Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner dies at 74

[Hissyspit]

Source: SF Gate

Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner dies at 74
Aidin Vaziri | on January 28, 2016

Paul Kantner, one of the giants of the San Francisco music scene, died Thursday, Jan. 28, of multiple organ failure. Mr. Kantner, founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, was 74 and had suffered a heart attack earlier this week.

His death was confirmed by longtime publicist and friend, Cynthia Bowman, who said he died of multiple organ failure and septic shock..

Mr. Kantner suffered from a string of health problems in recent years, including a heart attack in March 2015.

With Jefferson Airplane, Mr. Kantner pioneered what became known as the San Francisco sound in the mid-1960s, with such hits as "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit."

Read more: http://m.sfgate.com/news/article/Jefferson-Airplane-s-Paul-Kantner-dies-at-74-6791483.php

[LuckyLib]

1. One more part of our musical history. The soundtrack of boomers' youth.

[blackspade]

35. Some of us GenXers too.

[wordpix]

58. I loved the Airplane, RIP

[llmart]

63. So true....

White Rabbit - wow, I still love that song!

Many of our contemporaries are leaving us. We know it's the circle of life, etc., but damn it's rough getting older.

[Tom_Foolery]

2. RIP...

[lunamagica]

3. RIP

[redwitch]

4. Volunteers

[jpak]

18. Thanks

n/t

[livetohike]

5. R.I.P. Thanks for all of the music,

https://m.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. I adore that song.

[livetohike]

10. It's my favorite Jefferson Airplane song

😥

[Le Taz Hot]

15. It's between "Today,"

"Plastic Fantastic Lover" and "I Saw You Comin' Back to Me" as to which is my favorite song on that album. I still have the album but it's unplayable. No more grooves left in it.

Go with the muses, Paul.

[wilt the stilt]

17. and none of those songs are kantner songs

Last edited Thu Jan 28, 2016, 09:54 PM - Edit history (1)

"Won't you try" is his signature tune.

[jpak]

55. Astonishing

yup

[Blue_In_AK]

19. That's my other favorite off that album.

Whenever I hear those two songs, I'm instantly transported back to a certain place and time. We were all so young and innocent.

[llmart]

64. Yes!

Isn't it surreal when those moments happen? They are very fleeting, but you are instantly transported back for just a few seconds to what I consider some of the best times of my life. I have often said over the years that those of us who came of age in the '60's grew up in one of the most interesting times in our country.

[appalachiablue]

77. Same here, a hauntingly beautiful song. What amazing performers and a prolific era of music that

seems so long ago now. A cousin of mine who moved to LA in her twenties and played in bands is ringer for Grace Slick but a decade younger.

RIP and Many Thanks Paul

[pangaia]

31. I have Surrealistic Pillow sittin' right here.

Bought it when it came out.

In fact, I think I will just put it on right now.
Play the whole damn thing....
YES, I actually still have my 'stereo system.'

Thorens, McIntosh, Marantz, Klipschorns

[livetohike]

34. Same here- still playing the vinyl. The album cover is faded, but

the album plays (scratches and all). 😊

[think4yourself]

66. Wish I was there!

Sounds like pure Heaven!

[wilt the stilt]

6. One o my favorite bands

I saw them many times including 6 days after Kent state. I listen to them all the time and was just listening to the album "Crown of Creation".

RIP Paul, You were great.

[rpannier]

7. R.I.P.

Alice and the White Rabbit wish you a safe and gentle journey to the other side
They were an amazing group

[Blue_In_AK]

8. So sad.

I used to live by these guys when they had their house on Bolinas beach.

Should Keith Richards be getting nervous?

[jpak]

12. D.C.B.A. -25

[jalan48]

48. One of my favorites-thanks for posting.

[hollowdweller]

13. I loved the albumse he did with Grace Slick

&list=PLkgp1dek9S1PvMzP_7ufQd8llQAuZbfxZ&index=5

[SoCalMusicLover]

14. He Had A Daughter With Grace

China Kantner is now 44 years old.

[hollowdweller]

21. couple more

I always loved this tune. On the radio when I was in HS. My wife still has the album!

Loved this album he did with Cassidy and Balin

Probably my favorite Airplane song: "Doesn't mean shit to a tree" What a great performance.

[PufPuf23]

40. RIP Paul Kantner. Thank You.

Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra

This is a top 25 rock and roll album of all time for me.

I saw a version of PERRO at combination private school / inner city farm in what I think is considered Noe Valley. I think it was a dress rehearsal.

Glad to see a KBC album.

When Bill Graham re-opened the original Fillmore, I went to the KBC Band show (and the X show another night). At one point the lights dimmed and the rock band went away and a fire and brimstone preacher in a white tux appeared -- Robin Williams -- just as abruptly there was no preacher and the band was back.

Saw Jefferson Airplane several times at Fillmore West and Winterland.

[mimi85]

65. My husband and I still say

that phrase all the time. How sad. I'm feeling older by the second...and I am.

[teach1st]

16. Wave goodbye to Amerika

Say hello to the garden.

[jpak]

20. Jefferson Starship Mau Mau

[PoiBoy]

22. RIP Paul...

...great times... good music...

[CountAllVotes]

23. Another one!

Can't even count the number of time I'd seen the Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Ship. How tragically sad.

[byronius]

27. I saw the reunion show at the Greek.

Freaking magical. Can't even imagine it in their prime.

[byronius]

24. RIP

Ouch. Miss this dude.

[BeyondGeography]

25. A brilliant guy, a great American loss

"I went to Catholic school and we learned that it was more easy to ask for forgiveness than permission."

[Smarmie Doofus]

26. Fabulous artist. Fantastic group. n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

28. When I go... I want this played:

He didn't write it but he's lead guitar.

[SCantiGOP]

47. Damn, doofus

Bet I haven't heard that in 20 years....and then to realize that it is more than 40 years old.

[onehandle]

29. The next few years are going to suck for classic rock fans.

Last edited Thu Jan 28, 2016, 11:44 PM - Edit history (1)

RIP, Paul. Genius musician, sci-fi geek.

[blackspade]

30. January sucks this year.

Peace to his family.

[JeffHead]

32. Lemmy, David Bowie, Glen Frey, and now Paul Kantner.

The music of my youth is starting to die off.

Damn I'm feeling old.

RIP Paul

[n2doc]

33. RIP and safe journey to the next level

Saw Jefferson Starship a few times in the early 80's, Paul always had a monster power chord sound and a grin.

The melody isn't over...

[ghostsinthemachine]

36. Damn, I loved Paul, The Airplane and Starship (up to a point)

One of the best nights I ever spent was at a starship show in 74, the night Craig Chaquico joined the band. Blows Against the Empire.
Thanks for the music PK.

[Zen Democrat]

42. Blows Against the Empire is still a favorite of mine.

[ghostsinthemachine]

43. "Have you seen the stars tonight?" Is still the sexiest song

I ever heard.

[postulater]

60. Having flashbacks here.

[Babel_17]

75. Kantner was a big fan of science fiction, IIRC

I remember you could write to the record company that produced the album, and they'd send you another booklet if you lost the one that came with the album. It told you that they would need astrogators, and hydroponics technicians to crew the Starship.

At first
I was irridescent
Then
I became transparent
Finally
I was absent

[RoccoR5955]

69. One of my top ten favorite albums

I played that record until it wore out!

[StevieM]

37. According to Wikipedia he bears no responsibility for "We built this City."

That was done by Starship as part of a settlement of a lawsuit which established that the band could no longer call themselves Jefferson Airplane or Jefferson Starship.

For those who don't remember, let me bring you back: "We built this city on Rock and Roll."

It is widely regarded as the worst song of all time, among songs that enjoyed commercial success.

It was the "It's Friday!" by Rebecca Black of its day. But much more successful.

[elmac]

38. It was a time of corporate canned music

and many 60's, 70's groups did it to pay the bills. I remember Heart doing the same. I liked the song but was no White Rabbit.

[ArcticFox]

39. RIP

Love his work

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

41. RIP and thanks for all the music...

[SCantiGOP]

44. No. Nonono

This one really hits hard. He sang on an old record player (couldn't even call it a stereo) through a lot of my first acid trip.

So long, old dude.

[wilt the stilt]

45. Paul's signature song

[MoreGOPoop]

46. RIP

[avaistheone1]

49. I was on stage with Paul Kanter and Grace

and the rest of the Starship. Way back in the day...It was 1969 and a bunch of us UMASS students sort of invited ourselves on stage while they played. They were so cool. They let us stay up there the whole concert. It was better than a front row seat.

Thanks Paul for the music and the politics too.

RIP

[Demobrat]

50. He was a neighbor of mine for a while

He had a place near where I live in SF. He used to hang out on the corner in front of Cafe Trieste and drunkenly accost people shouting "I'm a rock star. Take advantage of me!"

It was sad.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

51. First time I saw them was in the Pan Handle playin for free.

God those were the days, we were going to change the world, maybe we did.

RIP Paul, now you're all around us.

[Hoyt]

52. Man, the great ones from the 60s are dropping too fast.

[avaistheone1]

83. Damn, they really are.

[Dont call me Shirley]

53. Paul...

[orpupilofnature57]

54. ' Sunfighter ' greatest album that got played the least . RIP

[RT_Fanatic]

56. Oddly, the two songs mentioned here,

..."Somebody to Love," and "White Rabbit," weren't original Airplane tunes. Grace brought them with her from the Great Society, of which Kantner wasn't a member. So long, Baron von Tollbooth.

[Mendocino]

57. Wooden Ships

[link:

|Music mostly by David Crosby, lyrics mostly by Paul and Stephen Stills.



Link failed, just go to youtube or if you have sometime listen to the JA version from Woodstock .

[Mendocino]

62. Wooden Ships

Music mostly by David Crosby, lyrics mostly by Paul and Stephen Stills.

Sail on Paul.

[peacebird]

59. Good grief... bowie, frey, rickman & now kantner?

Too many great performers lost in such a short time

[Odin2005]

61. Christ, so many rock legends dying.

[vlakitti]

67. This is just sad.

A whole generation of people I listened to, gone.

[RoccoR5955]

68. RIP Paul

And condolences to all the Airplane and Starship family.

[hollowdweller]

70. Glad we still have Jorma and Jack.

Jorma has a guitar camp about 90 min from my house in WV over in Pomroy Ohio.

They have artists in residence and then they usually do a public show at the end of the week.

www.furpeaceranch.com

[Mendocino]

72. I've been there,

talked to Jorma, great guy. Saw Chris Hillman (Byrds) and Herb Peterson perform. ...If you don't know Jorma, you don't know Jack.

[warrprayer]

71. ...

[dreamnightwind]

73. This is terrible news!

One of my all-time favorites. I missed the old Airplane days but have seen Paul many times in concert with his various versions of the Jefferson Starship from the 80's till just a few years ago. They played a lot of small venues out here in the bay area, even locally at a tiny venue near here in Jenner, took my son to those when he was a toddler.

They had a few different lead guitarists (mostly Slick Aguilar, died a few years ago) and female singers in the Grace role. They were surprisingly good, and Paul was something special, which always made it worth seeing them.

Heartbreaking that he is no longer around. RIP, Paul.

[Babel_17]

74. Have You Seen The Stars Tonight - Jefferson Starship

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jeffersonstarship/haveyouseenthestarstonight.html

"Have You Seen The Stars Tonight?"

Have you seen the stars tonight?
Would you like to go up on A-deck and look at them with me?
Have you seen the stars tonight?
Would you like to go up for a stroll and keep me company?

Did you know
We could go
We are free
Any place
You can think of
We can be

Have you seen the stars tonight?
Have you looked at all of the galaxy of stars?

[shenmue]

76. Rest in peace.

[trillion]

78. Very Sad, RIP.

[Wolf Frankula]

79. Good Bye Paul.

I met him once. He was a complete gentleman.

Wolf

[Miles Archer]

80. I want to write something profound, but I don't have the words.

I was an 11 year old kid when "Surrealistic Pillow" came out, and it changed my life.

I lived in a tiny Massachusetts town, but the "Summer of Love" grabbed me by the neck and didn't let go.

The Airplane, the Dead, Quicksilver, Janis...all of the musicians who rose out of the San Francisco scene transformed a little kid 3000 miles away.

Paul's gone. Janis is gone. Jimi's gone. Morrison is gone. Jerry and Pigpen and Keith and Brent are gone. John Cippolina is gone. All of the architects of a sound that changed the world forever are all gone.

Like I said, I don;t have the words. R.I.P., Paul, and thank you.

[hobbit709]

81. "Sign me up as a diplomat…my only office is the park…"

R.I.P. my friend.

[niyad]

82. requiescat in pace, paul.

interesting--the other day, I ran across my vip backstage pass for a concert he did here. it was a very interesting evening.

[avaistheone1]

84. Grace Slick to Paul Kantner: 'Rest in Peace My Friend'

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6859201/grace-slick-paul-kantner-rest-in-peace