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For eight years - !969 to 1976 - Grand Funk Railroad (GFR) were the rock stars of American rock and roll bands. They blazed trail for such followers as Foreigner, Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Journey selling out arena-sized shows on four continents with frightening regularity. The 60,000 tickets for their Shea Stadium performance in New York City in 1971 disappeared in 72 hours – faster than the Beatles in 1965. With 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits, 2 Number One singles, 13 gold and 10 platinum records, GFR sold vinyl as fast as it could be pressed.
Overflowing with loud fuzzed-out guitar, dense throbbing bass, snare drum bashing, cymbal crashing and testosterone-charged, hip-deep grooves, the music wasn’t subtle. Unapologetically hedonistic, blatantly exaggerated, filled with pompous posturing it certainly wasn’t sophisticated. But finesse was never the nub. Heart racing, blood pumping, exciting and entertaining, GFR was simply one hell of a good time. Critics cringed while fans (including Homer Simpson) revelled joyously in their shameless excess.
Originally a power trio consisting of Mark Farner, guitar and vocals, Don Brewer, drums and Mel Schacher, bass, GFR was formed in the blue-collar, auto industry town of Flint, Michigan in 1969. Named after the local landmark Grand Trunk Western Railroad, they signed with Capitol Records after a watershed fire-breathing set at the Atlanta Pop Festival that same year.
The marketing savvy of Terry Knight, the band’s first manager, proved to be the fuse that ignited GFR latent power. Exploding onto the scene they quickly became a monster presence on stage and in the studio.
Responding to FM radio’s insatiable demand for hit songs and the looming shadow of disco, GFR added keyboards, toned down its sound to a bluesy pop/rock oriented style and refocused on song writing. With Todd Rundgren at the producer’s helm, We’re an American Band (1973) and The Locomotion (1974) raced to #1 on the charts. Frank Zappa was also enlisted as a producer but, with band members finding it increasingly difficult to get on board and leave the station, GFR disbanded in 1977.
With the exception of three sold-out benefit concerts for Bosnia in 1997 that featured a full symphony orchestra conducted by Thunder Bay native son, Paul Shaffer, reunions in 1980-1983 and 1996-1998 met with limited success.
Resolved to rock on, in 2000, GFR co-founders Don Brewer and Mel Schacher recruited vocalist Max Carl (38 Special), guitarist Bruce Kulick (Kiss, Meat Loaf) and keyboardist Tim Cashion (Bob Seger, Robert Palmer). Together, this dynamic quintet has carried on the traditions of GFR for the past decade playing the hits that fans both old and new expect to hear. “We’re tickled – this is 42 years and we can still get out there in front of an audience and have them up on their feet having a good time,” says drummer Don Brewer. “And after the show It’s always great to hear people say, “God I had so much fun.””
Stand shoulder-to shoulder with your friends, grab a cold beer (Duff if you can find it.) and sing along. “We’re coming to your town, we’ll help you party it down.” Here they are, in all their primitive glory, Grand Funk Railroad - The American Band. They’re not going to rock Marina Park. They’re going to rattle it! www.grandfunkrailroad.com
Ken Wright
