AIRPLANE UPDATE: Marty Balin has rejoined the...

AIRPLANE UPDATE: Marty Balin has rejoined the retooled Jefferson Airplane, which has signed with Epic Records. The lineup now includes all of the key players of the original Airplane, which shot to stardom in 1967--Balin, Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen.

The group announced its plans to regroup two months ago, but Balin wasn’t on board at that point. But he and his former band mates have since come to terms. The group is recording its first Epic album in a Los Angeles studio, sharing production chores with producer Ron Nevison. It’s the first time that all of the Airplane principals have been in the studio together since 1972 when they cut “Long John Silver.”

Starship, which evolved in 1985 out of Jefferson Starship--a spinoff of the original Airplane--carries on, still signed to RCA. None of its members were around in the Airplane days. The longest-serving member is Craig Chaquico, who joined in 1974.

There is talk of an Airplane tour to coincide with the expected release of the new album in August.