Jefferson Airplane On Track: Every Album, Every Song

It's not even every ten years that someone publishes a new book on Jefferson Airplane, so when I accidentally discovered this one during an Amazon perusal last week, I ordered a copy right away—encouraged by the two reviews preceding mine. I’ve spent the whole day reading it and am pleased to report this is the best-written—and only truly critical—book published on the subject to date; it's really the only thorough consideration of their music (not just albums, but also singles, bonus tracks, bootlegs, and compilation albums) till now. It's not a biography (like Jeff Tamarkin's reliable book) but it does offer more about the band's history and inner workings than the "On Track... Every Album, Every Song" brand promises. Richard Butterworth, a talented British writer, not only knows his subject inside and out, but he also has an appreciable ear for instrumentation, studio techniques, and minutiae. Naturally, I don’t always agree with his opinions of individual songs, but reading his thoughts honed my own opinions in response, so it’s all good. My only complaint is that the commentary for some tracks is no longer than a single paragraph and that Mr. Butterworth left me wanting more. Suffice to say, anyone with an interest in Jefferson Airplane should own, read, and support this excellent book. Here's your chance to plunge back into a thorough chronological listen with a very sharp and eloquent guide.

A wonderful companion that grabs you by the hand from the opening page and guides through the fascinating journey of arguably THE pioneers of psychedelic rock. Apart from the obvious love of the author for his subject matter, the volume of research that's gone into this opus is beyond impressive. While remaining true to the substance-fuelled output of the band itself, the book is - thank goodness - a powerful and memorable anchor through a courageously unstable time, place and experience. Get and it and you'll get it.

The author regurgitates quotes and facts from other readily available sources. It could be a good read for someone who knows little or nothing about the band and wants to catch up.

Great book