Bless Its Pointed Little Head [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

Track Listings

1. Clergy

2. 3/5's of a Mile in 10 Seconds

3. Somebody to Love

4. Fat Angel

5. Rock Me Baby

6. Other Side of This Life

7. It's No Secret

8. Plastic Fantastic Lover

9. Turn Out the Lights

10. Bear Melt

11. Today [*]

12. Watch Her Ride [*]

13. Won't You Try [*]

Tracks:

Clergy
3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
Somebody to Love
Fat Angel
Rock Me Baby
Other Side of This Life
It's No Secret
Plastic Fantastic Lover
Turn Out the Lights
Bear Melt
Today [#][*]
Watch Her Ride [#][*]
Won't You Try/Saturday Afternoon [#][*]

Customer Reviews:

One of, if not THE BEST, Live Album In Existence........2007-04-29

Excellent, just excellent. Jefferson Airplane really was soaring over the top of the world when they performed at the Filmore East/West, and their originality sparkles on this album by giving a spin, heard nowhere else, to every track. The classic "Somebody to Love" is possibly even better here than on Surrealistic Pillow! The very same goes for "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" "Plastic Fantastic Lover" (...) Pretty much the whole album. The energy is gripping, the performance exhilirating, and the music a BLAST. Fly Trans-Love Airways. Getcha there on time.

A Peak Experience.......2007-01-29

I wasn't too surprised to read in Jeff Tamarkin's liner notes to this latest CD version of BLESS ITS POINTED LITTLE HEAD that it is the favorite JA album of EVERY single band member--bar none. OK, well, actually, I might not have been too taken aback if Grace--who reportedly enjoyed the studio process a great deal and liked getting the sound that she wanted nailed down--might have selected one of the studio releases, but then again, she comes off brilliantly on this live set (only two solos, but she's prominent on several other tracks, and there is no other recording that even begins to suggest the excitement of her vocal dueling with Marty) that it's really not all that surprising that its a favorite of hers as well.

The other claim that Tamarkin makes both here and in his excellent group bio GOT A REVOLUTION is that this was the unadulterated "live" Airplane--with no studio tricks, sweetening or clean ups. I recall once seeing a review that accused the Airplane of exactly that (finessing the record a bit in the studio). I remember wondering at the time if that were true, and if so, was it so bad? I mean, I certainly wasn't a jaded urban concertgoer in my youth but had been to enough live shows to know that even when they were great, they were seldom perfect soundwise. And if a record was going to be issued of any given live performance, a bit of polishing up or a bit of remixing might well be the order of the day.

Doesn't mean that the vocal trade offs between Marty, Grace and Paul were any less scintillating or that Spencer, Jack and Jorma weren't any less fiery instrumentally. It just means a cleaner recording, after all. Nothing misleading there. It is just enhancement of what's already there.

So I had decided years ago not to worry particularly whether this brilliant live disc was in any way "studio enhanced." If it's not--as Tamarkin insists--well, more power to 'em. If it really was the perfect recording of a really great couple of sets, well, how great that they were captured so well when at their absolute peak. They certainly were less well served by their second live record (their swan song 30 SECONDS OVER WINTERLAND, which while it does have its moments, pretty much documents their decline). And interestingly, the bonus tracks included with this release, supposedly recorded at the same time as the tracks that actually wound up on BIPLH, are inferior to the ones actually used.

Tamarkin suggests that it was only space considerations (the limits of vinyl) that kept these live versions of "Today," "Watch Her Ride," and "Saturday Afternoon/Won't You Try" of the original release. I can't quite swallow that whole. The bonus tracks are much sloppier vocally and much muddier acoustically than anything that actually made the cut originally. And even if the recording quality had been better none of the three tracks improves upon the original studio takes in any significant way.

Now of course, one could also argue that the SURREALISTIC PILLOW version of "Somebody to Love" is the definitive version, and in many ways, it probably is. But the live take included here is an almost complete recasting of the original. Others have commented on the funky opening riffs--not even remotely recognizable as an intro to one of the group's big hits--and Grace's jazz tinged, playfully cool take on the song similarly gives it a whole new dimension. Which is superior? Well, that will always remain the subject of debate among fans. What matters is that for this release, the group was bringing something new to the table.

In fact I've always asssumed that one of the reasons that so many of the tracks on BIPLH were re-do's of cuts from SURREALISTIC PILLOW was precisely because the earlier album, their first major commercial success, had been just a litte TOO commercial for this hippie band. Marty Balin sings "3/5 of a Mile In 10 Seconds" and "Plastic Fantastic Lover" like he's on fire. And the instrumentals are equally ferocious--with Jack's patented rumbling bass and Jorma's frenzied leads dancing around like a hot electrical wire. The polished PILLOW takes, recorded under the tutelage of an RCA house producer, are almost sterile by comparison. And of course, stuff from an even earlier era such as the previoiusly unreleased "Other Side of this Life" and TAKES OFF's once tentative sounding "It's No Secret" benefit from the band's newfound assuredness and boldness.

But boldness was precisely what the band's third record AFTER BATHING AT BAXTER'S did NOT lack for. In fact, when pressed to choose my own favorite Airplane record, I can never quite decide between their most experimental studio release (BAXTER'S) and their vibrant live release (POINTED HEAD). Had the group opted to include live versions of the two BAXTER cuts now offered here as bonus tracks, it would have been a real artistic mistake. "Watch Her Ride" and "Saturday Afternoon" are in no sense superior to the studio versions, and while I welcome having them now (completist that I am), they actually would have undercut the album's strengths in 1969).

In fact, I would encourage any Airplane "newbie" who gets ahold of this version of the CD to ignore the last three tracks the first time through. Abbreviated though it was, there was something magical about BIPLH's flow originally. In some ways, it really SHOULD end with the largely improvised (but brilliantly so) "Bear Melt." That track is a highligt for both Grace (who does a brilliant improvised vocal for the first half of the track) and for the instrumentalists who then turn it into an equally brilliant jam, ending with Grace coming in for the briefest of what Hendrix might have called "slight returns."

Hear it as it was--then go back for the bonus cuts. Best way to relate to them is to pretend that they're a welcome encore to an almost perfect set.

It sharpened my pointed little head........2006-11-14

I was not a major Jefferson Airplane fan and the only reason I owned this album is because I forgot to return the RCA Record Club card in time. Once I had it, however, I played it endlessly. (Well, OK, when I wasn't playing "Buffalo Springfield Again," "Strange Days" by the Doors, "Disraeli Gears" and a few others.) I remember being knocked out, probably due to the fact that at the time I was somewhat...uh..."perceptually enhanced" when I heard the first cranked riffs to "3/5 of a Mile In 10 Seconds" and later the almost funky intro to "Somebody to Love."

What I couldn't have known when I first bought the album is the influence the song "Fat Angel" would have. I was playing local coffeehouses as a solo acoustic guitar/vocal act. (Not a folkie, mind you--more of a rocker with an acoustic guitar.) It was during one of those aforementioned moments of enhancement that I came up with the idea of playing the song with the lower E-string of my guitar tuned down to D, providing resonance and the freedom to do an elongated acoustic jam. It was almost always my closing number and was usually well received (depending upon the "enhancement" level of the audience).

This album will always have special significance for me.

The Jefferson Airplane soars in concert with this superb album.......2006-09-30

From the heyday of the psychedelic rock era in San Francisco, the album, "Bless Its Pointed Little Head", is a fine recording of a live concert by one of the city's best-known and much-loved bands, The Jefferson Airplane. The concert was recorded, in late 1968, at the venerable rock temple, The Fillmore East, in New York City, and also at its sister venue in San Francisco, The Fillmore West, both owned by one-time Airplane manager, Bill Graham. Combining the powerful vocal mix of Grace Slick, Marty Balin, and Paul Kantner, with the musicianship of Jorma Kaukonen, lead guitarist extraordinaire, Jack Casady, bassist, and Spencer Dryden, drummer, you have an exceptional example here of psychedelic rock, San Francisco-style, at its best recorded live. For instance, give a listen to the intense interaction between the vocals of singer, Marty Balin, and the lead guitar work of Jorma Kaukonen on the song, "Plastic Fantastic Lover", something that is definitely missing on all studio recordings of this song. The energy is phenomenal. Or, give a listen to the intricate interplay, for more than six minutes, no less, between bass, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar on the song, "The Other Side of This Life". Superb.

With guidance from their friend, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, The Jefferson Airplane produced their breakthrough album in 1967 with their second studio effort, "Surrealistic Pillow." As a product of those sessions, the band had a huge hit during that year's Summer of Love with the song, "Somebody to Love", sung by Grace Slick. It certainly received plenty of radio airplay from coast to coast. This particular song along with several other memorable songs from the album, namely, "White Rabbit", "Today", and the instrumental, "Embryonic Journey", provided the band with national name recognition, something that all bands of that era sought as a step towards success, fame, and riches. Grace Slick, having had joined The Jefferson Airplane a year earlier, brought to the band a distinctive female voice, an unmatched stage presence, and songwriting ability. It certainly paid off. That same year, the band released its third studio album, "After Bathing at Baxters." And then, in 1968, with the release of the band's fourth studio album, "Crown of Creation", the band decided that it was time for the Airplane to release an official recording of one of its concerts. After all, other San Francisco bands, such as The Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service, had similar thoughts in mind. Within a year, all three bay-area bands released recordings of their live shows. Quicksilver Messenger Service released an album entitled, "Happy Trails", that was an exceptional example of the fine San Francisco sound of that era. Additionally, the release of these albums was a way for management of each group to counter the sudden proliferation and popularity of illegal bootleg recordings that easily ate into each band's earnings.

Within a few years of the release of the album, "Bless Its Pointed Little Head", however, members of the Jefferson Airplane began to go their seperate ways. Internal problems within the band came to a head at a live concert at Altamont (California) in late 1969. This particular, and now infamous, free concert featured The Rolling Stones, with the Airplane scheduled to play ahead of them. However, the band, having had a gig in Miami the day before, suffered from exhaustion and jet-lag. In addition, some members of the band felt correctly that the atmosphere that day, at the speedway, was just not right. Tempers flared, and their set before a crowd of more than 300,000 did not go over well at all. It was the beginning of the end.

Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady left the Airplane altogether to concentrate on their other band, Hot Tuna. Spencer Dryden joined the country-rock band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, initially an off-shoot of the Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia, once again, lending a helping hand. Grace Slick, Marty Balin, and Paul Kantner eventually formed an extension of the Airplane, and they named the band, The Jefferson Starship. Again, they received a helping hand from several neighborhood friends, among them being, David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Jerry Garcia. The new band included David Freiberg on bass and vocals, formerly of Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Still a fair amount of audio defects.......2006-09-02

I'm a huge Jefferson Airplane fan. Over the years, I've bought just about all their albums multiple times-first as an LP, then the original CD, then the remastered CD, etc.

"Bless Its Pointed Little Head" is one of my favorite live albums, but they have still missed the mark in the remastering. There is some improvement-the instruments sound clearer and less compressed, but parts of it still sound like an almost skipping record. This is especially apparent in the quieter passages, like the beginning of Bear Melt (which I absolutely love, unlike most people) or Today. I'm guessing that this may be a problem with the master tapes or the recorder used-remember this was from 1969.

Average customer rating:

Bless Its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane
Manufacturer: RCA Fs Imports
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000059L9B
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

Clergy
3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
Somebody to Love
Fat Angel
Rock Me Baby
Other Side of This Life
It's No Secret
Plastic Fantastic Lover
Turn Out the Lights
Bear Melt

Album Description

Remastered/re-issue of 1968 album recorded live at The Filmore East/West, October and November, 1968. Feat. Paul Kantner. 10 tracks including 'Clergy' & 'Somebody To Love'.

Album Details

2001 Digitally Remastered Re-issue of their 1969 Live Album. Artwork is Faithful to the Original Version.

Average customer rating:

One Of The Airplane's Best
Fine Flight
Best rock vocals ever
The Airplane demolish the pickett fence
wow...

Bless Its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Crown of Creation

ASIN: B000002WVS
Release Date: 1996-01-30

Tracks:

Clergy
3/5's Of A Mile In 10 Seconds
Somebody To Love
Fat Angel
Rock Me Baby
The Other Side Of This Life
It's No Secret
Plastic Fantastic Lover
Turn Out The Lights
Bear Melt

Customer Reviews:

One Of The Airplane's Best.......2005-09-08

This is a great live CD. Simply great. It is in a class with Lou Reed's Rock and Roll Animal and the Who's Live At Leeds, both real gems. The Airplane was pretty uneven on stage, but every song on this CD works well. They play with exceptional passion and ability. The vocals are strong and the guitar work is fluid and elegant. In particular, Jack Casady's bass never sounded more powerful or better. He really drives the band through their classic numbers and listening to his bass runs alone are worth the price of the CD. If you like the Airplane in particular, or 60's San Francisco bands in general, this is a CD that you will listen to often.

Fine Flight.......2004-12-04

This abum comes higly recommended! Even at their worst the Jefferson Airplane were better than just about any one else. This album, one of three live releases, falls in the middle and is better than 30 Seconds but not quite as good as the Fillmore East. Some people say that this album is a bit flat but I think it's more because of the recoring quality and not because of any lacking on their part. I'm not always in the mood to hear Bear Melt or Rock Me Baby, which are great by the way, but require a little more listener attention to appreciate than the other more accessable songs. I saw the Airplane 18 times beginning with the original band up to the 1989 reunion and with one exception (their performance at the Sacramento Pop Festival stunk) they were never less than staggering. All this rambling leads up to one thing: BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!! You'll thank yourself.

Best rock vocals ever.......2004-07-20

I was fortunate enough to hear the JA play at their peak in New York and SanFran in '69-'70.
I think this album proves their superior vocals over any other rock group. The voices blend in perfectly with the guitar tones. Grace and Marty actually take turns emphasizing different words in the same lyric sentence. They would also trade off the high notes with Grace singing lower than Marty.
THe power of their vocals is amazing and could carry over the band on the poor quality pa systems of the time.
The new songs on this and Volunteers are worth their price.

The Airplane demolish the pickett fence.......2004-06-20

I've listened to this album for over 30 years, and it still holds up for its extremely high energy rhythms, intensely driving and unique bass lines, and aggressive guitars and vocals. They turn rather nice pop songs into proto punk and electric blues wailing that is so satisfyingly over the top! Grace and Marty's vocals are torrid and passionately intertwined unlike any other live rock performance.This is the way a band should kick it out of the complacency zone and play like it really matters. If you're in a band, take some notes on performance attitude and style from some true originals. This is Jack's masterpiece.

wow..........2003-12-24

I recently bought this album (yes, a little bit late, as it were). On most live albums, the song selection varies from a good song, a decent song, or a bad song. This album completely disrupts the sterotypical view on most live albums. Every single song is great, unlike a studio album (studio albums are still awsome if its jefferson airplane). This all makes sense to me somehow, i dont exactly know how it will affect you but theres my opinion.

Average customer rating:

Bless Its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000E68A
Release Date: 1989-08-29

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Bless Its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane
Manufacturer: Bmg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jefferson Airplane Takes Off
After Bathing at Baxter's

ASIN: B0009S8EXI
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

Clergy
3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
Somebody to Love
Fat Angel
Rock Me Baby
Other Side of This Life
It's No Secret
Plastic Fantastic Lover
Turn Out the Lights
Bear Melt

Album Description

Japanese pressing. Limited edition reissue of the 1969 original release will include the bonus tracks 'Today', 'Watch Her Ride' & 'Won't You Try'. Comes packaged in a paper sleeve. RCA. 2005.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition Issue in a Deluxe LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Album Artwork.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Clergy
2. 3/5's of a Mile in 10 Seconds
3. Somebody to Love
4. Fat Angel
5. Rock Me Baby
6. Other Side of This Life
7. It's No Secret
8. Plastic Fantastic Lover
9. Turn Out the Lights
10. Bear Melt
11. Today [*]
12. Watch Her Ride [*]
13. Won't You Try [*]