Jefferson Starship evolved from the ashes of psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane. Under this new moniker, the band took a markedly more radio-friendly approach to their songwriting. They didn't score any enduring classic hits like "White Rabbit," but they graced the airwaves of the 70s and early 80s with cuts like "Miracles" (#3), "Count On Me" (#8), "Jane" (#14), and "Find Your Way Back" (#29). In 1979, lead singer and founding member Marty Balin left and was replaced by Mickey Thomas, who was in the spotlight for taking Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around And Fell In Love" to #3 in 1976. At this point, founding member Grace Slick was kicked out of the band partly due to her drunken antics and rants on stage. She would rejoin the band by the 1981 record, "Nuclear Furniture." "No Way Out" comes from that same record, the last recorded before the group had to abandon the Jefferson Starship name for legal reasons after Paul Katner, another founding member, left the group. Thomas and Slick continued under the simplified name, Starship, until Slick left in 1988 to join a newly reformed Jefferson Airplane. "No Way Out" also marked the last top 40 hit for this version of the band, landing at #23 in 1984. As Starship, Thomas and Slick went on to become one of the biggest acts of the 80s. Stay tuned...
Jefferson Airplane began in San Francisco as a psychedelic rock band. Fronted by Marty Balin and Grace Slick, they scored a couple classic hits right out of the gate in 1967 when "Somebody To Love" hit #5 and "White Rabbit" hit #8. The band never hit the top 40 again under this moniker. Balin left in 1971 and rejoined in 1975, and their name evolved to Jefferson Starship. The music also changed as band members decided to ditch the psychedelic rock for a more pop-oriented sound. The band would go full-on into 80s pop when Balin was replaced by Mickey Thomas in 1979, the vocalist best known at the time for singing the Elvin Bishop hit "Fooled Around And Fell In Love." These personnel changes were accompanied by another name change that jettisoned the "Jefferson" part. "Come Back Baby" goes way back to their 1967 record, "Surrealistic Pillow" (more accurately, the 2003 reissue). An atypical tune for the band during this era, it is a cover of a traditional blues-styled rocker with a guitar riff that is hard to dislodge from your brain.
I am astonished to discover that The Jayhawks have never had a single top 100 hit, not even some of their more familiar numbers from when they broke through in the 1990s, like "Waiting For The Sun" and "Blue." This folk rock outfit has amassed a large collection of fan favorites, but their talent for melody and harmony comes through the best on 2003's "Rainy Day Music," which I consider to be their masterpiece. There's hardly any filler on this record at all, and "Save It For A Rainy Day" is just one of many standout tracks.
Jay and the Techniques were a rock and soul band from Pennsylvania that had a couple hits in 1967, but should have had a sustained career that made them a household name. This underrated group is remembered for the lost gem, "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie," which went to #6. Their follow-up singles, "Keep The Ball Rollin'" and "Strawberry Shortcake" hit #14 and #39, respectively. In 1968, "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music" stalled at #64 and became their last chart appearance. What a shame. Such a terrific song; not sure why this group didn't keep it up well into the 70s. Help yourself to their greatest hits to see what I mean.
Jay & The Americans took the charts by storm in the 60s, earning themselves rank of #340 in the most successful charting artists of all-time. This New York-based group first scored in 1962 when "She Cried" hit #5. But their biggest hit was to follow: 1964's "Come A Little Bit Closer" reached #3. Other big ones included "Cara, Mia" (#4) and "Let's Lock The Door (And Throw Away The Key)" (#11). The group sustained hits until 1968, scoring another classic with "This Magic Moment" (#6). But the wind had gone out of the sails by 1970, when their last charting single, "Capture The Moment," peaked only at #57. "Why Can't You Bring Me Home" is a peppy number that got lost in the mix of their heyday hits, reaching just #63 in 1966. In my mind, it deserves to remembered as another classic in the band's catalogue.
Jars of Clay hail from Illinois and scored a lone top 40 hit when "Flood" peaked at #37 in 1996. The band is still going strong despite not having a presence on the charts any longer. "Fall Asleep" is a tender piano ballad that always captures my attention. It comes from their 2013 record, "Inland."
Sometimes confused with the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean were a famous surf pop duo of the 60s, first hitting the chart with the #10 smash "Baby Talk" in 1959. Their other biggest hits include the #1 "Surf City" from 1963, "Dead Man's Curve" (#8), and "The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)" (#3). The duo's career effectively ended when Jan was badly injured in a car crash in 1966. Dean would later sing on the 1966 Beach Boy hit, "Barbara Ann," but the duo quickly faded into memory until 1978 when their documentary, "Dead Man's Curve," reminded everyone of the tragic story that befell these very talented guys. "Linda" is one of their lesser-known hits. It reached a respectable #28 on the chart and was released just prior to their biggest hit, "Surf City."
