rock festivals of the 1960s' -- Monterey in 1967 and Woodstock and Altamont in 1969. In 1996, Kantner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the band. Kantner is the first of Jefferson Airplane's founding members to have passed away. He was also a founding member of the group's spinoff band, Jefferson Starship. which took off in 1974. Kantner is survived by three children: sons Gareth and Alexander and daughter China. Funeral arrangements are pending. Jefferson Airplane had their song "White Rabbit" featured on Miami Vice episode "The Savage". Our favourite musicians are dropping like flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicefan7777 Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 I am a Jefferson Airplane fan. My generation is losing many of my favorite entertainers. RIP Mr Kantner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 I always liked that song.sad to hear this news.RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicegirl85 Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Sorry to hear this. RIP, Mr. Kantner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt5 Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Rip Mr Kantner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavinsky Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I think we're owed a terrible musicians death at this point with how many good ones have died recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators James Posted January 31, 2016 Author Administrators Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 5 hours ago, Kavinsky said: I think we're owed a terrible musicians death at this point with how many good ones have died recently. I agree... Where's Justin Bieber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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