Paul Kantner's "Blows Against The Empire"

[Valen]

I started getting into Jefferson Airplane last year, and really enjoyed the first five albums. So when I spotted Kantner's first solo effort - Blows Against The Empire - in a record store, I decided to go for it.

It's a lot proggier than I was expecting it to be, not just with the music and sound effects, but also the sci-fi concepts.

If you haven't heard it, but are partial to a mix between Jefferson Airplane and early Hawkwind, then here's a blog reivew to guide you:

https://momentstransition.wordpress.com/2023/08/13/paul-kantner-blows-against-the-empire-1970/

[SteveSly]

I started getting into Jefferson Airplane last year, and really enjoyed the first five albums. So when I spotted Kantner's first solo effort - Blows Against The Empire - in a record store, I decided to go for it.

It's a lot proggier than I was expecting it to be, not just with the music and sound effects, but also the sci-fi concepts.

If you haven't heard it, but are partial to a mix between Jefferson Airplane and early Hawkwind, then here's a blog reivew to guide you:

https://momentstransition.wordpress.com/2023/08/13/paul-kantner-blows-against-the-empire-1970/

I have always liked it. Kantner always had a prog / sci-fi element to much of his writing, even on later JS albums.

[Downbytheriver]

I remember well when this came out. I've always liked it too! JA was a really great band and those first five albums were pretty good. Too bad Jefferson Starship just took such a commercial turn.

[Dan Roth]

Any love for it's sequel, "The Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra"?

This is one I always really enjoyed from that record:

[spellbound]

Paul Kantner was always in the top echelon of singer/songwriters of story-songs. He didn't limit his stories to personal experience (or maybe his experience was beyond that of us mere mortals), but told excellent musical tales of history and science fiction. Blows Against the Empire was probably his high point, a full concept album encompassing story with progressive, jam band, psychedelic, and rock and roll all melded together. But he scattered great (and fun) story songs among his contributions to Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.

[rapidfirerob]

One of my favorite albums, with musicians from JA and the Dead playing on it, plus David Crosby, David Freiberg, Graham Nash, Harvey Brooks.


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[Scrotum Scissor]

This is one of my personal faves from the Jeffplainshipment total. Kantner was never as stoned destined though equally supremely freaky and - above all - genuinely visionary. That attack in beat/pulse summoned through the rhythm section of first track/"Amerikon/MauMau" - there's a sense of frightening or indeed even menacing aggression to belief and due conviction here. Kantner was never anywhere closer in proximity to the core cavemanarchist derision of firm establishment;

...ma'h only office is DA PARK!!

The whole of side 2 reads and takes as a singly bit disjointed twist tack epic. Coherent as soup/pudding in nocturnal asswipe pain to butt, though it doesn't need to stay "consistent"; there's enough fire of free spirits in the general lyric committed and the way it drives strange charades of folk-conspicuous space-ceremonies to fruitition.

I've got an absolutely beautiful exemplar of this seeing all inserts and additions intact; truly something I've treasured ever since investing approx. 10$ for its purchase back in early '91. A record junkie acquantance of mine offered me 140$ on noting all attachments serviced. Didn't happen. A great and wild, deranged ditty piece of fantastic concept album marked towards ages of fair rust and the beyond.

Sunfighter is alright but not nearly as enticing. Tollbooth is sweet but too discreet - except for "Harp Tree" by Dave Freiberg.

[Batchman]

Sunfighter is alright but not nearly as enticing. Tollbooth is sweet but too discreet - except for "Harp Tree" by Dave Freiberg.

Definitely prefer these three (Blows, Sunfighter, Toolbooth) to the albums released by the group that called itself Jefferson Starship. I find very little worth revisiting on the Dragonfly and Red Octopus albums (never mind what was called Starship later on). Even at the time they seemed bland and commercialized, and Barbata's drumming was boring as hell. Grace Slick had been quoted as saying "I can't write songs about Gerald Ford bumping his head" when asked why they didn't write politically sharp material anymore, but come on.

[Jondon4]

Kantner won a Hugo award for best 'Dramatic Presentation in 1971 for the album. To my knowledge the only time a record album has won such an award.
https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-h...1-hugo-awards/

[Mister Triscuits]

Kantner won a Hugo award for best 'Dramatic Presentation in 1971 for the album. To my knowledge the only time a record album has won such an award.
https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-h...1-hugo-awards/

It was nominated, but did not win--there was no winner selected in that category that year. The Firesign Theatre's Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers was also nominated the same year.

[Trane]

Definitely prefer these three (Blows, Sunfighter, Toolbooth) to the albums released by the group that called itself Jefferson Starship. I find very little worth revisiting on the Dragonfly and Red Octopus albums (never mind what was called Starship later on). Even at the time they seemed bland and commercialized, and Barbata's drumming was boring as hell. Grace Slick had been quoted as saying "I can't write songs about Gerald Ford bumping his head" when asked why they didn't write politically sharp material anymore, but come on.

Absolutely. Those three Kantner/Slick albums are excellent and much better than any Starship (Jeff or not) ever did.
I just wish that Sunfighter would've gotten a better (and less personal) artwork. I still have the full vinyl of Blows Against.

If I may add Grace's first two solo albums as well: the fantastic Manhole (the proggiest any Aircrew has been) and the still-good Dreams. Planet Earth is dfintely the last hurrah studio testimonial for Paul & Grace, though.



Though I did see JS twice in the 21st C (Verviers & Lorelei), I must say that they played more Airplane stuff than Starship, much to the joy of everyone.
Saw Tuna twice in the XXIst C as well, but have better meonries of the 78 concert (Hoprkov tour)

[Digital_Man]

It's an ok album imo but not much more. Maybe it hasn't grown on me yet though. This past year I bought the rest of the early JA albums on cd I didn't have except for Takes Off (the first) which I'll probably skip. Some good stuff in there even if they are very much "of their time." I probably like After Bathing At Baxters the most. I don't have much interest in obtaining LJS or Bark though since I've heard they are not so good (at least compared to the sixties stuff).

[Batchman]

If I may add Grace's first two solo albums as well: the fantastic Manhole (the proggiest any Aircrew has been) and the still-good Dreams.

I'll have to check those out - Slick's material even with the Airplane was quite musically sophisticated at times. Thanks for the lead.

[Batchman]

It's an ok album imo but not much more. Maybe it hasn't grown on me yet though. This past year I bought the rest of the early JA albums on cd I didn't have except for Takes Off (the first) which I'll probably skip. Some good stuff in there even if they are very much "of their time." I probably like After Bathing At Baxters the most. I don't have much interest in obtaining LJS or Bark though since I've heard they are not so good (at least compared to the sixties stuff).

True, those last two were not so good. Bark was especially bad, but even that one had "Pretty As You Feel", which was quite different from JA's usual material.

I would not dismiss Takes Off. True, it's got shorter and poppier songs, but they're all good (certainly in keeping with the state of rock music in 1966 pre-Pepper), including a great cover of "Tobacco Road."

ABAB is definitely their high point, but Crown of Creation is equally fine despite not being as groundbreaking. Volunteers is kind of a mixed bag; the decline was starting to show at that point.

[Digital_Man]

True, those last two were not so good. Bark was especially bad, but even that one had "Pretty As You Feel", which was quite different from JA's usual material.

I would not dismiss Takes Off. True, it's got shorter and poppier songs, but they're all good (certainly in keeping with the state of rock music in 1966 pre-Pepper), including a great cover of "Tobacco Road."

ABAB is definitely their high point, but Crown of Creation is equally fine despite not being as groundbreaking. Volunteers is kind of a mixed bag; the decline was starting to show at that point.

I like Volunteers but I can't really disagree with your comment. As for the first one I saw somewhere that the drums were mixed way in the back and so I listened on youtube and that did seem to be the case. Maybe they fixed that with a later remixed or remastered version; I don't know. It is floating around for five bucks on cd so maybe I'll pull the trigger at some point. Thanks for your input.

[Mister Triscuits]

True, those last two were not so good. Bark was especially bad, but even that one had "Pretty As You Feel", which was quite different from JA's usual material.

Bark also includes two Kantner epics, “War Movie” and “When the Earth Moves Again,” that actually would have fit right in on Blows Against the Empire. Two cool Slick contributions, too: “Law Man” and the utterly demented “Never Argue with a German When You’re Tired,” which of course is not going to be everybody’s cup of peyote. The rest of the album is a bit lightweight.

[Batchman]

I like Volunteers but I can't really disagree with your comment. As for the first one I saw somewhere that the drums were mixed way in the back and so I listened on youtube and that did seem to be the case. Maybe they fixed that with a later remixed or remastered version; I don't know. It is floating around for five bucks on cd so maybe I'll pull the trigger at some point. Thanks for your input.

Keep in mind that the drummer on the first one (Takes Off) was not Spencer Dryden, but Skip Spence (later one of the guitarists in Moby Grape).

[Mister Triscuits]

Skip Spence (later one of the guitarists in Moby Grape).

And he wasn't a proper drummer to begin with; he got stuck playing drums with JA because he "looked like a drummer."

[Trane]

I'll have to check those out - Slick's material even with the Airplane was quite musically sophisticated at times. Thanks for the lead.

Manhole is simply grandiose , comes with strings arrangements too ith two epics. It +/- takes over after Crazy Miranda (on Bark).
Still sends shivers down my spine some 35 years after I first heard. She also sings in Spanish at places.

True, those last two were not so good. Bark was especially bad, but even that one had "Pretty As You Feel", which was quite different from JA's usual material.

ABAB is definitely their high point, but Crown of Creation is equally fine despite not being as groundbreaking. Volunteers is kind of a mixed bag; the decline was starting to show at that point.

Crown is their apex in my book. Every track is a puncher, and even the bonus tracks on the expanded CD version are a total hit, despite a mono single addition of Joke. Difficult to top that and the uneven Volunteers certainly didn't, still holds mighty fine moments though. BTW, Pooneil (present in ABAB and COC) was Robert Kennedy's dog.
Pointed Little Head is a bit of a disappointment as a live album, despite it's 50-mins length... I'm sure if they'd made it a double album (it wasn't yet a fad), it might've been a monster. Oddly enough, despite my comment, the three bonus tracks on the CD expanded version (which sends the duration to 65-mins) do not add that much. Their other live album (30 seconds) came way too late in their career, to be really significant.

Bark also includes two Kantner epics, “War Movie” and “When the Earth Moves Again,” that actually would have fit right in on Blows Against the Empire. Two cool Slick contributions, too: “Law Man” and the utterly demented “Never Argue with a German When You’re Tired,” which of course is not going to be everybody’s cup of peyote. The rest of the album is a bit lightweight.

If Covington was a good replacement for Dryden, I also think Barbata was an error, but LJS is a better album than Bark, despite the lack of grand tracks - I suppose Balin's temporary return plays a role. Berk is hardly a stinker, but can't help but disappoint.
Not sure I would call Earth and Movies as epics, though - but yeah, there are traces of the former greatness in both tracks, but...
TBH, I always thought Papa John Creech's violin didn't fit in their sound (ditto inside Hot Shit/Tuna). His parts could've been filled by Jorma, IMHO.

BTW, the German guy is Grace taking a cheap shot at Kantner's unpleasant side in arguments.

[Mister Triscuits]

Crazy Miranda (on Bark).

I was forgetting "Crazy Miranda." Another fine Grace track on that album.

Not sure I would call Earth and Movies as epics, though

Epic thematically, not in length.

[SRS]

Good time to share this link in case anyone missed it - the great site "Albums that Never Were" last month did an imaginary JA album that incorporates songs from this album
Good write up and he always does a detailed job with cross fades, levels and even artwork.

http://albumsthatneverwere.blogspot....issile-is.html

[Digital_Man]

Keep in mind that the drummer on the first one (Takes Off) was not Spencer Dryden, but Skip Spence (later one of the guitarists in Moby Grape).

I know that but what does that have to do with how the drums are mixed. I bet if Steven Wilson was the engineer or producer you wouldn't have had that issue.

Or maybe it was a case of them not liking his drumming so they kept them (at least somewhat) in the background.

[Batchman]

If Covington was a good replacement for Dryden, I also think Barbata was an error, but LJS is a better album than Bark, despite the lack of grand tracks - I suppose Balin's temporary return plays a role. Berk is hardly a stinker, but can't help but disappoint.
TBH, I always thought Papa John Creech's violin didn't fit in their sound (ditto inside Hot Shit/Tuna). His parts could've been filled by Jorma, IMHO.

Covington wasn't a good replacement - he was a mediocre drummer who couldn't even keep a beat reliably. Ironically, he contributed the best song to the album, not as a drummer but as a singer/songwriter.

Balin's temporary return wasn't to JA, but to JS on Dragonfly. Unless there's something in the history that I missed.

I agree that LJS was better than Bark. No real high points, but nothing as bad as the worst tracks on Bark.

I had no problem with Papa John Creach's contributions to either JA or HT. (Will Scarlett's harmonica, OTOH, I always found superfluous.)

[spellbound]

Spencer Dryden was one of rock's better drummers. It was JA's misfortune losing him, and the New Riders gained a superb timekeeper.

One tribute after his death ends with: "Lather was 30 years old today, they took away all of his toys." – Grace Slick (January 13, 2005)

[Trane]

Covington wasn't a good replacement - he was a mediocre drummer who couldn't even keep a beat reliably. Ironically, he contributed the best song to the album, not as a drummer but as a singer/songwriter.

Covington must've been good enough to be jamming for hours with Jack & Jorma - which says more of his endurance, rather than drumming qualities, I'll admit.
He's listed as the first drummer of Hot Tuna.

Spencer Dryden was one of rock's better drummers. It was JA's misfortune losing him, and the New Riders gained a superb timekeeper.

One tribute after his death ends with: "Lather was 30 years old today, they took away all of his toys." – Grace Slick (January 13, 2005)

He was Grace's main squeeze for three years, but also 5 years older than the rest of the Aircrew.
I understand that he couldn't keep up with the three or four hours jams Casady & Kaukonen were up to post concert.

He was very jazzy in his playing and toyed with electronics in the band.