Grand Funk Railroad
Encyclopedia
Grand Funk Railroad is an American
rock
band that was highly popular during the 1970s
. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them. The band's name is a play on words
of the Grand Trunk Railroad, a railroad line that ran through the band's home town of Flint, Michigan
.
and Don Brewer
from Terry Knight and the Pack
and Mel Schacher
from Question Mark & the Mysterians; Terry Knight
soon became the band's manager. Knight named the band after the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
, a well-known rail line in Michigan
. First achieving recognition at the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival
, the band was signed by Capitol Records
. After a raucous, well-received set on the first day of the festival, Grand Funk Railroad was asked back to play two additional days. Patterned after hard rock power trios such as Cream
, Grand Funk Railroad, with Terry Knight's marketing savvy, developed its own popular style. In 1970, they sold more albums than any other American band and became a major concert attraction. In 1969, the band released its first album titled On Time
, which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold record
in 1970. During the same year, a second album, Grand Funk
(aka "The Red Album"), was awarded gold status. The hit single "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)
", from the album Closer to Home
, was also released in 1970 and was considered stylistically representative of Terry Knight and the Pack
's recordings. The band spent $100,000 on a New York
Times Square
billboard
to advertise Closer to Home. By 1971, Grand Funk broke The Beatles
' Shea Stadium
attendance record by selling out in just 72 hours.
Despite critical pans and a lack of airplay
, the group's first six albums (five studio releases and one live album) were quite successful. In 1970, Knight launched an intensive advertising campaign to promote the album Closer To Home
. That album was certified multi-platinum despite a lack of critical approval. Following Closer To Home, Live Album was also released in 1970, and was another gold disc recipient. Survival
and E Pluribus Funk
were both released in 1971. E Pluribus Funk celebrated the Shea Stadium
show with a die-cut depiction of the stadium on the album cover's reverse.
. In VH1
's "Behind the Music
" Grand Funk Railroad episode, Knight stated that the original contract would have run out in about three months, and that the smart decision for the band would have been to just wait out the time.
In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad added Craig Frost
on keyboards as a full-time member. Although Farner and Brewer had known Frost from the Terry Knight and the Pack days and Frost had both recorded and toured with Grand Funk as a sideman, he was not the band's first choice. Originally, Grand Funk attempted to attract Peter Frampton
, late of Humble Pie
; however, Frampton was not available due to signing a solo-record deal with A&M Records
. The addition of Frost, however, brought a stylistic shift from Grand Funk's original garage-band based rock & roll roots to a more rhythm & blues/pop-rock-oriented style. With the new lineup, Grand Funk released its sixth album of original music Phoenix
in 1972.
To refine Grand Funk's sound, the band secured veteran musician Todd Rundgren
as a producer. Two successful albums and two #1 hit singles resulted: the Don Brewer penned "We're an American Band
" (from We're an American Band
) and "The Loco-Motion
" (from Shinin' On
, written by Carole King
and Gerry Goffin
and originally recorded by Little Eva
). The album We're an American Band topped out at #2 on the charts, while the "We're an American Band" single, released during summer 1973, was Grand Funk's first #1 hit. "The Loco-Motion" followed in 1974 as Grand Funk's second chart topping single.
as producer and reverted to using their full name: "Grand Funk Railroad". The band released the album All the Girls in the World Beware!!!
, which depicted the band member's heads superimposed on the bodies of Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Franco Columbu
. This album spawned the band's last two top ten hits, "Some Kind of Wonderful
" and "Bad Time".
Although highly successful in the mid 1970s, tensions mounted within the band due to personal issues, burn-out, and musical direction. Despite these issues, Grand Funk forged ahead. Needing two more albums to complete their record deal with Capitol, Grand Funk embarked on a major tour and decided to record a double live album, Caught in the Act
. The double album should have fulfilled the contract with Capitol; however, because it contained previously released material, Capitol requested an additional album to complete Grand Funk's contractual obligation. While pressures between the band members still existed, the members agreed to move forward and complete one more album for Capitol to avoid legalities similar to the ones that they endured with Terry Knight in 1972. The band recorded Born to Die
and agreed not to release any information regarding their impending breakup in 1976.
However, Grand Funk found new life via interest by Frank Zappa
in producing the band. Signing with MCA Records
, the resulting album Good Singin', Good Playin'
yielded little success. After this, Grand Funk Railroad decide once more to disband in 1976.
which resulted in two albums: Mark Farner (1977) and No Frills (1978). Brewer, Schacher and Frost remained intact and formed the band Flint
with the addition of Billy Ellworthy. Flint released one album on Columbia Records
; a second record was finished but never released. Grand Funk Railroad reunited in 1981 without Frost and with Dennis Bellinger replacing Schacher on bass. Originally Schacher had planned to rejoin the band; however, because of reservations regarding the current management, he bowed out at the last moment, citing that he had developed a phobia concerning flying. The new line-up released two albums on Irving Azoff
's Full Moon label, distributed by Warner Bros. Records
. These releases included 1980's Grand Funk Lives
and 1983's What's Funk?
. Neither album achieved much critical acclaim; however, the single "Queen Bee" was included in the Heavy Metal
movie and soundtrack album. After disbanding a second time in 1983, Farner continued as a solo performer and became a Christian recording artist
. Brewer and former Grand Funk band-mate Frost joined Bob Seger
's Silver Bullet Band.
benefit concert
s. These shows featured a full symphony orchestra that was conducted by Paul Shaffer
(from the David Letterman
Late Show). The band released a live two-disc benefit CD called Bosnia
recorded in Auburn Hills, Michigan
. This recording also featured Peter Frampton who joined the band on stage. In 1999, after three years of touring, Farner acrimoniously left the band and returned to his solo career. Although Farner had originally agreed to reunite for one year, he remained because of the original trio's comeback success. Old issues, however, re-emerged and these necessitated his exit from the band. Brewer and Schacher continued without Farner and sought new members as replacements.
In 2000, Brewer and Schacher recruited lead vocalist Max Carl
(of .38 Special
), former Kiss
lead guitarist Bruce Kulick
, and keyboardist Tim Cashion
to continue as Grand Funk Railroad. The band has toured steadily since then. Mark Farner also tours with his band NRG, and continues to record under his own name.
In 2005 Grand Funk Railroad was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. The band has had three of its recordings voted Legendary Michigan Songs: "We're an American Band" in 2008, "Closer To Home/I'm Your Captain" and "Some Kind Of Wonderful" in 2009.
On the long-running series The Simpsons
, Grand Funk Railroad happens to be Homer Simpson
's favorite band. He has alluded to the fact in the season seven episode "Homerpalooza
", in which, upon hearing that Bart
and Lisa
do not know anything about GFR, says "You kids don't know Grand Funk? The wild shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner? The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher? The competent drumwork of Don Brewer? Oh, man!" and in the season twelve episode "A Tale of Two Springfields
" when he gives The Who
a list of songs to play, Roger Daltrey
states that most of the songs are by GFR, and that they don't know "Pac-Man Fever
".
In the series premiere of season 18, "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer
", Bart and Lisa get on the school bus, and Bart will not share his seat (the last available one) with Lisa. Instead of dealing with her problem, Otto
puts a Grand Funk tape into his Walkman
and sings to "We're an American Band".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band that was highly popular during the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them. The band's name is a play on words
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
of the Grand Trunk Railroad, a railroad line that ran through the band's home town of Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
.
Formation (1969)
The band was formed in 1969 by Mark FarnerMark Farner
Mark Fredrick Farner is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad, and later as a Contemporary Christian Musician.-Early life and career:...
and Don Brewer
Don Brewer
Don Brewer is the drummer and co-lead singer for American rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early life :Brewer was born in Flint, Michigan on September 3, 1948 and is a graduate of Swartz Creek High School....
from Terry Knight and the Pack
Terry Knight and the Pack
Terry Knight and the Pack was, between 1965 and 1967, an American rock band from Flint, Michigan. The band was signed to the Lucky Eleven label throughout its short recording career.-Career:...
and Mel Schacher
Mel Schacher
Mel Schacher is best known as the bassist for rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early career :Schacher was born in Flint, Michigan. He became interested in music at the age of seven playing with his father's banjo. By age twelve he had moved to playing guitar and then bass...
from Question Mark & the Mysterians; Terry Knight
Terry Knight
Terry Knight , born Richard Terrance Knapp, was an American rock and roll music producer, promoter, singer, songwriter and radio personality, who enjoyed some success in radio, modest success as a singer, but phenomenal success as the original manager-producer for Grand Funk Railroad and the...
soon became the band's manager. Knight named the band after the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway , constituting the majority of CN's Chicago Division ....
, a well-known rail line in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. First achieving recognition at the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival
Atlanta International Pop Festival (1969)
The first Atlanta International Pop Festival was a music festival held at the Atlanta International Raceway on the July Fourth and weekend, 1969, more than a month before Woodstock. It was organized by Alex Cooley, who later went on to organize the Texas International Pop Festival. The crowd...
, the band was signed by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. After a raucous, well-received set on the first day of the festival, Grand Funk Railroad was asked back to play two additional days. Patterned after hard rock power trios such as Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, Grand Funk Railroad, with Terry Knight's marketing savvy, developed its own popular style. In 1970, they sold more albums than any other American band and became a major concert attraction. In 1969, the band released its first album titled On Time
On Time
On Time is Grand Funk Railroad's first studio album, and was released in August 1969 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Terry Knight."Time Machine", the band's first single release, barely broke the top 50 in the singles charts...
, which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold record
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in 1970. During the same year, a second album, Grand Funk
Grand Funk (album)
Grand Funk is Grand Funk Railroad's second studio album, and was released in December 1969 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Terry Knight and engineered by Ken Hamann. This release was certified by RIAA with a gold record award, the first for the group...
(aka "The Red Album"), was awarded gold status. The hit single "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)
I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)
"I'm Your Captain " is an epic 1970 song written by American musician Mark Farner and recorded by Grand Funk Railroad as the closing track to their album Closer to Home. Ten minutes in duration, it is the band's longest studio recording. One of the group's best-known songs, it is composed as two...
", from the album Closer to Home
Closer to Home
Closer to Home is Grand Funk Railroad's third studio album, and was released in July 1970 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Terry Knight. This album reached RIAA gold record status in 1970, making it the group's third gold record in one year. The songs, "Sin's a Good Man's Brother" and...
, was also released in 1970 and was considered stylistically representative of Terry Knight and the Pack
Terry Knight and the Pack
Terry Knight and the Pack was, between 1965 and 1967, an American rock band from Flint, Michigan. The band was signed to the Lucky Eleven label throughout its short recording career.-Career:...
's recordings. The band spent $100,000 on a New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
to advertise Closer to Home. By 1971, Grand Funk broke The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
attendance record by selling out in just 72 hours.
Despite critical pans and a lack of airplay
Airplay
* Airplay is the amount of time a song is played on the radio.It may also refer to:* AirPlay, an audio & video streaming technology from Apple Inc.* Airplay , Foster & Graydon music project from 1980* Citroën C1, Citroën C1 Airplay...
, the group's first six albums (five studio releases and one live album) were quite successful. In 1970, Knight launched an intensive advertising campaign to promote the album Closer To Home
Closer to Home
Closer to Home is Grand Funk Railroad's third studio album, and was released in July 1970 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Terry Knight. This album reached RIAA gold record status in 1970, making it the group's third gold record in one year. The songs, "Sin's a Good Man's Brother" and...
. That album was certified multi-platinum despite a lack of critical approval. Following Closer To Home, Live Album was also released in 1970, and was another gold disc recipient. Survival
Survival (Grand Funk Railroad album)
Survival is Grand Funk Railroad's fourth studio album, and was released in April 1971 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Terry Knight.-Track listing:All songs by Mark Farner unless otherwise noted.#"Country Road" - 4:22...
and E Pluribus Funk
E Pluribus Funk
E Pluribus Funk is Grand Funk Railroad's fifth studio album, and was released in November 1971 by Capitol Records. This is the final Grand Funk Railroad album produced by Terry Knight. The title is a play on the former motto of the US government, E Pluribus Unum...
were both released in 1971. E Pluribus Funk celebrated the Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
show with a die-cut depiction of the stadium on the album cover's reverse.
Early 1970s
By late 1971 the band was concerned with Knight's managerial style and fiscal responsibility. This growing dissatisfaction led Grand Funk Railroad to fire Knight in early 1972. Knight sued for breach of contract, which resulted in a protracted legal battle and the band dropping the word "Railroad" from their name (in his 2001 autobiography, "From Grand Funk to Grace", Farner stated that the shortening of the band's name was done after most of their fans began to refer to them as Grand Funk). At one point, Knight repossessed the band's gear before a gig at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. In VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's "Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
" Grand Funk Railroad episode, Knight stated that the original contract would have run out in about three months, and that the smart decision for the band would have been to just wait out the time.
In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad added Craig Frost
Craig Frost
Craig Frost is the keyboardist for Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band. However, he is best known as keyboardist for 1970s hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad....
on keyboards as a full-time member. Although Farner and Brewer had known Frost from the Terry Knight and the Pack days and Frost had both recorded and toured with Grand Funk as a sideman, he was not the band's first choice. Originally, Grand Funk attempted to attract Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, late of Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
; however, Frampton was not available due to signing a solo-record deal with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. The addition of Frost, however, brought a stylistic shift from Grand Funk's original garage-band based rock & roll roots to a more rhythm & blues/pop-rock-oriented style. With the new lineup, Grand Funk released its sixth album of original music Phoenix
Phoenix (Grand Funk Railroad album)
Phoenix is Grand Funk Railroad's sixth studio album, released on September 15, 1972 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Grand Funk and marks the band's first album not produced by Terry Knight. "Rock & Roll Soul" was released as a single, and went to #29 in 1972...
in 1972.
To refine Grand Funk's sound, the band secured veteran musician Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
as a producer. Two successful albums and two #1 hit singles resulted: the Don Brewer penned "We're an American Band
We're an American Band (song)
"We're an American Band" is a 1973 song by the band Grand Funk Railroad. It was the group's first number one single. Written by Don Brewer and produced by Todd Rundgren, the huge chart success of this single broadened Grand Funk's appeal to a much wider audience...
" (from We're an American Band
We're an American Band
We're An American Band is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad, credited as Grand Funk. The album was released by Capitol Records on July 15, 1973 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America a little over a month after its release. Two...
) and "The Loco-Motion
The Loco-Motion
"The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The song is notable for appearing in the American Top 5 three times – each time in a different decade: for Little Eva in 1962 ; for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 ; and for Kylie Minogue in 1988 "The...
" (from Shinin' On
Shinin' On
Shinin' On is the eighth album by Grand Funk Railroad, released in 1974. Although not as successful as its predecessor, We're an American Band, it peaked at #5 in the US and was certified gold. The original cover was done in bi-visual 3-D and included the required blue and red lensed glasses to...
, written by Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
and Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
and originally recorded by Little Eva
Little Eva
Eva Narcissus Boyd , known by the stage name of Little Eva , was an American pop singer.-Biography:...
). The album We're an American Band topped out at #2 on the charts, while the "We're an American Band" single, released during summer 1973, was Grand Funk's first #1 hit. "The Loco-Motion" followed in 1974 as Grand Funk's second chart topping single.
Mid 1970s
In 1975, Grand Funk switched to Jimmy IennerJimmy Ienner
Jimmy Ienner is an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as John Lennon, Bay City Rollers and Three Dog Night. He went to Stamford High School and graduated in the Class of 1963. He grew up in the Cove section of Stamford and while still in High School,...
as producer and reverted to using their full name: "Grand Funk Railroad". The band released the album All the Girls in the World Beware!!!
All the Girls in the World Beware!!!
All the Girls in the World Beware!!! is the ninth studio album by American hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad. The album was released by Capitol Records in December 1974, it was the group's second album released that year...
, which depicted the band member's heads superimposed on the bodies of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
and Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu is an Italian actor, former bodybuilder and World's Strongest Man competitor.-Bodybuilding:Columbu was born in Ollolai, Sardinia . Starting out his athletic career as a boxer, Columbu progressed into the sport of Olympic Weightlifting, powerlifting and later bodybuilding, winning...
. This album spawned the band's last two top ten hits, "Some Kind of Wonderful
Some Kind of Wonderful (Soul Brothers Six song)
"Some Kind of Wonderful" is a song written by John Ellison. It was first recorded in 1967 by the American group Soul Brothers Six, peaking at number ninety-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
" and "Bad Time".
Although highly successful in the mid 1970s, tensions mounted within the band due to personal issues, burn-out, and musical direction. Despite these issues, Grand Funk forged ahead. Needing two more albums to complete their record deal with Capitol, Grand Funk embarked on a major tour and decided to record a double live album, Caught in the Act
Caught in the Act (Grand Funk Railroad album)
Caught in the Act is Grand Funk Railroad's second live album, and was released in August 1975 by Capitol Records as a double album. It was recorded live on tour in 1975 and features "The Funkettes" — Lorraine Feather and Jana....
. The double album should have fulfilled the contract with Capitol; however, because it contained previously released material, Capitol requested an additional album to complete Grand Funk's contractual obligation. While pressures between the band members still existed, the members agreed to move forward and complete one more album for Capitol to avoid legalities similar to the ones that they endured with Terry Knight in 1972. The band recorded Born to Die
Born to Die
Born to Die is a 1976 album by Grand Funk Railroad. Capitol .The album is considered to be the group's most somber work, straying away from the upbeat and cocky attitude that was so prevalent on their previous albums, and focusing on bleak musical and lyrical content concerning death, social...
and agreed not to release any information regarding their impending breakup in 1976.
However, Grand Funk found new life via interest by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
in producing the band. Signing with MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, the resulting album Good Singin', Good Playin'
Good Singin', Good Playin'
Good Singin', Good Playin' is the final 1970s album by Grand Funk Railroad, released by MCA Records in 1976.The band had actually broken up, but after Frank Zappa expressed interest in producing an album for them, they managed to reassemble for one more attempt to regain a high chart position,...
yielded little success. After this, Grand Funk Railroad decide once more to disband in 1976.
Late 1970s and 1980s
Following the breakup, Farner began a solo career and signed with Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
which resulted in two albums: Mark Farner (1977) and No Frills (1978). Brewer, Schacher and Frost remained intact and formed the band Flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
with the addition of Billy Ellworthy. Flint released one album on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
; a second record was finished but never released. Grand Funk Railroad reunited in 1981 without Frost and with Dennis Bellinger replacing Schacher on bass. Originally Schacher had planned to rejoin the band; however, because of reservations regarding the current management, he bowed out at the last moment, citing that he had developed a phobia concerning flying. The new line-up released two albums on Irving Azoff
Irving Azoff
Irving Azoff is an American personal manager, representing recording artists in the music industry such as Christina Aguilera, Journey, Jewel, the Eagles, X Japan, Bush, REO Speedwagon, Seal, David Archuleta, Alter Bridge, Van Halen, 30 Seconds to Mars, Neil Diamond, New Kids on the Block, Steely...
's Full Moon label, distributed by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. These releases included 1980's Grand Funk Lives
Grand Funk Lives
Grand Funk Lives is a 1981 album by Grand Funk Railroad. It was their first album since disbanding in 1976. Although known as a reunion album, it did not feature bassist Mel Schacher or keyboard player Craig Frost.-Track listing:...
and 1983's What's Funk?
What's Funk?
-Track listing:# "Rock & Roll American Style" – 4:29# "Nowhere to Run" – 2:39# "Innocent" – 3:05# "Still Waitin'" – 4:05# "Borderline" – 2:56# "El Salvador" – 4:11# "It's a Man's World" – 4:54# "I'm So True" – 4:10# "Don't Lie to Me" – 4:18...
. Neither album achieved much critical acclaim; however, the single "Queen Bee" was included in the Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (film)
Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian fantasy-animated film directed by Gerald Potterton and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine....
movie and soundtrack album. After disbanding a second time in 1983, Farner continued as a solo performer and became a Christian recording artist
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
. Brewer and former Grand Funk band-mate Frost joined Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
's Silver Bullet Band.
1990s and 2000s
In 1996 Grand Funk Railroad's three original members once again reunited and played to 250,000 people in 14 shows during a three month period. In 1997 the band played three sold-out BosnianBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
s. These shows featured a full symphony orchestra that was conducted by Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
(from the David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
Late Show). The band released a live two-disc benefit CD called Bosnia
Bosnia (album)
Bosnia is the title of a live recording by the American rock band Grand Funk Railroad. The concert was a benefit performance for the nation of Bosnia...
recorded in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills is a city in Metro Detroit, Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 1983 when Pontiac Township became the City of Auburn Hills.-Economy:...
. This recording also featured Peter Frampton who joined the band on stage. In 1999, after three years of touring, Farner acrimoniously left the band and returned to his solo career. Although Farner had originally agreed to reunite for one year, he remained because of the original trio's comeback success. Old issues, however, re-emerged and these necessitated his exit from the band. Brewer and Schacher continued without Farner and sought new members as replacements.
In 2000, Brewer and Schacher recruited lead vocalist Max Carl
Max Carl
Max Carl Gronenthal is an American rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He is the current lead singer of the classic rock band Grand Funk Railroad...
(of .38 Special
.38 Special (band)
38 Special is an American rock band that was formed by neighborhood friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant in 1974 in Jacksonville, Florida. The band's first two albums had a strong southern rock influence. By the early 1980s, 38 Special shifted to a more accessible arena rock style without...
), former Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
lead guitarist Bruce Kulick
Bruce Kulick
Bruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss....
, and keyboardist Tim Cashion
Tim Cashion
Tim Cashion is the current keyboardist for the classic-rock band Grand Funk Railroad. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina.His father played acoustic guitar and wrote country songs, and recorded 78rpm singles, played with his friends in a local band. His mother was the pianist at the local...
to continue as Grand Funk Railroad. The band has toured steadily since then. Mark Farner also tours with his band NRG, and continues to record under his own name.
In 2005 Grand Funk Railroad was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. The band has had three of its recordings voted Legendary Michigan Songs: "We're an American Band" in 2008, "Closer To Home/I'm Your Captain" and "Some Kind Of Wonderful" in 2009.
On the long-running series The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Grand Funk Railroad happens to be Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's favorite band. He has alluded to the fact in the season seven episode "Homerpalooza
Homerpalooza
"Homerpalooza" is the 24th episode of The Simpsons seventh season and originally aired on May 19, 1996. The plot focuses around Homer's depression about aging and no longer being cool, and his quest to become cool again by joining the "Hullabalooza" music festival as a carnival freak. The episode...
", in which, upon hearing that Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Lisa
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
do not know anything about GFR, says "You kids don't know Grand Funk? The wild shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner? The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher? The competent drumwork of Don Brewer? Oh, man!" and in the season twelve episode "A Tale of Two Springfields
A Tale of Two Springfields
"A Tale of Two Springfields" is the second episode from season twelve of the animated TV series The Simpsons and is the 250th episode of the series overall in both broadcast and production order. The episode originally premiered November 5, 2000 on Fox Broadcasting Company.The episode was written...
" when he gives The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
a list of songs to play, Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
states that most of the songs are by GFR, and that they don't know "Pac-Man Fever
Pac-Man Fever (song)
"Pac-Man Fever" is a hit single by Buckner & Garcia. Capitalizing on the video game craze of the early 1980s, the song, about the classic video game Pac-Man, peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US in March 1982. That same month, it was certified Gold by the RIAA for over 1,000,000 units...
".
In the series premiere of season 18, "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer
The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer
"The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer" is the season premiere of The Simpsons’ eighteenth season and first aired September 10, 2006. Lisa meets Fat Tony's son, Michael, who does not want to enter the family business of the mafia, but wants to pursue his dream of being a chef...
", Bart and Lisa get on the school bus, and Bart will not share his seat (the last available one) with Lisa. Instead of dealing with her problem, Otto
Otto Mann
Otto Mann is a fictional character on the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the school bus driver for Springfield Elementary School...
puts a Grand Funk tape into his Walkman
Walkman
Walkman is a Sony brand tradename originally used for portable audio cassette, and now used to market Sony's portable audio and video players as well as a line of Sony Ericsson mobile phones...
and sings to "We're an American Band".
Current members
- Don BrewerDon BrewerDon Brewer is the drummer and co-lead singer for American rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early life :Brewer was born in Flint, Michigan on September 3, 1948 and is a graduate of Swartz Creek High School....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1969–1976, 1981–1983, 1996–present) - Mel SchacherMel SchacherMel Schacher is best known as the bassist for rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early career :Schacher was born in Flint, Michigan. He became interested in music at the age of seven playing with his father's banjo. By age twelve he had moved to playing guitar and then bass...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1969–1976, 1981, 1996–present) - Max CarlMax CarlMax Carl Gronenthal is an American rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He is the current lead singer of the classic rock band Grand Funk Railroad...
– lead vocals (2000–present) - Bruce KulickBruce KulickBruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss....
– guitarsGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2000–present) - Timothy "Tim" CashionTim CashionTim Cashion is the current keyboardist for the classic-rock band Grand Funk Railroad. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina.His father played acoustic guitar and wrote country songs, and recorded 78rpm singles, played with his friends in a local band. His mother was the pianist at the local...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(2000–present)
Former members
- Mark FarnerMark FarnerMark Fredrick Farner is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad, and later as a Contemporary Christian Musician.-Early life and career:...
– guitars, lead vocals, keyboard (1969–1976, 1981–1983, 1996–1998) - Craig Frost - keyboards, backing vocals (1972-1976)
- Dennis Bellinger – bass guitar (1981–1983)
- Howard Eddy, Jr. – keyboards (1996–1998)