The Fabulous Pack -- WideTrackin' -- 1967 (pre Grand Funk Railroad)

[@tamarabradshaw4799]

Very cool to see Mark in the early days. I'm a fan for life.

[@twwtjohns]

I was born in Michigan just a few miles from where Grand Funk formed and began their careers. I first saw them live in 1971 in Miami at the Sportatorium. I was so blown away I went to their show again in 1972 also in Miami. They are my #1 favorite band of all time. it's a shame Don Brewer and Mel Scacher decided to screw Mark Farner whose voice is Grand Funk.

[@kayceeboone3274]

this is my grandaughters account i grew up around the corner from mark

[@chickey333]

So did I in Mt. Morris Township. The place is nothing but a crime wave today. Left the shithole years ago.

[@johnjarou2357]

grew up in Flint with this music.

[@aim5419]

He is the voice and guitar playing of Grand funk railroad!

[@mikeperry3548]

Me also, in Davison...I remember Mel Schacher's lived next to Burger King on M-21

[@47tooter]

Mark Farner is singing and Don Brewer on drums . .this is mind blowing , from Wide Tracking to " Inside looking out " .

[@debyates4543]

Herm Jackson on bass, orig member with Don Brewer.

[@c0lonial]

Yes, the good old days--too bad Terry Knight screwed the band (especially Mark) out of his songwriting royalties--Terry's Daughter now receives those checks--then Donny & Mel screwed Mark out of using Grand Funk Railroad--Mark wrote most of the songs--He is still one of the most humble, genuine Rockers out there to this day--just saw him in Petoskey, MI and he was in excellent form

[@littlemikey1954]

+Robert Sager Mark Farner IS Grand Funk Rail Road! And Grand Funk Rail Road just isn't Grand Funk Rail Road without him! An article in GOLDMINE covered the story of how Don & Mel screwed Mark over. They mentioned to Mark that they should all have an equal voice in matters concerning the name. Mark agreed so one of the two just happened to have the legal papers in his hotel room. (Does this sound "fishy" to you?) No sooner did they have the documents signed, the two voted to boot Mark out. "Two out of three votes in favor" and Mark was cut out of the picture.

[@EnryMusica]

Every time I see Nirvana, Guns'n'Roses, Kiss, Green Day, Iron Maiden, The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, Bon Jovi, Metallica, etc, I always notice a bit o Mark Farner in them, sometimes the guitar playing sometimes the singing, some bands less other bands more, but it is arguably right to consider him one of if not the most influential american rock'n'roll artist.

[@Joseph03743]

Don wrote & sang many of the songs on We're an American Band.

[@guynellerandle9742]

Robert Sager, Mark is just too good. There’s no way to know how much money he’s lost out on because he was so young and naive. He’s still got the Mojo and he’s still Rocking! At 70 years old!! Still a hot little package!

[@stillnotwoke]

Funny how his daughters' meth-head boyfriend stabbed Terry Knight to death...karma.

[@tomitstube]

this is too funny. 1969 everything changed. i guess 1968 would be the transitional year, but 67 and 69 were like night and day. all the great rock bands shifted, yardbirds to zeppelin, the fabulous pack to grand funk railroad, small faces to humble pie...

[@spokes28]

Started a little north of Detroit…maybe in Pontiac (wide track)?

[@DivineFellowship]

Mark had an exceptional voice for rock early on. Must have been one of the reasons the smallhats at Rolling Stone tried to s--t all over him and GFR. They were just fuming about those Gentile boys making such a strong go of it.

[@drakmar68]

Great song written by the late Dick Wagner. Thanks for sharing this!

[@doomsdaygray]

Wow! Thanks. I’m a huge GFR fan from Muskegon and never heard this before

[@randy12345557]

mark had a lot of setbacks in his life. you know he still came out on top. rocker forever!!!!! met him in Daytona. iron horse yaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

[@nadiarepich5199]

OMG, I can't believe I would ever find videos of the Pack. Thank you! I had a super crush on Donny. Love to remember those days! They were a great group.

[@debyates4543]

I was SO HAPPY to find them, as well.

[@sheddski2942]

i got a lucky break back in 1978 when i was looking through my friends older brothers albums and came across a album setup just like the mark don and mel album and it was named terry don and mark a release after they hit it big in 1969 my friends brother said take it and i still got it today it shows mark token on a joint no kidding but its all the pack songs how young they were i used to hide it so nobody knew i had it at partys back then who knew now i,m the old guy

[@costafinkel]

Can you take pictures of it?

[@debyates4543]

Herm Jackson, bass player, was the original band member, as well. Started in high school as the JazzMasters.

[@RenikaVectora]

Mark became a rock God with his longer than shoulder length golden hair and seems to have ended when he decided to cut it all off. Strange. He's a great performer and always will be.

[@albertpogosini6348]

As a Soviet student of the 70s I got hold of their album called We're An American Band... Right away I knew it was my number One band ever since. BTW my son was at his concert and told him, i.e. Mark, that his songs were performed by Moscow students of the MOPI Institute (songs like Mean Mistreater, Aimless Lady etc) Those were the days, people...

[@mmsmarjar]

Amazing - simply amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this piece of iconic history. You know I see so much of new music and have seen it since these days (meaning 1967), but in my mind - I could just stay between the years of 1963 - 1969 and live happily musically forever. I adore Mark Farner - have had a crush on him both personally and musically since I saw him the first time in 1971. Thanks again for sharing.

[@impalaman9707]

Mark gettin' down with his bad self! Up there "slippin and slidin" like James Brown!

[@MikeBlitzMag]

No name dropping of their later endeavors necessary. The Pack's work more than stands on its own merits. This was one of two singles on Lucky Eleven Records that the Pack recorded AFTER parting ways with Terry Knight (the other being a cover of Bob and Earl's Harlem Shuffle). WKNR Keener 13 in suburban Detroit played both of those singles (mid-1967) and Wide Trackin' (inspired by Wide Track Drive in suburban Pontiac) peaked at #24 on their charts. A first generation garage rock classic!

[@brianbaxter3534]

Nice to see someone remembers the Lucky 11 label. The label was named after the Lucky Eleven bar in Flint. It was started by Otis Ellis who got the bar from his father in law, my great uncle. He then went on to start the label and eventually took GFR to New York. Good stuff

[@johnjarou2357]

well said, Mike.

[@calvinbealer7264]

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023. Well Deserve Consideration.

[@reneelacewell5496]

Will be seeing Mark Farner at the Capital Theater in Flint, Mi on Jan.28,2022, 8:00 p.m.

[@murage2468]

Huge transformation in a few years …

[@JohninFunk]

to Cook moore: Thanks! I have the largest collection of Terry Knight, Pack, Farner, GFR, e.t.c., still growing... This one was shot at the "Upbeat" studio in Cleveland (WEWS-TV) from the producer's son, David Spero with his 8mm camera, while taping for the show, July 22 1967. Line up: Mark Farner (vocals), Don Brewer (drums), Curt Johnson (guitar), Herman Jackson (bass) and Bob Caldwell (organ) JT

[@costafinkel]

Farner didnt play guitar back then?

[@randyjordan5521]

@@costafinkel If I recollect correctly, Mark and Don had just split from playing with Terry Knight, who sang lead in The Pack. So Mark took over on lead with the new band. I think he did fine on lead guitar just a couple of years later. :-)

[@debyates4543]

I would love to talk to you. My uncle, Herm Jackson was the orig bass player. They started in high school as the JazzMasters.

[@JohninFunk]

@@debyates4543 Me too! Please find me as John Infunk at facebook. (I'll be on a 3-week vacation from mid August but will contact you early September if not right now)

[@debyates4543]

Thank you for all your info and interest. This really delights me😁💖 Will find you on fb. Thanks so much!✌

[@rafaelix74]

Fantastic, man, a rare pearl, no doubt ! Thanx again for sharing your amazing vídeos !

[@EnryMusica]

Much tighter and funkier than many of the mainstream bands of that time, music is a very unfair business in any decade.

[@williamjones9395]

Way cool!!! Sounds a little like motown, beach boys and other performers of the time. A little "whitebread" but okay. I dig the stage production, like the Osmonds, or something. Brady Bunch, maybe.

[@Karloffrules]

Unbelievable! I totally remember this song, but I had no idea that it was Farner, et al. Thanks for the great up.

[@gogoyubari366]

I just ordered their album from Mark Farner's website.

[@Keyboardman88]

I grew up in Michigan and remember these guys.

[@hohhot1ify]

I sure remember this song being played on Keener!

[@johnjarou2357]

thanks for posting this. haven't heard this song since it was out in the 60s. Flint Michigan band.

[@RockinProfessor]

WOW ! What a Great tune I had never heard before......

[@davidtosh7200]

It must taken in just before Christmas of 1967 and New Years Days of 1968.

[@calvtenor]

Great stuff. Thanx for posting some old memories!!!!

[@jhankline8963]

Aka the pack aka terry knight and the pack. This is the upbeat show hosted by wews channel five weatherman don webster out of cleveland ohio. Im 45 miles south east of cleveland nelson ogio and remember this show like it was on yesterday

[@ForReelFunk]

So much fun to watch! Thank you again and again John!

[@randyjordan5521]

I never knew this footage existed until today.

[@guymerritt4860]

Man - I had this record........ Talk about an OLDIE!!!! Actually, it's a pretty darned good cut. And I lived just a little bit north of Detroit.....in Flint. Terry "Knight" was still Terry Knapp and a DJ at WTAC.

[@johnjarou2357]

grew up in flint also.

[@PaulMcCartGuitarTracks]

The set piece says "upbeat". I remember a show in Cleveland by that name.

[@debyates4543]

One in the same.

[@bobbyg7102]

Watching this October/1/24 and Mark Farner just released another album at the young age of 76 while the GFR cover band is playing smaller venues. It's a sin that Brewer won't work with Mark. They would put asses in seats all over the country including mine.

[@Hopkins1148]

You are awsome man!!!!

[@jasonstack122]

my party friend in high school stop by house and lit up a joint and he listen to this group......

[@Whitevaliantwarrior]

🎶Nice floods Mark🎼

[@pgh45rpms]

Don only has a snare and cymbal; what happed to the rest of his kit? Upbeat was produced in Cleveland at WEWS-TV5.

[@twwtjohns]

Don's killin it on those air drums.

[@ronnlesster12]

my uncle rod lester played bass with these guys in 68-69.

[@debyates4543]

Who? My uncle, Herm Jackson was the orig bass player. On both of their first albums and many singles.

[@debyates4543]

Looked that up and saw that...Cool‼ i can't remember, there were so many transitions.

[@jakdrpr2106]

Always with the catchy tunes.

[@danmarries8445]

Terry Knight was my neighbor in Yuma, AZ from '97-'99. I used to love hearing his old rock n roll stories. I got to watch from behind-the-scenes when VH-1 came to his place to shoot a Behind the Music episode for Grand Funk Railroad. RIP Terry. www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-grand-funk-railroad-manager-murdered/

[@thefetede]

where did you get this peace of rock-n-roll history,this is perfect i grew up near flint mich,i thought that i had seen everything there was to see about terry knight and the pack and the pack etc,thank you !!!!

[@tornmask1]

keep it com'n bro'r!

[@GasserGlass]

Great Stuff

[@joselupediazm.7456]

GOOD GOOD

[@danielmoore7332]

Is this a Pontiac ad?

[@tomitstube]

lol, tried to start a new dance trend and it became a type of tire.

[@MIKECNW]

Didn't know they were called this before they were GF RR.

[@TheRabbitsOnTheRun]

Amazing! We're do you get this terrific footage? Who are you???? Thanks!

[@michaeladams8401]

TERRY KNIGHT & THE PACK

[@tomtanner874]

Trouser length, LOL

[@michiganrocker3979]

Fact but don't talk about people you are not related to, you don't have a right. Terry Knight passed away protecting his Daughter. Terry Knight was stabbed 17 times.

[@costafinkel]

Maybe she could change her mind and give the royalties back?

[@stillnotwoke]

Yeah, stabbed by her tweaker boyfriend.

[@itschallenger]

Dang Marc!! I guess we all start somewhere. Is this on GFR's greatest hits album? lol kidding.......great song.....it's just that you do better at that hard rock stuff.

[@BigBishop1]

was pontiac involved with this?

[@jammer3618]

Terry knight is singing.

[@denisesivrais9004]

BY THE WAY IT WAS SAVAGE GRACE! IT WAS THEIRS AND FRIDGID PINKS TIME ON STAGE SAGINAW IMA AUD.

[@PaulMcCartGuitarTracks]

Who does the guitar work?

[@JohninFunk]

Curt Johnson. Hope this helps.

[@mikecorey8370]

Well, it was the 60's.

[@thomasdudley4558]

This is actually more simpler to gfr ..soul based funky pop not as proto metal as t k period pack

[@randyjordan5521]

But it's what most other groups were doing at the time.

[@janschroder1559]

No Farner No Funk

[@timwysocki6837]

Wow this was written by dick Wagner ..

[@lazafare2460]

Donnie Brewer was one of the lamest drummers in rock history. Farner was very talented but his ego was out of control. Terry Knight might have stolen GFRs money but no one outside of Michigan would have ever heard of this overrated band if it werent for the marketing genius of Terry Knight.

[@johnjarou2357]

William polk jr. nonsense. don brewer was a bad ass drummer. mark farner great guitarist also. you, on the other hand, don't know anything.

[@randyjordan5521]

Don Brewer is a fantastic drummer, and GFR is anything but overrated. If anything, they're underrated.

[@johneasler9967]

William Polk Jr.: You're a moron. Mark, Don and Mel blew everybody away and were the best back then

[@Retnoob]

What's with the seizure-inducing video? Holy crap.

[@VARIATIONS27]

It's Not Mark Farner & Don Brewer ! ! !

[@47tooter]

Why not ?

[@nottalobe]

VARIATIONS27 That's Farner on vocals and Brewer on drums numbnuts...

[@marklott9757]

Damn Skippy!! That's the boys beyond any doubt.

[@marklott9757]

Take this from an over 60 BOY who grew up & still living less than 25 miles from Flint. Grand Funk is still be wrote on the Railroads. And to the scum bastard that stabbed Terry, may he burn in never-ending HELL!