Grace Slick - Somebody to Love? a Rock-And-roll Memoir

If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher. In such case neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

WARNER BOOKS EDITION

Copyright 1998 by Grace Slick

All right reserved.

Cover design by Rachel McClain

Book design and composition by L&G McRee

Warner Books, Inc., Hachette Book Group, 237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Visit our Web site at www.HachetteBookGroup.com

First eBook Edition: December 1999

ISBN: 978-0-446-55442-8

Copyright Acknowledgments

The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge permission to reprint the following material:

Lyrics from Philadelphia Freedom, by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Copyright 1975 Big Pig Music Ltd. All Rights for U.S. administered by Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Canadian Rights administered by Chappell Music Canada Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Warner Bros. Publications U.S., Inc., Miami, FL 33014

Lyrics from Somebody to Love, by Darby Slick. Copyright Irving Music. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from White Rabbit, by Grace Slick. Copyright Irving Music. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Lather, by Grace Slick. Copyright Icebag Corp. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Triad, by David Crosby. Copyright Stay Straight. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Ride the Tiger, by Paul Kantner. Copyright Ronin Music. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Comin' Back to Me, by Marty Balin. Copyright Icebag Corp. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Third Week in the Chelsea, by Jorma Kaukonen. Copyright Icebag Corp. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Starship, by Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Marty Balin, and Gary Blackman. Copyright God Tunes. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Manhole, by Grace Slick. Copyright Mole Music. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Do It the Hard Way, by Grace Slick. Copyright Ronin Music. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Hyperdrive, by Grace Slick. Copyright Ronin Music. Used by Permission.

Lyrics from Panda, by Grace Slick. Copyright Helmets Without Heads. Used by Permission.

The World According to Grace

I've enjoyed the accommodations offered by police departments from Florida to Hawaii. Any time I saw a badge, something in me would snap.

The wiser you get on the inside, the uglier you get on the outside. The world's great gurus have beautiful things to say but they generally look like shit.

Jim Morrison was a well-built boy, larger than average, and young enough to maintain the engorged silent connection right through the residue of chemicals.

In Germany I ingested the entire contents of the hotel minibar before a show and stuck my fingers in this guy's nostrils because I thought they would fit.

The first words I ever heard the alcohol rehab counselor say were Good morning, assholes! With that, I liked him right away.

IT'S HARD NOT TO ADMIRE HER VERVE AND SASS.

New York Times Book Review

Provides fascinating backstage glimpses into the halcyon days of hippiedom.

People

Gracefully outrageous a treasure trove of backstage gossip and psychedelic philosophy.

San Francisco Examiner

A fascinating journey as outrageous and shocking as the days when she used to lift her top to flash a crowd.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A fun, emblematic trip.

Kirkus Reviews

Slick tells her story with unflinching candor and humor.

Washington Post Book World

An enjoyable psychedelic pastry, a look back at rock's game of musical beds, and a report on the life's ups and downs (and other drugs).

Jerry Hopkins, coauthor of No One Here Gets Out Alive

An absurdly readable page-turning blitz. A delicious, chaotic, splendid hurtle down the rabbit holea trip you'll never forget.

Pamela Des Barres, author of I'm with the Band

I always loved Grace Slick's talent. Until I read this book I didn't know I loved her wisdom and humor as well.

Olivia Goldsmith, author of The First Wives Club

Slick can't help being somebody to loveshe's smart, sarcastic as ever, and ceaselessly funny [with] a load of wonderfully colorful stories to tell. A page-turner throughout.

Discoveries

A primer for hipsters with irreverent humor, levelheaded wisdom, persistent defiance, andyessprightly grace.

BAM (Pleasant Hill, CA)

Frank highly entertaining. The era of free love has never been better chronicled.

Library Journal

Finally, the last great rock-and-roll story a smart, well-written tale, told as if it's been shot out of a cannon.

Steven Gaines, coauthor of The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of the Beatles

Quite entertaining Slick's language is so strong it might even make Kenneth Starr blush.

Anniston Star

Bawdy, boisterous the unvarnished gospel from a woman guided by passion and freedom of expression.

Alanna Nash, music reviewer for Entertainment Weekly

Love to All

Skip Johnson, my friend always

China Kantner, for being exactly who she is

Mom and Dad, for giving me so much more than existence

Chris Wing, for seeing with a child's eyes

Paul Kantner, for humor and invaluable help with my arbitrary memory

Andrea Cagan, for her friendship, her open heart, and her open mind

Brian Rohan, for introducing me to my agent

Maureen Regan, my agent, for talking me into doing this book and getting the big bucks, respectivelyand for her boundless energy in both personal and business situations

Rick Horgan, my editor, for his suggestions and for letting me play

The Great Society, Airplane, and Starship groups and all associates, for their talent and support

Sister Pat Monahan, for Bucky and for her ability to listen

Vincent Marino, for damn near unconditional love

Ron Neiman, for beautifying the outside and putting up with the inside of my head

Justin Davis, for his unique self and his photograph

And of course, to all the people who've followed our music through the years

In writing this book, my cowriter, Andrea, and I first attempted to proceed by having her ask me questions, after which she'd go to her computer, armed with notes, and construct a scenario around a sentence or paragraph taken from our conversations. The results were sounding disjointed, so we tried a different tack.

The second, ultimately successful method involved Andrea's giving me a foundation for each chapter by providing a list of topics she'd heard me discuss, at which point I'd write down my recollection or interpretation of that aspect of my life. Andrea (being the pro) then organized my thoughts and my horrendous punctuation. I can construct an interesting scene and create plausible dialogue, but distinguishing between colons and semicolons has always struck me as something akin to gastrointestinal surgery.

Yup, these are my words, with the help of the runway, the mechanic, and the control tower.

By the way, several of the names in this story have been changed to protect the guilty.

PART
One

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend