![]() “I believe it’s so politically oriented,” Farner says of the Hall. ![]() Related: Other prominent artists who’ve been shunned by the Rock Hall They are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will likely never be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Farner does not give a rat’s ass. But while other hard-rock outfits have been hailed as rock game-changers, Grand Funk Railroad never did get much respect from the critical elite. Grand Funk (they’d officially abbreviated the name with We’re an American Band) broke up, for the first time, in 1976 after a couple more top 10 albums It was time for them to go their fans had moved on. On the album, Brewer sings four of the leads and Farner the other four. Until that point, Farner had been the primary songwriter, by far, but Brewer was starting to move into the mix. Related: The story behind “We’re an American Band”īrewer sang the single and has the sole songwriting credit for the gleeful, anthemic song about loving the rock life-hotel destruction and groupie adoration. Watch Grand Funk Railroad play “We’re an American Band” in 1974 ![]() In 1973, having previously logged 10 Billboard chart singles-none of which had reached higher than #22-GFR vaulted to #1 with “We’re an American Band.” The same-titled album, produced by Todd Rundgren, was their sixth to make the top 10 of the trade magazine’ LP chart it out-ranked its predecessors, settling in at #2. We think we’re gonna be here forever, but no.”Īt the peak of their ascent, Rolling Stone called Grand Funk Railroad “the biggest American group in rock history,” but in the same article asked the question, “Is this band terrible?” Implied answer: Pretty much “yes.” But it didn’t matter what the critics thought. We are spirits in a bone suit here and we get mixed up. It has carried love and people sing it to me when I’m on stage. I’m still in the spirit, because it means so much and it has carried so many dreams and hopes. It takes me close to who I really am and every night I dedicate that to our troops and to our veterans because it means the most to them, it really does. Still does, he says, “It’s a spiritual experience. “And the crowd,” says Farner, “they’re singing ‘I’m your captain-I’m getting closer to my home’-louder than the PA system! I got huge chills.” They haul us into Shea Stadium and we get out of the back of the cop cars and the crowd loses it! Wow! What a moment!” Within two or three minutes we got cop cars in the parking lot, with the lights and sirens, picking us up. The guy with us who was riding along runs down to the phone booth and makes a call. “Then, when we landed in the parking lot where the limousine is supposed to be waiting for us, there was nothing. It was bouncing so much I was thinking, ‘Wow those guys are rocking it!’ I couldn’t hear them because of the helicopter rotors, but man, visually. The stadium looked like it was gonna collapse. “I was flying over Shea Stadium in a big helicopter, a big Huey, and the side door is open and I’m looking down-Humble Pie is onstage, which is set up at second base-and there are 60,000 people in the stands and it is bouncing up and down. The following year they sold out Shea Stadium in 72 hours, faster than the Beatles. They released two albums in 1969, On Time and Grand Funk, and two more, Closer to Home and the double Live Album, in 1970. The trio, from Flint, Mich., was the “people’s band,” a hard-rock outfit that came out of a garage. Grand Funk Railroad-originally guitarist Farner, bassist Mel Schacher and drummer Don Brewer, with keyboardist Craig Frost joining in 1972-was, in the early ’70s, the most popular American band of its day and, in some critical quarters, the most hated. Ray Manzarek on The Doors’ 6 Studio Albums: The ‘Lost’ Interviews.The Doobie Brothers’ ‘What a Fool Believes’: Behind Their #1 Hit.Joan Baez Documentary, ‘I Am A Noise,’ Coming.Legendary Producer Bill Szymczyk Turns 80.U2 Announces 2023 Las Vegas Residency Minus Drummer.Carole King 1973 Live in Central Park Concert Film Released. ![]() Stephen Stills, Neil Young Set 2023 ‘Light Up the Blues’ Concert.16 Classic Double-Sided Smash Singles of the ’60s.When the Mood Strikes: 10 Classic Rock Love Songs.The Zombies’ Busy 2023: Tour, New Album.Bruce Springsteen Adds Dates For 2023 Tour With E Street Band.The Mighty Manfred Mann: From ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’ to ‘Blinded By the Light’.Dionne Warwick ‘Complete Scepter Singles’ Due.Huey ‘Piano’ Smith, New Orleans R&B Star, Dies at 89.The Kinks Begin 60th Anniversary Celebration.Beatles in India: Photos From Pattie Boyd.Elvis Costello and the Attractions’ ‘Get Happy!!’: Stack of Tracks.Raquel Welch, Hollywood Sex Symbol, is Mourned. ![]()
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