History Music / Starship

Starship released three albums of pop rock (in alternating shades of glam-tinged ArenaRock and adult contemporary) in the mid to late 1980s and had three number-one singles with the synth-laden songs "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'', granting them substantial commercial success despite their low critical reputation. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985) after discovering that his keyboard parts had been unknowingly delegated to session musicians, Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987 (although he would later perform regularly with the Jefferson Airplane successor band Hot Tuna), and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, releasing two additional singles on a greatest hits compilation before manager Bill Thompson (formerly of both the Airplane and Jefferson Starship) fired the remaining members in [[TheNineties 1991]] owing to plummeting sales. With Starship's final unceremonious breakup, the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons concluded, having persisted over an impressive 26-year period spanning from the heyday of Music/TheByrds and Music/BobDylan to the dawn of the grunge era.

Starship released three albums of pop rock (in alternating shades of glam-tinged ArenaRock and adult contemporary) in the mid to late 1980s and had three number-one singles with the synth-laden songs "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'', granting them substantial commercial success despite their low critical reputation. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985) after discovering that his keyboard parts had been unknowingly delegated to session musicians, Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987 (although he would later perform regularly with the Jefferson Airplane successor band Hot Tuna), and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, releasing two additional singles on a greatest hits compilation before manager Bill Thompson (formerly of both the Airplane and Jefferson Starship) fired the remaining members in [[TheNineties 1991]] owing to plummeting sales. With Starship's final unceremonious breakup, the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons concluded, having elapsed over an impressive 26-year period spanning from the heyday of Music/TheByrds and Music/BobDylan to the dawn of the grunge era.

Starship released three albums of pop rock (in alternating shades of glam-tinged ArenaRock and adult contemporary) in the mid to late 1980s and had three number-one singles with the synth-laden songs "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'', granting them substantial commercial success despite their low critical reputation. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985) after discovering that his keyboard parts had been unknowingly delegated to session musicians, Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987 (although he would later perform regularly with the Jefferson Airplane successor band Hot Tuna), and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, eventually breaking up in [[TheNineties 1991]] and resultantly concluding the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons after 26 years.

'''Starship''' is an American pop-rock band formed in 1984. It is the legal and SpiritualSuccessor to Music/JeffersonStarship, which itself is a SpiritualSuccessor to Music/JeffersonAirplane. Starship was formed directly after the dissolution of Music/JeffersonStarship, caused by the departure of Paul Kantner (a founding member of both the aforementioned groups); subsequent legal action by Kantner led the remaining members to remove the "Jefferson" moniker, thus rechristening themselves "Starship". Presumably to prevent the acrimonious inter-band conflicts that had befallen (and ultimately obliterated) its predecessor, Starship shifted from playing primarily group-written work to externally-sourced material; only a single track on their debut album ''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' was contributed by any members.

Starship released three albums of pop rock (in alternating shades of glam-tinged ArenaRock and adult contemporary) in the mid to late 1980s and had three number-one singles with the synth-laden songs "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'', granting them substantial commercial success despite their low critical reputation. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985) after discovering that his keyboard parts had been unknowingly delegated to session musicians, Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987 (although he would later perform regularly with the Jefferson Airplane successor band Hot Tuna), and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, eventually breaking up in [[TheNineties 1991]] and resultantly concluding the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons.

Starship released three albums of pop rock (in alternating shades of glam-tinged Arena Rock and adult contemporary) in the mid to late 1980s and had three number-one singles with the synth-laden songs "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'', granting them substantial commercial success despite their low critical reputation. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985) after discovering that his keyboard parts had been unknowingly delegated to session musicians, Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987 (although he would later perform regularly with the Jefferson Airplane successor band Hot Tuna), and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, eventually breaking up in [[TheNineties 1991]] and resultantly concluding the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons.

Starship released three albums of adult contemporary-esque pop in the mid to late 1980s and had three number-one singles with the synth-laden songs "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'', granting them substantial commercial success despite their low critical reputation. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985) after discovering that his keyboard parts had been unknowingly delegated to session musicians, Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987 (although he would later perform regularly with the Jefferson Airplane successor band Hot Tuna), and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, eventually breaking up in [[TheNineties 1991]] and resultantly concluding the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons.

* ArenaRock: The predominant style for the group, albeit in a more synthpop and adult contemporary-adjacent form than Jefferson Starship's output earlier in the decade.

'''Starship''' is an American pop-rock band formed in 1984. It is the legal and SpiritualSuccessor to Music/JeffersonStarship, which itself is a SpiritualSuccessor to Music/JeffersonAirplane. Starship was formed directly after the dissolution of Music/JeffersonStarship, caused by the departure of Paul Kantner (a founding member of both the aforementioned groups); subsequent legal action by Kantner led the remaining members to remove the Jefferson" moniker, thus rechristening themselves "Starship". Presumably to prevent the acrimonious inter-band conflicts that had befallen (and ultimately obliterated) its predecessor, Starship shifted from playing primarily group-written work to externally-sourced material; only a single track on their debut album ''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' was contributed by any members.

Starship released three somewhat synth-heavy albums in the mid to late 1980s and had three number one singles with "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}''. Though generally critically reviled, they were quite successful commercially nonetheless. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985), Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987, and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, the Music/DefLeppard-reminiscent ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, eventually breaking up in [[TheNineties 1991]] and resultantly concluding the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons.

However, around the same time Paul Kantner reformed Music/JeffersonStarship, Mickey Thomas chose to reform Starship. Briefly known as '''Mickey Thomas's Starship''', they quickly settled on '''Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas''', a clear indication of Thomas being the band. With a revolving-door line-up, Starship continues to tour today. Guitarist Mark Abrahamian tragically died of a heart attack after a concert in 2012, and Starship released their first album in over 20 years with ''Loveless Fascination'' the following year, to extremely positive reviews.

Starship released three somewhat synth-heavy albums in the mid to late 1980s and had three number one singles with "We Built This City", "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", the latter of which was famously used in the film ''Film/{{Mannequin}}''. Though generally critically reviled, they were quite successful commercially nonetheless. However, this band turned out to have less staying power than its two predecessors. Longtime Jefferson Starship member David Freiberg left during the making of their first album (''Knee Deep In The Hoopla'', 1985), Pete Sears, after realising what the hell he was doing there (literally) left in 1987, and Grace Slick, the group's sole remaining link to Jefferson Airplane, left the following year after being [[DemotedToExtra increasingly sidelined]] on the group's second album, ''No Protection'' and, ultimately, becoming unavoidably jaded with the group's perceived creative sterility. With Mickey Thomas as the sole remaining lead singer, they released a single further album, ''Love Among the Cannibals'', before two notable disruptions impaired the group's progress further: on the 1989 tour, Donny Baldwin was sacked after assaulting Thomas to the point where Thomas had to have facial reconstruction surgery and plates implanted into his skull, while longtime guitarist Craig Chaquico (the final remaining founding member of Jefferson Starship) departed in 1990, completing the group's transformation into an [[IAmTheBand effective solo vehicle for Thomas]]. The band subsequently disintegrated, eventually breaking up in [[TheNineties 1991]] and resultantly concluding the main evolutionary line of the Jeffersons.

* LighterAndSofter: Relative even to Jefferson Starship, Starship's lyrics tend to be vehemently apolitical (a number of tracks offered by longtime Jefferson Starship Pete Sears were thereby actively rejected for their political commentary), almost invariably centering on romantic love with a quasi-idealistic worldview. Bizarrely, "We Built This City", while often reviled as naïve and insincere by both music critics and fans of the group's predecessors, serves as an exception to this trend.

** Grace Slick quit Starship after ''No Protection'' (in which she [[DemotedToExtra only featured on three of the album's eleven tracks]]) due to both conflicts with Thomas' [[IAmTheBand mounting egomania]] and recognition of her apathy towards the group's output. She would rejoin the reformed Music/JeffersonAirplane a year later - only to quit them after one tour when she decided she was getting too old for this.

* WordSaladLyrics: "We Built This City" uses mostly nonsense lyrics ("someone's always playing corporation games"), which is a contributing factor in critics slamming the song as "the worst rock song ever".

* WordSaladLyrics: "We Built This City" uses mostly nonsense lyrics, which is a contributing factor in critics slamming the song as "the worst rock song ever".

* ControlFreak: Mickey Thomas by all accounts.

** The bridge between the the second stanza and final reprise of the chorus features a different radio DJ depending on which station played the song back in the day (The version as done by MTV's Les Garland is the one heard in the studio recording).

* HeavyMeta: "We Built This City."
* IAmTheBand: Mickey Thomas, particularly following Grace Slick's departure in 1988.

* OneWomanSong: "Sara".
* PowerBallad: "Sara", "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", "It's Not Enough".

* RevolvingDoorBand: As evidenced by the ''huge'' list of band members written above. Note that, unlike the revived Jefferson Starship, none of Starship's other founding members have featured (presumably due to long-standing interpersonal conflicts) in the group's current incarnation, further solidifying its status as this.

* WordSaladLyrics: "We Built This City" uses mostly nonsense lyrics which is a contributing factor in critics slamming the song as "the worst rock song ever".

%%* ControlFreak: Mickey Thomas by all accounts.

%%* HeavyMeta: "We Built This City."
%%* IAmTheBand: Just as Paul Kantner IS Music/JeffersonStarship, Mickey Thomas IS Music/{{Starship}}, arguably to an even greater degree.

* TheEighties: Starship became pretty much the poster band for the so-called "corporate rock" movement mid-decade, an ironic fate for a group distantly descended from one of the most counterculture-aligned and politically-oriented groups of TheSixties.

* TheEighties: Starship became pretty much the poster band for the so-called "corporate rock" movement mid-decade.

'''Starship''' is an American pop-rock band formed in 1984. It is the legal and SpiritualSuccessor to Music/JeffersonStarship, which itself is a SpiritualSuccessor to Music/JeffersonAirplane. Starship was formed directly after the dissolution of Music/JeffersonStarship, caused by the departure of Paul Kantner; subsequent legal action by Kantner led the remaining members to remove the Jefferson" moniker, thus rechristening themselves "Starship". Presumably to prevent the acrimonious inter-band conflicts that had befallen (and ultimately obliterated) its predecessor, Starship shifted from playing primarily group-written work to externally-sourced material; only a single track on their debut album ''Knee Deep in the Hoopla'' was contributed by any members.

%%* ADateWithRosiePalms: "Rock Myself To Sleep", as the title suggests.

* CityShoutOuts: When the band played at Woodstock 1969, after the opening song "Waiting", Carlos Santana greeted the crowd and had a brief moment of confusion over what state he was in.
-->'''Carlos Santana:''' Thanks very much. It's nice to be here in New York. Are we-- we are in New York? Yeah...

* RevolvingDoorBand: As evidenced by the ''huge'' list of band members written above. Note that, unlike the revived Jefferson Starship, none of Starship's founding members have featured (presumably due to long-standing interpersonal conflicts) in the group's current incarnation, further solidifying its status as this.