Grand Funk - How to play "American Band" drum intro

This content is NOT owned by myself and possibly is owned by EMI.
There's no missunderstanding what to do now for drummers as the man himself shows you EXACTLY what to do to replicate his drum licks!

[@kevincheatim6374]

One of the greatest drummers ever it was a pleasure to be a roadie for the group in 72

[@dale60035]

One of the best Grand Funk's songs that holds its own today. Thanks for the drum cover.

[@elijahrobinson2362]

This is truly one of the greatest rock and roll songs (and rock anthems) of all time.

[@johnschofield9496]

Donnie, I love ya, my favorite drummer, of my favorite band, PERIOD ! That being said, make it up to Mark, if this is still possible.. Your voices were MUCH more harmonious than your lives together, and when you add Mel, the god of thunder, there is a magic that cannot be explained, but millions of us are still under it's spell. For the love of Pete, bury the hatchet, get back together and do what you always did better than anyone else, make music together !

[@modelcarswithglen.]

Here here freaking here,,, you Said what everyone wanted to say themselves including me,,,

[@ruffusp768]

Without Mark Grand Funk railroad might as well rest in peace it will never be the same.

[@deanhockenberry9268]

Agree! Life is short as you realize at our age. Do what ever you need to but for God’s sake build a bridge and get over it.

[@shawncosmos5431]

I was 10 when this song came out. I got my first toy kit around age 6.. when this tune was released I was playing a Tempro 5 piece. Proud to say I learned this song soon after. I’ve seen many club bands over the years play this tune where as the drummer doesn’t know the intro. In some cases the drummer didn’t even have a Bell…This song is on page one in the drummer 101 playbook…That and Zeppelin’s ‘ rock n roll’

[@417plasma6]

Best drummer from our Generation beside John Bonham (Rest In Peace) GFR true Legends

[@jurgenburberg1514]

I've tears in my eyes when listening to that fucking great song. Grand Funk was such a great band. Love it!

[@anandakumarsanthinathan4740]

I remember watching him play this incredible song in one of the Modern Drummer festivals in New Jersey. He is awesome.

[@kevincheatim6374]

The man that taught me the basics of drumming I was 15 at the time

[@touchofevil516]

My older brother bought this album on it's release. I still have it! Great album and rocking song that stands the test of time. I have an awesome time drumming along to this song!!!

[@bradleyhajost7161]

Thanks for the demonstration, Don! You’re the BEST! 👏🏻

[@gregboy59]

I was about 10 years old and Santa Claus had just delivered cool drum set to my brother he was eight. And I was in the house alone, jamming with Grand Funk on the record player and I put a drumstick through my brother's snare drum, and I thought I could cover it up and not get caught LOL. When my brother got home I was asked if I had put the hole in the snare drum and I said nope and to this day just makes me laugh my head off. But I was jamming so hard and if I could do it again I do it. Thank you for the Memories

[@armandolomagistro662]

Don Brewer... Uno dei migliori batteristi di tutti i tempi... In grado di suonare cantare ed arrangiare ogni canzone in maniera diversa l'una dall'altra... Eccellente tecnica e potenza, fluidità e precisione... Un mito!!!

[@marlenepettiford3731]

That voice has always done it for me! Drums are a plus!

[@maxxmasson4263]

his a excellent drummer puts heart and soul into it, but without Mark he is only 33% of the act Mark is still the hear and soul of the band

[@TeeTimeMike]

AGREED !

[@Worrell057]

I love the sound of that snare drum. Tight.

[@sugarjoe50]

I'm a decent drummer...that intro is f**king IMPOSSIBLE!!

[@ultrakool]

it's all relative. I'm a decent drummer and picked it up the first time I played it. cowbell, snare and kick are linear, in the first measure. btw, I can't do a simple stick twirl to save my life, so..

[@jackl7487]

Ive always loved this song and the drum part. Don still rocks.

[@angelvalencia6574]

este video lo tenia en dvd y lo vi cuando casi iba en el kinder y desde entonces ha sido mi inspiracion como baterista!

[@lionorlamb]

Don Brewer is a fantastic drummer. Great!!!!

[@NBFootball08]

There is no Grand Funk Railroad with out Mark Farner...period

[@zudocsss]

Rick Vincent you got that right. although a great drummer, He is a douche for stealing the rights from Mark Farner and throwing him under the bus

[@lukemanify]

Obviously

[@scuffy44]

Mark quit the band three times. Guess they just got tired of it.

[@curtishinkle7885]

Why is grand funk not in the rock and roll hall of fame, the best rock trio there ever was? I'll tell you, BS politics!!

[@williamjones9395]

Loved the original GFR. Saw them live in 74 and again in 96 at the Beacon with a full orchestra. Don's a great drummer but Mark got boned by him and Mel. And the new version of GFR doesn't do it for me. Seen Mark 4 times on his own and he is great! But this band is really history now. Sad.

[@duanepark5318]

Hey Don, if you read this I want you to know you brought your best to the plate and knocked it out of the ball park on this one. IMHO, you were essential in making GFR a huge success here in the Dallas, Texas area, and an inspiration to me as a musician. I would love to shake your hand and chat with you here in the "Big D" area. Message me if you wish; I'm easy to find. Thanks for sharing your talent; I consider it as a gift.

[@grindertoo]

Funny shit, Grand Funk Karaoke!

[@DMatthewsMusic]

Great demo Don Brewer! I've been repairing hardware, etc on my drum set. I just got a new bass-drum head in and will install before the competition. I will record a demo just to let you and others hear before I complete all repairs to my set, and will update the date(s) of the competition. I will try to record first run with what I've got to work with. Thank you sir. Darrell Matthews AKADonBrewer

[@fghhgf6197]

Hey DRUM CHANNEL GUY seen ur playing to GFR & got to say u are 99.9 on the money dude GOOD DAM JOB ! Ok so to answer the ? about the WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND GROOVE ! = I was in the crew with Todd Rundgren at the time of the recording & what Todd did was simply over dub the drums & cowbell with a little echo on the cowbell. Thats the only way to achieve that same sound.

[@inquiry7]

I don't generally like drummer/singers(Levon excepted) But Mark, Mel and DON!!!!!! "Drumming guararanteed to drive you up the wall!"

[@tonyroo11]

yesssssssssss.....1975 was a vintage year as a high school junior.....

[@batouttahell454]

Love it!!!

[@Pinky2577]

OMG , I'm getting a set of drums.... so so awesome... I'm going nuts listenning to this, When I moved I lost all my gran funk railroad albums.... "You Rock Playing Those Drums".... lol...LOVE IT...:) xo

[@58allendavis]

Grand Funk's entire library has be digitally remastered and re-released. I think you can still purchase them at grandfunkrailroad.com.

[@blauer2551]

Proves you don’t need a 38 piece kit to be iconic

[@danielvick7875]

F****** awesome! Legendary music that is forever!

[@perrykalamaras7102]

hey brewer without mark farner YOU WOULD BE NOWHERE!!

[@2000tc88]

+Perry Kalamaras You fucking idiot. Justify your Statement.

[@jonesdavis714]

That's right bullshit statement!

[@Rock-iw7ov]

2000tc88 Mark wrote all the songs, sang and played lead guitar for Grand Funk. Then Don kicked him outta Grand Funk, after everything Mark had done

[@sprtsmike80]

Mark was a fantastic front man but Its not Grand Funk unless you have "MARK" "DON" and "MEL" I saw them 5 times in the early to mid 70's and 1 other time in 2005 without Mark and every show was incredible except for the 2005 show because Mark wasn't there. There is no Grand Funk without Mark, without Don and without Mel.

[@331paradiddle]

Thank you for clearing that up. I didn't realize that.

[@davidm.alexander446]

Brewer great drummer all around good guy rock on.

[@miltonpereira8444]

Grand Master! Show

[@kuehnel16]

God that great stuff 🙌

[@stevstone40]

One of the best songs, Drums song ever played. You know whats about to play from the into. I made a ezdrummer drum tab from this video. You can see it on my channel. When I fix my mistakes will upload again and will try to include the tab for everyone to learn. The sheet music and other video lesson on here are incorrect compared to this video. Thanks Trowerr for the video.

[@ultrakool]

iconic intro

[@xanadujohn79]

Thank You Thank You.... By ear and slowing down the record it was impossible 45 yrs later and video it is possible Now I am going to repeat and practice......Hello SYBIANS

[@charliewerchan7252]

Man....he beat's those drum's like they did something wrong....wow

[@noemihuidobro1155]

My baterista favorito desde hace 50 años ...

[@JoeNocella]

3:00 what happened to the snare fill?

[@alvarocamano9959]

American Rock Anthem!

[@robburnette9882]

great drummer toured with bob seger 2013

[@allclassicmotors]

There is no doubt of Don's talent, there is also NO doubt that Don or Mark alone are only 1/10 as good as when they play together! PLEASE get back together guys, before it's too late.....

[@sandroleone1419]

BELLISSIMO INTRO , BATTERISTA D'ACCOMPAGNAMENTO BRAVO, COME BONHAM PERÒ NON POTEVANO FARE ASSOLI, POCO DINAMISMO PER GLI ASSOLI, ECCO PERCHÉ IL PIÙ GRANDE, INCOMMENSURABILE NEL ROCK, RIMANE IL GRANDE, SPETTACOLARE, UNICO, INARRIVABILE, GENIALE, FANTASIOSO, DINAMICISSIMO, DIFFICILISSIMO DA IMITARE, I A N P A I C E

[@TheDrumChannel]

I wonder what does through Don's mind each time he say "3 young Chiquita's" - you can almost see him smile at the memory. I wonder where the Chiquita's are today! Great job Don

[@russellcrawford7453]

They are raising his three illegitimate children

[@namamat]

If I'm not mistaken he wrote one of the best classic rock songs in history, one of the best drum intros ever, but as a drummer he was very right hand dominate, what is crazy is to watch a drummer such as carl palmer from the same period, outclasses don by eons.

[@thomcalhoun6341]

Still holds up.

[@giumorin-giulianocolzani4726]

Great !!!!!! =)

[@BambamJim]

Missed a few fills there, Don.

[@GasserGlass]

Without FARNER ...Mel would be selling cars and playing in bar rooms!

[@TheDrumChannel]

Does any one notice the intro cut on the record does not match the intro shown here? I'm usually pretty good at picking out drum licks especially from Don but for some reason I hear it differently on the album than I see here.

[@user-xn8dx9hx4t]

he is legend

[@juliebarrows8149]

Karen Carpenter could have easily played and sang “American Band”. It would have been great fun to watch the two of them duel!

[@tedkenny1645]

Need the entire band!

[@racer52online]

They are "Peavey Radial Drums" from Owners web page: What makes the premier lines of Peavey drums unique is the patented Radial Bridge System. The idea behind the Radial Bridge System is to create head tension without weighing down the shell with lugs and bolts that interfere with its resonance. The head tension is taken by heavy wooden hoops that support the heads with no mounting hardware attached to the shells. This allows the shells to perpetuate a louder and longer sustaining sound

[@russellcrawford7453]

racer52online I know a drummer here in Dallas who has Peavey drums and he cut the bass drum in half so he could have a traveler kit. That seems incredibly stupid to me, to ruin the bass drum for convenience. He also wear sandals on stage, what appears to be a dirty t-shirt and pants dragging the ground. Sheesh

[@johnmulder2325]

people move on and all members of Grand Funk Railroad are and remain Great...

[@SuperAkebono]

AND the man can sing well...while playing the drums!

[@multipass7879]

...The competent drumwork of Don Brewer mmmmmmmm

[@TheCarrerafour]

oxcimoron

[@58allendavis]

+MultiPass+ "But Homer! These are all Grand Funk Railroad songs!"

[@sherlie1953]

Does anyone have a clue what brand of drums these are? If so what size are they? I would like to try to make a set like them with Addictive Drums for my Roland drums. Thanks for your help.

[@jeg70]

@jasonpp1973 Nope. He had a single bass kit in the 70's and used one pedal. Awesome song and skills , as he sings it as well :)

[@Sqd_1111]

1:1 as 1974 the greatest great!!!

[@wilsonsalvador1898]

Maestro .Inolvidables.

[@kchayes9254]

Brewer awesome

[@patriciomorales19]

with mark farmer: 13 albums in 12 years (including the 96' reunion). without mark farmer, 20 years stealing money.

[@michaelstratton6701]

That's mark farner

[@kuehnel16]

AMEN 🙏

[@jeffreydaut3385]

Awww yeaaahhhh

[@RaymondSchnoor53]

I don't know what happened with the problems with Don Brewer & the band? But Don Brewer is a fantastic Drummer! Being a Drummer myself, he is one of my Top favorites!

[@duanepark5318]

Yeah I agree! I think the talent he brought to the band was inspirational and was essential in the hit "We're An American Band". Without that drum intro, the song would have gone nowhere, IMHO. In addition, I wish I had that VOICE! The public's love for it was obvious by virtue of the song's popularity and success. This is a unique snapshot of chemistry between GFR musicians in this event/moment in time. Musicians inspire each other, regardless of the instrument they play. I think that is the biggest "cool factor', even as other musicians bring out the best in me. Don Brewer is one of my fav's as well! :)

[@nickevers9571]

I think the song would still have worked without the drum intro. But since you brought it up... did you know that it was Farner who actually came up with it? Just like with everything almost everything else in this band.

[@RaymondSchnoor53]

Didn't know that? Farner was amazing! To me the Intro was a dynamic force behind that great song. Maybe because I am a drummer? Any way you cut it, they were a Great Band that played good together, even thou they had a lot of disagreements.

[@jebnok1]

Nick that cowbell intro is what brands this song, it wouldn't have been as popular with out it, some people have said they might have skipped over this song if it wasn't in there. The cowbell grabs their attention!

[@nickevers9571]

@jebnok Nobody knows for sure if the song would have been as popular as it was without the cowbell intro. It may "grab people's attention" as you say, but it is a brief moment in the song. The bigger theme is the "We're an American Band" chorus, which is repeated throughout the song, that I think drives the tune myself. The cowbell is minor compared to that. Sorry, but I disagree with you on this.

[@norjop]

What's with the hate? He put HIS voice to the song! Not sure who wrote the lyrics but if he wrote them,then it's his baby and he gets to keep most of the profit off the top. Am I missing something?

[@nickevers9571]

@norjop Farner wrote the lyrics AND came up with the drum intro. Brewer didn't own a cowbell. Farner even picked out the cowbell Brewer used for the recording. Brewer came to Farner and asked him if it would be alright if they only put Brewers name on the song for writing credits as he never had one with just his name before.

[@multipass7879]

Yea, show me "exactly" how you played Queen Bee in the studio.

[@kissrocks45]

Michigan here!

[@GreatWriteUp]

I'm impressed. And the nay-sayers posting here probably never achieved Grand Funk Railroad's success or following. Hope that puts everything in success.

[@jasonpp1973]

I wonder if Don uses a double pedal?

[@anjeliestrada5737]

His voice did not change a bit. He sounds like in the original LP. Or is it a sound track?

[@Mr1Gitrdone]

He's drumming AND singing to a track of the original song man, impossible to hit it exactly as he recorded it years ago.Watch it again...

[@garyleach9991]

I don't know who the drummer is. Why's it not in the title? Can someone let me know please?

[@SenorZorrozzz]

He sings even when he isn't singing....TRACK!

[@1938Knucklehead]

He rolls the snare when he isn't rolling at 3:00...TRACK!

[@Mr1Gitrdone]

He's playing along to his own tune,of course it's tracked,there's a few spots he missed so what it's him in the original also that was done a hundred years ago,he's bound to not be exact.

[@riker2011]

don brewer kicks ass

[@eberfranca2948]

Que foda meu, muito Fudido que trampo foda na batera.

[@Tubemanjac]

0:26 Needs more cowbell :)

[@troywinter4058]

THIS ISNT GRAND FUNK!!!!! Get back with Farner and make music,bury the animosity and pride and do the right thing. Farner,Brewer,Schacher, and frost that's GfR. We need something good here in Flint.Get back together hope it would be GfR.day here

[@ffieditor]

Frost was NOT a member of GFR in 69, he was added after they law suite with Terry Knight. If you want TRUE GFR then it just Mark, Don and Mel. Now that was GFR at they best! Rock on Mark

[@jebnok1]

Disagree Craig Frost's keyboards also branded Grand Funk's sound starting with WAB and on.

[@Trowerr]

Yes, he's playing along with the record.. While I appreciate what your saying my interpretation is different. I very RARELY see LOTS of drummers hit the same way each time. This is mostly because they play the same song numerous times daily, weekly, monthly yearly and in Don's case decades. It's not unsurprising that don would change what I would call inconsequential parts of the song.

[@JLewis-vv5zf]

Yeah, but you’d think when he’s in front of a live audience he’d at least play to a “karaoke” background track and at least give a complete & honest vocal track to the performance. What is shown here is an almost complete sell-out. Glad I wasn’t there and didn’t spend my money to witness this performance in person, or I’d have been TOTALLY pissed…feeling worse than the “clickbait” I’m being subjected to right now. Shame on y’all!!

[@Trowerr]

Now if he decided to make a major change to the intro, I wouldnt like it as much if I were trying to learn it beat for beat. But as you can see, Don only spent concerntated time slowing down the intro for people to learn. The rest was close and improv.

[@user-sw7wh5tl3e]

My testosterone rose to 14,700,000,000 PPM watching this

[@ronaldperry]

Ol Peavey kit

[@drummercarson896]

He plays Peavy Drums. That's my first drum set except that the fact that it's red

[@mfs2778]

Did Ginger "sing"?

[@frankdavis1139]

I put him right up against John Bonham from led Zeppelin he has his own style as he had . Some big hits too. Usa and he sings and hits the skins

[@joseluismorenogutierrez6401]

Don Brewer, el mejor baterista que ha habido en el rock, por que ?? Por qué era parte del mejor grupo de rock de todos los tiempos Grand Funk Railroad, pero sin Farner, no eres más que un buen baterista.

[@pierrots2510]

is it only me but thought i heard a drum roll at 3:30???????

[@eadecamp]

Wow, Don Brewer still looks pretty young. I didn't know it was him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but he has to be in his 60's.

[@58allendavis]

Donnie Brewer will turn 70 this coming September (2018).

[@Ariamaluum]

@sketch2k. I think that comes with the fact that he is a musican, and a songwriter that plays drums. He is no John Bonham but ask John to sing and play other instruments no way. The key is the chemistry between him and bassist, Mel Schacter. Really, the American guys then took pride in being musicians and writers first like Dennis Wilson and Don Henley.

[@user-vx4tw4lw3m]

If it wasn't for Mark Farner Brewer Wouldn't have any involvement & credit for this tune, I think he has a lot of crust presenting this demonstration.

[@christianyanez2449]

Funny is that even he doesn´t play the intro exactly how it was recorded...

[@stevewittbrodt]

he doesnt play most of the song the way it was recorded. still art

[@gwrproducts2488]

Fills are missing on the two floor toms. It is actually difficult to slow down a song for demo purposes.

[@brucebehnke4858]

Time 4 new cow bell!🙈

[@TheSilverHatchet]

Mathew mcconaughey is great a drums too? Some guys want it all!!

[@davidcarrizales3189]

Who's on first?

[@TOTIARO]

Yeah, the record sounds almost like there is a DOUBLE BASS DRUM thing going on in the intro. Thats why I have always wondered HOW in the world did he do that!! This is the first time seeing this video. Sounds different.

[@JoeDrumma]

There's no double bass, just a fast right foot.

[@TOTIARO]

Super fast

[@JoeDrumma]

Quintin Smith Quintin, check out my version on my channel!

[@TOTIARO]

Dang!

[@Coachmoe66]

Quintin Smith It's called a Ludwig Speed King foot pedal. Don, Ginger, Bonham, John Sferra from Glass Harp, that's all they used.

[@lucguenette7534]

I feel Don should go back to ludwig supraohonic snare,he had killer sound with it, i feel.