Album Spotlight: Live At The Fillmore Auditorium 10/15/66 (Late Show- Signe's Farewell) [2010]

First of all, I apologize to anyone who actually reads this blog for slacking a bit in sharing my thoughts on new releases. I'll probably get around to it eventually. In the meantime, I thought I'd take a look at one of my favorite bands from the 1960s: the Jefferson Airplane.

This live release comes from a time of transition, from the band's initial folk sound to a harder psychedelic sound, as well as a change in female vocalist. By this point, Signe Toly Anderson had been the band's female singer, but after the birth of her child, she decided to leave the band. She would be replaced the next day by Grace Slick, former singer for the Great Society, and the female vocalist most fans would be familiar with (this performance is also available under the name 'Grace's Debut'). 

I find this concert to be a very interesting artifact of the band's early history, and is a must have for fans of Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, as this is more in that vein. It's also interesting to note that this is one of the few releases you'll hear between the hiring of new drummer Spencer Dryden to replace the new Moby Grape front man Skip Spence, and Signe's departure. Signe has quite a different energy than Grace Slick, and is probably a bit more subtle in her approach. Grace is all power, and her contributions, including 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit' can be seen as influencing and steering the band towards its heavier, later sound. I find it a strange question to think about, but the band could have taken a much different approach had Anderson never left the band. 

Highlights from this concert, at least for me, are the initial version of '3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds', which lacks the speed of the later version, and the Signe Anderson showcases, 'High Flyin' Bird' and 'Chauffer Blues'. I'd also recommend the great version of 'Tobacco Road' here. I find this performance very interesting, as the jam elements of the band are still present even this early, but the band is coming into its own and is tightening up by this point. A must hear for hardcore Airplane fans.

Should be posting more soon.

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