Cleared For Take Off [Live]

Jefferson Airplane | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 21, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Acrobat Music
• ASIN: B001EUPNMU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,528 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Jefferson Airplane defined the San Francisco sound in the 1960s, scoring hit singles and looking out from the covers of national magazines. They epitomized the drug-taking hippie ethos as well as the left-wing, antiwar political movement of their time, and their history was one of controversy along with hit records.

Cleared for Take Off represents the Jefferson
Airplane as they were reaching their creative peak in 1967. Recorded at 3 concerts at the legendary Winterland in San Francisco in March 1967, the group performs songs contained on its essential first two albums, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off and Surrealistic Pillow, with a few rare selections. Cleared For Takeoff admirably illustrates why the Airplane were regarded as one of the best live acts at the vanguard of the movement, with the unmistakeable voice of the iconic Grace Slick intertwining with those of Marty Balin and Paul Kantner and the acid rock guitar of Jorma Kautonen in a typically energetic out-on-the-edge performance. The 18-track set includes versions of their first two big hits, an extended version of Somebody To Love, plus the classic White Rabbit. Don't Let Me Down, never featured on a studio release, is a nine-minute showcase for lead singer Marty Balin with some wild improvisation. Lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen's Come Back Baby, is a song that wasn t released until Hot Tuna's second LP, First Pull Up, Then Pull Down, in 1971. Thing is an unreleased instrumental. This recording captures the unstructured and experimental nature of their events, and it's a fascinating snapshot of a band at the forefront of a new strand of creative expression, navigating occasionally uncharted musical territory during one of the most exciting eras in rock history.

Cleared for Take Off contains live and outtake
material from the band's most influential era,
including unreleased material and featuring the
classic 1966 line up. As such it is an essential historical release for any Jefferson Airplane fan as well as fans of the psychedelic rock era.

Please note: this recording is a snapshot of history, not a modern professional recording and may therefore exhibit some technical anomalies and the unavoidable effects of time.

Highly regarded UK label Acrobat Music is launching its US operations with this as well as other re-issues that offer high quality and excellent value on October 21st 2008. All of the Premier Collection titles are showcased in deluxe packages with unique, consistent packaging, which include o-cards, extensive liner notes and either a large number of tracks or lengthy play time. Acrobat will be establishing its presence as the premier independent re-issue label in the US through its distribution deal with TVT Distribution.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One From The Vaults, January 5, 2004

By 

Wax Nostalgic (Valhalla, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cleared For Take Off (Audio CD)

Billed as a "fully realised live performance for the mid-sixties," this is actually a compilation of recordings from at least four different shows that range in date (judging from the song selection and the arrangements) from late '66 to Autumn 1967.

The recordings show the classic line-up just as they are riding their first wave of major national success, and their enthusiasm is all over this set. (Leading my wife to comment, "Why are they doing `White Rabbit' so fast?") Fans of the Café Au Go Go show that has recently circulated will be familiar with the caliber of Airplane's performance and energy on this disc.

Given its distribution, I assume this is a "legal" recording -- In which case it would mark the first official release of a good number of the live versions on this disc. Most notably, the "Leave You Alone" version of "Somebody To Love," and the most rockin' "Don't Slip Away" I have yet to hear. [Newer initiates should not be fooled into thinking that "Jorma's Blues" is a previously unreleased track - it's the way Marty used to introduce the Jorma showcase "Come Back Baby" on stage]

The sound quality of this release falls well short of what one expects from an officially sanctioned release, but can be recommended for its archival interest to hardcore fans of the band... And its likely that anyone else would have lost interest in this review by now, anyway.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Please let the plane get off the ground, May 23, 2007

By 

Craig Fenton "Craig The Airplane Man" (Airplaneville, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cleared For Take Off (Audio CD)

Hi Airplaners:

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" I put together this information for you and hope it gives you the best source of making a judgement about the recording. If you don't already have the music, please don't be turned off by the change of sound quality. Many times in order to acquire previously unreleased music you can't always have it sound like George Martin was part of the project.

"Cleared For Take Off " Acrobat (U.K.) ACMCD 4001 CD released 11/6/03 (Taken from the Winterland, San Francisco, California performances of 3/10-3/12/67). The sound quality changes throughout the CD and the pops come at no extra charge. Although the CD wasn't put together with the greatest respect to the band or fan (Some songs fade-out and have wrong titles), those that don't own the material will be interested. There should have been one version of everything played during the three nights. The CD doesn't include "And I Like It", "Let Me In", "Fat Angel", or the jam. No information was given in the liner notes about the dates used for the songs so I have included that for you. "3/5 Of A Mile In To Seconds" 3/11/67, "Don't Let Me Down" 3/10/67, "Don't Slip Away" 3/10/67, "She Has Funny Cars" 3/12/67, "Let's Get Together" (Fades-out) 3/11/67, "High Flying Bird" 3/12/67, "It's No Secret" 3/12/67, "Come Back Baby" (Listed as "Jorma's Blues") 3/12/67, "Plastic Fantastic Lover"(Intro cut) 3/11/67, "Runnin' Round This World"(Listed as "Running Round The World") 3/11/67, "Somebody To Love" (W/"Leave You Alone" which was not listed) 3/10/67, "The Other Side Of This Life" 3/11/67, "Thing" (Fades-out) 3/11/67, "Tobacco Road" 3/10/67, "Today" 3/11/67, "White Rabbit" 3/12/67, "Bringing Me Down" (Listed as "You're Bring Me Down") 3/11/67, and "My Best Friend" (Listed as "You're My Best Friend").

Thanks and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jefferson Airplane Live At Winterland 1967, October 27, 2008

By 

Johnny Boy "The Record Collector" (Hockessin, DE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cleared For Take Off (Audio CD)

Over the past several years, Jefferson Airplane bootlegs of concerts have begun to turn up everywhere. Shows from Monterey Pop, Fillmore East and countless others have started to turn up.

But, this one, from 1967, at the Winterland in San Francisco, is really interesting. It features three great shows from the Airplane, with the crew in full swing as the rip through classics like 'Somebody To Love' and 'White Rabbit,' and one of my personal favorites, 'She Has Funny Cars.'

Collectors already know that this is a bootleg, and therefore the sound quality isn't live album great, but it's still really good. For newcomers of JA stumbling upon this, it's a great show, but if you want a live album with exceptional sound quality that is digitally remastered, I advise you to go buy 1969's 'Bless It's Pointed Little Head.'

Back on track here. 'Cleared For Take Off' has been released several times since 2003, when it first hit the public audience. This edition, as far as I'm concerned, is no different from any other edition. It's a fine example of the record companies trying to milk the Jefferson Airplane name.

But either way, it's a great show, with Jorma, Jack, Grace, Marty, Paul and Spencer in top form.

Other great tracks you'll find here are '3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds,' which is considered to be an Airplane classic, with the group just jamming here. Clearly they are having a great time. Balin's vocals on 'Tobacco Road' are awesome.

Overall, I highly recommend this to anybody who appreciates great San Francisco 1960s psychedelic rock or to any JA fan who's collecting their bootlegs. But don't freak out over this release, because odds are, if you collect their bootlegs, you already have it! But, if you don't have it, you are really missing out. This is Airplane in top form here.

Highly recommended for any JA fan that likes their bootlegs. An awesome show.

ENJOY!!!