Recollections of Skip Spence and Signe Toly Anderson, from the forthcoming book Rising Toward the Flame

by Bob Harvey

Bob Harvey was the first bass player in Jefferson Airplane, throughout the band's first several months in 1965, before being replaced by Jack Casady. Bob had previously played with a bluegrass group called the Slippery Rock String Band before hooking up with Marty Balin and Paul Kantner and landing in the Airplane.

Still making music today, Bob has been writing his memoirs of his time in the Airplane. In the following excerpt he recalls two of the band's legendary early members, drummer Skip Spence (who replaced the first drummer, Jerry Peloquin) and vocalist Signe Toly Anderson, who preceded Grace Slick as the female voice of the band.

This is not an outtake or expanded story from Got a Revolution! (and some of the details conflict with other accounts I've been told of this particular event), but I thought it was worth including here. This story will appear, along with many others from Bob, in a book he is writing called Rising Toward the Flame.

For more information on Bob Harvey and his current activities visit his San Francisco Blue web site.


Skip Spence was a blythe spirit. He knew how to listen--and watch. The story that is told about the manner in which Skip joined Jefferson Airplane is most unlikely and very true. I liked Jerry Peloquin because he was supportive of my bass playing. He kept telling Kantner that, "Harvey keeps the beat and that is what's important." But we all knew his days were numbered. It was simply that he didn't get high--period.

It was the night that Jerry Peloquin and Paul Kantner's mutual disdain came to a boiling point. Paul had absolutely no concern for other people's feelings. If you did nothing to aggravate him, he ignored you. If you irritated him, he would put you down with comments that could cut to the bone. The band was having an afternoon rehearsal before the 9 o'clock show. Paul didn't like the drum part in the chorus of "Midnight Hour." Paul stopped the song right in the middle of the chorus and said, "Stop playing that lame-ass polka beat. Go back to Wisconsin with the Kilbasso Kings--that's where you belong."

Jerry Peloquin was built well and weighed a good 45 lbs. more than Paul Kantner, plus he had been in the Marine Corps. He jumped up from his drums and said, "Kantner, you wouldn't know a good beat if somebody clubbed you with it," and he punched Paul Kantner square in the mouth, knocking him flat on his ass."

Paul stayed down. Jerry said, "Fuck all of you pretend musicians. I've been in jazz and rock and roll. I was making a living at it when you were still a bunch of snot-nosed kids. Take this stupid shit and stick it up your ass--I'm out of here."

Jerry stomped out the door of the Matrix and we never saw him again. Marty Balin looked down at John Cipollina (rhythm guitar for Quicksilver) and said, "Do you know a drummer?" John shook his head and said, "No." He looked over at David Freiberg (later of Jefferson Starship), but David shrugged his shoulders.

Skip Spence was standing by the bar. That was the first time he had visited the Matrix. He was there with John Cipollina and his girlfriend Angie. Skip looked like he belonged in a band for sure. Close to six feet tall, handsome, with dark blond shoulder length hair. Marty looked down from the stage, spotted Spence and said, "That cat looks like the quintessential hippy--that's my drummer. He left the stage, walked up to Skipper and said. "You're my drummer."

Skip, who had witnessed the scene with Peloquin, looked at Marty and said, "Cool, but I'm not a drummer."

Marty's response was, "Sure you are. I have a feeling you're the one--you're our new drummer. Get up there and let's run through our set. We're on in a couple of hours."

Surprisingly, Skip held the beat pretty well. Marty and Paul looked at each other and Paul shrugged as if to say, "Whatever, man, it's your call." It wasn't exciting rhythm on the drums, but it was passable and [manager] Matthew Katz said, "Isn't that some shit, Marty picks 'em with extra sensory perception."

Skip Spence was easy to like, amiable--he was a team player. He did whatever he was told. He had a good sense of humor and he was one of those rare people who can pick up practically any instrument and sound like he knows what he's doing. Within days, Skip had all the songs down cold and everybody was happy. Matthew Katz asked Marty how he knew. Marty just shrugged and said, "I just have a feeling about people."

Skip was basically a street person. He didn't have a car and he was crashing with one lady or another, mostly over in the Haight-Ashbury. The women were drawn to Skip like moths to the flame. I liked hanging out with Skipper. We didn't talk all that much, but he was easy to be around and he always had good dope. We wrote one song together called "Hurting for People"

Hurting for People
©BobHarvey-Skip Spence

Hurting for people/got no time to wait
Hurting for people/got no time to hate
Don't tell me what love ought to be
Cause it just aint
It's just a need to communicate

Say what you want, I'll give it to you
All I can take/is what your willing to
Take the path you can't resist
Go thru the door it's easiest

Go find someone/you'll learn to see
Go find someone/and learn to be
You'll find that love is just reaching out
While someone else is reaching in

Bob Harvey (second from left), with the Slippery Rock String Band, 1965
(Photo courtesy Bob Harvey)

Signe Anderson 1966