Spencer Dryden, RIP

The greatest drummer for one of America's greatest rock n' roll bands is gone at age 66, after some really rough times. It might not mean shit to a tree, as his old partner Grace Slick in Jefferson Airplane sang, but his music meant a lot to me.

[Link thanks to Angela Keaton.]

Comments

[josef]

Instead of a funeral, why don't they just shove a bone up his ass and let the dogs drag him off?

[Brian Doherty]

Josef, your mom called. She just wanted you to know how very proud of you she is.

[Ultimate Fitness Program]

josef, I don't know if I'm more amused or disgusted.

Yeah I do, I'm amused. That was fucking funny.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Hey, not only has he banged the drums at Woodstock, but Grace Slick as well (at her prime). Impressive.

[Semolina Pilchard]

Within a couple of years, these 1960s rock 'n' roll obits are going to start becoming depressingly common.

You gotta figure in an era when young sprout Stevie Winwood has finally hit his late 50s -- he turns 57 this spring -- the legends are set to start dropping like flies. And it's all gonna disorient the hell out of the boomers.

[TWC]

That photo was taken ever so got dam long ago. Yer makin' me feel really old here Bri. But isn't that Matt Welch there in the middle?

Mrs. TWC has a twin sister who used to live next door to the Grateful Dead House in Haight. Now mind you, this was in the early 90's and the house is beautifully kept these days with no hint that the Dead ever partied there. Except there are still pilgrims with black felt tip markers who come there to leave greetings on the porch for Jerry and the band. Very strange.

Speaking of the Airplane didn't Gracie get arrested for threatening the fire department with a shotgun a decade ago or so?

[McClain]

Always liked Jefferson Airplane.
Their "After Bathing At Baxters" album invents and distills that whole trippy, West Coast, jam-band hippie vibe.
Sorry to hear about the late, great, jazz-influenced drummer kicking the bucket.
Off to that permanent big love-in in the sky....

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Never heard the Grace Slick shotgun story, but I love her account of her trying to sneak acid to Richard Nixon. To this day, she is completely unapologetic about it. Gotta love this broad.

The "Jefferson Airplane" had a free concert at my town several months ago. I hate this crap when they have the studio drummer from an early incarnation of a band and then try to pass it off. But the chick they had looked like a young version of Grace, so that was cool. I endured a lot of crappy songs until "White Rabbit", which turned out to be an excellent performance.