Spencer Dryden

Tom Campbell

Junior Member
Jefferson Airplane (among others). Underrated in jazz and rock, plus his relationship with Grace Slick<g>.

Tough resume to follow as a 54yo mostly jazz and rock 60's child.. Alas I only met Grace a few times.

More later,

Tom
 
Spencer was my idol, with his syncopatic fills, and his lighting speed, he was unique in the Rock World of the 60s and 70s.
I only saw him a couple times with the Airplane, but caught him often with the New Riders.

His signature piece with the Airplane is probably on the "Bless Its Pointed Little Head" Album recorded live at Fillmore East/West, his intro to "3/5ths of a Mile in Ten Seconds" is electrifying. Also on this album is the Earliest incarnation of Hot Tuna, Spencer, Jack Cassidy, and Jorma Kaukonen perform a heavy blusey Rock Me Baby.

Also worth a listen by any drummer is his performance on "Crown of Creation" on the album of the same name.
"Volunteers", his last album with the Jefferson Airplane has two fine examples of his unique style, "Eskimo Blue Day", and the Airplanes version of "Wooden Ships". The only song Spencer wrote for the Airplane, a country tune called "Bought Myself a Farm" is on Volunteers and foreshadowed his leaving the Band.

Spencer passed to stomach cancer in January, 2005.
 
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