Jefferson Airplane - Long John Silver (1972)

Jefferson Airplane were one of the best-known bands of San Francisco’s legendary 60s psychedelic rock scene. They were pioneers of the genre and the first band from the area to achieve mainstream commercial success.

After the release of 1971's Bark, more divisions and distractions continued to slow Jefferson Airplane down. Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady's Hot Tuna group released their first studio album (now as a full electric band), Paul Kantner and Grace Slick recorded an album together (1971's Sunfighter), and Joey Covington attempted to begin a solo career. And all the time the band's escalating drug use (and Slick's alcoholism) threatened to derail them at any moment.
Nevertheless they stuck together long enough to record a final studio album, 1972's Long John Silver. It was a good collection of songs, with a strong unified sound throughout. It was their first album recorded entirely with violinist Papa John Creach as a member (he had joined during the making of Bark), and he made his presence felt throughout with his electric fiddle proving to be a perfect companion for Kaukonen's guitar. Joey Covington only played drums on two songs, as he left the band during the recording process. On "Trial By Fire" the drum seat was taken by Sammy Piazza of Hot Tuna (written and sung by Kaukonen, the song was pretty much a Hot Tuna number), and for the rest of the album drums were handled by Johnny Barbata (who had recently worked with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young).
The album got to #20 on the charts. However it marked the end of an era for the band, as their dissolution was soon approaching.

Bark (1971) <|> Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (1973)
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