I was a rock and roller of the 1970s, and there were some great bands, including Grand Funk who was always a personal fav of mine. I bet some of you didn't know that they donated two New York concert proceeds to a drug program treatment center in the 70s called The Phoenix House. There is a little bit of that interview in this video. The other video is strictly All Grand Funk. Mark Farner's musical diversity is a matter of public record; his voice legendary and one of the best rock voices ever, well in my opinion anyway. Did you know that Rolling Stone Magazine ranked "I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home" as one of the top ten classic songs of all time? Yeah, me either, I just know I really liked it, and loved this great American Band of the 70s, enjoy!
I dare you not to listen and sing it outloud! If you're like me, you'll probably go looking for some more of their videos to watch and sing to, like Locomotion and We're An American Band, Rock N Roll Soul, dang, there were some great songs! Forming in late 1968, Grand Funk was the first American rock band to obtain 10 consecutive platinum albums, and had many top 40 singles with two #1 singles. You couldn't listen to the radio and NOT hear their songs. Who remembers the 1973 #1 hit, “We’re An American Band”, huh? Dang I sure do. This song expresses the life of a rock band on the road and made them the quintessential American Band.
Born as a garage band from the industrial city of Flint, Michigan, they rose to fame quickly because their music and persona spoke to the soul of the people. I love that statement about them, which is the gospel truth. The average folk loved 'em. They gave other bands inspiration and always with the Grand Funk style they never let us 70s rock and rollers down. Among the band’s many sold out concerts were that of a show in 1971 at Shea Stadium that sold out in 72 hours...it took the much higher hyped Beatles 7 weeks to sell out the same venue 7 years earlier.
Based on the contributions guitarist, Mark Farner, drummer, Don Brewer, bassist, Mel Schacher and the later added orgainist, Craig Frost made to the history of rock n roll, Grand Funk Railroad should be inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame. I for one, cannot believe that such a great American band has not been inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, or at least I couldn't find it to be a truth. If you think this band should be inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame (hell yeah!) then be a part of history and make it happen.
click here.
and how's this for an encore from Don Brewer?! ha! and you thought this was two for Tuesday! suuuprise, suuuprise as Gomer would say...
A Great American Band...Two For Tuesday...
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Pretty impressive case you've laid out here. There'a a lot of fan bitching and moaning about this year's selections for the Hall. There are a couple on there that don't make sense to me. I picked two that should have been, Rush and Deep Purple, but like Funk, there certainly more that should be considered before Donna Summer....There I said it.
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