Jefferson Airplane - Loves You (1968)

 

Side A:
1. Runnin' 'Round This World
2. High Flying Bird
3. It's Alright
4. Free Advice
5. In the Morning
6. J.P.P. McStep B. Blues
7. Go to Her

Side B:
8. Come Back Baby
9. Don't Let Me Down
10. Things Are Better in the East
11. Would You Like a Snack?
12. The Saga of Sydney Spacepig
13. Candy Man

Jefferson Airplane performed live for the first time on August 13, 1965, and in the audience was a girl named Grace Slick. Grace was inspired by Airplane to start her own band called The Great Society. A few weeks after Airplane started performing, their drummer Jerry Peloquin was replaced by Skip Spence. The Great Society performed live for the first time on October 15, and the following day, both bands shared the same bill. However also that month, Airplane's bassist Bob Harvey was replaced by Jack Casady. 

The Great Society only released one single while they were together in February 1966, a song sung by Grace called Somebody to Love. However the B-side Free Advice reportedly took over 50 takes to record which caused their producer Sly Stone to quit. In March, Airplane's drummer Skip Spence quit the group and was replaced by Spencer Dryden who joined in July. 

In August, Airplane put out their first album. The Great Society played their last show in September and broke up sometime in the fall. In October, Airplane's female vocalist Signe Anderson announced she was leaving the band. The Great Society were offered a recording contract but by the time it showed up in the mail, Jack Casady asked Grace to join Airplane, and she accepted. Anderson's last performance with them was on October 15, and the following day, Grace performed with them for the first time. The Great Society's contract was bought for $750.

Airplane's second album Surrealistic Pillow was released in February 1967. It would be their first to feature Grace as vocalist and Dryden as drummer. It would also feature two songs by The Great Society that Grace would give Airplane, Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. They would both become the band's biggest hits. Following their success, a live album by The Great Society would be released in 1968 which was recorded in 1966. It featured both of the songs. An official Great Society album wouldn't be released till 1995 which was recorded in 1965. It featured three different versions of Free Advice.

I find the origin story of Jefferson Airplane to be fascinating because of how closely linked they were to The Great Society and how that closeness eventually earned them fame. Some of their early unreleased songs would later be featured on compilation albums like Early Flight, but I thought there should be an album which more closely details their rise to fame.