A string of events resulted in the formation of Jefferson Starship with rhythm guitarist Paul Kantner and vocalist Grace Slick first collaborating with former Quicksilver Messenger Service member and multi-instrumentalist David Freiberg on 1970's ‘Blows Against The Empire’.

Then, Slick's 1974 solo album, ‘Manhole’, featured another multi-instrumentalist in Pete Sears, who earlier appeared on violinist Papa John Creach's self-titled debut solo album. Both drummer John Barbata and Creach became latter-day members of Jefferson Airplane where vocalist Marty Balin was initially paired with Kantner and Slick on 1974's ‘Dragon Fly’ before officially joining Jefferson Starship in January 1975. Kantner's discovery of the then-20-year-old guitarist Craig Chaquico completed the creative mix of Jefferson Starship with all these musicians performing together on ‘Red Octopus’.

With Balin returning as a full-time member for ‘Red Octopus’, he wrote or co-wrote five of the albums ten tracks, including the brilliant Miracles featuring a sax solo by non-band member Irv Cox, and Tumblin’ with frequent Grateful Dead collaborator Robert Hunter. With every member on this collective, barring drummer John Barbata, sharing songwriting credits, which is precisely what makes this album sound diverse and, with it, exceptional.

‘Red Octopus’ – which found David Freiberg, Paul Kantner. and Grace Slick sharing lead vocal duties with Balin – absolutely succeeded as an album through the sheer force of its variety. From song to song, the album played to every strength of Jefferson Starship's collaborative whole, commencing with the up-tempo album-opener Fast Buck Freddie, co-written by Slick and Chaquico. May be considered risky during that era, the album also contained two instrumentals: the Creach showcased Git Fiddler – co-written by the then unknown Keb’ Mo’ – which combined a bluegrass feel with a funky groove and featured an amazing keyboard interlude, along withSears' extremely Procol Harum-inflected, and western classical-influenced Sandalphon.

‘Red Octopus’certainly contains an immense amount of creative influences, thanks to theband’s eight-member line-up (and, hence, reference to “octopus” in the title for its eight musical arms), leading to multiple singers, varied songwriters, and diverse musical styles featuring musicians ranging from blues violinist Papa John Creachto teenage-hippie lead guitarist Craig Chaquico.

For the trivia-minded, whether it was intentional or coincidental, fans found what appeared to be collective themes of nature’s elements across Jefferson Starship’s first four album covers, starting with 1974’s debut ‘Dragon Fly’ – credited to Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, and Jefferson Starship– which focused on air, followed by wateron ‘Red Octopus’. The albums thereafter were themed on fire (‘Spitfire’) and, in concluding the last of the elements, the fourth album was named ‘Earth’.

Whatever brought themembers or these elements together, they fit perfectly into a collaborative whole as the success of ‘Red Octopus’ was undeniable as, even today, the album remains the best-selling project from any iteration of the Jefferson Airplane / Jefferson Starship / Starship family tree of bands, and deservedly so.

Released on: 13^th June 1975

Recorded: February 1975

Duration: 42.01 minutes

Rating: ****

Reviewed by Parag Kamani

Parag Kamani has been part of the media and entertainment industry across 35 years, having worked for licensors such as Warner Music and EMI/Virgin in music, as well as Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures in the field of films. Parag continues pursuing his passion as a profession.