Earth (Jefferson Starship album)
Earth is the fourth album by Jefferson Starship. The album was recorded in 1977, with the same band lineup as the previous album, Spitfire and released in 1978.
Earth | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 6, 1978 | |||
Recorded | July – October, 1977 | |||
Studio | Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco | |||
Genre | Rock, AOR | |||
Length | 41:27 | |||
Label | Grunt | |||
Producer | Larry Cox, Jefferson Starship | |||
Jefferson Starship chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | C[2] |
The band had not toured in 1977, partly due to Marty Balin's reluctance to commit to the band. The song "Count on Me" became a Top 10 single, peaking at No. 8. The album hit No. 5 on the Billboard charts. A US and European tour followed. A riot in West Germany occurred after the band decided not to play without Grace Slick, who was ill. They lost their guitars and equipment during the riot and played one more tense show on West German TV in Hamburg, after which Slick left the band for one album. Marty Balin led the band for one more show at a Genesis concert at the Knebworth Festival in England using rented equipment. When they returned to the US, drummer John Barbata left the band after a serious car accident. This would be the end of the 1970s line-up and several new members joined the band, as well as a new record producer. Success of this album led to Jefferson Starship being contracted to provide a song for the Star Wars Holiday Special.
Track listing
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Love Too Good" | Gabriel Robles | Craig Chaquico | 6:03 |
2. | "Count on Me" | Jesse Barish | Barish | 3:14 |
3. | "Take Your Time" | Grace Slick | Pete Sears | 4:08 |
4. | "Crazy Feelin'" | Barish | Barish | 3:38 |
5. | "Skateboard" | Slick, Chaquico | Chaquico | 3:18 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Fire" | Marty Balin, Trish Robbins | David Freiberg, Sears | 4:44 |
2. | "Show Yourself" | Slick | Slick | 4:36 |
3. | "Runaway" | N. Q. Dewey | Dewey | 5:18 |
4. | "All Nite Long" | Paul Kantner, Balin, Barish, Slick | Kantner, John Barbata, Sears, Chaquico, Freiberg | 6:28 |
Charts
Chart (1978) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian (Kent Music Report) | 61[3] |
Personnel
- Grace Slick – vocals, piano on "Show Yourself"
- Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Marty Balin – vocals
- Pete Sears – bass guitar on "Skateboard", "Runaway", and "All Nite Long", electric piano on "Love Too Good", organ on "Love Too Good", "Count on Me", "Take Your Time", "Crazy Feelin", "Fire", and "Show Yourself", Moog on "Love Too Good", "Skateboard", and "All Nite Long", synthesizer on "Love Too Good", piano on "Count on Me", "Take Your Time", "Crazy Feelin'", "Fire", and "Show Yourself", celeste on "Count on Me", clavinet on "Crazy Feelin'" and "Fire"
- Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, rhythm guitar on "Love Too Good", "Crazy Feelin'", "Skateboard", and "Show Yourself", vocals
- John Barbata – electric drums, drums, congas, percussion, vocals
- David Freiberg – vocals, bass on all tracks except "Skateboard", "Runaway" and "All Nite Long", organ on "Skateboard", "Runaway", and "All Nite Long"
Additional Personnel
- Gene Page – strings, horns
- Jesse Barish – background vocals
Production
- Jefferson Starship – producer, arrangements, art direction
- Larry Cox – producer, engineer
- David Frazer – assistant engineer
- Steve Hall – recordist
- Pat Ieraci (Maurice) – production coordinator, art coordination
- Nat Quick – illustration
- Bill Thompson – manager
- Paul Dowell – amp consultant
- Cynthia Bowman – art coordination
- Bill Laudner – art assistant
- Gribbitt (Tim Bryant) – art director
- Don Davis – Earth dust sleeve illustration, Earth label illustration
- Roger Rossmeyer – photography
- Recorded and Mixed at Wally Heider, San Francisco
- Strings and Horns arranged by Gene Page, Whitney Recording Studio, Glendale
- Mastered by John Golden at Kendun Recorders, Burbank
Singles
- "Count on Me" (3/11/78) #8 US
- "Runaway" (5/27/78) #12 US
- "Crazy Feelin'" (9/9/78) #54 US
References
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Earth - Jefferson Starship | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 154. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
External links
- Fong-Torres, Ben (May 18, 1978). "Jefferson Starship: Strange Times at the Launching Pad". Rolling Stone.