Paul Kantner Biography

Fast Facts

• Had his biggest commercial success with the 1975 Jefferson Starship album "Red Octopus," which went double platinum
• Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the others members of Jefferson Airplane in 1996
• During a tumultuous time with Jefferson Airplane, he recorded the Hugo Award-winning album "Blows Against the Empire" with Grace Slick under the name Paul Kanter and Jefferson Starship
• Formed Jefferson Airplane with Marty Balin and Signe Toly Anderson in 1965, becoming the first San Francisco band to be signed to a major label
• Quote: "The rock bands of the 1960s supplanted the football and military heroes, and just as all those heroes had fallen when put to the test, rock musicians proved they had no more of an answer to saving the world than anybody else․"
• Quote: "[on performing live] "[We're] trying to make consciousness․ Pointing things out․ Just make people enjoy themselves․ We didn't even know what we were doing when we started doing it․""
• Best known as a guitarist and founding member of the bands Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship