STARSHIP

written by Peter Wolf and Ina Wolf

produced by Peter Wolf and Jeremy Smith

​

In the early-to-mid-’60s, Ohio native Marty Balin had made his way

to the west coast, and begun scouring the San Francisco area for

band members. By 1965’s end, he’d recruited guitarists Paul

Kantner and Jorma Kaukonen, bassist Jack Casady, vocalist and

songwriter Grace Slick, and percussionist Spencer Dryden. Kaukonen came up with the new band’s name, drawing on a silly name a friend had given him, taken from blues pioneer Blind Lemon Jefferson. Jorma Kaukonen’s friend called him (Blind) Jefferson Airplane. The next thing they knew, one of America’s most acclaimed psychedelic-era bands was born.

​

Jefferson Airplane took off—literally, with the debut album Jefferson Airplane Takes Off—in August 1966, with three singles from the record. A short half a year later, 1967 and sophomore album Surrealistic Pillow brought the band their two their biggest and most famous hits, “Somebody To Love,” and “White Rabbit,” both of which charted in the top 10. Five years and albums later, things started to unravel for Jefferson Airplane. The original band lineup began to fall apart, replaced into a separate lineup that failed to capture the group original ’60s magic. By about 1974, it was time for a major shift.

​

Grace and Paul stayed together, backed by a new band—as well as founder Marty Balin again in ’75. They took inspiration from an album Paul released in late 1970, Blows Against The Empire, featuring Grace. This was a concept album based on the hijacking of an outer space starship escaping Earth. It was technically the first album billed under the name Jefferson Starship. In ’74, Paul and Grace officially adopted the name, upgrading the Airplane to the Starship to continue their adventure. The next several years brought them further top 20 hits “Miracles,” “Count On Me,” and by decade’s end, “Jane.” 1981’s Modern Times spawned another hot JS hit, “Find Your Way Back.”

​

A couple more years and records ensued. In late ’84, following a financial legal order Paul brought forth, he banned JS from using the Jefferson moniker going any further. Clipping the name to simply Starship from then on, Grace and the other remaining members found and teamed up with a singer and rhythm guitarist who’d give Starship a new fresh energy. His name was Mickey Thomas. From late ’84 to summer ’85—still with RCA Records as they’d been since the JA days in the ’60s—Starship recorded their debut album, released in September 1985, Knee Deep In The Hoopla. Four singles sprang out of it. The first: monster hit “We Built This City.” The second: almost nearly as successful “Sara.” Mickey sang lead on both with Grace, and listening to their voices blend alone, it’s no wonder both hit #1.

​

In terms of bands like this—bands whom I don’t know where we’d be today without their hits—I like to equate Starship with groups like Fleetwood Mac. There’s another band with incarnations around since the ’60s, a similar brand of wholesome, benevolent poppy rock... and funnily enough, also a hit song entitled “Sara”—FM’s from late ’79. As I’ve come to love both a great great deal, that was a musical coincidence I felt was worth sharing. “Sara” wasn’t always my favorite Starship song, but particularly in the 2010s I became absolutely enamored of it. I’ve written and published short fiction stories online, a few about a young woman named Sara, whose parents named her after this song. In her first story, her best friend takes her to a rock concert by her favorite singer for her birthday, who takes her up on stage and sings her the song. This story and its sequels have become some of my most beloved amongst readers. Around the time I wrote the first story, I took this song and audio-treated it. The song’s music video is perhaps most notable for starring the young Rebecca De Mornay in the title role, best known at the time for starring alongside Tom Cruise in Risky Business.

​

And actually, as a final note... while I adore them both, neither “City” nor “Sara” is my absolutely favorite Starship song... that song would come two years later in 1987. That’s another story, another we’ll reach in its due time. In the meantime, with Starship’s new energy, spirit and hit power in the ’80s, it appeared that nothing was gonna stop them now.

​

Have notes to add? Let me know!

​

YT:

full version

music video

​

Starship’s official website