Paul Katner R.I.P.

The influx of Rock Stars dying in 2016 has brought back a lot of memories. Hearing the news of David Bowie’s passing brought me right back to my old RCA Video Cassette Recorder that my Dad would record musical performances from Saturday Night Live, Don Kirshana and other late night musical programming for me to watch all week long.

He edited the tapes on the spot with a single -button remote control pause button that was attached to the VCR by a single slim black wire. I still have the edited tapes and I still recall each tape’s sequence which included Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” video masterpiece, which was pre-MTV, and the legendary SNL performance with Klaus Nomi. This was my immediate recall when I heard the news about the former Ziggy Stardust, Starman, Man Who Sold the World, Major Tom Legend who played a massive role in my music education.

I had the same feeling today, I had been reading about the fact that today, January 28, 2016, was the 30 year anniversary of the Black Sabbath record “Seventh Star,” which was an unsuccessful Tony Iommi lead project that had a gigantic effect on myself in a number of ways.

I loved the record, especially the track “Heart Like a Wheel,” I actually played the song with my band at the time, “Cosmic Experience.” I actually went to the concert, which was the 3rd show on the tour, the last night before the lead singer, former Deep Purple bassist, Glen Hughes was fired. the show was amazing and gave me my first exposure to thrash music seeing Anthrax on their “Spreading the Disease” tour. The only thing notable about the 30th anniversary is that it is the day we lost Paul Katner of Jefferson Airplane/Starship fame.

Soon after MTV claimed its fame of Rock Videos, Katner was a pioneer of the rock video world with Jefferson Starship. Sure I knew him from the Airplane, but for myself Starship was not my favorite, but a band that intrigued me.

Katner was a strictly rhythm player on a Rickenbacker 12 string who was clearly the bandleader which I admired at the time and still do this day. He was a Rock Star that showed versatility and the talent to be successful in multiple generations of music and put his stamp on the history of Psychedelic and Top 40 music.