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Thread: Mark Farner interview from 2013

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vic2012 View Post
    Several years ago I had a chance to see the current lineup of GFR at Gulfstream Park (the paramutual horse racing track). I went to a lot of concerts at that venue when they had the concert series (which sadly, has been cancelled). I didn't go though. I kinda wanted to go just to hear all those great old songs being played live, but then I just couldn't imagine a band calling themselves Grand Funk Railroad without Mark Farner. Is there bad blood between Mark and Mel and Don? That's kinda the impression I get from hearing what Mark says in the interview. I like that Mark isn't making a stink out of letting the other two guys use the name GFR and making a living off it. And I'm sure if Mark wanted to he could go out on tour as "Mark Farner's GFR" or something. But he's content to be where he is.
    Don Brewer has been a part of Bob Seeger's Silver Bullet Band ever since he went back to touring and recording about 5 years ago.

  2. #27
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    He was also in Pat Travers' band circa Hot Shot!

  3. #28
    I look at the list of artists from Michigan and I understand that many are influential and important but none of them do much for me either. I'm not going to include Motown, because that's R & B. Ted, GFR, Seger, Iggy...none of them do a thing for me. Not that North Carolina has much going for it either in the world of great rock bands either. We might actually have less going for it, as far as rock goes, than Michigan.

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  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guitarplyrjvb View Post
    I gather that in Europe, not as much.
    That's an understatement, to say the least. (Not any kind of slight intended here- there are things over here that people in the US had the sense to steer clear from!)

    My limited exposure to these guys suggests a band heavy on hollering and volume, but light on tunes. The best thing I've heard of them by miles is 'I'm Your Captain'/'Closer To Home'.

    The impression I get about them is that they meant a lot to a particular demographic but not much outside of that. They don't appear to have lasted down the years, but again that may be my UK perspective.

  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adm.Kirk View Post
    . Not that North Carolina has much going for it either in the world of great rock bands either. l
    while not famous, SCOTS is a great band. one of my favorites. they have a great sense of humor, which is something GFR's music lacked.

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by UnephenStephen View Post
    their early albums as a trio were really good to my ears. i lost interest once they added the keyboard guy. not the same band.
    That's precisely when I started liking the band. Couldn't stand them before then. I liked the songs Don Brewer sang more than the ones Mark did.
    Lou

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  7. #32
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    Aging well-known musicians who are full of themselves. well ain't that rare. paging Gene Simmons, David Lee Roth. Steven Tyler...

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by UnephenStephen View Post
    their early albums as a trio were really good to my ears. i lost interest once they added the keyboard guy. not the same band.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lopez View Post
    That's precisely when I started liking the band. Couldn't stand them before then. I liked the songs Don Brewer sang more than the ones Mark did.
    I liked their cover of Locomotion. I dd Not like 'Bad Time" and still don't. American Band has some really good stuff on it, but my favorite GFR albums are 'On Time' through "Phoenix." I've heard most of the albums after WAAB and found 1 or 2 songs I liked on each, but nothing worth buying. I'm sure they picked up a lot more fans with SKoW and Bad Time because they ditched the heaviness for more commercial material. boo. ssss.

  9. #34
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    "Tell everyone you know you got some rock and roll soul"

    Enjoyed the interview. GFR had some great tunes.

  10. #35
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    Just remembered I had the 45rpm of GFR's cover of Gimme Shelter when I was a kid. I heard it long before I ever heard the original. Love that cover version. I'd crank it up and the neighbors would bang on the wall to shut it off. Hilarious, and true.....

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    I saw Farner as part of an 80s concert back in '88, I think it was. They other bands included the original BTO, Rare Earth and Dr. Hook (don't ask me why).

    Farner was great. I think he stole the show. I believe he was into the religious thing back then, because I do recall some Christian song that was actually very good, even for tis non-believer.

    I saw him with the reformed GF years later and I thought they were really good.

    It is what it is.
    Yeah, I saw the Mark Farner Band at the Chance in Poughkeepsie NY, late 80s.

    Great show, Farner wrote some great hooks in GF.

    The bluesy gospel influence worked well with their brand of hard rock.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  12. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Vic2012 View Post
    Just remembered I had the 45rpm of GFR's cover of Gimme Shelter when I was a kid. I heard it long before I ever heard the original. Love that cover version. I'd crank it up and the neighbors would bang on the wall to shut it off. Hilarious, and true.....
    They also did a pretty good version of "Street Fighting Man." I know it's on one of the live albums, but I'm not sure if they did a studio version.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    They also did a pretty good version of "Street Fighting Man." I know it's on one of the live albums, but I'm not sure if they did a studio version.
    I don't know which song you have that confused with, but it's not on any GFR album, live or studio. maybe 'We've Got to Get Out of This Place." btw, I love the Animals' original 'Inside Looking Out' but I think GFR's tour de force version is an improvement on it. both seriously rock though.
    Last edited by davis; 02-10-2015 at 10:18 AM.

  14. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by davis View Post
    I don't know which song you have that confused with, but it's not on any GFR album, live or studio. maybe 'We've Got to Get Out of This Place." btw, I love the Animals' original 'Inside Looking Out' but I think GFR's tour de force version is an improvement on it. both seriously rock though.
    I was mistaken and thinking of "Gimme Shelter" on "Caught in the Act."
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guitarplyrjvb View Post
    If you were a kid back then, it was hard not to like Grand Funk! It's hard to believe how popular they were in the US. I gather that in Europe, not as much. I still think some of their songs are great: Aimless Lady, Sin's a Good Man's Brother, and Mr. Limousine Driver, to name a few! Farner was a great singer, too!

    There's a few innaccuracies in the interview such as Zappa's cause of death and Farner makes way more of the bands prowess than is justified. I mean blowing Zeppelin off the stage? Certainly not musically!

    Thanks for posting the article!
    Aimless Lady, yes, one of their best. "Nothing is the same" too. For me GFR is the band of certain good songs, not the albums..There's no album they made that I like from the start to finish. Always some crap in every album..As for Zeppelin stage comparison, I'd say Farner is a better showman than both Robert and Jimmy.

  16. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by grego View Post
    I'd say Farner is a better showman than both Robert and Jimmy.
    Maybe so, but can he pose like they can?
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adm.Kirk View Post
    I look at the list of artists from Michigan and I understand that many are influential and important but none of them do much for me either. I'm not going to include Motown, because that's R & B. Ted, GFR, Seger, Iggy...none of them do a thing for me. Not that North Carolina has much going for it either in the world of great rock bands either. We might actually have less going for it, as far as rock goes, than Michigan.

    Bill
    One band you have is The Connells. Great band and a big soft spot for them.
    The older I get, the better I was.

  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    I was mistaken and thinking of "Gimme Shelter" on "Caught in the Act."
    easy enough mistake to make. I'm sure Mark would let you slide. unless you'd rather teeter-totter or get on the monkey bars.

  19. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    Them’s fighting words here. You know I had to respond.....
    Thanks for representing for my home state, Steve! I would have tried to do it if you hadn't. But I didn't know Jack White was from Michigan!

    Of course, so were Eminem and Madonna, but maybe we don't need to discuss that.

  20. #45
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    John 5 (ne'e Lowery) is from Gross Pointe.

  21. #46
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    Besides the tracks I mentioned previously, you've got to add "Into the Sun", "We're an American Band" and "Footstompin' Music" to the list of GFR's great songs. Even though Farner was by no means an accomplished player, he did have a unique sound with that wierd guitar of his. Mel Schacher was a badass bass player, too! Rock music is supposed to be fun and visceral. GFR definitely delivered on that score!

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adrian View Post
    Thanks for representing for my home state, Steve! I would have tried to do it if you hadn't. But I didn't know Jack White was from Michigan!

    Of course, so were Eminem and Madonna, but maybe we don't need to discuss that.
    The White Stripes used to play Club Soda here in Kalamazoo all the time when they were starting out. They may have played Bell’s Brewery as well. I always just wrote them off as a gimmick band, but have admitted that Jack White has grown on me a lot over the years.

    Yea, I decided to just leave Madonna and Eminem out of it, but of course they are both Michigan natives as well.

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by davis View Post
    John 5 (ne'e Lowery) is from Gross Pointe.
    Yes, I forgot all about him.

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nijinsky Hind View Post
    Uh... Yeah man... I hung with Hendrix... Slept with my guitar... I just dont have 55 minutes left on my Ipad to watch this whole thing. Never cared for grand funk. Different strokes for different folks.

    He reminds me a little of Ted Nugent.
    imo Ted is more cartoonish and more of a loose cannon

  25. #50
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    I saw GFR many times in the early 70's - loved them big time. Actually skipped the warm up band (Yes) at the Yale Bowl in 1971 to tailgate before the GFR show . . . LOL !!!

    Brewer was the shining beacon of talent for this outfit if you ask me - a powerhouse.

    To each their own . . .

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