Jefferson Airplane Co-Founder Paul Kantner Dies at Age 74
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016 In this March 8, 1968 file photo, members of the rock group Jefferson Airplane pose This June 20, 2001 file photo shows Jefferson Starships’ Paul Kantner, left, performing in for a photograph in San Francisco. — AP photos front of Diana Mangano during the ‘Freedom Sings’ benefit concert in New York. Jefferson Airplane co-founder Paul Kantner dies at age 74 aul Kantner, a founding member of scheduled to receive the Recording band’s estranged original leader, also left. the Jefferson Airplane who stayed Academy’s lifetime achievement award this In 1974, Kantner and Slick brought in new Pwith the seminal San Francisco band year. “He was the first guy I picked for the musicians and renamed the group through its transformation from 1960s hip- band and he was the first guy who taught Jefferson Starship. Their sound softened pies to 1970s hit makers as the eventual me how to roll a joint,” Balin wrote of and, with Balin back, they had hit singles leader of successor group Jefferson Kantner on his Facebook page. “And with “Miracles” and “Count On Me” among Starship, has died at age 74. Kantner, who although I know he liked to play the devil’s others and a No. 1 album, “Red Octopus.” drew upon his passion for politics and sci- advocate, I am sure he has earned his wings But by the mid-1980s, when Slick and ence fiction to help write such rock classics now” Kantner, who looked as much like a Mickey Thomas were lead vocalists, Kantner as “Wooden Ships” and “Volunteers,” died college student as a rock star with his glass- thought the music so “mundane” that he on Thursday of organ failure and septic es and shaggy blond hair, did not have the left the Jefferson Starship and successfully shock. He had been admitted to a San vocal or stage presence of Balin and Slick, forced the remaining members not to use Francisco hospital after falling ill earlier in or the instrumental power of Kaukonen or the name “Jefferson.” (His former band- the week, his former girlfriend and publicist Casady. But he became the conscience of mates called themselves “Starship” and had Cynthia Bowman, the mother of one of his the band and by the end of the ‘60s was three No. 1 songs, including “Sara” and “We In this Tuesday, Oct 27, 2015, file photo, Hong three children, told The Associated Press. shaping its increasingly radical direction, Built This City”). Over the past 30 years, Kong actor-singer Aaron Kwok poses on the red The guitarist and songwriter had sur- whether co-writing the militant Kantner, Balin and Casady occasionally per- carpet of the opening ceremony for the Studio City vived close brushes with death as a “Volunteers” with Balin or inserting a pro- formed as the KBC Band and a reunited project in Macau. — AP younger man, including a motorcycle acci- fane taunt into his own incendiary “We Can Airplane briefly toured and recorded. dent during the early 1960s and a 1980 Be Together,” leading to an extended fight Kantner made a handful of solo and cerebral hemorrhage, and he recovered with their record company, RCA. Jefferson Starships albums and used vari- Crime thriller ‘Port of Call’ from a heart attack last year. Few bands Meanwhile, Kantner and Slick reigned as ous musicians in the studio and on the were so identified with San Francisco or so one of rock’s most prominent couples. road, including daughter China on vocals leads Hong Kong film nominees well-embodied the idealism and hedonism Rolling Stone would note their contrasting and son Alexander on bass. of the late ‘60s as Jefferson Airplane, its styles, labeling Slick “the Acid Queen of hrills and adventure lead the nominations for the message boldly stated on buttons and outrageousness” and Kantner her “calm, The Great Society Hong Kong Film Awards. Thirteen nominations bumper stickers that read “THE JEFFERSON dry, sardonic flip side.” In 1971, Slick gave Kantner was born in 1941, the musical Twent to “Port of Call,” a thriller about a detective AIRPLANE LOVES YOU.” The Airplane advo- birth to their daughter, whom the couple and nonconforming son of a traveling looking into a heinous crime that tore apart two families cated sex, psychedelic drugs, rebellion and originally wanted to call God, but decided salesman. He dropped out of college to and is loosely based on a real event. It’s up for best film, a communal lifestyle, operating out of an to name China. (China Kantner became an pursue a career in folk music and became best actor for Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok and best eccentric, Colonial Revival house near actress and MTV VJ.) Slick and Kantner friendly with Crosby and future Starship director for Philip Yung, for whom “Port of Call” was his Haight-Ashbury. Its members supported broke up in the late 1970s and Kantner had member David Freiberg, spending days third feature. The 3D action adventure film “The Taking of various political and social causes, tossed a son, Alexander, with Bowman, and anoth- and nights on the beach, strumming gui- Tiger Mountain” has 11 nominations, including best film out LSD at concerts and played at both the er son, Gareth. tars and indulging in Crosby’s premium and best director for the veteran Tsui Hark. Monterey and Woodstock festivals. stash of marijuana. Soon after the release of The third “Ip Man” film was popular with fans as well as Science fiction the Airplane’s first album, “The Jefferson critics. Its eight nominations include best film, best direc- ‘White Rabbit’ Kantner was the Airplane’s only native Airplane Takes Off,” the group underwent a tor and best action choreography. The other best film Formed by veterans of the folk circuit in San Franciscan and its most political and fateful change: Vocalist Signe Toly nominees are “Little Big Master” and perhaps the biggest the mid-’60s, the Airplane combined folk, experimental thinker. He had been a sci- Anderson left to have a baby in the fall of surprise, “Ten Years.” The low-budget, independent film rock, blues and jazz and was the first group ence fiction reader since childhood and 1966 and was replaced by Slick, who had contains five stories postulating about Hong Kong’s from a Bay Area scene that also featured with friends David Crosby and Jerry Garcia been a member of the Bay Area group The future. The film portrays the city in 10 years’ time when Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead to among others recorded a 1970 concept Great Society. Slick brought a fiery, charis- the local language is no longer spoken and freedom of achieve mainstream success, thanks to the album about space travel, “Blows Against matic style and, just as important, speech is lost, echoing apprehensions of many people in classics “Somebody to Love” and “White the Empire,” credited to Kantner and “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit,” Hong Kong now. Though it was nominated for the top Rabbit.” Besides Kantner, who played “Jefferson Starship.” Kantner, Crosby and anthems for 1967’s “Summer of Love” and award, it was shut out in the other categories. rhythm guitar and added backing vocals, Stephen Stills would collaborate on the highlights of the Airplane’s landmark psy- Actor Sean Lau Ching Wan and actress Ivana Wong the Airplane’s best-known lineup included escapist, post-apocalypse fantasy “Wooden chedelic album “Surrealistic Pillow.” announced the nominees yesterday. The best actor cate- singers Grace Slick and Marty Balin; lead Ships,” which Jefferson Airplane and Kantner, who spent much of his life in gory has some of Hong Kong’s most beloved past win- guitarist Jorma Kaukonen; bassist Jack Crosby, Stills and Nash each recorded and his native city, would look back years later ners, with Kwok, Andy Lau, Nick Cheung, Tony Leung and Casady; and drummer Spencer Dryden, performed at Woodstock. and remember a golden age of art, free Jacky Cheung nominated. Nominees for best actress, who died in 2005. Jefferson Airplane, With perfect timing for a ‘60s band, the love and joyous possibility. He joked that coming from Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, are Tang named in part after blues artist Blind Airplane began splitting apart at the end of San Francisco was a privileged haven, “49 Wei, Miriam Yeung, Sylvia Chang, Karena Lam and Jessi Li. Lemon Jefferson, was inducted into the the decade. Kaukonen and Casady founded square miles surrounded by reality.” (The The awards will be handed out April 3. — AP Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and is the blues group Hot Tuna, and Balin, the correct number is closer to 47). —AP.