Zappa does grand funk railroad

scottyboy76

Frank produced this, the last 70s album for one of the great american rock bands.

Cant believe they have never had their nostalgic resurgance like many acts do, nor have they been inducted into the r&r hof.

In 1977,I was at Ft.Riley Kansas, doing pushups, situps, and weird exercises with chairs because there was nothing else to do.

During that year I tried my best to wear the grooves clean off my copy( thankfully i was not successfull, and im listening to it right now)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0KFTWBzMWE

BlueFox

I recently, 3-4 months ago, bought Closer To Home, Survival, and We're An American Band. Used to have them on records many moons ago.

gudnoyez

Hey Scott got that on album myself the corner is cut off as I got it from the bargin bin it's a good one, I will have to get it out sometime. Did not know Zappa produced it. Take it easy tell deb howdy.

scottyboy76

gudnoyez wrote: »

Hey Scott got that on album myself the corner is cut off as I got it from the bargin bin it's a good one, I will have to get it out sometime. Did not know Zappa produced it. Take it easy tell deb howdy.

Will do brother, to tell the truth, i did not know zap did this till tonight after lookin up some old funk stuff on you tube, theres a ton of well recorded,professionally filmed vid of gfr on you tube.

Makes sense, they were as big as any band in the world for a couple years.

I would urge you to give your copy a spin.

scottyboy76

BTW, Todd Rundgren produced "Were an American Band"

gudnoyez

Grand Funk Shining On was produced by Todd Rundgren another good album, get it if you don't have it.

sucks2beme

The band lost rights to a lot of their own music thanks to a poorly written contract.
I have some in my collection that gets into rotation. Closer to home and we're
an American band are both pretty good choices, along with Mark, Don, and Mel.

Msabot1

I have two Grand Funk albums in my collection...one they are sitting holding model train cars and the other is red with the band playing....not a pic but drawn in white...got em when they first came out!

dromunds

Used to play their live album a LOT back in the day, some good jams. Have to dig that out and see how it held up.

Msabot1

Dro...I'm with ya...just dug out the On Time and Red Grand Funk Albums...haven't played these in a while..look decent though..guess the sleeves I had em in protected them well....gotta bring back some memories...outer jackets are a bit worn though...like me.. The age of em!!

Tornado Red

Cool thread. Anyone remember this from The Simpsons Homerpaloosa episode?

Homer: 'But this is Grand Funk Railroad? You kids know Grand Funk right?'

As the kids look embarrassed at not knowing the band, Homer begins to look
fearfully into the distance.

Homer: 'Nobody knows the band Grand Funk? The wild shirtless lyrics of
Mark Farner? The bong rattling bass of Mel Schacher? The competent
drum work of Don Brewer? Oh man....

The car pulls to a screeching halt outside the school and the kids
sprint off (even work shy kids like Nelson and Bart) presumably
to get away from Homer. Homer,not to be outdone, leans out of his car
window and shouts.

Homer: 'For more information on Grand Funk, consult your local library!'

Homer (who seems to dominate the car pool rota) is taking the kids to school.
The song playing in the background is Mississippi Queen by Mountain.
As Homer enthusiastically nods his head, telling the kids how to headbang.

Homer: 'When I listen to a really good song, I start nodding my
head like I'm saying yes to every beat. YES! YES! YES!
This rocks and then sometimes I switch it up like NO!NO!NO! Don't stop rocking!
Bart: 'Dad, please, you're embarrassing us.
Homer: 'No, I'm not. I'm teaching you about rock music. Now Grand Funk
Railroad paved the way for Jefferson airplane, which cleared the way
for Jefferson starship. The stage was now set for The Alan Parson's Project,
which I believe was some sort of hovercraft.
Bart: 'Dad, no one cares about your stupid dinosaur bands!
You have the worst,lamest taste in music ever!'
Homer: 'I'm just trying to party with you guys.'
Bart: 'Homer, first of all the word is paar-tay and second we wouldn't paar-tay with you if you were the last dad on earth.

scottyboy76

sucks2beme wrote: »

The band lost rights to a lot of their own music thanks to a poorly written contract.
I have some in my collection that gets into rotation. Closer to home and we're
an American band are both pretty good choices, along with Mark, Don, and Mel.

Terry knight, their first manager, took advantage of young guys just starting out and got them in a bad contract.

Check out Terry Knights story, a fascinating life, his band the pack, had some pretty high charting hits, one of which was "I who have nothing", better known as a cover by Tom Jones, who blasts this song like an opera star.

Knight later went to london and hung with the Beatles while discussing becoming a producer for their newly formed apple records.

Unfortunately, while hanging with them during the recording of either the white album or let it be or something they had one of their famous arguments and after a while he could see the subject of whether he would be hired as a producer would not be coming up, so he came back to the states.

When he was 65, he was stabbed to death by his daughters meth fueled boyfriend in tyler texas after trying to intervene in an argument, but the guy seemed to be around a lot of very talented people, even though he was not known to be the most reputable trustworthy person.

Msabot1

I think it was a contract dispute that had about five months left on it...didn't know of his affiliation with the Beatles...in 70 they were on the way out too as far as a group goes