To quote Richard M. Nixon (it seems appropriate for the era), “let me make one thing perfectly clear” — There is no Jefferson Airplane without singer Marty Balin, anymore than there’s a Beach Boys without Dennis and Carl Wilson. It’s not that any of them were the the whole show, but they were all critical parts of the ensemble. In Balin’s case, it was his wild and free vocals that provided some of the Airplane’s best moments.

In late 1969, Balin was beaten up by Hell’s Angels when he leaped into the crowd to come to the aid of an audience member who the Angels had fallen upon. It was an early omen of things to come later that day at Altamont. A little more than a year later, he left the Airplane. By then Paul Kantner’s burgeoning interest in sci-fi had changed the creative direction of the band, and Balin’s brooding love songs were being pushed aside. Kantner’s solo album Blows Against the Empire was released in 1970, laying the groundwork for the Jefferson Starship. Another factor in Balin’s departure was the death of his friend Janis Joplin. When the Janis died, Balin became determined to pursue a healthier lifestyle, while the rest of the band continued drugging and drinking as if nothing had changed, which resulted in his isolation from the other members. By then, original drummer Spencer Dryden had left the band as well. (more…)