I happened across the following video that someone actually took the care to record and post onto YouTube:
The video owner’s set-up text reads as follows:
Some of my Dads collection of Jefferson Starship
I find the entire notion of this video and the son’s introductory comment to be weirdly fascinating and touching.
…not exactly my cup of tea, musically. – Mickey Thomas, on the Jefferson Starship’s mid-’70s output.
Here’s a story that needed to be told: living legend Mickey Thomas discusses his move from the Elvin Bishop Band to Jefferson Starship. I can’t tell you, when I’m out and about and run into fellow Townspeople, how frequently the band’s late-’70s rebirth comes up in discussion. “Can you believe they bounced back with a smash hit like ‘Jane’?” someone might ask. Or, “What forces do you think came together to reboot the Starship? It’s a topic that’s completely overlooked in rock history books.” Well, this interview may provide the answers you’ve been seeking.
…The more I didn’t want to do it, the more they wanted me. – Mickey Thomas, on his initial indecision about joining the band.
In our continuing quest to identify rock’s most cliched moments I present to you the following performance, which may take the cake. You couldn’t commission a panel of hacks to write and perform a more cliched song than this one…could you? The person who posted this video does not allow embedding, so you have to click here to watch it. Enjoy.
Leave it to a Townsperson to know what’s wrong with this ad’s voiceover…a patented RTH No-Prize is at stake!
This week’s All-Star Jam counts on you to provide stimulating discussion, nerdy rock news flashes, and other trivialities that only people like us may care about. Such as the following tip, delivered to The Back Office by Townsman tonyola:
Here’s an odd and somewhat sad story…
“NEW YORK — Joseph Brooks, the Academy Award-winning songwriter of “You Light Up My Life” who was awaiting trial for rape, was found dead Sunday of an apparent suicide in his Manhattan apartment, police said.”
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43128452/ns/today-entertainment/
That noxious song will never sound quite the same, will it?
Or this Ringo Starr interview, passed along by Townsman plugdin2:
‘Paul likes to think he’s the only remaining Beatle’: Ringo Starr on why the world’s most famous band was lucky to have him
Or perhaps you just want to remind your fellow Townspeople about an opportunity to help a fellow Townsman for as little as $1 AND test your Classic Rock Psychic Powers.
Rock Town Hall can count on you!
We here in the Halls of Rock Town are sometimes taken to task for being overly negative, snarky, hyper-critical, and all too often, just downright rude. As part of our collective efforts to bring a bit of sunshine and light to the world wide web, we occasionally make an extra effort effort to find something good to say about, you know, stuff that is clearly godawful.
It is in that spirit that we embark on yet another effort to bring some positivity to our proceedings. Please spend some quality time with the video above, then — if you can — please find something nice to say about it. You’ll feel a whole lot better, I promise you.
I look forward to your comments. Just remember, if you can’t say anything nice about this video… please don’t say anything at all.
It’s been a little more than 11 months since I first posted this controversial view. One of the characteristics I most admire in our Townspeople is our ability to reconsider past views and objections. Now may be as good a time as ever for each of us to reconsider our initial opinions and for newer members of Rock Town Hall to chime in on this issue.
Frankly, I was surprised at the lack of support my query elicited. I didn’t expect the majority of Townspeople to hear things as I heard them, but I surely didn’t expect that the closest thing I got to agreement was a vote for plain, old Starship! Why don’t you join me in reviewing our first discussion of these matters, replaying the supporting video clips, and sharing any new insights that may have resulted from your growth as a music listener? I look forward to your comments.
This post initially appeared 11/30/08.
Granted, Jefferson Airplane is a favorite whipping band among certain segments of Rock Town Hall – and I don’t believe anyone who’d hang here like Jefferson Starship, but when you really think about it, Jefferson Starship may have produced a stronger quartet of songs than any four songs by Jefferson Airplane.
I speak specifically of a quartet of mid-70s Jefferson Starship songs:
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