October 30

 Grace Slick

October 30, 1939

Grace Slick joined Jefferson Airplane in 1966 after leaving the Great Society and quickly became one of the leading voices of San Francisco's psychedelic rock scene. As a singer, keyboard player, and songwriter, she helped shape albums such as Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxter's, Crown of Creation, Volunteers, and Bark. She wrote or co-wrote songs including "White Rabbit," "Somebody to Love," "Lather," and "Eskimo Blue Day," while her powerful vocals became a defining element of the band's sound.

Slick remained with Jefferson Airplane through its transformation into Jefferson Starship and later Starship, appearing on albums including Red Octopus, Spitfire, Freedom at Point Zero, and Knee Deep in the Hoopla. Her career in music spanned more than three decades before she retired from performing in 1990, saying that rock and roll belonged to younger artists.

She later turned her attention to painting and has spent much of her retirement creating artwork, exhibiting her paintings, and enjoying a quieter life by the Pacific Ocean. After surviving the excesses of the psychedelic era and stepping away from the music business on her own terms, she found another creative outlet that she genuinely enjoys. She remains active as an artist in 2026.

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Chris Slade

October 30, 1946

Chris Slade began his professional career in the 1960s with Tom Jones, serving as the singer's drummer for much of the decade before joining Manfred Mann's Earth Band in 1971. His drumming appeared on albums such as Glorified Magnified, Solar Fire, The Good Earth, Nightingales & Bombers, and The Roaring Silence, helping shape the band's blend of progressive rock and jazz influences.

Slade left Manfred Mann's Earth Band in 1978 and later recorded and toured with artists including David Gilmour, Gary Numan, Asia, Uriah Heep, Gary Moore, and Jimmy Page. In 1989, he joined AC/DC and played on The Razors Edge, contributing to songs including "Thunderstruck" and "Moneytalks." He later returned to AC/DC for tours and continued performing with his own project, the Chris Slade Timeline.

His long career as a drummer has connected him with a wide range of rock artists and bands over more than six decades.

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