Barthol played on the psychedelic group’s first three albums, including the anthemic ‘I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die.’
Author: Jeff Tamarkin
Jeff Tamarkin
Best Classic Bands Editor Jeff Tamarkin has been a prolific music journalist for more than four decades. He is formerly the editor of Goldmine, CMJ and Relix magazines, has written for dozens of other publications and has authored liner notes for more than 80 CDs. Jeff has also served on the Nominating Committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and as a consultant to the Grammys. His first book was 'Got a Revolution! The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane.' He is also the co-author of 'Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles, Flo and Eddie, and Frank Zappa, etc.,' with Howard Kaylan.
You didn’t really “make it” until you’d been on Sullivan. Check out these great clips from the all-time biggest variety show in America
“The first real rock ’n’ roll jam session,” the gold-selling album featured members of some of the hottest bands of the late ’60s
“I was just Melanie, the cute flower child person. To the hip people, the real hipsters, I became the cool person to bash. I don’t know how that happened.”
“He was shooting [a pellet pistol]. Made me uncomfortable and I left after we played,” remembers guitarist Jorma Kaukonen of the “strange” meeting.
Kaye: “Ideas start coming together, almost like cosmic dust starts to form a planet. Then there’s a realization that something different is happening.”
Loved by the likes of Paul McCartney and Graham Nash, the Philly rockabilly singer helped put Cameo-Parkway Records on the map.
“Ed Sullivan contacted us, but I’d never heard of him so I turned it down. Then, I found out he was huge. I said to the guys, “Quit your jobs.”–Dave Clark
He flew into the top 5 in 1966 on the strength of one of his compositions, and he’s been elusive for most of the time since. We spoke with him.
Although he’s battled a debilitating illness for many years, the former Youngbloods leader returned with one of his strongest albums ever.