Customer Reviews

Cleared For Take Off

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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"

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!!!

This disc contains tracks taken from the 10-12 March 1967 shows at Winterland. All three nights circulate as collectors' recordings, and if you want to hear the complete recordings in proper context then i'd suggest tracking those down. But as a sampler this works pretty well. The recording is a soundboard but the quality is a little rough. This is true on collectors' copies too, and the Acrobat compilation isn't bad in comparison.

The disc includes most of the songs played during those shows (omitting only "And I Like It", "Let Me In", "Fat Angel", and a long instrumental jam) but doesn't include the multiple performances of the same songs over the three nights. The performance is vintage Airplane, recorded only about a month after their breakthrough "Surrealistic Pillow" LP was released.

The disc is almost certainly unauthorized and may take advantage of sometimes lax European copyright laws, but the material hasn't been officially released. I expect that if it ever is, the quality will be substantially better. Until then, you may want to check this disc out as a sampler of the Airplane giving some tight, energetic performances.

This release may look and sound like a bootleg, but that's part of its appeal, particularly for listeners who have admired this band from the beginning. Compensating for the erratic audio quality (not great, yet not abysmal either) are spirited performances by Jorma Kaukonen (guitar) and Marty Balin (vocals) that Airplane fans will not want to miss. The set list doesn't vary much in comparison to other live discs by the band, but this is still a historic document from the days when The Music Mattered!

I would concur with the previous reviewer as to the quality and worthiness of this release. Prime 66-67 live Airplane! Very energetic and rockin'! The sound is not pristine by today's standards, but good for an archival disc of this sort. I wonder about the legitimacy of the release, however, since "Come Back Baby" is mistitled. I don't think the band would have approved that. It's available though, so if you love this group in their heyday, seek it out.

I am a major JA fan...I am NOT a big fan of recordings such as this...the sound quality is poor...very middy sounding...lacking low end and the high end is thin and hissy. It does improve alittle as it progresses along. It leaves you a bit fatigued at the end...after assaulting your ears. You can barely hear what Jack Casady is doing on his bass...Keep in mind this was recorded during summer 1967...Grace had just joined the band a few months prior.

I think they could have put alittle better effort into the remastering of this recording.

If you want to hear great live recordings...stick to BLESS ITS POINTED LITTLE HEAD and THIRTY SECONDS OVER WINTERLAND..

I would guess this was recorded off somebodys pocket tape recorder from the audience....would hate to think this came off the soundboard..

My two cents worth on this CD are that this is a great set of songs from when Jefferson Airplane were very energetic and more Marty Balin led,and also that the sound really isn't bad at all(just check out the samples here...they are very representative).

I found this to be one of the better "import" live JA releases. Just get this and "Last Flight" and you've got all the good ones!

the performance of the band in this cd is very good,but the sound quality of this cd is bad,i would like to listen a better sound quality version......all songs seems came from one show,as all the sound quality are bad......

To make my point, the cover art has in bold lettering, "Live in 1961". Considering that the band wasn't even formed until 1965, that's quite an achievement.

In addition, the track listings on the reverse cover side has the songs out of order from what's actually the CD. This is nothing but shoddy merchandising, with the intent of making a quick buck from unsuspecting fans of a grest rock & roll band.