Paul Kantner died a week ago, but I still feel like honoring him and the band he initially led, then lost, and finally took back: Jefferson Starship. Spitfire was a big hit in 1976. It clearly dates from the era when it was okay to have three lead singers, Kantner, Slick, and Balin; something that was frowned upon by the 1980’s. It’s the most balanced of the first three Starship band records, which is one reason I remain fond of it.

I’m also very fond of the opium smoking dragon riding chick on the cover: “Dance with the dragon til the year is done.” The artwork was done by the Japanese artist Shusei Nagaoka and he hit it out of the park.

The back cover isn’t as artistically interesting but the layout is good. Besides, the band still look like fucking hippies…

Below is the whole damn LP via the YouTube. My favorites are the most Kantnery tunes: Dance With The Dragon, St. Charles, and Song to the Sun, which has a full title too long to be typed here. I’m a blogger not a court reporter. Time to turn the clock back to the bi-centennial year of 1976: