When Grand Funk Railroad Met Frank Zappa

[@JamesDevors]

Grand Funk was essential American rock and roll

[@taylorkingston1408]

The critics were right. At the one GFR concert I attended, in 1970, I felt like a buzz-saw had entered my ears, and when it was over I felt like I'd been beaten up.

[@andrewmuse6617]

Zappa’s production was miles ahead. He brought the best out of Grand Funk, the sound was spontaneous, crisp and punchy, something that the band had, at times, lacked. The album sounds “heavy” without ever being loud and unsubtle.

[@centralscrutinizer7374]

I’ve worked with Farner lots of times and have asked him about working with FZ many times. He said Frank was strictly business and was a joy to play with. Very focused.

[@AdamsMusicBox]

Awesome!

[@dklang]

Mark Farner is probably the most underrated rock guitarist ever. Don and Mel were great too. They had a bunch of great albums. Lots of people don't know GFRR, but they should.

[@That_Guy_Says_Hi]

"Aimless Lady" is a strange and lovely shuffle-sort of swing tempo. But as a drummer, I must say that, overall, their stickman left me a little cold.

[@dklang]

@@That_Guy_Says_Hi Really? I thought Don Brewer was one of the best ever.

[@boomer3150]

@@dklang As a drummer since 1970, I can tell you he IS one of the best ever.

[@willo8794]

Years ago we used to charter a bus to go see Mark & his brother Rick & their band. It was fun

[@That_Guy_Says_Hi]

@@willo8794 I'm an intuitive empath, among other things, but I got such a rush reading about a chartered bus to go see the fave band just now. I'll bet a Duinkin' Donuts large regular that willo8794 has not been able to duplicate the purity of joy created with a bunch of buddies on a chartered bus going to rock and roll.

[@joemannix6155]

Sold out shea stadium in ny in minutes

[@pariaheep]

The Red Album! The cover, the image, the sound... MAMA MIA!

[@flickwtchr]

My first concert was Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home tour in Tulsa, OK with Billy Preston opening. I was 14, and managed to convince my parents that my older brother and his friends would be sufficient guardians. Well, I suppose they were as I passed several joints, but was advised to not take hits! I think it was a valuable, wholesome experience, and a helluva good time.

[@frederickviskovich8602]

These guys were pure rock and roll and put on a great show. Great music? Probably not, but good rock and yes Farner is very underrated

[@That_Guy_Says_Hi]

Thank you! For the tip about FZ playing on "OUT TO GET YOU" by GFRR. A tip of the deerstalker to a Brit who talks rock 'n' roll like a Yank from my youth. To quote the late, great Mel Brooks from Blazing Saddles, "Mongo IMPRESSED!"

[@funkster007]

Mel's still around though. 👍

[@bak-mariterry9143]

​@@funkster007 And Mongo was played by Alex Karras.

[@garyjohnson7133]

One of the greatest rock groups of all time!!

[@McMurphyKirby]

or worst!

[@heartofthesun1584]

Alice cooper grew up at a very young age in Michigan, he moved to Phoenix Arizona and became part of a band long after he moved there. He was never a part of a band in Michigan. However, MC5, the Amboy Dukes, Ted Nugent, Bob Seager, Montrose, Kiss, Madonna and Grand Funk were bands from Michigan.

[@michaelryan5364]

I've never purposefully listened to any of those bands. I was listening to Mott the Hoople and Badfinger around that time.

[@bak-mariterry9143]

KISS is not from Michigan.

[@michaelryan5364]

@@bak-mariterry9143 While Alice Cooper was a good band and MC5 might have had some value, I and those who appreciate the rest of these bands, are very different people.

[@AndrewLoukidis-jr2bp]

My buddy was a Zappa fan who turned me on to this record

[@impalaman9707]

I much prefer Frank Zappa's production to Todd Rundgren's. Todd was all wrong for GFR. When he produces his "clients" (his words---he doesn't call them "friends") whether its XTC, The Tubes or Cheap Trick, he tries to make every album sound like his band Utopia or a Todd Rundgren solo album. And Frank's attitude was "guys---just be yourselves, and I will help you be the best selves you can be"! And the results are phenomenal

[@hardyharhar9]

I love E pluribus funk.

[@Lemopalm]

It's a great album

[@sandmonjones8004]

I have that Album produced by Frank Zappa for Grand Funk.

[@richardtaylor8595]

i have all their albums. Every lp is great.

[@johnhumphries505]

I was 10 on the edge of the stage at Grand Funk Mark Farner was like the Angel Gabriel

[@waltgzerod5565]

Grand Funk Albums were "Made Loud to be Played Loud"!! They were RAW & REAL!! An Interesting Story to look up is "Led Zeppelin will NEVER Play with Grand Funk Again"!! The story makes me Proud to be an American!!

[@Couchflyer-NY]

I saw Zeppelin twice in the early seventies. Both performances were very disappointing.

[@waltgzerod5565]

@@Couchflyer-NY My Buds saw them in Pontiac Michigan, They say the same thing. But then, it's not the destination. It's the journey!! I Guess!! Thanks.

[@impalaman9707]

My personal favourite track on the album is "Just Couldn't Wait". In some ways, I think it was like a sequel to "Heartbreaker"--a song Mark wrote for their 1969 debut album. "I miss her face---the girl of 7 years ago". Well---do the math---1969 plus 7 is 1976. The girl of 7 years ago broke his heart, but as the saying goes--"distance makes the heart grow fonder", and now he misses her and yearns for. Full of regret and nostalgia, and Craig Frost's electric piano pounding like a heartbeat adds to the sentimentality of the track---much like Queen's "You're My Best Friend". Just a wonderfully melancholy love song

[@jackremington3397]

Great video!!!

[@AdamsMusicBox]

Thank you!

[@bobturnley2787]

Zappa's solos on Out to Get You make it one of Grand Funk's best tracks and one of the best solos Zappa ever recorded. Grand Funk's first five Power Trio albums were some of the best Hard Rock of the era. But there were plenty of highlights in the albums that came later. Their weakest albums are Phoenix and Shinin' On. All the Girls in the World Beware and Born to Die have a lot of great tracks.

[@McMurphyKirby]

all is weak and lacking any hint of talent.... coverband of a coverband

[@bobturnley2787]

@@McMurphyKirby That's a comment with absolutely no clue.

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@bobturnley2787 go do the LOCOMOTION without me... that's a big clue!

[@bobturnley2787]

@@McMurphyKirby Here's a CLUE. The Beatles AND The Stones did TWICE as many covers as Grand Funk. And if you want a band with no talent, just listen to AC/DC, The Ramones, or The Clash.

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@bobturnley2787 My bands are original and never thought of doing covers so please don't harass me any more OK Sherlock and take those childhood GFR posters off your bedroom wall and throw them into the garbage with your KIZZ collection...

[@joemannix6155]

Rock and roll hof have no idea

[@davidferrara1105]

didn't know any of this, cool RIP Frank

[@chazm3]

Very astute commentary good luck with your channel getting a bunch of subscribers that you deserve

[@AdamsMusicBox]

Thanks

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@AdamsMusicBox other than GFR for your benefit!

[@iket.9930]

GFR was the continuation of Terry Knight and the Pack. I lived in Flint during their early years.

[@impalaman9707]

No more than Led Zeppelin was the continuation of the Yardbirds or Humble Pie was a continuation of the Small Faces or Cactus was a continuation of the Vanilla Fudge. It was the same bands repackaged and stripped down for a new heavier generation as the 60s moved into the 70s.

[@musicairplanes4884]

Saw Grand Funk at the Forum in Inglewood as a lead up band for Ten Years After. Nobody knew who they were and they completely stole the show.

[@McMurphyKirby]

bs

[@musicairplanes4884]

@@McMurphyKirby so why would you say "bs"?

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@musicairplanes4884 because it is BS Your heroes HAD no talent ever.... nobody knows who they were today, yesterday or tomorrow. They were not even a flash in the pan. A commercial failure... They rented Times Square billboards to advertise 'Look at us, we suck but here is our commercial in your face. A naive teenage band...Ten Years After got the show stole by the MONKEES TOOOOOOOOO!

[@boomer3150]

@@musicairplanes4884 Trolls are funny that way. Alone in momma's basement without a friend.

[@musicairplanes4884]

@@boomer3150 LOL!! I am 73 and that did happen along with plenty of other concert stories along the way.

[@donhagerty5669]

7:07 GRAND FUNK RAILROAD ON TIME IS MY FAVORITE 7:07

[@impalaman9707]

Certainly, one of my favourite debut albums of all time---if not my favourite. A rare debut album with all original material---no covers---written and arranged by a young man just barely out of his teens--Mark Farner. To me--that was quite an accomplishment. And those were ALL great songs on "On Time", some of the best he ever wrote!

[@donhagerty5669]

1:07 ❤❤❤ ON TIME AND SURVIVOR WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ALBUMS THAT I EVER HAD. I BOUGHT BOTH OF THOSE ALBUMS OUT OF THE MARKDOWN BEEN AND PLAYED THE HECK OUT OF THEM❤❤❤❤​@@impalaman9707

[@johnking6252]

FZ , GFR and the bicentennial! Pretty much says it all. RIP Amerika 🇺🇲. ✌️. the end of an era ?

[@moondogaudiojones1146]

And they all met the man behind the camera…Norman Seeff!

[@thack57]

I thought they were somewhat of an anomaly because, to me, they looked like they'd play Metal but it was ALMOST pop. To you young cats who watch this 'Pop Stars' is what they called the popular muscians of the time before the term 'Rock Stars' was invented - now they call anybody 'Rock Stars'. Pop short for 'Popular' and Grand Funk Railroad had a bunch of hits and if you didn't know who they were you'd be shocked if you saw them AFTER hearing their music first because you wouldn't expect a band with all those AM radio hits to look so cool. The leader Mark Farner had this whole - what we called Indian which is now 'Native American' for the PC Crowd complete w/head-band and long strait hair that sometimes look blond. No shirt and 3 quarter length pants. Whem I saw them around 1974 or '75 he was playing a Silver Les Paul. They'd hit it w/ a spotlight and would make beams of light reflect off of it - which looked cool in an era that was before exotic stages were used. It'd be just a band with houselights back in the '60s + '70s.

[@rayfarrell6926]

Its all about Chemisrty and Grank Funk Railroad had it in spades. For people who lived in that era GFR was one of the best live bands and you always got your moneys worth. They don't make bands like this anymore. Mark, Don, and Mel !!!

[@totallyunmemorable]

Thank you for pronouncing 'bona fide' correctly.

[@kenq7948]

Zappa story starts about 3:50

[@boomer3150]

No need to rush there, however.

[@simonagree4070]

A fair evaluation. I was never a fan -- I think I didn't care for their songwriting. It says something that the one song I did like was the Goffin/King number, "Locomotion". They did have something, though.

[@McMurphyKirby]

'something' like no talent!

[@boomer3150]

@@McMurphyKirby Says the troll.

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@boomer3150 says the real deaf troll

[@BritIronRebel]

Really, really like their earliest stuff. My interest did dwindle when they became too "polished" if that's the correct term to use.

[@aquatarkus2022]

It's been said by critics, they evolved into boring competence. I agree, the early stuff was more exciting.

[@McMurphyKirby]

tarnished fits!

[@boomer3150]

@@aquatarkus2022 It was, however there were some fine moments later on.

[@fredfox3851]

I've always been under the impression that GFR, were not well received across the pond. Yes. No. Maybe?

[@ClubLeyo]

Maybe not in general in the netherlands but me and a friend had a lot of good times with the live album.

[@AdamsMusicBox]

They didn't get the record label support in Europe that they did in the US

[@boomer3150]

@@AdamsMusicBox Terry Knight was their corrupt manager, murdered later by his daughter's boyfriend. He managed two other great bands, The Beatles and Bloodrock. I was kidding about The Beatles, lol.

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@boomer3150 and Bloodrock was DOA

[@milesmcmillansr999]

​@@McMurphyKirbygo make fun of Trump. He deserves it

[@Joshua-l7g]

Didn't know this it seems to me that they were the kind of band Zappa would make fun of 🤔

[@boomer3150]

He supposedly liked Black Sabbath as well.

[@davecrowson448]

Zappa liked hard rock, and he probably appreciated the lack of pretension in these guys

[@impalaman9707]

@@davecrowson448 Whereas he didn't like the pretension in a lot of the prog rock most people think he would like---such as ELP!

[@milesmcmillansr999]

Not in the rock hof

[@notgivennotgiven7776]

I heard Zappa really liked these guys because they'd fart on each other.

[@McMurphyKirby]

Adams Music Box toooooooooooooooooooo! Let one rip for boomer 3150 the paid digital troll

[@McMurphyKirby]

and rip another for @bobturnley2787

[@jebroe860]

They like zappa were drug free. GFR opened Phoenix House one the first drug rehabs in the early 70s.

[@LelandProfitt]

GRAND PUNK CHOO CHOO

[@soulsurvivor4499]

you didn't play any of the music though!!!

[@McMurphyKirby]

Zappa and Grand Funk had a farting contest! And recorded it!

[@dhjdhj]

No, Frank was in the studio deciding if he wanted to produce them or not. Mark Farner knocked a pen off the recording console and Don Brewer went to pick it up and as he did, Mark farted in his face and they all cracked up laughing. And that’s when Frank said “that’s when I knew I wanted to go ahead and produce this album”. I don’t have any idea how you got an idea of a farting contest from that.

[@michaelryan5364]

I saw them but did not love them.

[@harvey1954]

Too much padding with info we all know already.

[@davidferrara1105]

Awwww get your money back right away. Awwwww!!!

[@paulrevere2928]

Why do you tell us about what you want to talk about and then just talk about it? Why don’t you just talk about it thank you.

[@davidferrara1105]

You first

[@steveaitch729]

zappa fan since 1967. GFR fan never. the early stuff was not terrible, but waay over rated and i doubt if fank said that .

[@AdamsMusicBox]

Frank liked them a lot

[@McMurphyKirby]

Grand Funk Railroad rented all the billboards in Times Square , that is why you heard of them. This post is fictional ...They also paid every DJ to play their garage garbage...It was never merit why you heard them it was PAY TO PLAY, and the Hippies still never heard even of them............If you had 100 hours of Zappa music you might get one REMARKABLE hour of music. In the record stores Zappa and The Mothers records were found in the comedy section!

[@kikovazquez7277]

That's all quite funny, but quite fictional.

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@kikovazquez7277 pay to play commercialism ...absolutely true youngster with poor taste...GFR was fiction!

[@kikovazquez7277]

@@McMurphyKirby I am 71 - I was there and I was a a rock radio DJ.for a couple of years. The "hippies" who liked bands like CSN&Y and the Grateful Dead didn't particularly love GFR, but millions of kids in the midwest where I was situated at the time who grew up in urban and rural working class homes were nuts for GFR in the early 1970s. The shirt manufacturers and sellers were quite distraught with most of the raw rock bands coming out of the Detroit area.

[@biserkasertic1208]

I can affirm they were popular in 1971. even in former Yugoslawia.I was only 15, and me and my friends menage to get On Time album, and GF live double album. (In 71. in Yugoslavia you couldn't buy such records in regular shops) I remember we were so crazy for "Inside Looking Out" - I recorded on the small tape recorder, and when I go into citty I use to carry this tape recorder with me playing this song all the way while I was walking.(It was no walkmans in 71) I remember I was fascinated with Mark Farner's vocal on "Hesrtbreaker".

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@biserkasertic1208 toot toot

[@McMurphyKirby]

GFR had no talent!

[@funkfan1751]

You wouldn't know good rock & roll if it hit you like a Mack Truck!

[@McMurphyKirby]

@@funkfan1751 No talent .. very immature predictable music, teenage wasteland. A commercial failure. NOBODY KNOWS THEM! You embarrassed yourself! The sound of an idling Mack truck makes much better music than the Grand Funk train wreck. I guess my problem is I have good taste in that GOOD old rock and roll... Tiny Tim had more talent than them!

[@funkfan1751]

@@McMurphyKirby Then go somewhere else and listen to what you like and stop being such an A-hole.

[@boomer3150]

@@McMurphyKirby Of course you are in the minority, and no one takes you seriously. While you are entitled to your unpopular opinion, your pompous, narcissistic attitude belies your gradeschool status. There's no place for you in a serious music discussion. Mature adults do not insult one anothers' tastes. Go sit down.

[@dennisholiday1868]

If you was a head line band you wouldn't want the train weak of GFR to start a show for you! Just ask Led Zeppelin!

[@Circuit7Active]

They were a flash in the pan with older folks when they first appeared. I loved them for awhile, then got bored quickly.