Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad one of the early 70's most successful rock bands, they often referred themselves as the people's band due to the critical disdain they were held in, Mark Farner had a more R & B/soul influence than a pure blues influence and they were inspired by other power trios Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and were awarded 4 gold albums in 1970 alone.

Their career would be surpassed by more flashier and frankly more talented bands, and when great metal bands of the 70's are mentioned they are rarely ever cited. Not a great band but a good band that who's place in metal history has been ignorned, and in the immortal words of Homer Simpson:

"Mark Farner's wild, shirtless lyrics, the bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher," and yes, "the competent drum work of Don Brewer."

Anyone else a fan?

They were an American band, if I recall. Came to my town, partied down. Sadly, that's about all I really know.

Believe it or not they were the first band that I ever heard being derided as "Talentless Heavy Metal". Of course they weren't metal at all, but they were also far from "talentless bashers" as well. The first two albums On Time and Closer To Home are actually pretty subtle and diverse. Not much hard rock even, but good music.
My favorite heavy album by the is the s/t Grand Funk "Red" album. After that they had their post "Railroad" American Band hits years which is what they are remembered for.
But my absolute favorite was their last of the 70's Good Singin' Good Playin', produced by Frank Zappa.
Really a very good, very diverse band. I think they got off to a bad start with the critics mostly because of Terry Knight's over the top promotional approach more than anything else. The same thing happened to the Brinsley Schwartz band in the UK. The critics got sick of the hype around these bands before they had even heard the music I think.

I have their greatest hits album. I guess to be a huge fan you had to be there in 1972 or so. For me, their best 14 or 15 songs pretty much hit the mark for me. I dont think I'll ever go out and get their full discography but if I see a cd from their early years in a pawn shop for a buck or two I'll probably snag it.
I do have 4 solo albums by Mark Farner, from his christian era in the late 80's.

....I'm getting closer to my home.... (repeat 2,457 times)

Don Brewer is a very talented player. I got frustrated alot playing along to their records as a pup. The headphones bounced off the garage wall quite a few times. I personaly like alot of the stuff you won't hear on the radio or hits package.

I put them in my Nazareth, Wishbone Ash, and Humble Pie class of great rock and roll bands.

Here's what I have from Grand Funk: Closer To Home,Caught In The Act E Pluribus Funk,Live,Live '71 Tour,S/T,On Time, and Survival. I guess you could say I like 'em.

I used to have On Time on vinyl, but that's the only one I ever owned (other than a Greatest Hits on cassette). I've heard a great deal of their catalog over the years but have never really felt compelled to purchase the stuff.

When I was a kid my mother bought me 'Closer to Home' on vinyl and I liked it, than as I got older I abandoned them, over the last couple of years I started listening to them again and having been enjoying their music again, and it was certainly better than I remember or gave them credit for.

Their first three albums is what they should be remembered for, but radio mostly plays their mid 70's hits, 'Locomotion' being particularly loathsome.

manny wrote:

When I was a kid my mother bought me 'Closer to Home' on vinyl and I liked it, than as I got older I abandoned them, over the last couple of years I started listening to them again and having been enjoying their music again, and it was certainly better than I remember or gave them credit for.

Their first three albums is what they should be remembered for, but radio mostly plays their mid 70's hits, 'Locomotion' being particularly loathsome.

I agree with everything you said manny except my mother never bought me any Grand Funk.

Great band. I have all of their albums except for one live album that is OOP now. Critics hated them, but the fans are the only ones who count. They sold out Shea Stadium faster than the Beatles for god sakes.

As SAHB stated they were one of the first bands labeled heavy metal in the early 70's and they were also one of the most hated bands by pinhead critics, Rolling Stone really hated them, but of course they also panned Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, AC/DC and list goes on and on .......

Love them. "Walk like a Man" is a classic

I'm trying to get into them. I got some free songs off their website and I like them pretty well. Might have to go buy something eventually.

Schbopo wrote:

I'm trying to get into them. I got some free songs off their website and I like them pretty well. Might have to go buy something eventually.

If you do, start with "On Time" and work your way up. "On Time" is a great heavy blues/rock album.

SAHB Healer wrote:

The critics got sick of the hype around these bands before they had even heard the music I think.

Maybe cause they didn't discover them........the UK music press has had a love/obsession since Hendrix to show the US what they have in their own backyard.....something that still happens today, you only have to look at the Strokes, White Stripes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kings Of Leon, MGMT etc.

As for Grank Funk......they're kinda meh with me, pretty pedestrian. But like Bad Company and BTO if they were the soundtrack to your teenage beer swillin' and bed springin' then that's cool.......just i don't have that corrupting nostalgia for 'em.

rattpoison wrote:

As for Grank Funk......they're kinda meh with me, pretty pedestrian. But like Bad Company and BTO

I respectfully disagree. As much as I love BTO and tolerate Bad Co., I discovered a lot more texture beyond Grand Funk's "radio hits" a long time after I got over the nostalgia aspect. I'm not gonna say there as many hidden gems as say, Golden Earring, but looking deeper into Grand Funk has been worth my time at least. I wouldn't say it's a must though, but a good investment in my case.