Spencer Dryden -- Jefferson Airplane drummer, dead at 66

[Kadie]

Spencer Dryden -- Jefferson Airplane drummer
Joel Selvin, Chronicle Senior Pop Music Critic

Thursday, January 13, 2005


Spencer Dryden, the drummer for the Jefferson Airplane who once appeared with his group on the cover of Life magazine but had fallen on hard times, died Tuesday from cancer. He was 66 years old.

Mr. Dryden, who had health problems in recent years, retired from performing music 10 years ago, although he hadn't been working much long before that. "I'm gone," he told The Chronicle in May 2004. "I'm out of it. I've left the building."

A benefit last year at Slim's starring Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule raised some $36,000 for Mr. Dryden, who was in the middle of two hip replacement surgeries and was facing heart surgery at the time. His Petaluma home and all his possessions had been destroyed in a fire in September 2003. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer later last year.

Mr. Dryden was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 for his work with the Jefferson Airplane during the band's glory years -- from the breakthrough 1967 "Surrealistic Pillow" album through historic rock festivals such as Woodstock and Altamont. He sat out the band's performance at the Waldorf Astoria that night, watching from the table. "He was always fragile," said Airplane vocalist Marty Balin.

more...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/13/BAGVGAPF1T1.DTL

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

1. Aww shit! That blows

I love me some JA!

:cry:

[tilsammans]

2. RIP, Spencer . . .

. . . and thanks for the terrific music, both from the Airplane and from the New Riders.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

3. That sux

Rest in peace, Spence. I'll never forget your hilarious quote on the back of "Volunteers."

[RandomKoolzip]

4. Oooof. Bad news.

I'll cue up the intro to the live version of "3/5ths of a Mile in 10 Seconds" and mourn in my own way....that sucks.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

5. Aw, damn...

...as fate would have it, I've been listening to a lot of New Riders Of The Purple Sage lately, which is where Dryden went after leaving the Airplane.



As far as the Airplane and Dryden's contribution, that band was every bit as important in my life as The Beatles, The Stones, The Who...long before Grand Funk coined the phrase "An American Band," America HAD one...and a damn fine one at that...Jefferson Airplane.

R.I.P., Spencer.

:toast:

[quispquake]

6. That really sucks...

I just got the DVD of "Fly Jefferson Airplane" the other day (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!). He's the one the song "Lather" was written about...he was awesome on the interviews too...what a sad loss...

[gnofg]

7. Tis a sad day

I agree with all that has been said. This was one of if not the finest 60's bands. They have rereleased the albums with Spencer and they stand up. Great songs and vocals and to show how big they were they closed the Saturday show at Woodstock. There is a Woodstock 2 album with them on it and it is great. It is very rare

[Bridget Burke]

8. The Dead were psychedelic, Big Brother was soulful & Country Joe ...

had that unique jug band/political thing.

But I always loved the Airplane best.

[dbt]

9. Thank you, Spencer Dryden!

You have one of the coolest names in Rock. The Airplane was the absolute End of the World as far as I knew, and you helped it fly.

Fly free forever.

:smoke:
dbt