AMG Review of Greatest Hits: Live at the Fillmore

Ross Boissoneau
All Music Guide

Worse than an embarrassment, this is an abomination. First and worst, this is more Jefferson Airplane than Starship, with three former Airplaners Paul Kantner, Marty Balin and Jack Casady - compared with only two of the Starship's original flight crew (Balin and Kantner). And more than half the tracks are Airplane tunes, not Starship tunes. Then there's the quality of the performance - loud and nostalgic, competent at best, and not particularly inspired. New female vocalist Diana Mangano is fetching to look at perhaps, but she adds nothing new in standing in for Grace Slick. The backing musicianship, apart from Prairie Prince's thunderous drumming, is totally faceless. Balin seems unable or unwilling to hit notes or phrase the way he did during the Starship's gravy days. Trips down memory lane are fine, but even as a memoir of the Airplane, this doesn't make the grade.