RIP Marty Balin, 76

From earlier reports he seemed on the upswing.

So sad to hear. RIP Marty!

Always liked that El Paso song

Damn.

One of the originals, one of the greats.

Marty Balin was not just a part of the scene right from the beginning, he was a leader in the scene right from the beginning, and he had an impact on just about everything that happened in SF during those times.

Of course he's known as a singer, but an unfortunate thing about Balin is how he received virtually no credit for his place in the beginnings of the live venue scene, as he started the Matrix, a tiny San Francisco venue that opened before Bill Graham started the Fillmore.

The Matrix also receives virtually no credit in any conversation about "legendary venues", but it was a very unique venue that was created by Balin's vision, and Jefferson Airplane was originally formed by Balin to be the house band there. 

The Matrix was just a little club but they were booking the same bands there that Graham was booking at the Fillmore, and some that Graham wasn't aware of yet, and the list of artists that played there is amazing.

Just as Balin was overshadowed by Grace Slick in JA his place as a booking & live show visionary was overshadowed by Bill Graham, but especially early on the Matrix was his house and it was a seriously active & important venue.

I saw him perform a few years ago at some benefit at the Great American Music Hall and I was reminded just how great he was and how many great songs he had written.

This is a sad loss.

oh noooo.   big bummer.. Great voice.  RIP

Edit: Just read your post Heathen, I wanted to bring up his connection and importance to the SF rock scene of that era too. THX

Rest In Peace, Mr. Balin.

Some good recordings from the Matrix, no doubt.

That sucks.  Heard he wasn't doing well.

Dude had a great voice, catchy tunes, and the cojones to jump into a crowd of Hells Angels to stop them from beating some dude up (after throwing his tambourine at them).   RIP

Marty Balin vs. the Hells Angels:

(RIP MARTY)

Well stated, Lance.

Cheers Marty & thanks

The last time I saw solo was at the Throckmorton in Mill Valley in June of 2015 and he was fantastic as ever. The other recent time was at the benefit for Slick Aguilar at the GAMH. Marty was always a great performer. Fond memories of seeing the Starship with Kantner, Balin, Cassady, Papa John Creach adn Diane Mangano at thee iBeam.......for awhile in the early 90s they were doing Blows Against the Empire as a part of their show with that good chuck of the classic lineup. That was the San Francisco sound.......RIP Marty........

"Doesn't the sky look green today"

RIP Marty.

Marty Balin - 1962  (I never heard this era before.)

"Nobody But You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rt7MLl_MBM

"Marty Balin (born Martyn Jerel Buchwald; January 30, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter and musician best known as the founder and one of the lead singers of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.Balin was born Martyn Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Catherine Eugenia "Jean" (née Talbot) and Joseph Buchwald. His paternal grandparents immigrated from Eastern Europe. His father was Jewish and his mother was Episcopalian. Marty attended Washington High School in San Francisco, California.

In 1962, Buchwald changed his name to Marty Balin and began recording with Challenge Records, releasing the singles "Nobody But You" and "I Specialize in Love".[1] By 1964, Balin was leading a folk music quartet called The Town Criers...."

ahh bummer

Great singer in a great band- wrote a few good ones too.

Got to meet him in the 95 version of the starship- kind of a toad but I didn't care.

Saw him perform a little acoustic set at the Union League Club in NYC a few years ago. He was engaging, telling stories about the early days, especially the Matrix. Talked a bunch about the Dead, how they would play there, describing a surreal scene where topless dancers were performing at the same time.

He said everybody looked up to Jerry as their guru at the time. Someone asked him why he thought the SF scene, pschedelic music exploded the way it did at that juncture, and he replied one word , "Acid". He said it enabled them to just play and play and play for hours on end.

Good stuff, an interesting and influential musician.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yox8Ulu-_aA

Found the Marty Balin clip talking about Jerry and Janis,

<He said everybody looked up to Jerry as their guru at the time.>

I was just on the Tubes and saw him tell the same exact story. He also tells a joke "going around Frisco...when Jerry sobered up from the heroin, he went back to the band.... and said ...These guys suck!"

Marty Balin on Jerry Garcia, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin (wouldn't want to get stuck in an elevator with the interviewer):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yox8Ulu-_aA

(warning - some of the stories sound like aging-rocker-retells-war-stories-Spinal-Tap script, but the guy was there)

"and he replied one word , "Acid""

True 'dat.

RIP

Jorma, from Bob Minkin's Facebook:

Requiem For A Friend
Marty Balin
30 Jan. 1942/27 Sept. 2018

Life is a thin thread
It’s a thin little hand on a hospital bed
It’s all the things you’ve left unsaid
Life is a thin thread
It’s a fine line between loving and not
Between holding it back or giving all that you’ve got
Feeling you’re free, thinking you’re caught
It’s a fine line
(Thin Thread by Connie Kaldor)

I was more than saddened yesterday to hear of Marty Balin’s passing. Jack and I were in Northampton, Mass. at the Academy Of Music and we were just getting ready to do our sound check. I knew that Marty had been sick and I knew in a general way that he had grievous issues but I did not really know what they were. Marty always kept a lot of shade on himself. I stood there in the little room in the wings, stage left… struck dumb. What can you say? We always say and hear, ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ but what does that really mean? We say it. We have to say it and then in the confines of our hearts we try to process the sorrow and search for the words that really convey what we feel. It is an imperfect process.
Marty and I were young together in a time that defined our lives. Had it not been for him, my life would have taken an alternate path I cannot imagine. He and Paul Kantner came together and like plutonium halves in a reactor started a chain reaction that still affects many of us today. It was a moment of powerful synchronicity. I was part of it to be sure, but I was not a prime mover. Marty always reached for the stars and he took us along with him.

I always felt that he was somewhat guarded… the quiet one. Perhaps that’s because I was one of the noisy ones… I don’t know. It’s probably not for me to say. His commitment to his visions never flagged. He was always relentless in the pursuit of his goals. He wrapped those he loved in sheltering arms. He loved his family. Times come and go but his passion for his music and his art was never diminished. He was the most consummate of artists in a most renaissance way. I always felt that he perceived that each day was a blank canvas waiting to be filled.

It was fortuitous that we were able to stay connected in a loose way over the years. He and his friends graced our stage at the Fur Peace Station in Ohio and he was able to join us at the Beacon Theater in NYC the year we celebrated Jack’s 70th birthday.

Very good stuff!

Coming to grips with reality is a process that starts at birth. I am always stunned when one of my friends passes and yet, it would seem that at some point we will all take that journey. It’s almost like, ‘How can this be? There are things I need to say.’ There were indeed things I needed to say and the fault for that lack lies on me and me alone. I don’t think any of us really think that we will live forever yet often that thought lies dormant in the back of our minds. At my age my world is starting to be surrounded by passing. I will miss my friends who rest on the banks of the River Of Time and I am reminded to make the most of every moment as I am swept downstream! Marty’s passing reaffirms the power of love, the power of family, the power of possibilities.
So many of our brothers and sister from that time are gone. Skip Spence, Spencer Dryden, Joey Covington, Paul Kantner, Signe Anderson and now Marty have all joined the Heavenly Band as Rev. Davis would say.

We were young together. I would like to think we made a difference. As for Grace Slick, Jack Casady and myself…
Now we are three…

- Jorma L Kaukonen

Great words from Jorma.  RIP Marty.

thank you Judit, I was just sitting down to post that poignant piece.....

The Airplane in 69/70 were so completely prose and power rolled in to one = Rock n Roll magic that lasts a lifetime, or more

plutonium halves in a reactor started a chain reaction that still affects many of us today

my world is starting to be surrounded by passing.

There were indeed things I needed to say and the fault for that lack lies on me and me alone.

got a revolution

Live, Love, Appreciate and dance like no one is watching!!

Altamont is still as clear as day today,   Power chaos darkness as well as bright light and magic

sympathy for the devil

Thank you for posting Jorma's powerful words about Marty, Judit. I will try to read them on our Radio show tonight...

WBAI-FM's 'Morning Dew' will be playing only Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship in Marty Balin's memory for 2 hours on late Sat night (1-3 AM EDT Sunday morning). 
Morning Dew can be heard at 99.5 FM on WBAI-FM in the NY area and streaming world wide at www.WBAI.org

RIP MARTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebGaDgssVcc

>>>I will miss my friends who rest on the banks of the River Of Time and I am reminded to make the most of every moment as I am swept downstream!

So beautifully phrased.

Did you miss our 2 hour Tribute to Marty Balin on this week's live Broadcast of 'Morning Dew'? You can still hear it by tuning in to our 24/7 Archival Streaming Podcast Player:

http://nuarchive.wbai.org/mp3/wbai_180930_010004mdew.mp3

I found out about Marty’s passing from Jorma on Friday night. Hot Tuna was playing at the Academy of Music in Northampton,MA...

It seemed like the entire audience was just finding out...a very sad moment.

Jorma & Jack dedicated both Death Don’t Have No Mercy and Good Shepherd to Marty.