History Hot Tuna

1 history

1.1 1969-1973: beginnings
1.2 1974-77: rampage years
1.3 1978-1985: hiatus , brief reunion
1.4 1986-present

history
1969-1973: beginnings

hot tuna began side project jefferson airplane, intended mark time while grace slick recovered throat node surgery had left unable perform. band s name came jorma kaukonen referred witty wag called out, hot tuna after hearing line s smell fish, oh baby, song keep on truckin . kaukonen, jack casady, paul kantner , new drummer joey covington played several shows around san francisco, including airplane s original club, matrix, before jefferson airplane resumed performing support album volunteers. (although covington had been hired jefferson airplane fill in spencer dryden, covington called when needed , dryden continued perform airplane.) once airplane had resumed touring, tuna found opening airplane. repertoire derived kaukonen s airplane material , covers of american country , blues artists such rev. gary davis, jelly roll morton, bo carter , arthur blake (blind blake).

in september 1969, kaukonen , casady employed moniker week of acoustic-based concerts @ new orleans house in berkeley, california; recordings culled engagement released band s eponymous debut album in 1970. album has become affectionately known group s fans breaking glass album , because of sound of breaking beer glasses during recording of uncle sam blues. tracks included scarlett on harmonica. after album recorded, jorma s brother peter kaukonen replaced kantner on rhythm guitar , jefferson airplane co-lead vocalist marty balin joined on vocals electric songs. in 1970, younger kaukonen replaced paul ziegler.

the band in 1972. casady , kaukonen in front; creach , piazza in back.

that summer, rca paid band go jamaica record next album, album never finished, in part due financial dispute between balin (who left both bands shortly thereafter) , kaukonen , casady. papa john creach brought in band in late 1970 – joined jefferson airplane @ same time – , jefferson airplane , hot tuna finished co-tour in november 1970 shows @ fillmore east.

in september 1970, kaukonen , casady performed 2 acoustic-based shows hot tuna without jefferson airplane @ pepperland (a capacious dance hall in san rafael, california) , received reviews, further signifying hot tuna survive without other band support it.

as jefferson airplane wound down , stopped regularly touring on eighteen months (save handful of concerts in summer of 1971 , winter of 1972) after fillmore east shows, hot tuna – whom live performance of prime importance – became independent group consisting of kaukonen, casady, drummer sammy piazza, , creach, moving electric band format. line-up first documented on album first pull up, pull down (1971), recorded live @ chateau liberte, obscure club located near los gatos, california in santa cruz mountains favored band throughout era. group appeared on 3 tracks papa john creach s debut solo album, walking tou tou second album filthy!.

the studio albums burgers (1972) , phosphorescent rat (1974) followed, creach leaving before latter recorded. these 2 albums featured kaukonen compositions. on former album, david crosby sang supporting vocals on highway song, while keyboardist nick buck (who guested group in studio next 5 years before serving touring member in 1977) contributed 3 tracks.

1974-77: rampage years

as band prepared 1974 tour in support of phosphorescent rat, kaukonen laid off piazza after deciding have band return semi-acoustic repertoire. kaukonen , casady proceeded record kaukonen s first solo album, quah. however, july 1974 marked departure bluesy, acoustic style when hot tuna dropped acoustic sets , morphed heavy rock band. in october 1974, group performed on midnight special.

the albums america s choice (1975), yellow fever (1975), , hoppkorv (1976) showcase power trio addition of new drummer bob steeler. jeff tamarkin s liner notes on rca platinum gold hot tuna collection characterize trilogy being emblematic of band s rampage years. kaukonen quoted saying change of focus due fact fun loud. during period, kaukonen s electric guitar playing multi-layered, prominently showcasing such effects roland jet phaser. rampage style typified solos on funky #7 , serpent of dreams on america s choice , song fire maiden, sunrise dance devil, , surphase tension on yellow fever. live performances throughout epoch distinguished free-flow improvisational jams , long sets (up 6 hours uninterrupted) extended versions of studio material; november 1976 concert @ palladium in new york city featured 16-minute version of invitation. however, producer harry maslin did not appreciate group s style , held them more traditional rock format (including several cover songs) hoppkorv. in 1977, kaukonen began perform solo sets before band perform. trio stopped touring @ end of 1977 , performed final concert (with keyboardist nick buck , saxophonist buffalo bob roberts) @ palladium on november 26.

although live performances iterations of group enjoyed notable cult following of 1970s, hot tuna failed rival or eclipse jefferson airplane , jefferson starship commercial standpoint; while 2 of albums era reached billboard top 100, america s choice successful post-airplane album (peaking @ #75) , post-1972 album chart more ten weeks.

1978-1985: hiatus , brief reunion

due emergent tensions between kaukonen , casady, planned 1978 tour cancelled, kaukonen filling these dates performing solo. double live album, double dose, released year document of previous year s tour. casady , kaukonen went separate ways , pursued short-lived careers in new wave bands svt , vital parts, respectively. in 1979, kaukonen released second solo album , grunt records released hot tuna compilation final vinyl.

rhythm guitarist michael falzarano , drummer shigemi komiyama joined kaukonen , casady hot tuna reunion tour in 1983. group played mix of new material alongside classic hot tuna songs. this, combined group s hard rock , heavy metal approach, not received, reports of fans walking out of shows.

1986-present

hot tuna @ merlefest, 2006. left right, jack casady, jorma kaukonen , barry mitterhoff.

hot tuna again reformed in 1986, producer joey balin joining on rhythm guitar until 1987. kantner joined band in 1987 , 1988, adding old jefferson airplane songs setlist. grace slick showed on stage 1 show @ fillmore in march 1988. band continued 1989 , kaukonen , casady joined 1989 jefferson airplane reunion album , tour, performing acoustic hot tuna sets in middle of each show. @ end of airplane tour, hot tuna resumed electric performances, adding falzarano , drummer joey stefko. shortly thereafter, new yorker harvey sorgen replaced stefko on drums , galen underwood joined on keyboards first album of new material in 14 years, 1990 s pair dice found. kaukonen , falzarano both contributed original songs.

throughout 1990s, hot tuna again alternated between acoustic , electric styles. 2 sweetwater albums predominantly acoustic sets guests such bob weir, maria muldaur , former jefferson starship bassist-keyboardist pete sears; latter join group on permanent basis on latter instrument during decade. 1997 release live in japan in many ways reminiscent of first hot tuna album, having minimalistic sound , being recorded live @ tiny venue (stove s in yokohama). falzarano , sears stayed band until 2000s.

in 2004, casady , kaukonen joined guitarist barry mitterhoff , drummer erik diaz. in august 2009, following departure of diaz, skoota warner officially joined band drummer. in november 2010, hot tuna performed semi-acoustic trio: casady, kaukonen , mitterhoff @ midnight ramble @ levon helm s barn studio in woodstock, new york. in same month, kaukonen announced on blog hot tuna had begun recording first studio album in 20 years. album, steady goes, released red house records on april 5, 2011. first half of 2011, guitarist jim lauderdale , harmonica player charlie musselwhite toured them; later in year joined musselwhite, guitarists david bromberg, larry campbell, steve kimock, , g. e. smith, , vocalist teresa williams. both campbell , williams, guested on steady goes album, have remained band in touring capacity. in 2014, justin guip, had engineered album in addition kaukonen s recent solo work, took on drumming duties warner.