Have You Seen the Saucers?

 Jefferson Airplane -- 14 September 1970

 


Have You Seen the Saucers? -- 14 Sep 1970

Taken from a performance at the Fillmore West (the former Carousel Ballroom) in San Francisco, California. With a capacity of around 3000, this was Bill Graham's premier venue at the time.


"Have You Seen the Saucers" was recorded in February 1970 and was released in May on a 45, backed with "Mexico". Neither cut was released on LP until the Early Flight compilation in 1974.

"Saucers" was a better song than many of those on Volunteers and Bark, the LPs bookending its release. For me, the four Kantner / Slick collaborations (Blows Against the Empire, Sunfighter, Manhole, Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun) are better than the last three Jefferson Airplane studio albums.

But imagine if the band had released just one Jefferson Airplane LP per year, 1969-1973, with a selection of the best of all the Airplane, Kantner / Slick, and Hot Tuna records in those years. Those would have been classic recordings. Especially if the band was cross-fertilizing and collaborating on those cuts. That last "if" is just a pipe dream, as reality proved out.

Jefferson Airplane was one of the biggest bands of the sixties but the lack of hits, the mediocre final albums, and the drek of the Jefferson Starship / Starship years diminished that reputation tremendously. Not that it matters to me, I'm still listening. A special favorite being the first Jefferson Starship LP, Dragon Fly. That might be the best of the Kantner / Slick collaborations, with the added benefit of Marty Balin on "Caroline".

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