"Jefferson Airplane Takes Off" is the debut studio album by the American rock band Jefferson Airplane, released on August 15, 1966, by RCA Victor. The album features a different lineup from the band's later classic configuration: Signe Toly Anderson was the female vocalist, and Skip Spence played drums. Both Anderson and Spence left the band Anderson in October 1966 and Spence in May 1966 and were replaced by Grace Slick and Spencer Dryden, respectively.
By late 1965, Jefferson Airplane had attracted significant interest from major record labels and had gained a following in San Francisco. Their popularity was boosted when Ralph J. Gleason of the *San Francisco Chronicle* praised the band in his column, which led to increased attention and interest. Original bassist Bob Harvey noted the impact of Gleason’s column, describing the ensuing chaos as unprecedented.
Despite receiving offers from Capitol, Valiant, Fantasy, Elektra, and London, the band, under the management of Matthew Katz, initially turned them down. They briefly considered a deal with Columbia Records but were rejected after submitting a demo. Columbia did not see the band as fitting their established model, preferring the more orderly Byrds over Jefferson Airplane's anarchic style.
The band's eventual break came when Katz, introduced to RCA Victor by Rod McKuen, met with RCA’s A&R manager Neely Plumb. Plumb sent Al Schmitt to see the band perform, and Schmitt was impressed. RCA Victor offered an unprecedented advance of $25,000 five times more than Capitol's offer and good production money. The band signed with RCA on November 15, 1965.
