|
Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Starship Great Society
Take Me To A Circus Tent September 3, 2008 Thank you to John for posting a 5 Star Review of the new
Jefferson Starship book "Have You Seen The Stars Tonite" on Amazon!
|
|
Have You Seen The Stars Tonite, September 1, 2008
Let me put my cards on the table immediately. I like the Airplane. And
I mean the Airplane up until 1972. Yes, alright, I like the years
before the Starship fully kicked in too. But my interest in the
Jefferson family did not really extend too much further. As a collector
I have found it simply too vast to keep up with the post 1974 doings of
the various members of the Jefferson family, and as a music lover I
remember (with pain) becoming ever more disillusioned with the
direction the mothership seemed to be taking after Red Octopus.
So through the years I did not give the KBC band, the Airplane
reunion, or even JSTNG much of a chance. They were, to a large extent,
off the radar. As I got older, my own family concerns took up more
time, work took me off in new directions, and through necessity my
interests in the Jeffersons stayed more and more firmly rooted where
they had begun. I knew that I had allowed myself to miss out on what
the Jefferson family had been doing in more recent times, and I hoped
that a reading of the new book would bring me up to date a little. Of
course I was not really that out of date or out of touch. I have a few
great recordings from recent years, I am familiar with the various band
related websites, I read `Holding Together', and I generally try to
keep myself informed, so I was not going completely into the unknown -
but I could not have expected what this tome of research was to reveal
to me.
I was immensely happy to read of the expected launch of `Have You
Seen The Stars Tonite' by Craig Fenton, and happier still to get my
hands on a copy. Since November 2006 there have not been too many days
when I have not taken a look at sections of `Take Me To A Circus Tent',
and I am now confident that it will be the same with `Have You Seen The
Stars Tonite'. AS previously stated, I am not a post-1974 collector,
and I will not use it to cross reference everything that I have, but
what a joy it is just to be able to check out what was played at a
given place on a given night, who was in the line-up and how Paul
Kantner is keeping the past alive. It is a work of huge proportions and
it reveals gems on information every time it is opened. Actually the
photographs on page 168 and 169 make the purchase worthwhile on their
own.
I thank Mr. Fenton for putting this together, and for allowing me
to appreciate just how often the Kaptain has issued a series of blows
against the empire and how often he and the others have performed our
favorite tunes. The volume has further awakened my interest in the
current shape of the band, and it has encouraged me to widen my own
music collection, starting immediately with the newly released
Jefferson Starship studio album. One cannot praise the dedication of
Mr. Fenton enough, and I hope that all those of you, who like me, may
have thought that the golden years could not be recreated will use this
new book to help you think again. I urge you all to purchase a copy.
|
August 29, 2008: Thank you to Eric for posting a 5 Star Review of the new
Jefferson Starship book "Have You Seen The Stars Tonite" on Amazon!
I've Seen The Stars Tonite thanks to Craig Fenton's new Jefferson Starship book, August 26, 2008
Approximately two years ago Craig Fenton gave us the Jefferson Airplane
Flight Manual with Take Me To A Circus Tent. He returns with Have You
Seen The Stars Tonite (Jefferson Starship Flight Manual) 74-78 as well
as 1992-2007.
Once again the level of expertise reaches the heart of not only the
reader but an original Jefferson Airplane member. Marty Balin gave
Craig some accolades on the back cover of the Jefferson Airplane book.
Signe Anderson does the same for the Jefferson Starship. The finest
recommendation a rock and roll author and historian can receive is when
the highest level of satisfaction comes from the band.
Have You Seen The Stars Tonite is over 500 pages and contains
nearly 180 photos. The contents make you wonder how many years the
information took to assemble. You can look at over 700 concerts the
band performed, the personal of the particular show, and the songs they
played. Craig furnishes the first time a song appeared on stage, a year
by year break-down of the tunes played, which Jefferson Airplane songs
they decided to perform, a complete list of all the members of the band
and the shows they played through the years. There is a terrific
listing of the studio albums, singles, and many of the solo releases,
and special guests that played with the Jefferson Starship on stage.
If what you see is as important as what you read, Craig has you
covered with many photos not previously in print. That was one of the
many things that made the Airplane book so special. The full-page photo
of Spencer Dryden from the benefit in 2004 is tremendous in capturing
the moment and the mood, page 168 features Grace Slick from the
Airplane at the Isle Of Wight, and there are a good deal of KBC Band
photos that have not seen the light of day.
The book is content free of any of the period with Mickey Thomas. You don't have to be concerned about superfluous chapters!
While other airlines seem to be streamlining, Craig Fenton is giving the consumer a first class ticket aboard the flight.
August 24, 2008: Thank you to Mark Page for airmailing me the nice review of the new Jefferson starship book "Have You Seen The Stars Tontite." He promised he would have it on the Amazon site in a few days. That would be appreciated. Thanks to all of you for purchasing the book and the kind wishes. Here is Mark's review: ********
These stars shine
brightly even during the day! Have You
Seen the Stars Tonite?
Have You Seen The Stars Tonite (Jefferson
Starship Flight Manual 1974-78 & J.S. The Next Generation 1992-2007)
By Craig Fenton
Publisher Create Space
U.S.A.
August 2008
ISBN-10:
1438245343
ISBN-13:
978-1438245348
The other day while perusing for some rock and roll, I came
across the latest release from the author of the Jefferson Airplane book “Take
Me To A Circus Tent” Craig Fenton. Mr.
Fenton is back with a natural follow-up to his brilliant Jefferson Airplane
work.
The predecessor “Take Me To A Circus Tent” (Jefferson
Airplane) remains on my coffee-table to this day for constant reference. Once again the research is meticulous,
precise, and presented in an organized and interesting way to the reader. Mr. Fenton luckily had no intention of
including the Mickey Thomas period of the Jefferson Starship and the rock and
roll disaster known as the Starship. He
gives us the golden period of 1974-78 and the timely rescue of the name by Paul
Kantner in 1992, bringing us up to 2007.
There are several segments that will hold your interest all
the way through. He lists the songs
played for over 700 performances, the members of the band that were on stage,
their time spent with the group, the Jefferson Airplane tunes they performed
each year, the initial time a song was played in front of an audience, a look
at numerous band album, singles, and solo efforts, and he includes over 170
photos. You’ll enjoy the rock and roll
treasures on pages 168 and 169. A couple
of unseen Grace Slick photos from the Airplane’s gig at the Isle Of
Wight 1968. As a historian
it was a nice touch that every member that ever played 1 or more entire gigs
with the band is represented in the large photo galaxy. One of the true highlights was finding out
the special guests that participated either for a song or two, or an entire
show with the Jefferson Starship. He
lists them all and many of the names are rock and roll greats in their own
right. Greg Allman, a couple of members
of the Doors, Tom Constanten from the Grateful Dead, Peter Frampton, and David
Crosby are only a handful of the guests over the years.
Mr. Fenton is truly an expert on the Jefferson
family. The back cover of “Take Me To A
Circus Tent” included a quote from founding member Marty Balin- “Craig Fenton
knows so much about the Jefferson Airplane and Family, I was asking him the
questions.” Signe Anderson the original
female lead-singer for the Airplane is quoted on the back cover of the new
Jefferson Starship book saying- “When it comes to the Jefferson Airplane and
Jefferson Starship, Craig Fenton is the source.” What sets Mr. Fenton’s style apart from the
run of the mill author is his skill in making not only the major players a part
of the project but those that were in an ancillary position. Even though not every musician had the impact
of Paul Kantner, Marty Balin, or Grace Slick, they were part of a continuing
story. Mr. Fenton makes the pages flow
naturally and never forced.
Before purchasing “Have You Seen The Stars Tonite” I thought
I would read a little each night. Once I
opened the book my eyes were fixated and I finished in three days. It is not going to the book case to gather
dust. This gem is staying on the coffee
table for constant reference. It looks
perfect next to Take Me To A Circus Tent.
This is one book you
can judge by the cover!
*********** Thanks to all of you and have a great day, CF
August 1, 2008: Welcome to Rock Book Land: As we get closer to the release of Have You Seen The Stars Tonite
(Jefferson Starship Flight Manual) Iwanted to let people know I'll post the
reviews in this section to join those from the Jefferson Airplane
(Take Me To A Circus Tent)
Thanks and be well,
CF
1/23/08:
Thanks to Kathy on Amazon U.S.A. for another 5 STAR REVIEW.
Thank you so much for taking the time to think of the Airplane Man.
Be well always,
cf
10/8/07:
Hello there. A quick thank you to
D. Stevenson on Amazon U.S.A. for another
5 Star Review for "Take Me To A Circus Tent."
It is the greatest feeling to see people enjoy the book.
May you all be well,
cf
8/3/07:
Happy Weekend in Airplane Land.
Thank you for another 5 Star review!
|
|
 The Airplane Encyclopedia , August 2, 2007 Fantastic book: full of tape information, photos, setlists, great interviews. A must for JA fans.
Does for the Airplane what Deadbase did for the Dead. Great book.
7/20/07:
Thanks so much for the kind words! |
|
Fly Jefferson Airplane with Craig, July 18, 2007
For a fan of the legendary Jefferson Airplane, this book held open the promise of a long overdue look at one of the very greatest rock bands.
I had high hopes and expectations when I purchased this book, but Craig Fenton surpassed even my loftiest hopes.
The Airplane were the leading rock band in the USA from Monterey Pop in '67 through Woodstock and Altamont in '69. For reasons that escape me, history has let them slip away, not realizing that they were the lead act on the second day of Woodstock. Now revered bands such as The Who were mere opening acts on Airplane tours, but the vast majority of America has forgotten them.
Craig Fenton has managed to create a masterpiece that can reopen America's eyes and ears to the Airplane. I have read many books on various rock bands, but I have never found one as well researched and filled with more treasure tid bits. It is hard to fathom how Craig managed to speak with all of the major players, and even more amazing how he included so many 'minor' players. Casual music fans know that JA split into Hot Tuna and Jefferson Starship. Die hard JA fans know Signe Anderson was the female singer on the first JA albums. However, anyone who picks up this book will know everyone and everything that happened in the JA/HT/JS world.
This book is so captivating that I keep picking it up night after night. Craig Fenton has written with such conviction and passion that I now expect him to be able to convince Grace, Paul, Marty, Jorma, and Jack to "Get Together" one more time.
7/14/07:
Thanks to William for the wonderful comments! |
|
Jefferson Airplane soars and roars in the pages of this wonderful book, July 13, 2007
Jefferson Airplane was one of the premiere San Francisco,California rock music bands who came to prominence during the mid to late 1960's and who have cemented their reputations as a 1st rate live act through thousands of performances given over a 42-year period [albeit with various line-ups taking to the stage].
Craig Fenton's new book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" chronicles this stellar musical group's odyssey by focusing primarily on their highly underrated concert sets. Here we have a collector's dream package: every show from 1965 through the present day is meticulously documented [what was played, how one version of a particular song varied from venue to venue in a given tour, who played what instrument, etc].
There are also the interviews one would expect--but not all the same, trite question/answers we have read many, many times over. This book's author dared ask "if [drummer] Spencer Dryden was proficient enough in the 1960's to be a Jefferson Airplane drummer, what made him deficient in the 1970's?" The answer is thoughtful and real.
Another point on the interviews: many of the Jefferson Airplane's supporting musicians were interviewed for this book and their thoughts and recollections add a dimension that is worth the price of admission.
The most gratifying part of discovering this book is when I am speaking with other music fans who 'like' Jefferson Airplane [I LOVE the band], yet were/are totally absorbed by the scope and breadth of the material contained in this HUGE work [over 540 pages].
Bill Picha
Keizer, Oregon
|
6/25/07:
How are you feeling tonight? Wanted to get a quick thanks to the Amazon reviewer for another 5 star rating of "Take Me To A Circus Tent." I could never put words down that reflect my appreciation to anyone that has purchased the book. Thank you.
Have a great Wednesday and please think of Signe!
All the best,
craig
Here is the latest review.
A Circus Tent Like No Other, June 25, 2007
The greatest compliment I can give an author is where the book ends up upon its conclusion. If it is filed away the second the last words have been comprehended, it hadn't made a significant enough impression.
Mr. Fenton's Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" isn't ever going to far from my arms reach. I was pleasantly surprised with the tremendous effort he put forward. The first inclination to the books brilliance was a photo before the meat and potatoes. My eyes were fixated on a picture of the pre-Grace and Spencer period of the band. Seeing both Skip Spence and Signe Anderson represented together was an obvious clue Mr. Fenton would give us the history lesson from the roots to the last time on stage.
As the story is being told the interspersing of over ninety photos may very well be unparalleled. The sheer amount will engage any fan in wanting a copy of the book. It isn't only the quantity but the percentage that have not been previously available. Herb Greene who provided the cover to the Airplane's second album "Surrealistic Pillow" provides his magical photography on a great many of the shots. These include not only the Airplane but some outstanding pictures from Grace Slick with the Great Society.
It is one thing for a fan to be passionate about Mr. Fenton's book but is evident the respect it commanded from those that were there for the ride. Marty Balin has a quote on the back cover "Craig Fenton knows so much about the Jefferson Airplane and Family, I was asking him the questions." The original bass-player Bob Harvey supplied Mr. Fenton with a rare photo of his bluegrass group way back when (Slippery Rock String Band) and one he took of Marty at the Airplane Mansion.
Besides a look at 120 live performances and roughly 60 studio songs that were alternate versions, rehearsals, or demos, Mr. Fenton's main course may be the interview section. There are over thirty transcribed interviews from the Airplane and family. Here is where Mr. Fenton's passion for the band is evident. No matter how knowledgeable you are about the Airplane if you keep track of every piece of information that surfaces during the conversations his knowledge will astonish you.
"Take Me To A Circus Tent" is a tribute to one of the finest bands to ever record and hit the stage. Mr. Fenton makes you feel as if you were there all along.
A most excellent book!
6/11/07:
Hello there. How are you today? A quick thanks for another 5 Star Review at Amazon!
Be well always,
cf
5/29/07:
Hello from Airplane land. May all be well. I have to thank Martin from the U.K. for his 5 star Amazon.com review of "Take Me To A Circus Tent." It is hard to say thanks enough for those words! Another thank you goes out to:
http://www.listsofbests.com/list/34463 (Rod) for making a list of the best rock and roll books of 60's music and having "Take Me To A Circus Tent" so close to the top!!!
The support is appreciated greatly.
Have a fantastic night,
Airplane Man
5/15/07:
How are things going? I have to give a big thanks to Paul from
http://www.techwebsound.com/includes/books_authors.html for his nice words and plug regarding
"Take Me To A Circus Tent." Check out the link and listen to his radio station. It is the best 60's
Psychedelic music you will hear anyplace! Why? Glad you asked. They play anything from the Airplane to
the lessor known acts. When you visit the site you will see the past 20 songs played!
Have a great day,
Craig
5/1/07:
How are you today? Hope things are great!
A big thanks to Rolling Stone's website for the nice words about "Take Me To A Circus Tent":
"Sounds like it will be the perfect beach read this summer."
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/04/30/britneys-comeback-rescheduled-for-this-week-mccartneys-new-album-and-more/
Have a super day,
craig fenton
4/18/07:
How you feel today? Hope things are great in the east, north, south, and midwest and the world.
Thank you so much to Ken Sharp (Friday Morning Quarterback) one of the most noted
rock writers for his kind words http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=115421
"The 543-page behemoth tome (it's the size of a telephone book) is an indispensable guide
to all things Airplane and the ultimate document for avid fans."
"For dyed in the wool Airplane fans, look no further, it begins and ends here."
Thanks as always for your support,
Craig Airplane Man
3/25/07:
Good day!
I put the 2 latest interviews below and want to thank the nice people at Front Street Reviews and for Pete a reader from the Amazon site. It is a feeling that you can't express very well when you see such great words about the book.
May you all have a super flight this week,
Airplane Man
Take Me to a Circus Tent
Craig Fenton
************************************************************************************
Reviewed by Barb Radmore http://www.frontstreetreviews.com/
Amazing, just amazing.
Take Me to a Circus Tent, The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual is the ultimate resource guide to JA music. For this flight turn on the seat belt light, put your trays in the upright position and settle because is was a hell of a ride, turbulent and riotous. And Fenton has been able to document the ride in a way that is truly unique in the music retrospective field.
The first section of the book documents 121 Jefferson Airplanes shows. It lists the sets, how long the songs were, who introduced the songs, any on stage chatter and any history of the song. It is a mind boggling tribute to the details and minutia that makes up the legend of these rock greats.
The second section of the book is interviews with a dizzying array of people associated with the JA in many ways. Here Fenton's knowledge of musical history soars. He knows the background of everyone and is able to use that to direct interviews in a way very few, if any, other person could do.
Interspersed between the pages are the 93 photos that give faces and glimpses into the people that made this band the timeless rock standard it has become.
I strongly advise that readers check out the author's web site or the discussion at the many sites that address this book. This book will be an excellent investment for any fans of either the Airplanes and those of classic rock history. It is not an effort that can ever be equaled or duplicated.
A Jefferson Airplane book like no other, March 24, 2007
This is a very thorough and detailed account of the Jefferson Airplane, containing rare photographs, in-depth interviews, and chronology of the band from their early years through the reunion tour of 1989.
One of the things that sets this book apart from other accounts of the Airplane is Craig's experience as a professional radio D.J. He just seems to ask the right questions in the interviews with band members, and knows how to get answers without being intrusive. It gives the reader a perspective they would never be able to get anywhere else, up close and personal with the band members.
Not only are there interviews with the band, but with people who surrounded them, as well. It was very interesting to hear perspectives from Nick Buck, Sammy Piazza and Greg Douglas, people who had the inside track, but you never hear too much about.
The book is loaded with rare photos of the band, you will be amazed.
It is over 500 pages long and is in oversized format, so you get a comprehensive and insightful look at the Airplane era.
The book contains information you won't find anywhere else, with highest attention to detail. There are setlists for shows, documents of rehearsal sessions, and even accountings of the band's day to day activities. Craig has documented all of this in an informative, extremely enjoyable compendium of the Airplane legacy.
I would highly recommend it. Craig has crafted quite a tribute to one of the early groundbreakers of rock and roll history.
***** 5 well-deserved stars *****
***************************************************************************************
3/15/07:
What can I say to Joy? Thank you 1,000,000 flights! Please check out her site in the Links section.
Be well,
CF
******************
*****
Infinity Publishing, Nov 2006
Reviewed by Joy Calderwood (Reviewers-Choice)
It was forty years ago, and it was yesterday. Jefferson Airplane was singing songs that questioned the way most Westerners lived, and doing it with electronic harmonies that dared to express new dreams and new ideals. Today the ideals haven’t died, they’ve just been buried for a while. For those of us who were there, listening today to the songs of Jefferson Airplane brings back that call for freedom, love, and invention – still a vision of a better future.
TAKE ME TO A CIRCUS TENT is the closest thing I have ever seen to an encyclopedia of a rock ‘n’ roll group. The question asked in just about every comment I’ve seen about this book comes down to, “How could anybody know so much about a rock group?” Over a period of decades, author Craig Fenton has collected every Jefferson Airplane item he came across with omnivorous intensity. The result is a book the size of a magazine and an inch thick. Set lists, previously unpublished photographs, half the book full of interviews, this is a treasure trove for the obsessed and page after page of discoveries for the rest of us.
Craig Fenton made the choice to leave out of his book everything but the music. Personalities, peccadilloes, and nosy-parkering, he considers, distract us from what is important. We don’t get to know the people until the second half of the book, where all the interviews are. The first half is lists: lists of songs performed, how long they were included in the shows, what was unique about a particular performance, who played in the band and when. Dominating most of the first half of the book is the most complete Jefferson Airplane set listing ever compiled. Did you see an Airplane concert somewhere during a certain time period? Memory a little fuzzy on what they played? Here it is, for almost every date.
The second half of the book is interviews with people from Marty Balin and Paul Kantner to a short-term guitar player. We hear from a broad range of people connected with the band about how they created their sound, what their record companies had to say about it, what temporary members brought to the band, and what happened to them later. The interviews are so many and interesting that you have to be looking for them to notice that Grace Slick and Jorma Kaukonen haven’t contributed. There is a sweet, moving interview with Signe Anderson, whose decision to raise a family left the empty space filled by Grace Slick. There is a long, far-ranging interview with Marty Balin, the Airplane’s founder. Grace’s first husband Jerry Slick and Jorma’s brother Peter Kaukonen both talked with Fenton. Some interviewees air their hurt feelings, others their admiration for each other. We learn how much a musician can be willing to give up to give his life to his music.
Once I got a look at the size of TAKE ME TO A CIRCUS TENT, I thought I would page through it, see what it contained and how it could be used, and give you a map. I found myself reading the entire book: lists with commentary, schedules, with events deliberately depersonalized. Why? I loved the concerts that played in my head as I read the old titles.
You may have gotten the idea by now that TAKE ME TO A CIRCUS TENT is for nostalgic fans and music historians. I would agree. When I first opened the package and saw that oh-so-familiar picture on the front, I picked it up and hugged it. A music historian’s reaction would probably be less dramatic – it would probably be a salute to a group of talented musicians who stretched their limits and therefore ours.
Mar 2007
3/11/07:
Thank you so much to Steven for the kind words.
Most comprehensive and definitive work
***** Reviewed by: Steven Rosen (3/11/2007)
3/11/07 There is a distinct charm and allure when you read the words of a writer who loves his subject. Author Craig Fenton adores his. Here is the most comprehensive and definitive work you'll ever want to read on the classic San Francisco Summer of Love band, Jefferson Airplane. Every detail about the band's recordings, live performances, side projects, album tracks, singles, television appearances, collaborations, and anything else you might be able to think of lies in these 500-plus pages. There is so much information provided that it's almost impossible to simply sit and read this cover to cover. Rather, you need to put on Surrealistic Pillow , turn the lights low, fire up a ... (candle, what did you think I was going to say?) and read a section at a time. As you listen to those marvelous tracks looking for a foothold in your head, you can read about the history of each song. "The first single released was 'My Best Friend,'" explains an Airplane insider in the extensive interview section. "Very possibly the weakest tune on the record. It was also written by Skip Spence. Skip by this time is obviously out of the band. If we pretend the single sold well you are now promoting somebody that is on another record label. If the public enjoyed that style how will you recreate the song when the writer is with Moby Grape? Nobody could have predicted the well-deserved success of 'White Rabbit,' but if you went through the LP for potential singles, 'Plastic Fantastic Lover,' 'Somebody To Love,' 'Today' and 'White Rabbit' are light years better as an album track, single release, and/or live tune." At the end of the song, as it falls into that ascending diminished sequence of chords and segues into "Today," one of the most remarkable songs the group ever recorded, you're able to read about the sessions and glean maybe just a little bit of insight as to what it may have been like to have been there. It is 1967, and the world is full of possibilities - and with Fenton's new work, we can once again relive those moments through the words and wit of man who understands this very important group of musicians as clearly as anyone ever has. Even if you don't read every word, the photos are priceless and timeless. Herb Greene, the man responsible for the iconic Surrealistic Pillow cover provides a tremendous selection of portraits and group shot. In the bookstore, you'll find bios on rap bands, boy bands, girl bands, rock bands, and pop bands. It's unlikely that even a small percentage of them will be remembered in ten years time. Here, 40-plus years later, the Jefferson Airplane still occupy a place in our hearts and our heads. This book will bring their music and their lives back to you. Fenton has done outstanding work here. You can't help but be moved by the depth of his passion for one the world's truly significant group of musicians. Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at © Steven Rosen, 2007
2/7/07:
Greetings from Flight J.A. Hope all is well. I wanted to thank Larry for taking the time to post
another 5 STAR REVIEW and to all of you for keeping my mind busy, because of dad not
doing that well. I can only hope that dad can come close to being the person he was before he
got ill. Thanks to those with the nice emails wishing him well!
Have a great Thursday,
CF
***** The Flight Should Go On Forever
Reviewed by: Larry The 60's Guy Ladler (2/7/2007)
So the other day it is another birthday, boo hiss for me. Being old is no joy but............ There was a moment that blew me away. I got as a gift Craig Fenton's new Jefferson Airplane book (I refer to it as the Jefferson Everything book) and it delivered the goods first class. I had read many great reviews and thought there had to be something to this. I didn't pick it up and am sorry I waited until it came to me as a gift. The photos are so plentiful that if you want a treat the first time you open the book flip through all of them. To cover as much as Fenton did with pictures is worthy of a few stars but the main course is the actual attention to detail. How he got so much information into the book is a magic trick I want to know and the interviews are well constructed with knowledge, humor and the true fan he is. I could use big words from my college days but the best approach is this Get The Book. You'll dig the question and answer segment, you will be glued to the photos and you will not be pulled away from the book when he gets into all the unreleased material that is documented for us. Way to go Mr. Fenton and I hope you have a book signing everywhere.
1/21/07:
Good Airplane day to you all. How You Feel?
It would be impossible to find the thoughts to thank everyone for the last 2 reviews. I posted this one
at the bottom of the page. Thanks so much. "Fenton, knows his stuff - and the book is a mind-boggling."
1/20/07:
Hello there and happy weekend to all!
At the bottom of the page is a review so kind, I was floored. Thank you to Blog Critics, Glen Boyd. Their site sometimes gets 100,000 Visits a day! I put the review at the bottom of the page.
12/20/06:
A quick get well to my uncle and dad may you be home soon!
Another nice review is posted at the end of the page. The guy or girl's name says a lot!
Have a terrific day and thank you for the ncie words,
CF
12/14/06:
Good day to all Airplaners.
Today my dad has to have a Pacemaker put in. Please wish him well. We need him home!
Thanks for a really nice review today on the J.S. A-DECK Board by Terry Sorenson.
Always be well,
CF
12/9/06:
Hello there first class flyers. Another great review and funny too!
Thanks to Rich Harrigon from the A-DECK Board !!
12/7/06:
Thanks to Sam Rotis for another 5 STAR REVIEW!
It is an honor to hear such kind words.
Happy weekend,
Cf
12/5/06:
Thanks to Ralph Dellio from the JS posting board A-Deck
for such a cool review!!!
Have a great day,
CF
12/2/06:
Happy Weekend!
Thanks to Wood N. Ships for another 5 STAR review below.
It is the best feeling to know if one person enjoys the book
I accomplished an important goal.
Enjoy Saturday and wish dad well,
CF
12/1/06:
Hello there book readers and flyers.
I wanted to post another review. This one came from the J.S.
website. Thanks very much to BW for the great words!
The review is on the bottom of the page.
Happy weekend and thanks,
CF
11/29/06:
Hope all is well today Airplaners!
There have been 2 Five Star reviews already and
if you don't mind I wish to post them. Thanks and be
well.
Airplane Man
________________________________________________
Reviews:
 The ultimate Airplane book for the ultimate band!
Reviewed by: Jeff R. Son (11/23/2006)
Take Me To A Circus Tent: A review by Jeff R. Son The 22nd of November, 2006 Writing letters or reviews isn’t something that is common for me, however in getting to read a sneak-peak of Mr. Fenton’s masterpiece I would be depriving Airplane fans of a must read. Authors often times seem to write what is hot, hip, or what the publisher tells them is the flavor of the month. Mr. Fenton’s words are from the heart. I have never seen any Airplane fan with this much knowledge and the ability to share it as if it is a long time friend talking to you. You can see how fan friendly he is by the attention to every detail. If you enjoy photos he gave over 90 and there are pictures that are so rare I bet the band members don’t even own them. If your bag is the music, the look at the 121 live performances and 60 unreleased songs/jams/tid-bits from the vaults could grow hair on a bald person. He left no stone unturned. References to riffs that were played for only a matter of seconds, song titles that before were never mentioned. He could have stopped there and taken a bow but there are 266 questions and answers that look not only at the Airplane but Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship, KBC Band, & Wooden Ships. The information is a treasure chest. To top off the most exquisite meal Mr. Fenton finishes the book with 32 interviews. What he did was always make the most use out of the time afforded for the conversation. You can tell he didn’t even need notes to conduct the interviews, because often times the musicians asked him stuff! If seeing a photo of David Freiberg as a folk performer from 63 or a concert bill (1964) with original bass-player Bob Harvey, or a group photo without Jorma doesn’t excite you, simply turn to the interviews with Marty, Paul and even Signe Anderson. If that doesn’t get your attention why not look at the first and last time a song was ever performed by the band, or find out the history of the group through the eyes of the people that were there. If you are looking for a holiday gift for a friend, co-worker or family member you have found it. If you are like me and often get the worst holiday presents that will set under a bed or get returned, treat yourself to what is under the circus tent. I’ll go now because I want to look at some of the amazing photos of Grace from the Great Society days and alternate covers to the 2nd record.
It is the one-stop Airplane book of greatness
Reviewed by: Rod Evans (11/29/2006)
On an early November morning (11/28/06) the Airplane Express delivered Craig’s new book. My wife told me that I hadn’t been this excited about anything since her mom moved out of the house. Others have written books on the San Francisco bands, but Craig has created an “Encyclopedia.” I first went through the book for the photos. What an experience! To see so many pictures not in print before was enough to make the book worth double the price; however it didn’t stop there. I couldn’t believe the detail he went through to explain the terminology in the book and to make reading it for the Jefferson Family fan the most pleasurable experience possible. The interviews are done with such skill that I would match Craig’s ability to make the person he is talking with comfortable against any I have come across in my years as a rock and roll fan. Not only the comfort level, but also the ability to bring out such detail with all the musicians he spoke with. It wasn’t the same things that we read about since the 60’s. The story of one person attempting to get Janis Joplin to sing one of his songs really was a soap-opera. The question and answer portion will give new facts to the most hardcore individual. The information that Craig knows takes a back seat to nobody when it comes to the Airplane. Reading about the stuff Marty did with Bodacious D.F. and why they have that name as well as Jorma’s early works and Bob Harvey’s promo CD info was icing on the best tasting cake ever. For the holiday season think 1 gift first “Take Me To A Circus Tent.” There is something in the book, sorry the ENCYCLOPEDIA for all.
**********************************************************************************
WHAT A FANTASTIC BOOK! BW from the Jefferson Starship Board:
It's a large soft-bound book that is easy to hold and flip the individual pages. You can lay it down and both pages lay flat. You don't have to bend the binding.
The paper is a bright clean white, with the type style dark enough so it's easy to read. Jam packed with information, but the book "breathes." A ton of information spread out on 537 pages, but it is not "cramped."
You can easily open to any page and start reading. It reads like a novel, really. I have the book laid out on the bed behind me. I'm able to turn around in the chair and easily read it, from 2-3 feet away.
Really nice pictures of Everyone. Just noticing some nice pictures of Darby and Paul. He get's all the girls! This book goes way beyond just the Jefferson trip. It describes the scene, and anyone who was involved with the Jeffersons in any way.
Here's Craig asking Tim Gorman some questions, about him joining the Rolling Stones, no less! A lot a fact, a little bit of gossip, and one big juicy read!
Can't wait to get started!
BW
**************************************************************************************************
To all Jefferson fans: Craig's book is 6 stars not 5!
I am always worried when there is hype to a book or CD. Would it live up to advanced billing?
Craig's "Take Me To A Circus Tent" goes beyond anything I have seen. He is always making the musician feel comfortable. Several ask Craig to send them their own music! The insights and knowledge that he shows is impressive; however more impressive is how he is happy to give so much credit to others.
There are so many things that haven't previously been brought up in interviews. If you take the total length of Craig's conversation with Marty I bet it is as long as any interview Marty has done in or out of the Jefferson Airplane/Starship.
The pictures are a sight to admire. Don Aters is as good as anybody snapping a photo.
Craig has made sure the book is all meat and no filler. There is a logical layout to each segment. I knew the book would be something special when I looked at the index. He supplied more names than several books combined.
The amount of time he must have labored to get the obscure song titles proved this isn't an author doing it for the publisher, it is a fan doing it for us guys and girls.
Craig even went as far to get all the names of the players on the Great Society reunion, and the 1964 concert Bill that has Bob Harvey, Jorma and Paul playing at the same venue but on different dates was the best job of dropping in "What is to come" that I have seen."
I first thumbed through the genius for the pictures. Signe was so cute and innocent and the entire journey made me feel young again. Once I looked at the photos and digested over 90 of them, I went to the interview section. I was blown away with Craig's style and he is really funny. Read what he says to Jesse Barish when Jesse asked him for a video of a specific tune. I was on the floor.
I am now going over the Question & Answer segment again because I want to gain the full impact.
The San Francisco scene has never seen a book that has flown as high.
Thank you Craig and I hope you have the opportunity to get the full credit via TV/Radio and the printed word.
6 Stars and a must for any Holiday!!
From Wood N. Ships
********************************************************************************************
To all fans: 5 stars are not enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finished Craig's book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" this morning. It deserves a label above Gold Medal Winner.
The research must have taken countless hours but the love of the band is a lifetime.
The question and answer portion has something that a fan of one day or a decade could really sink their teeth into. The greatest stuff is uncovered. When you get to the interviews it will be impossible to not read staight through.
The pictures blow away anything prior because Craig gave us not only the most (I believe 90 or so) but countless not in print before. The photo that Tim Lucas supplied is worth the price of the book and when you have pictures from 1963 on, I don't need to go further.
The live and studio segments finally put the right information together and the titles that I always wondered why they didn't have names before.
The way Craig documented the entire 89 reunion or some of Marty's material was as if he were in the band.
If we can give Craig a hand, we should. He did it the best way and did it without treading on any other author's Airplane or Jefferson Starship books prior.
Craig you are a Gold Medal writer in a world of plastic.
Buy the book and spread the word, the Airplane Man has landed.
**********************************************************
Airplane Man reached the stars, 5 that is
Reviewed by: Sam Rotis (12/7/2006) *****
There have been only a handful of rock and roll books that I couldn't put down over the years. Craig Fenton's Take Me To A Circus Tent is the latest and best. It is an empire created with not only the mind and hands but with the heart. His fondness for the Airplane and spin-offs is easy to see from the start of the book. The layout is wonderful. Each chapter not only takes you on a flight to a specific year but is named after a part of a song that fits the theme. When you are done with the live and studio information the questions and answers and interview sections are something you can marvel at. Look how the questions aren't the same 5 day old bread that have always been recycled. When it is time for the interviews I have never seen anyone do it better than Craig. It is one thing to be prepared, to be a fan, but Craig is so full of information it is great when the musicians ask if they did something or if he would send them the rarity. The Marty Balin interview is a Rollys Royce, the info from Signe was wonderful and getting the insight from 3 former Great Society members was a treat I never thought would happen. Not only the interviews but the photos of the band and the studio/live history. There are pictures in the book that are so special for their rare nature and beauty that I ask all you fine people to turn the pages slowly and soak in every second of the sunshine. It shines with a light of brilliance. I really respect that Craig didn't forget about the Signe period. Although Grace is my favorite singer ever, Craig tells a nice story of the early days with some photos that you'll love and the info about a few of the live dates, recording sessions, etc. Get 2 copies of the book. One for yourself and one for the old Airplane fan that you may not see hanging around the Jefferson Airplane or Jefferson starship boards but who still longs for the day when rock and roll was played with skill and lyrics were memorable. Craig you are really the Airplane Man and I hope the book Takes Off and all dreams are realized. Buy the book, buy the book and buy the book.
************************************************************************************
5 STARS *****
Wednesday the Airplane book by Craig Fenton called Take Me To A Circus Tent came and it is the most detailed book I have ever read about any American music band. Why? The details excel not in 1 portion of the book but all that Craig used to construct. He points out for the live portion even if a riff of a song got played, the studio unreleased portion opens the door to the massive music hiding from us all these years, the photos out number any music book you can think of and the interviews don't waste time with why somebody doesn't date their highscool sweetheart anymore. The information Craig gets out of the different people is an A+.
Many have talked about the great Marty Balin interview and Signe and Paul but his conversation with Craig Chaquico is a tribute to Fenton's wide knowledge of the artists history. One moment Craig talks about a great tune on Dragonfly and then is able to converse with Mr. Chaquico about the solo albums went he changed styles 360 degrees. The Bob Harvey and Jerry Peloquin transcripts are really super and you'll dig the Tom Constanten conversation with excellent questions about his days after playing with Jerrry and the guys.
I was going to look up great big words but it is better I used the simple language and tell you this is 5 stars in every avenue it travels.
A great gift for yourself and friends.
To Craig thanks for giving me a reason to miss going to my loud and off the wall sister-in-law's house. I told the wife that I was doing a book review. Craig I owe you a 50.00 steak for getting me out of seeing her run her mouth every second for no reason.
***********************************************************************************
5 STARS- Takes You to new Heights!
This was the best gift I have given myself. All the reviews thus far don’t even touch the surface of what Craig’s “Take Me To A Circus Tent” is all about.
When you get the book you can see how articulate Craig is when he talks about the intro of the book and the page before the interviews begin. What sets him apart from so many other writers is his ability to write as if it is for one person. He talks as if he is hanging out with you.
The information he gets from the performers is outstanding. For Craig to get Tim Gorman to talk about how Keith Moon of the Who was really replaced shows that it doesn’t matter if it is Airplane, Beatles, Stones, Who or the band down the block, he is a magician with information and a passion I have never come across for 60’s and 70’s rock and roll music.
The interviews with the Airplane members are superlative but check out the conversation Craig has with Greg Douglass formerly of Hot Tuna and Jerry Miller of Moby Grape.
I recommend three copies of the book. One to read, one to keep as a part of San Francisco history and one to give to somebody that is important to you.
Craig, you are the Airplaneman, Hot Tunaman, KBC, etc.
Thank you again and again and again.
***********************************************************************************************
Take Me To A Circus Tent (The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual) by Craig Fenton is a must for the holiday season and every one that follows. www.takemetoacircustent.net Craig is a wizard when interviewing the members of the Airplane and family of spin-of bands. His history of a former radi odisc-jockey comes into play as he always seems to get the most out of the artist and makes each person feel as if they were friends for years. (Maybe they are). The book will give you a great live history lesson and one of the studio stuff that didn’t get released. It is full of pictures that can top any other San Francisco based publication both on volume 93 and rareness. Right before page one of the book you will see a photo that has never surfaced before. Autogrpahed by the band in the early days and Paul signs it “Paul Airplane.” As a bonus it has Signe Anderson and Skip Spence. Later on a mindbuster photo of the days with Jerry Peloquin and Bob Harvery (Before Skip Spence and Jack Casady). There is also over 250 questions and answers about the Airplane and Hot Tuna and the Jefferson Starship. Craig went all out and the words put you right at the corner of Haight-Ashbury and the he can get you back to the 60’s with his special time machine. I don’t write reviews for a living or claim to be in the music business, but for that very reason I think it is important to get insight from a typical Joe or Jane Airplane fan. Take a look under the tent and make sure the book is under your tree or bush for the holiday season and 2007. Thank you for the opportunity to post this and I’ll return to reading the book again.
Review 12/20/06 by “Old But Not In The Way.”
*********************************************
1/20/07 http://theglenblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/take-me-to-circus-tent-jefferson_20.html Blog Critics www.blogcritics.org
I can only say to Glen Boyd thank you so much for the kind words. Blog Critics has days that 100,000 people visit the sight.
The thanks also goes to the great people who supported the book, Don Aters, Rick Martin, Mike Somavilla, Rick McNamara and Jeff Tamarkin (For being a class act every minute of the day and for keeping the J.A. flying with his terrific contribution to rock and roll).
Saturday, January 20, 2007 Glen Boyd
Take Me To A Circus Tent: The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual
"The object of this book was not to reinvent the wheel, or in this case reinvent the Plane," author Craig Fenton explained to me earlier this week, describing his remarkable new book on the Jefferson Airplane.
"The aim was rather to help the spread the word, and to keep the torch going of one of the greatest bands ever."
Amen Brother.
Make no mistake. Craig Fenton's Take Me To A Circus Tent: The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual is not just any rock book. It is in fact, the final, definitive word on the music of the band which most defined the so-called psychedelic acid-rock "San Francisco" sound of the late sixties (the very sound which would define an entire generation).
The fact is, this may be the most extensive, meticulously researched account of the music of any rock and roll band ever. Period. From a purely historical, and especially from a musical standpoint, Take Me To A Circus Tent delves as deeply into the sixties phenomenon that was the Jefferson Airplane as any rock and roll book ever has.
But let's get one thing straight right up front. This is a book which focuses strictly on the music.
If you are looking for one of those sex, drugs, and rock and roll exposes, you'd best look elsewhere. You are not going to find any tales of band members lying face down in a pool of their own vomit. Nor will you find the sort of acid-fueled sex-orgies which have characterized the written accounts of other rock stars from the sixties, fallen and otherwise.
Not that Craig Fenton didn't have his chance however. In the extensive research that went into this book, Fenton was given what amounted to an all-access pass, resulting in rare footage such as this, a great clip from the Dick Cavett show in 1969 of the Airplane performing "Somebody To Love," with David Crosby sitting in:There are complete interviews (and opportunities to dish the dirt) with no less than 32 Jefferson Airplane insiders contained within the 543 pages of this book. These include everybody from original members Paul Kantner and Marty Balin (who says that Fenton "knows so much about the Jefferson Airplane family I had to ask him the questions"), to guys who were there like Moby Grape's Jerry Miller and Big Brother And The Holding Company's Peter Albin (who remembers the late JA drummer Spencer Dryden).
These interviews make up the latter half of the book. For the first part, Fenton exhaustively and extensively recounts the complete history of every single song written, recorded or performed by the Jefferson Airplane, as well as it off-shoots such as Hot Tuna and the various Jefferson Starship aggregations.
The result is the sort of scholarly work that could have only come from the pen of a true music obsessive. Craig Fenton is basically an Airplane archivist. From his roots as a fan who discovered the Airplane after hearing "The Ballad Of You Me & Pooneil" on progressive rock station WNEW in the sixties, to his own career in rock radio, he has meticulously documented the evolution --the flight path if you will-- of the Jefferson Airplane.
In Take Me To A Circus Tent, no less than 121 Jefferson Airplane shows are broken down song by song. There are also some 93 photos, many of which have never been seen before. But we are not just talking about photos and setlists here. Fenton breaks down everything from the first and final performances of individual songs; who played what and when; to songs never before officially documented at all.
On page 149 for example, we learn of an incredible show performed in San Bernadino where the songs "Wooden Ships," and "Volunteers" were performed for the very first time. Later, we learn of a show in 1969 at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park days later where "Good Shepherd" is debuted, but sung by Grace Slick, rather than the version sung by Jorma Kaukonen on the Volunteers album.
That's the type of detail we are talking about here.
However, Take me To A Circus Tent is by no means complete. How could it be?
By his own yardstick, Craig Fenton refused to include any information on shows or performances that he could not confirm either through interviews or tapes from his own rather extensive archives.
For example, I had no luck finding my own point of reference to a 1969 show in Honolulu, Hawaii where I had my first exposure to the powers of Jefferson Airplane's live performances myself. As a thirteen year old attending that show at Honolulu's Civic Auditorium, I met the band on a day that also saw one of Hot Tuna's earliest performances opening for JA. Paul Kantner was also busted for marijuana posession that very day in Honolulu near Diamond Head.
Still, this book is about as complete as rock books get.
Word to the wise though. It is also laid out as something of a master thesis. This is definitely a book intended more to be painstakingly analyzed then it is to be read from cover to cover.
Regardless, I would consider Take Me To A Circus Tent: The Jeferson Airplane Flight Manual your personal reference guide to one of the greatest rock bands ever.
As rock and roll books go, this truly is as complete as it gets.
********************************************************************************
http://blogcritics.org/
Blogcritic of the Month — Chris Beaumont
Blogcritic of the Day — T. Michael Testi
· Brandon Daviet Flies with Author Craig Fenton and The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual
Book Review: Take Me to a Circus Tent (The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual) by Craig Fenton
Published: January 20, 2007
Type: Review
Section: Books
Filed Under: Books: Nonfiction, Books: Entertainment, Books: Biography, Music: Rock
Writer: Brandon Daviet
Brandon Daviet's BC Writer page
Brandon Daviet's personal site
Despite being cut from a genetically different cloth, sports fanatics and music fanatics have a thing or two in common. While most sports fans usually pine over self-preservation and athletic skill, music fans (I’m a card-carrying member of the latter, for the record) tend to lean more towards slacking off and inventing new methods of self-destruction. One of the two camps' common traits lies in their undying, obsessive love for their chosen heroes. Sports fanatics tend to spend their time documenting performance statistics while music fanatics document musical performances and the comments made about them. Overall it’s the same kind of thing and is really just another facet of the human race's infatuation with fame and celebrity.
For author Craig Fenton, his fan-boy obsession centers around the comings and goings of Jefferson Airplane, the highly psychedelic band that formed in the womb of the legendary ‘60s San Francisco music scene. Jefferson Airplane is perhaps most famous for introducing the world, and Hunter S. Thompson’s drugged-up lawyer, to the song "White Rabbit". But the story of Jefferson Airplane, who have also been known in leaner times as Jefferson Starship, is far more involved than many people know, as Fenton details lovingly in his new book: Take Me To A Circus Tent (The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual).
Circus Tent is a treat for both hardcore fans of Jefferson Airplane and casual listeners alike. While I consider myself a fairly well-read music fan, my exposure to Jefferson Airplane has been mostly limited to owning a copy of Surrealistic Pillow, buying the soundtrack to the 1987 movie Mannequin for the song “We Built This City,” and seeing guitarist and the band's founder Paul Kantner perform the album Blows Against the Empire for a small crowd at a bar I worked in several years ago.
Fenton, on the other hand, knows his stuff - and the book is a mind-boggling, phonebook-size documentation of the band's history. The book shares a lot in style with the Deadbase, the meticulously compiled history of the live performances of the Grateful Dead that any Deadhead worth his weight in patchouli oil owns. The main difference being that while The Grateful Dead and their fans carefully documented the band's career from day one, Jefferson Airplane's history relies more on recollection than historical record.
In any event, Take Me to a Circus Tent is a mesmerizing book that will provide anyone who picks it up with hours upon hours of enjoyment. This is truly a unique book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the roots of psychedelic music or the band who once asked the world, “Don’t You Want Somebody to Love?”
·
·
·
·
·
· Take Me to a Circus Tent: The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual
Craig, Fenton
Book, Usually ships in 24 hours
|
