In early 1974, with guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bass player Jack

In early 1974, with guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bass player Jack Casady having moved on to their band Hot Tuna full-time, Kantner decided to put together a touring band without them. The musicians on Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun formed the core of a new lineup that was formally reborn as Jefferson Starship. They appropriated the name from Kantner’s Blows Against the Empire , with manager Bill Thompson convincing the group that keeping the connection to Jefferson Airplane made sense from a business standpoint. It included the other five remaining members of Jefferson Airplane, including Kantner on rhythm guitar and vocals; Slick on vocals and percussion, David Freiberg on vocals and keyboards, John Barbata , who had played with the Turtles and Crosby, Stills and Nash, on drums and Papa John Creach, from Hot Tuna, on electric violin. Jorma Kaukonen’s brother, Peter (who had appeared on the albums Blows Against the Empire and Sunfighter ), was on bass. On lead guitar was Craig Chaquico who had played on three of Kantner and Slick’s solo albums, as well as in the band Steelwind. The band began rehearsals in January 1974 and opened its first tour in Chicago on March 19. By April, it was decided that the band would go into the studio to record an album. British veteran Pete Sears, who had worked on Slick’s solo album, Manhole , and played with Rod Stewart, was selected to replace Peter Kaukonen as the band’s bass player.