- Rock Metal Machine
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
JEFFERSON STARSHIP WANT TO DISAPPEAR INTO THE COSMOS
The story behind their ambitious new single.
Published: 25 Aug 26 • Author: Rock Metal Machine • Reading Time: 4 mins
Jefferson Starship return with “Jetpack”, their first new material in five years. Already a live favourite, the single combines Jude Gold’s driving guitars with Cathy Richardson’s powerful vocals. The band are also working on a new studio album, with its release date yet to be confirmed.
RELEASE DETAILS
Artist:
Jefferson Starship
Album:
TBC
Release Date:
TBC
Record Label:
TBC Formats:
TBC
PR Label:
The legendary Jefferson Starship release their first new material in 5 years. “Jetpack” has been a feature of the bands recent live performances and was first showcased while on tour this summer at London’s Wembley Arena. The explosive new single is already on its way to becoming a new fan favourite. Driving lead guitars by Jude Gold combined with an instantly memorable melody from powerhouse vocalist, Cathy Richardson, will see the single added to the bands enviable catalogue of hits! The band are currently working on a new studio album with a release date tbc.
The single can be streamed HERE
🔥 FIREWORKS INSIGHT
“Jetpack” marks an interesting point in Jefferson Starship’s continuing story: five decades after the band emerged from the orbit of Jefferson Airplane, its current incarnation is still finding ways to connect its past with the present. The presence of bassist Pete Sears, a member during the band’s classic late-’70s period, gives the new recording a particularly tangible link to that history. With Jude Gold and Cathy Richardson now central to the band’s musical identity, the track also underlines how Jefferson Starship has evolved beyond simply preserving its catalogue. Following the 50th Anniversary celebrations and renewed UK activity, a new studio album raises the intriguing question of where this next chapter will take them.
Cathy Richardson says, “Jude had written a song around the chorus that was kind of a love song about wanting to disappear with someone into the cosmos. He asked me to take a stab at some different lyrics. I loved the music and the hook was really strong. I thought about why I would want to strap on a rocket and blast off the planet, and the words just came spilling out. We recorded it a while ago with a different ending, but then I had an idea for an outro, and I really wanted to hear the band jam out over that chord progression and go to space musically."
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▶ WATCH THE NEW SINGLE
Want to hear the first taste of Jefferson Starship for yourself? Watch the official video below.
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2025 saw the legendary Jefferson Starship coming off their successful 50th Anniversary Tour. Keeping the celebratory momentum alive, the band played dates across North America and Europe through 2026 – including their first UK dates in over 10 years (as support to Foreigner). Currently, the band continues touring North America with Deep Purple, as well as headlining their own “Runaway Again” tour.
Adding a special connection to the band’s history, “Jetpack” features longtime Jefferson Starship bassist Pete Sears on bass, bringing another direct link between the band’s celebrated past and its music today.
I loved the music and the hook was really strong.
Cathy Richardson
Live, the band play global hits from their stellar back catalogue of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship – such as “White Rabbit”, “We Built This City”, “Jane”, “Sarah”, “Nothing Gonna To Stop Us Now”, “Find Your Way Back”, “Somebody To Love” and more… A playlist from the recent UK and EU dates is HERE
The band are currently touring North America with Deep Purple. Full list of dates is here - https://www.jeffersonstarship.com/tour
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About Jefferson Starship:
Jefferson Starship is one of the most successful arena rock bands of the ’70s and ’80s, earning three platinum and eight gold albums along with a long string of Billboard Top 40 hits. Just celebrated their 50th anniversary—a milestone reached by only a few enduring rock acts—the band continues to honour its storied legacy while bringing their iconic catalogue to fans around the world. Founded in the ’70s by Paul Kantner, Jefferson Starship emerged as a collective of musical explorers whose work helped define an era of rock. Today’s lineup—founding member David Freiberg, drummer Donny Baldwin (since 1982), keyboardist Chris Smith (since 1998), guitarist Jude Gold (since 2012), and vocalist/guitarist Cathy Richardson (since 2008) — has become a powerful touring force, performing across all 50 U.S. states and on five continents. Known for their family-like camaraderie and high-energy live shows, the band continues to embody the adventurous spirit championed by Paul Kantner, who passed in 2016. As Jude Gold reflects, “That ‘Paul Kantner thing’—getting on a rocket ship and blasting off into the unknown—is the very essence of Jefferson Starship. And that spirit is very much alive in the band today.”
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Images courtesy of Duff Press
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FOLLOW JEFFERSON STARSHIP
🌐 Website
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