Did Grand Funk's Mark Farner Lose Millions By Giving Away "Were An American Band"

[@news603redux]

I wouldn't believe Don Brewer if he told me the sky was blue.

[@jockaud]

I don't see how Brewer could even write a song.

[@rticle15]

Why?

[@jockaud]

Mark Farner wrote it and out of the kindness of his heart let Don Brewer take credit for it!

[@rticle15]

Maybe. Maybe not

[@Thorninmypryde]

No grand funk without Mark period

[@williamyekin8639]

Mark is the coolest

[@Vince_Tasciotti]

I noticed Don was very careful about only mentioning what he had for the song. He avoided any mention of Mark. I get it, Don wants to erase Mark's history with the band. It can't, and won't happen. Let's remember that Max Carl sings the lyrics that Mark Farner wrote. I'm not against the current GFR lineup, but I have no desire to see them perform. And I'm satisfied that they have not released any music under the Grand Funk name, without Mark Farner.

[@magneto7930]

I went through this same thing with the drummer in my band decades ago. He wanted to write a song but he couldn't do it because he didn't play a required instrument for writing. I wrote the song based on his idea and used his lyrics. In the end, he told everyone he wrote the song. He even posted it on KZbin giving himself credit. It was actually me singing lead and background vocals, playing all the instruments except for drums, my whole arrangement. I never collaborated with him again after that.

[@KevinD-o8d]

Who is this Lindsey Buckingham?

[@KevinD-o8d]

Farner if you read this God bless you and to your family and son man. Screw the money the fame the bullshit, your the last of the mohicans and brother, be koud and proud of that. Im 55 and my brother turned me on to that live at shea and you my man singing captain, gave him the hope to make it back home from nam. So you gave me life and music my friend. You are a man God will love up in his pad man. Kevin

[@kc0lif]

mark is on point.

[@Jay-gy5hs]

Great inside story on a great American Band song. Keep them coming Bro. John.

[@jimburns1379]

First concert I ever went to: GFR @ SHEA. Great memories for ever from that concert.Always just remember Mark Farner front and center and some guys in back or to the side of Mark Farner. What a Fu.... up world.These 2 nobody's selling tickets to see the star Mark Farner and appearing on stage instead What a rip off

[@MarkSchuster-ym3iy]

i grew up in the 50s 60s 70s and there was a lot of crap that went on with these bands terry knight robbed GFR of millions, but what don did to mark was ruthless. there is no GFR with out mark Farner. . it’s hysterical seeing mark as an old man makes me feel old. he’s not that much older than me. i still remember him flying around stage with his 3 foot of hair and his white and orange bell bottoms. grand funk was the first band ever to do that funky base drum. no one before them did that. and I learned that quad thing he used to do kilt was 70s shread. i learned a lot from mark. he played the weirdest guitar on the planet. sounded great. mark didnt have a whole floor board in the beginning, i had the same thing just a cry baby wah wah. distortion crank it up. my ears are still ringing. lol

[@TJ-id6ee]

Hi John, I aboslutely love your channel! I wish I would have found it sooner. 😎

[@maxherron1376]

Class, that's what Mark is.

[@IAMAMMAFAN]

It's sad that this happens. Money ruins everything.

[@alexnutcasio936]

EGOs ruining that band. Its funny how three guys can be so CLOSE, but have entirely different recollection of how things went down from management, to concerts, to writing credit etc.?? These guys can't agree on anything.

[@mben-david2064]

@@alexnutcasio936 you are both wrong. Don wrote a song but didn’t really play a melody instrument.Mark helped him complete it.I am an ASCAP songwriter and if that had been my song it would have been 60% Don and 40% Mark. Farner had nothing to do with the drum intro,that’s just ludicrous

[@sega62s]

well it sounds to me as a songwriter that even if you don’t have a chord, it still a musical note , like a bass player …..so I give the writing credits to the drummer if it came down that way. So the note is there and the words and the melody….what else you need for a song credit???

[@luisalonsoecheverria]

It’s one thing to take credit for writing just only one part of the song. It’s another when you take credit for the entire composition without acknowledging even your fellow collaborators.

[@empireoflizards]

True, but, if you only have a musical concept or theme and the rest of the band has to fill in the rest of the melodies and signatures, then it can become a gray area.

[@EdCarper]

I like Farner, but tend to agree with the idea that if Brewer had the basic melody and chord progression, then he is the writer. In fact, when I was in bands, I preferred that the writer would present an unembellished version of a song to band mates.

[@billbazen9432]

Mark is an outstanding person...Mel?..not so much!

[@larryoneill7432]

No Farner, no Funk

[@vayabroder729]

Judging by past performance we know the answer to that one.

[@DavidSmith-xh5ou]

Just goes to show even great artists have all the human flaws that the rest of us have.

[@fghhgf6197]

Don booer and the Grand fink band 👎

[@KevinD-o8d]

BS he would love to think he was a John Bonham dude trust me nobody would want to copy your 5th grade grooves...u coudnt even do a fill correct. Im not hating at all...Farner was Grand Funk and you can see it in his blood man. If you know music and you will totally get Farner was Grand Funk. Page even gave the nod to Farner so Brewer top that one Buddy, your all you man, this shit will get ya at the end Brewer, its called Karma.

[@joannekinnally7530]

I disagree. Mark Farner takes too much credit for everything. I believe Don Brewer

[@catfishcooler1566]

Farner tries really hard not to sound bitter. If everything is cool and he's fine, why does he care what Don and Mel are doing? Nobody forced him out of that band. He quit willingly.

[@TerryKrysinski]

He didn't qui. Brewer drew up legal papers that Mark unknowingly thought were just inconsequential stuff they all had to sign. but Brewer wanted him out,so what Farner didn't realize was he was signing his rights to the band away. In effect-- it was ousting him from their partnership. Devious bullsh*t and Brewer knows it. He must've always been jealous of Mark being the 'main guy'. No other reason for it! T

[@news603redux]

You obviously don't know the story of what Don and Mel did to him - it's well documented.

[@AudiophileTommy]

You’re wrong ,Mark never quit

[@jockaud]

@@TerryKrysinski Absolutely - and what a waste - GFR could have put out 100 more great songs in the past 40 years!

[@magneto7930]

Seriously? Obviously, you have absolutely no clue!

[@bobchasseur3811]

Farner was the least proficient musician in the band. It was the amazing rhythm section, Don and Mel, that transformed the simplicity of Farner's songs. Farner has to stop this whining campaign of hate, but his massive "star" ego won't allow that. He's an old, bitter man who won't acknowledge his responsibilities in the demise of the band. Hey Mark, YOU were the one to quit in 2000 - accept it and stop the hate and bitterness!! Geez!!