After several solo projects for Grunt Records, the members of Jefferson Airplane (Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Joey Covington and Papa John Creach) came together again in March 1972 for the first time in the studio since the Bark album was released in September 1971.

Veteran session drummer John Barbata, formerly of The Turtles, and Hot Tuna's Sammy Piazza deputized for the rest of the recording process.

Released on the band's Grunt Records imprint, the album was Jefferson Airplane's least successful effort since their 1966 debut, peaking at only No.

It featured a new line-up: Kantner, Slick, Kaukonen, Casady, Creach, Barbata and former Quicksilver Messenger Service bassist David Freiberg as an additional vocalist/percussionist.

A close friend of Kantner from the early 1960s American folk music revival scene, Freiberg took over Marty Balin's harmony parts and selected leads on ensemble efforts (most notably "Wooden Ships") and "tried to keep the band together.