| Nuclear Furniture | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1984 at the Automatt, San Francisco | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, AOR | |||
| Length | 42:46 | |||
| Label | Grunt | |||
| Producer | Ron Nevison | |||
| Jefferson Starship chronology | ||||
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Nuclear Furniture is the eighth album by American rock band Jefferson Starship, released in June 1984 through Grunt Records. [1] It was the final album by the band before the departure of leader Paul Kantner and the eventual transition of the remaining members of the group to become Starship.
Produced by Ron Nevison, the album was arranged with the help of Austrian producer Peter Wolf (unrelated to the J. Geils Band singer of the same name), who had previously worked with Grace Slick on her solo album Software . Wolf also contributed keyboard and synthesizer work to the album, although not an official part of the band. Wolf and his wife Ina also wrote the single "No Way Out", the first of many songs penned by the duo that took the future Starship in a more commercial direction.
As the album was being recorded, Paul Kantner became frustrated with the album's direction. Before the sessions came to a close, he stole the master tapes, put them in his car, and drove around San Francisco for a few days, and would not return them until the band mixed the album in a way more to his liking. [2] Shortly after the album's release, Kantner left the band, and he only appears in the first promotional video produced, "No Way Out". After the departure of Kantner, the band lost the "Jefferson" moniker and became Starship; there would not be another studio album released under the Jefferson Starship name until after Kantner reformed the band in 1992.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
Nuclear Furniture was released in 1984 and spawned the Top 40 single "No Way Out", which was also the first single by any incarnation of the band to hit No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The album itself reached No. 28.
Joseph McCombs of AllMusic rated the album 2 out of 5 stars and described it as a "competent but rather forgettable collection of radio-friendly dual guitar/keyboard period pop tunes." McCombs said that the juxtaposition between Kantner's politically-oriented songs and Thomas's more commercially-oriented songs "makes for an intriguing if uneven album." [3]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Layin' It on the Line" | Mickey Thomas, Craig Chaquico | Chaquico, Thomas | 4:09 |
| 2. | "No Way Out" | Ina Wolf | Peter Wolf | 4:22 |
| 3. | "Sorry Me, Sorry You" | Jeannette Sears | Pete Sears | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Live and Let Live" | J. Sears | P. Sears | 3:50 |
| 5. | "Connection" | Paul Kantner, Thomas | Kantner | 4:27 |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rose Goes to Yale" | Kantner, Ronnie Gilbert | Kantner | 2:56 |
| 2. | "Magician" | Grace Slick | P. Wolf | 3:23 |
| 3. | "Assassin" | J. Sears | P. Sears | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Shining in the Moonlight" | Chaquico, Thomas | Chaquico | 3:38 |
| 5. | "Showdown" | Slick | Slick | 3:22 |
| 6. | "Champion" | Kantner, Gilbert | Kantner | 4:40 |
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [5] | 28 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [6] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1974 by a group of musicians including former members of Jefferson Airplane. Between 1974 and 1984, they released eight gold or platinum-selling studio albums, and one gold-selling compilation. The album Red Octopus went double-platinum, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1975. The band went through several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the Jefferson Starship name. The band name was retired in 1984, but it was picked up again in 1992 by a revival of the group led by Paul Kantner, which has continued since his death in 2016.
John Michael Thomas is an American rock singer. He is best known as one of the lead vocalists of Jefferson Starship and Starship. Prior to joining Jefferson Starship, he was a member of Elvin Bishop's band as a backing and occasional lead vocalist. He was the lead singer on Bishop's best-known song, "Fooled Around And Fell In Love."
Knee Deep in the Hoopla is the debut album by American AOR band Starship, the succeeding musical project to Jefferson Starship. It was released on September 12, 1985, by RCA and Grunt, with four singles: the No. 1 hits "We Built This City" and "Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" and "Before I Go".
No Protection is the second studio album by American rock band Starship. It was released on July 6, 1987, by Grunt Records and RCA Records. The album featured the number-one single "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", and the top-10 single "It's Not Over ", the former of which appears in the fantasy comedy film Mannequin and the latter of which was a tune originally performed the previous year by one-time Manfred Mann's Earth Band frontman Chris Thompson for the soundtrack to the film Playing for Keeps. Third single "Beat Patrol" was #46 on Billboard's Hot 100.
Paul Lorin Kantner was an American rock musician. He is best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and a secondary vocalist of Jefferson Airplane, a leading psychedelic rock band of the counterculture era. He continued these roles as a member of Jefferson Starship, Jefferson Airplane's successor band.
Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California. Initially a continuation of Jefferson Starship, it underwent a change in musical direction, the subsequent loss of personnel, and a lawsuit settlement that led to a name change. Starship's 1985 album, Knee Deep in the Hoopla, was certified platinum by the RIAA, and included two singles that went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart: "We Built This City" and "Sara". Their follow up album, No Protection, released in 1987, was certified gold and featured the band's third number one single, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now". After a short hiatus in the early 1990s, the band reformed in 1992 as "Starship featuring Mickey Thomas" and resumed touring.
Modern Times is the sixth album by Jefferson Starship and was released in 1981. Grace Slick appeared on this album after a three-year absence. She returned near the end of the recording sessions, providing background vocals on some tracks as well as lead vocals on the single "Stranger" as a duet with lead singer Mickey Thomas. "Stranger" had previously been performed live by Jefferson Starship as early as December 1979, and the first studio version was made for Modern Times. Although not appearing in the band picture on the gatefold cover, Slick is listed on the back cover of the LP with the credit "Introducing Grace Slick" and her picture is on the lyric sleeve with the note "Grace Slick courtesy of Grace Slick." She joined the band officially for the 1981 tour. This was the first Jefferson Starship album to have promotional music videos. It was also the first album to feature a charting single on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which had premiered earlier in the year. The single "Find Your Way Back" reached No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
Red Octopus is the second album by American rock band Jefferson Starship, released on Grunt Records in 1975. Certified double platinum by RIAA in 1995, it is the best-selling album by any incarnation of Jefferson Airplane and its spin-off groups. The single "Miracles" was the highest-charting single any permutation of the band had until Starship's "We Built This City" a decade later, ultimately peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart; the album itself reached No. 1 for four non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200. As was common in the era, stereo and quadraphonic mixes of the album were released concurrently.
Jefferson Airplane is the eighth and final studio album by San Francisco rock band Jefferson Airplane, released on Epic Records in 1989. Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady all returned for the album and supporting tour, though Spencer Dryden did not participate. The album and accompanying tour would mark the last time Jefferson Airplane would perform together until their 1996 induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Spitfire is the third album by American rock band Jefferson Starship. Released in 1976, a year after the chart-topping Red Octopus, it quickly scaled the charts, peaking for six consecutive weeks at No. 3 in Billboard and attaining an RIAA platinum certification. Stereo and quadraphonic mixes of the album were released.
Dragon Fly is the debut album by Jefferson Starship, released on Grunt Records in 1974. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified a gold album. Credited to Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, and Jefferson Starship, the band itself was a turning point after a series of four albums centering on the partnership of Kantner and Slick during the disintegration of Jefferson Airplane through the early 1970s.
Freedom at Point Zero is the fifth album by American rock band Jefferson Starship, released in 1979. It was the first album for new lead singer Mickey Thomas, and the first after both Grace Slick and Marty Balin left the previous year. Aynsley Dunbar plays drums on this album; he had left Journey the previous year. The album cover was shot on location in the San Francisco Bay on board the USCGC Midgett.
Winds of Change is the seventh album by Jefferson Starship and was released in 1982. It was the first studio album produced after Grace Slick rejoined the band as a full member. Aynsley Dunbar plays drums on the album, but was replaced by Donny Baldwin for the supporting tour. The album reached number 26 on the Billboard charts.
Earth is the fourth album by American rock band Jefferson Starship. The album was recorded in 1977, with the same band lineup as the previous album, Spitfire and released in 1978.
Software is the fourth and final solo studio album by American singer Grace Slick, released in 1984 by RCA Records. The album was recorded after Slick rejoined Jefferson Starship after temporarily leaving the band in the late 1970s. After working on this album with her, Slick's collaborator Peter Wolf would go on to contribute to Jefferson Starship's 1984 album Nuclear Furniture. A music video was made for the single "All the Machines".
Greatest Hits is a compilation album released in 1991 when Starship ended its recording contract with RCA Records. The album contains two new tracks, "Don't Lose Any Sleep" and "Good Heart". "Good Heart" was released as a single and hit number 81 on the Billboard charts. A third track, "Keys to the City" was recorded at this time and finally saw release on the 2012 compilation Playlist: The Very Best of Starship. "We Built This City" was remixed for this compilation by Bill Bottrel who took out the spoken-word interlude by Les Garland.
Windows of Heaven is Jefferson Starship's first studio album since reforming in 1992 and ninth album overall. It was first released in Germany, but the band told fans to wait for a new American remixed version. The single "Let Me Fly" was released along with the American release, but did not chart on the Billboard charts. Grace Slick joined the band in the studio to record vocals on "I'm on Fire," which only appears on the American and Japanese versions. The track "Maybe for You" later reappeared on the 2008 album, Jefferson's Tree of Liberty.
David Freiberg is an American musician best known for contributing vocals, keyboards, electric bass, rhythm guitar, viola and percussion as a member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, and Jefferson Starship. Among other tracks, he co-wrote "Jane", a hit for Jefferson Starship.
Mother of the Sun is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Jefferson Starship. It was released on August 22, 2020, through Golden Robot Records.
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