Happy Birthday Grace

 

Grace Slick is 85 years old today and a good reason to listen to the music of Jefferson Airplane once again. Hardly any other band stands for peace, love and consciousness-expanding drugs as much as Jefferson Airplane. Together with the Grateful Dead, they spearheaded the hippie music that emerged in San Francisco in the mid-60's. However, internal disputes led to them disbanding after just a few years. Their fame is based on a handful of hits and appearances at the most famous festivals of their time.

For me, Jefferson Airplane are one of the few bands from the psychedelic era that I still enjoy listening to. That's because they wrote great songs, had perhaps one of the best guitarists of his time in Jorma Kaukonen and I just love Grace Slick's voice.

On 2400 Fulton Street, a very good compilation of their releases, their work is divided into four categories (Beginnings, Psychedelia, Revolution and Airplane Parts), which also corresponds to their sound and meaning.

Jefferson Airplane - Coming Back To Me

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (Live At Woodstock)

Jefferson Airplane - Martha

A few years ago Don Letts compiled Version Excursion for the LateNightTales series with reggae versions of well known songs. Prince Fatty & Shniece McManamin turned the White Rabbit into a wonderful Black Rabbit.

Understand What Dub Is

Last year The Last Poets celebrated their 50 year anniversary with a new record with Understand What Black Is. The Last Poets was a collective of musicians and poets formed at the end of the 60's to a black band in the days of civil right movement and afro American values. Their political raps and straight rhythms were rarely heard in Europe but Last Poets had massive influence into Hip Hop. Bristol's Prince Fatty was involved in the works at the album and reworked eight tracks of the album. It is as the title says a dub album with everything you might expect on it. Fresh an political relevant come the songs to our ear. Looking over the Atlantic ocean and the government it seems like The Last Poets march still is not finished.