In the mid 1970s, the original founding members of San Francisco’s legendary psychedelic band Jefferson Airplane reinvented themselves for a new generation as the more forward-looking Jefferson Starship. With guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady peeling off to pursue the harder-edged, blues-based Hot Tuna full-time, the remaining core regrouped, retooled, and went back to work. The result was a hit-filled re-entry into the marketplace, capped by the double-platinum juggernaut Red Octopus in 1975, an album that made it clear this was not a nostalgia act but a band very much aiming at the present.
So popular was the group that several of their albums were released in the then-new, highly experimental four-channel sound format known as Quadraphonic. “Quad,” as it came to be called, ultimately flamed out as a consumer format thanks to messy format wars and real-world playback headaches—quad vinyl in particular was a minor miracle when it worked at all. As a result, those discrete four-channel mixes sat in the vaults for decades, unheard and largely forgotten, waiting for someone with both the means and the good sense to bring them back.
Enter Rhino. Newly mastered for Blu-ray Disc playback over standard home theater systems, the label’s ongoing Quadio series has become a quiet gift to surround-sound obsessives. These releases generally sound excellent, sourced from the original half-inch four-channel masters and transferred at 192 kHz, 24-bit resolution. Initially sold direct via rhino.com, most Quadio titles are also readily available through Amazon—no decoder rings or vintage quad gear required.
It is important to set realistic expectations for these original Quad mixes which were created in the 1970s — while many offer excellent surround experiences, they are often not quite on par with the modern immersive experiences of 5.1 surround or 7.1 Dolby Atmos. Regardless, part of the joy of listening to these releases is to hear what the producers were trying to do with Quad music in the 1970s — it was all new territory and there were no real rules.
Three Jefferson Starship Quadio releases have been released in this series thus far. Not surprisingly, Red Octopus is the most compelling because it contains some of the band’s best known songs including “Fast Buck Freddie,” “Play On Love” and of course the mega hit ballad “Miracles.” This album was an enormous hit, eventually reaching double-platinum status (2 million units sold) and reaching the #1 spot on Billboard Magazine’s charts. The four-channel mix of Red Octopus is quite good and definitely forward facing, but there are some nice moments where the rear channels are used to create an immersive experience. Of the three albums I found this one the most enjoyable to listen to, both for the mix, overall fidelity and the music.
Where to buy: $25.99 at Amazon
1974 marked Jefferson Starship’s debut release Dragon Fly album with its popular hit single “Ride the Tiger” and singer Marty Balin’s “Caroline.” The quad mix is genuinely solid, and it’s hard not to smile when violinist Papa John Creach comes at you in all his bluesy, fiddle-sawing glory from different corners of the room. It’s one of those moments where the format actually earns its keep instead of feeling like a gimmick. The Quadio edition of Dragon Fly is available on Amazon for $24.98.
Where to buy: $24.98 at Amazon
The one Jefferson Starship album I remain befuddled by is 1976’s chart-topping and million selling Spitfire. This recording underwhelmed me when I first heard it back in the day and even with the Quad mix I still find this music rather forgettable. But, if you’re a deep fan of Jefferson Starship, you’ll probably want to get Spitfire which is on sale on Amazon at the time of this writing.
Where to buy: $24.98 at Amazon
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
Related Reading:
- Rod Stewart & Z.Z. Top Quadraphonic Blu-Ray Audio Reissues Review | Rhino’s New “Quadio” Series
- 4 New Titles Debut In Rhino’s Quadio Series Including Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Billy Cobham And The Spinners
- Quadraphonic Blu-Ray Audio Review: New Rhino “Quadio” Series Reissues From The Modern Jazz Quartet And Moog Synthesizer Pioneers Beaver & Krause
