Biography
The origins of Starship trace back to the resolution of a legal dispute. Even with this unusual start, the ensemble notched a string of mid-1980s successes in polished mainstream pop/rock, among them the number-one singles "We Built This City," "Sara," and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," before disbanding in the early 1990s.
What became Starship was the six-piece lineup that, alongside Paul Kantner, had comprised Jefferson Starship until the rhythm guitarist and singer departed that group in June 1984. Kantner, who had co-founded both Jefferson Airplane—the band that preceded Jefferson Starship—and Jefferson Starship itself in 1974, grew critical of the outfit’s shift toward commercial rock and sought its dissolution ten years after its formation. The remaining members refused, prompting Kantner to file suit in October 1984 over finances and the rights to the group’s name. The case concluded in March 1985 with a cash settlement for Kantner and an agreement that "Jefferson Starship" would be retired; the band would instead operate as Starship, a name jointly owned by singer Grace Slick and manager Bill Thompson.
Under the new designation the roster consisted of Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing in or near Chicago, IL, October 30, 1939), co-lead singer Mickey Thomas (born in Cairo, GA, December 3, 1949), guitarist Craig Chaquico (born September 25, 1954), keyboardist David Freiberg (born in Boston, MA, August 24, 1938), bassist Pete Sears (born May 27, 1948), and drummer Donny Baldwin. Freiberg soon exited. Liberated from Kantner’s influence on their earlier sound, the freshly renamed band entered the studio at once. Their debut release, "We Built This City," was written by Dennis Lambert, Martin Page, Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist), and Peter Wolf (not the former J. Geils Band vocalist), who also co-produced the track and contributed keyboards. The single accomplished two firsts for any Jefferson Airplane or Jefferson Starship release: it reached number one in November 1985 and earned gold certification, effectively launching the inaugural Starship album, Knee Deep in the Hoopla, which climbed into the Top Ten and achieved platinum status—an improvement over any Jefferson Starship record since 1978. A second chart-topper, "Sara," written by Wolf with his wife Ina and also included on the album, followed, while a third single, "Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Tonight," entered the Top 40.
These sales positioned Starship as an independent act with a fresh following. After Pete Sears departed, the group was reduced to a quartet for its next effort, a contribution to the film Mannequin. Issued as a single in January 1987, "Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now," penned by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, became Starship’s third number-one hit in April and later received a second gold certification. The follow-up album, No Protection, appeared in July 1987 after the Top Ten single "It’s Not Over ('Til It’s Over)," with the LP itself peaking at number 12 and earning gold.
Grace Slick exited at the beginning of 1988, leaving Thomas, Chaquico, and Baldwin as a trio. They recruited keyboardist Mark Morgan and bassist Brett Bloomfield, then issued their third album, Love Among the Cannibals, in summer 1989; it contained the Top 20 hit "It’s Not Enough" yet sold modestly. A tour scheduled from mid-August through September was curtailed when Thomas suffered a severe beating on September 24 that required facial surgery. Although charges were never filed, Baldwin was later identified as the assailant and immediately left the band. Chaquico departed in 1990 while Thomas recovered. In spring 1991, RCA released Greatest Hits (Ten Years and Change 1979-1991), which included one new track, "Good Heart," written by Martin Page and performed by Thomas, Page, Wolf, and guitarist Peter Maunu; issued as a single, it reached number 81. At that point Bill Thompson announced that Starship was inactive.
In 1992 Thomas assembled musicians for shows billed as "Mickey Thomas’ Starship" or "Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas." Although Thomas lacked ownership of the name "Starship," co-owners Thompson and Grace Slick took no steps to prevent its use. In 2003 the Brilliant label issued an album simply credited to Starship containing re-recordings of the band’s major hits plus selections from Thomas’s Jefferson Starship period and "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," the 1976 hit he had sung with the Elvin Bishop Group. A decade later Thomas returned with another Starship album, Loveless Fascination, recorded and produced in 2013 by Foreigner’s Jeff Pilson.
What became Starship was the six-piece lineup that, alongside Paul Kantner, had comprised Jefferson Starship until the rhythm guitarist and singer departed that group in June 1984. Kantner, who had co-founded both Jefferson Airplane—the band that preceded Jefferson Starship—and Jefferson Starship itself in 1974, grew critical of the outfit’s shift toward commercial rock and sought its dissolution ten years after its formation. The remaining members refused, prompting Kantner to file suit in October 1984 over finances and the rights to the group’s name. The case concluded in March 1985 with a cash settlement for Kantner and an agreement that "Jefferson Starship" would be retired; the band would instead operate as Starship, a name jointly owned by singer Grace Slick and manager Bill Thompson.
Under the new designation the roster consisted of Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing in or near Chicago, IL, October 30, 1939), co-lead singer Mickey Thomas (born in Cairo, GA, December 3, 1949), guitarist Craig Chaquico (born September 25, 1954), keyboardist David Freiberg (born in Boston, MA, August 24, 1938), bassist Pete Sears (born May 27, 1948), and drummer Donny Baldwin. Freiberg soon exited. Liberated from Kantner’s influence on their earlier sound, the freshly renamed band entered the studio at once. Their debut release, "We Built This City," was written by Dennis Lambert, Martin Page, Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist), and Peter Wolf (not the former J. Geils Band vocalist), who also co-produced the track and contributed keyboards. The single accomplished two firsts for any Jefferson Airplane or Jefferson Starship release: it reached number one in November 1985 and earned gold certification, effectively launching the inaugural Starship album, Knee Deep in the Hoopla, which climbed into the Top Ten and achieved platinum status—an improvement over any Jefferson Starship record since 1978. A second chart-topper, "Sara," written by Wolf with his wife Ina and also included on the album, followed, while a third single, "Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Tonight," entered the Top 40.
These sales positioned Starship as an independent act with a fresh following. After Pete Sears departed, the group was reduced to a quartet for its next effort, a contribution to the film Mannequin. Issued as a single in January 1987, "Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now," penned by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, became Starship’s third number-one hit in April and later received a second gold certification. The follow-up album, No Protection, appeared in July 1987 after the Top Ten single "It’s Not Over ('Til It’s Over)," with the LP itself peaking at number 12 and earning gold.
Grace Slick exited at the beginning of 1988, leaving Thomas, Chaquico, and Baldwin as a trio. They recruited keyboardist Mark Morgan and bassist Brett Bloomfield, then issued their third album, Love Among the Cannibals, in summer 1989; it contained the Top 20 hit "It’s Not Enough" yet sold modestly. A tour scheduled from mid-August through September was curtailed when Thomas suffered a severe beating on September 24 that required facial surgery. Although charges were never filed, Baldwin was later identified as the assailant and immediately left the band. Chaquico departed in 1990 while Thomas recovered. In spring 1991, RCA released Greatest Hits (Ten Years and Change 1979-1991), which included one new track, "Good Heart," written by Martin Page and performed by Thomas, Page, Wolf, and guitarist Peter Maunu; issued as a single, it reached number 81. At that point Bill Thompson announced that Starship was inactive.
In 1992 Thomas assembled musicians for shows billed as "Mickey Thomas’ Starship" or "Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas." Although Thomas lacked ownership of the name "Starship," co-owners Thompson and Grace Slick took no steps to prevent its use. In 2003 the Brilliant label issued an album simply credited to Starship containing re-recordings of the band’s major hits plus selections from Thomas’s Jefferson Starship period and "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," the 1976 hit he had sung with the Elvin Bishop Group. A decade later Thomas returned with another Starship album, Loveless Fascination, recorded and produced in 2013 by Foreigner’s Jeff Pilson.
Albums
