From: owner-grand-funk To: grand-funk-digest Subject: grand-funk-digest V1 #36 Reply-To: grand-funk@roadkill.com Errors-To: owner-grand-funk Precedence: bulk grand-funk-digest Friday, 18 April 1997 Volume 01 : Number 036 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:07:40 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: Detroit News Article Donna, I believe she was referring to last summer. Should've been all 14 shows WERE sold out. - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= Phil Catalano phil.catalano@mci.com - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= On Thu, 17 Apr 1997, Donna Wightman wrote: > Hey all: > > (From the Detroit news article) > >Fortunately, audiences wanted to hear Grand Funk's back to basics rock. >All 14 shows are sold out. > > Am I missing something here? What 14 shows? Or was she referring to the > shows last summer? > > Donna > ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 5:49:27 EDT Subject: re: AOL Questions Phil (and whoever else that wants to listen), I have some of the same questions that you have. I would suppose many GFR fans have similar questions; we're all wondering the same thing... >11. I've read several articles that said you guys initially did The Locomotion > as a goof. That I can understand. But then after that it seems like you > continued down that same pop road with Some Kind Of Wonderful, etc... Why? > >12. How come you always play The Locomotion and Some Kind Of Wonderful? I think > most of the fans would rather see like Upsetter and I Come Tumblin' for > example. I've always felt the same way about this "pop" -- "bubblegum" stuff. Do you know what really erked me in our common past? When the Locomotion came out in Jan of '74 (I think), all of a sudden Julie Signorelli (14 yr old bimbette friend in our gang) is a Funk fan. Back then she was into "Billy Don't be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died" (I can't believe I even TYPED the names of those two songs!). When she started singing, "Everybody's doing a brand new dance now..." in her whiney, wretchey voice -- It occurred to me that GFR is going to have a whole new audience to deal with. Once the AM teeney boppers adopted this song they would naturally want to see the band in concert. So GFR now has to cater to two audiences. ATGITWB had TWO of these bobbysocks songs (three if you count Granny), "Some Kinda..." and "Bad Time". We as original Funk fans put up with this crap because of the boys' solid past. But, I didn't like it. I'll tell you something, I think that the reason Mark Farner got booed and beer--bottled offstage that night at the Long Island Arena was because he played "Bad Time". The Charlie Daniels fans (it was a double--bill show) wouldn't stand for it. If Mark played "Sin's a Good Man's Brother", "Inside Lookin' Out" or Into the Sun" the crowd might have reacted differently. By the time "Sally" was released I was either numb to this sorta thing or expecting it. When I listen to this song (and it's at least three times a week) I just try to find the "good" in it. The arrangement, the harp solo, Farner's vocal range but man, I'm stretching it. Every other band that I'm into has songs I don't like, also. So, I just endure. I'm prayin' that if they release new material it will be "back to the roots" as Farner said on GMA. One last question: Who are the Funk fans today -- Those "Disco Duck" airheads singing "Comon Baby, do the Locomotion"; or the backbone of the original fans that still listen to "Paranoid" off the LIVE album at 110 dB? I've spoken my peace. I'll shut up now. Mick - ------------- Original Text From: Phil Catalano , on 4/17/97 4:46 PM: For any of you AOL folks who will be chatting with the boys tonight, here are some questions that I came up with in case you're looking for more questions. Thanks, Phil 1. Why did you guys break up? We want the truth, nothing but the truth! 2. What's up with Craig? 3. What are your favorite GFR tunes? 4. How do you decide which set of tunes you'll play on a certain tour? 5. How do you decide which set of tunes you'll play for a given show? 6. How do you go about writing a tune, from beginning to end? 7. For tunes that Mark wrote and Don sang, how did you decide that? 8. Mel...what have you been doing the last 20 years? 9. Don...what have you been doing when not doing the Bob Seger thing? 10. Will ALL of the GFR CDs ever be released? Especially Born To Die and Good Singin' Good Playin'? 11. I've read several articles that said you guys initially did The Locomotion as a goof. That I can understand. But then after that it seems like you continued down that same pop road with Some Kind Of Wonderful, etc... Why? 12. How come you always play The Locomotion and Some Kind Of Wonderful? I think most of the fans would rather see like Upsetter and I Come Tumblin' for example. 13. How come you decided to do another album (Good Singin' Good Playin') instead of touring after Born To Die? 14. When Mark and Don regrouped with Dennis Bellenger, why wasn't Mel there instead? - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= Phil Catalano phil.catalano@mci.com - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:23:55 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: Shinin' On Yo Hubby, lets give credit where credit is due. In your reply somehow it says that I wrote this opinion of what Shinin' On is about. I believe Bill wrote this. I just agreed with him! I could've NEVER put it into words like the man did. He does have a way with words. I couldn't write my way out of a wet paper bag! I guess that's why he's an author and I'm NOT! Phil On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, steelhorse wrote: > Phil Catalano wrote: > > > > > > > > Well, it seems to say to me that we are a mix of humanity here > > > on this planet. And, we've seen some good times and bad times. > > > But, there's a spark of hope that keeps "shinin' on" in each and > > > every one of us so the future continues to look bright. > > > > Thanks to all of you for your explanations. I have gone back and listened > to Shinin On off the Collector's CD, the American Band CD, and Caught in > the Act. For the life of me, that one verse still sounds like "put here > in the past outta time". That's what has thrown me off all these years. > I thought it was some kind of song about that religious belief that one > particular religion has (which I won't mention so as not to piss people > off) which states your soul is basically recycled after death back into > this world as a different life form. "the past outta time" led me to > think that our generation (now in our 40s) were put back here, as an > unfortunate stroke of luck, before our time where we found war was an > accepted, normal lifestyle instead of peace as the norm as we knew it > should be in the future. Kinda like that old TV series, 'The Time > Tunnel'; always trying to get home, but winding up usually worse off than > before. Future man in a primitive time. > > Okay, now I'LL shut up :-) > ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:33:59 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: I'm Your Captain On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, G. Jeffrey Gower wrote: > Hi folks. Excuse me if this is common knowledge, but I have a question > about "I'm Your Captain". Do you know if Mark intentionally based this > song on Walt Whitman's "Oh Captain, My Captain", or is the similarity > just coincidental? Also, I once heard that this tune was a tribute to > Mark's dying/sick father? > > Just curious. Sorry again if this is a (very)old topic. :-) I heard an interview with Farner and he said this was truly a song from God. It went something like this, paraphrased of course...He went to bed one night and prayed to god to "give me a song that will touch the people you want to touch". He says he woke up in the middle of the night and just started writing the lyrics and the pen "couldn't move fast enough". He says after he was done writing the lyrics he looked at it, didn't understand it and said something like, It doesn't make much sense but oh well. Then the next morning he got up and had breakfast or whatever and then started playing his guitar and the music just came out, not even thinking about the lyrics he had wrote the night before. Then he realized he "had a groove" or something like that. Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! I hope I didn't screw it up too much but I believe it's pretty close. Maybe someone else who's heard this interview can add to this or correct me if I've said something wrong. The interview was from around '91 and it was with Red Beard on "In The Studio" and the specific album they were talking about was Closer To Home. Nico...How 'bout you? Phil ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:37:26 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: Farner on AOL On Fri, 18 Apr 1997 LMcdan1313@aol.com wrote: > One question I asked that did get through on AOL was about GFR video of early > concerts available, that I knew of LA-74 and Texas and Cincinnati pop fests > of 69 and 70. Mark replied that there is a video of their Shea Stadium > performance and others, which he wasn't specific, that had been sent to him. > All bootlegged of course. I would certainly like to see and own the Shea > Stadium show. Larry > Larry, I had an acquaintance back in like '76-'77 time frame who had seen the film of The Shea Stadium show. Of course he didn't have it. But since then, I've tried to locate it with absolutely NO luck at all. I mean I can't even find people who've ever heard of it before! Hope it comes publicly available some day. Phil ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 10:42:10 -0700 Subject: Re: Shinin' On > > Yo Hubby, lets give credit where credit is due. In your reply somehow it says > that I wrote this opinion of what Shinin' On is about. I believe Bill wrote this. My humble apologizes to Bill for not mentioning him and to you for putting you on the spot. It was not my intention. I've been screwing up left and right lately: caught a nasty sinus cold a few days ago I've been unable to shake. I wasn't watching my cut/paste close enough. I'll be more careful next time, promise. ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 11:52:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: I'm Your Captain On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Robert Bodily wrote: > > The last time I saw Mark was in 86 or 87, I believe, when he played in a > > bar in Raleigh, NC called The Lone Star (I think it was...I no longer > > live there). > > Could that be the Long Branch? I've been living in Raleigh since '93 and have > been to the Long Branch a couple of times. The normal crowd there would > certainly have fit your description (they'd probably much rather have heard > Hank Williams Jr or the like). Still, that would've been a great place to have > seen Mark. Yep, that is it (oops!) - the Lone Star was a bar in Gainesville, Florida, where I also lived. Haha. Anyhow, yes it is/was a rednecky type bar and I was quite surprised to see Mark playing there. As you know, it is a great place for shows, though - not a hole in the wall, but small enough to see very well. Since there were not many folks there, I was leaning right there on the stage the whole time, enjoying the show. > I, too, saw Mark solo twice in the '82-'86 timeframe in Tulsa; both times were > also small venues, though not as small as the Long Branch. However, I've never > had the privilege of meeting him - and from everyone else's stories on the > list, I'm beginning to think I'm the only one! :-( Well, he is obviously very open to letting folks come back to meet him. When I met him, he was going back and forth from his tour bus, which was backed right up to the backstage area. Just talking to us as if we were his old friends, etc.. Jeff ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 11:59:45 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: I'm Your Captain On Fri, 18 Apr 1997 LMcdan1313@aol.com wrote: > Last night on America Online Mark said this was the only song that he wrote > the words first and the music second. He said he prayed for a song that would > touch people's lives and woke up in the middle of the night, wrote down the > words, and the next morning while sipping coffee strummed the music to it. Well, based on the responses, this certainly seems to the be the case, I guess. But when I read Whitman's poem, I was immediately struck at how similar it was to Mark's lyrics. I remember thinking "NOW I see where Mark is coming from with this tune", etc.. I suggest you folks read it sometime - it is very popular and found in almost every "Best poems ever"-type book. Jeff ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 10:08:23 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: Shinin' On On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, steelhorse wrote: > > > > Yo Hubby, lets give credit where credit is due. In your reply somehow it says > > that I wrote this opinion of what Shinin' On is about. I believe Bill wrote this. > > My humble apologizes to Bill for not mentioning him and to you for > putting you on the spot. It was not my intention. I've been screwing up > left and right lately: caught a nasty sinus cold a few days ago I've been > unable to shake. I wasn't watching my cut/paste close enough. I'll be > more careful next time, promise. Hey man, it's not a big deal. I just thought I'd give credit where it was due! Phil PS At least you have an excuse! ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 10:16:27 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: I'm Your Captain Jeff, Would you somehow be able to post the poem here on the list (or is too long)? I'm not really into poetry but I'd love to read this one. Thanks, Phil - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= Phil Catalano phil.catalano@mci.com - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, G. Jeffrey Gower wrote: > On Fri, 18 Apr 1997 LMcdan1313@aol.com wrote: > > Last night on America Online Mark said this was the only song that he wrote > > the words first and the music second. He said he prayed for a song that would > > touch people's lives and woke up in the middle of the night, wrote down the > > words, and the next morning while sipping coffee strummed the music to it. > > Well, based on the responses, this certainly seems to the be the case, I > guess. But when I read Whitman's poem, I was immediately struck at how > similar it was to Mark's lyrics. I remember thinking "NOW I see where > Mark is coming from with this tune", etc.. I suggest you folks read it > sometime - it is very popular and found in almost every "Best poems > ever"-type book. > > Jeff > ------------------------------ From: "Robert Bodily" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:19:46 -0400 Subject: Re: AOL Questions > From: Michael Catalano > Subject: re: AOL Questions > Date: Friday, April 18, 1997 5:49 AM > > I've always felt the same way about this "pop" -- "bubblegum" stuff. [Other Stuff Deleted] > I'm prayin' that if > they release new material it will be "back to the roots" as Farner said on > GMA. Yeah - what he said! > One last question: Who are the Funk fans today -- Those "Disco Duck" > airheads singing "Comon Baby, do the Locomotion"; or the backbone of the > original fans that still listen to "Paranoid" off the LIVE album at 110 dB? Isn't that a little low to be listening to Paranoid? I mean, you could still hear a jet fly overhead at that volume! :-) They probably play those 2 or 3 songs to satisfy the non-Funk tagalongs that show up (e.g., our spouses/friends that we drag to the show hoping to convert - along with WAAB, those are probably the only tunes they'd recognize). I would much rather they dropped those and substituted Into The Sun, People Let's Stop the War, Winter and My Soul,... Robert ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 11:28:18 -0700 Subject: Re: AOL Questions Mick: I just thought it was me that couldn't stand the final days of the first coming of GFR in the mid 70s. I really got disillusioned around that time, so much so that I've never heard the BTD or ATGITWB albums. At that time I felt GFR took a turn for the worse and went 'main stream emulation mode'. I tried to get back in (a song there somewhere...) with GSGP, but WHERE WAS THE BASS? Zappa really zap-pahed GFR on that one. I really would like to know what was going through Mark's mind to let Frank play lead. Then, again, maybe not...too scary. Needless to say, my fav GFRs cuts are those that I don't need to adjust the bass-boost or 'loud' button, you know, the old original songs like Inside Looking Out, Footstompin', etc. Ya know, some groups rock it out, others wimp it out. I hope, along with you, that this second coming of GFR will rock it out again. ------------------------------ From: Ken Blackley Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:52:54 -0700 Subject: Re: AOL Questions Michael Catalano wrote: > Hi Phil! > (snip) all of a sudden Julie Signorelli (14 yr old > bimbette friend in our gang) is a Funk fan. Back then she was into "Billy > Don't be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago Died" (I can't believe I even TYPED > the names of those two songs!). this reminds me of something. Two or three years ago, another old favourite band, ELP, came to town. My wife (who owns a Billy Ray Cyrus CD) got all excited and wanted to go saying how much she liked ELP. Great. We cough up another 50 bucks for another ticket. Anyhow, I dig out my old live version of "Karn Evil 9) and put it one the turntable. She listened for two minutes and said "Why don't you use my ticket to take your brother instead?" I should have known. Turned out the only ELP song she knew was "Lucky Man". Indon't know how many people I've met over the year who insist GFR was a bubblegum top-forty band and are shocked to hear a REAL GFR record! Don't get me wrong. I have always liked Badtime, although Some Kind of Wonderful and teh studio rendition of Locomation (I like the live one alright) leave me cold. BHut like everyone else, gimme In Need and Paranoid or even Anybody's Answer (I'm probaly the only one here who would rate this as one of their favourites). See ya! - ----Ken GRAND FUNK - COME BACK TO EDMONTON!!!!!!!!!! ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:54:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: I'm Your Captain On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Phil Catalano wrote: > Jeff, > > Would you somehow be able to post the poem here on the list (or is too long)? > I'm not really into poetry but I'd love to read this one. > > Thanks, > Phil Sure, Phil! I will find a copy of it this weekend at home and post it for everyone to read. Jeff ------------------------------ From: Jacob Lowe Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 11:44:00 CDT Subject: 1997 tour Greetings, all! I'm new to this mailing list, so let me introduce myself properly. I am a 22 year old medical student at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Needless to say, I am a Grand Funk fanatic, and there is a rumor around that Grand Funk will be touring with Ted Nugent this summer. Grand Funk hardly ever comes to Texas, but if they are with Ted, they naturally would HAVE to play Texas (Ted probably wouldn't have it any other way). Can anyone shed some light on this subject? once again, it's great to be here... Jacob Lowe ------------------------------ From: Stan Pace Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:25:34 -0400 Subject: TV coverage To Members of the Clan, A momentary blinding flash! I wonder what the chances are that a local TV station will broadcast any footage of "The Big Show(s)". Do we have anyone in the area(s) with an available VCR? Second flash! Let us non-attendees know if there is any sort of videotape offering of the show/tour/etc. so that we can get in on the deal. I think a great idea would be to compile a tape after the tour with clips from the various sites all rolled into one video. I'm certain that thousands of copies could be sold at an inflated cost. I know I would get at least one. Peace, Stan Stan Pace U.S. Atlantic Command Joint Training, Analysis and Simulation Center ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:20:04 -0700 Subject: Re: 1997 tour Jacob Lowe wrote: > > Greetings, all! > > I'm new to this mailing list, so let me introduce myself properly. I am a > 22 year old medical student at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Needless > to say, I am a Grand Funk fanatic, and there is a rumor around that Grand > Funk will be touring with Ted Nugent this summer. Grand Funk hardly ever > comes to Texas, but if they are with Ted, they naturally would HAVE to play > Texas (Ted probably wouldn't have it any other way). Can anyone shed some > light on this subject? > > once again, it's great to be here... > > Jacob Lowe Amazing. You actually have time to spare, and you're a med student??? My wife's a doctor: I know the agony. Anyway, we need to get you up to speed, guy! Go to Donna's site at http://www.meclec.com/grand/ GFR is alive, active, and well. Concerts are in the works! New albums and videos are planned. I promise you'll be astonished at all the activity of late. Have at it. ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 11:15:55 EDT Subject: re: Detroit new letter I think she was talking about last year's tour ('96). Mick - ------------- Original Text From: steelhorse , on 4/18/97 7:35 AM: > Fortunately, audiences wanted to hear Grand Funk's back to basics rock. > All 14 shows are sold out. Does anyone know if this includes the overseas concerts, or American tours? Where are the other 10? Am I being too optimistic here??? "Honor the past, Live the present, Create the future" Mike Adair aka Steelhorse Rider ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 11:19:51 EDT Subject: re: I'm Your Captain Jeff, The story we all heard (from my brother, I think) is that Mark prayed to God for a song, a song that would be great and mean something. Well, that night while Mark slept he had a dream and the words (to I'm your Captain) came to him. It was after he wrote down the words he started writning the music. If Phil's out there, he can jump in and tell the story right... In '79 in a college fiction writing class we analyzed the words to "I'm your Captain". Someone in class said that they heard the song was a metaphor for heroin addiction where "my ship" is the heroin. Who knows? If I meet him next week, I'll be sure to ask. Mick - ------------- Original Text From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" , on 4/18/97 9:48 AM: Hi folks. Excuse me if this is common knowledge, but I have a question about "I'm Your Captain". Do you know if Mark intentionally based this song on Walt Whitman's "Oh Captain, My Captain", or is the similarity just coincidental? Also, I once heard that this tune was a tribute to Mark's dying/sick father? Just curious. Sorry again if this is a (very)old topic. :-) Jeff ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:07:58 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, steelhorse wrote: > Mick: > > I just thought it was me that couldn't stand the final days of the first > coming of GFR in the mid 70s. I really got disillusioned around that > time, so much so that I've never heard the BTD or ATGITWB albums. At > that time I felt GFR took a turn for the worse and went 'main stream > emulation mode'. I tried to get back in (a song there somewhere...) with > GSGP, but WHERE WAS THE BASS? Zappa really zap-pahed GFR on that one. I > really would like to know what was going through Mark's mind to let Frank > play lead. Then, again, maybe not...too scary. > > Needless to say, my fav GFRs cuts are those that I don't need to adjust > the bass-boost or 'loud' button, you know, the old original songs like > Inside Looking Out, Footstompin', etc. > > Ya know, some groups rock it out, others wimp it out. I hope, along with > you, that this second coming of GFR will rock it out again. > Ya know what though...even though they popped out with some of those tunes and changed their sound. They still absolutely rocked out live. We saw them for the Shinin' On and ATGITWB tours in '74 and '75 and the shows were incredible. The '74 show at Madison Square Garden was unbelievable. They just about tore down the Garden...literally. And especially on The Locomotion! There was not one person in that whole place sitting down! Everyone was standing on the edge of their seats, people were dancing and going crazy in the aisles, they were throwing people off the stage...just outta control like a Funk performance should be! And then in '75 up in Hershey, PA, that show was just as good. And people went crazy (including me) when they played Some Kind Of Wonderful with the Funky Funkettes and all that. There's just something about the boys that no matter what they play they get the crowd going! But don't get me wrong, I'd still rather hear Upsetter, I Come Tumblin', Mark Says Alright, etc, etc... rather than The Locomotion, Some Kind Of Wonderful and Bad Time! But somehow I still think I'm going to enjoy whatever it is they play. I've heard (actually read) Mel say a couple of times that they do shows and play songs that get them off. They're not really worried about the audience that much because usually if they're getting off the audience is getting off too. I can't argue with that statement because they do get the crowds off! Just another two cents Phil ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:24:36 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: 1997 tour On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Jacob Lowe wrote: > Greetings, all! > > I'm new to this mailing list, so let me introduce myself properly. I am a > 22 year old medical student at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Needless > to say, I am a Grand Funk fanatic, and there is a rumor around that Grand > Funk will be touring with Ted Nugent this summer. Grand Funk hardly ever > comes to Texas, but if they are with Ted, they naturally would HAVE to play > Texas (Ted probably wouldn't have it any other way). Can anyone shed some > light on this subject? Jacob... Welcome! Great to hear that "kids" are becoming Grand Funk fanatics. I'd like to hear your story as to how you became a fan. Like maybe you listened to your parents albums or something like that? As far as Grand Funk playing Texas...I believe back in the old days there were plenty of fans there and they would play there on each tour, at least in Dallas like at Reunion Arena and I think I've read that they even played in places like Lubbock and El Paso, blah, blah, blah. I lived in Dalla for about 2 1/2 years back in '84-'86 and Farner played a place in Ft. Worth somewhere. Well, the place was packed with GFR fans and he rocked the place! So, I don't think he's forgotten about the Texas fans. And as far as Ted Nugent goes, I believe he'll be warming up for the boys if anything. He aint gonna be runnin' the show! So I believe he'll go where the boys take him. As of right now they still haven't come out with the U.S. tour dates other than the 3 big ones and the Vegas thing in June. But stay on this list and the other websites and you're sure to hear about it as soon as the rest of us do. Funk On! Phil PS And yes I can call you a "kid" because I'm 37...old man! ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 14:25:47 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, steelhorse wrote: > WHERE WAS THE BASS? Well, I think that the levelling of dynamics that we hear on some of the mid-to-late 70s albums was a sign of the times, production-wise, by such producers as Rundgren especially. His records always sounded tinny to me, with very few exceptions. It seemed that the goal was to "round out" or "make full" the sound more than allow each "voice" (guitar, bass, drums) stand out individually, and so too often the bass end was flattened out I think. From the SO album on, this is the case. But I thought Zappa did a better job than Rundgren. I never believed in the widely held notion (at that time) that Todd was a good producer. Just my listener-only interpretation - I am not a sound engineer by any standard! :-) Jeff ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:26:51 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions > > Don't get me wrong. I have always liked Badtime, although Some Kind of > Wonderful and teh studio rendition of Locomation (I like the live one > alright) leave me cold. BHut like everyone else, gimme In Need and > Paranoid or even Anybody's Answer (I'm probaly the only one here who > would rate this as one of their favourites). Anybody's Answer is GREAT TUNE! ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:27:16 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: I'm Your Captain > > Sure, Phil! I will find a copy of it this weekend at home and post it > for everyone to read. > Thanks Jeff! ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:34:27 -0600 (MDT) Subject: re: I'm Your Captain > > If Phil's out there, he can jump in and tell the story right... > > In '79 in a college fiction writing class we analyzed the words to "I'm > your Captain". Someone in class said that they heard the song was a > metaphor for heroin addiction where "my ship" is the heroin. Who knows? > If I meet him next week, I'll be sure to ask. Duh, In my post I forgot to mention the most important part. Farner said that the ship was the "condition of the world" I believe. And I think the ship was going down. He didn't mention anything about drugs. Brain Dead in Colorado, Phil ------------------------------ From: ktut@ix.netcom.com Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:36:45 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions On 04/18/97 09:52:54 you wrote: >Don't get me wrong. I have always liked Badtime, although Some Kind of >Wonderful and teh studio rendition of Locomation (I like the live one >alright) leave me cold. BHut like everyone else, gimme In Need and >Paranoid or even Anybody's Answer (I'm probaly the only one here who >would rate this as one of their favourites). > >See ya! > >----Ken I love Anybody's Answer, in fact it was playing in the CD player last night when the chat started. I guess my all time favorite GFR song would have to be "I Come Tumblin". Damn I love that instrumental part in the middle of that one. dz ------------------------------ From: "William A. Parrette" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 14:54:55 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: 1997 tour Hi all, On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Jacob Lowe wrote: > ... Needless > to say, I am a Grand Funk fanatic, and there is a rumor around that Grand > Funk will be touring with Ted Nugent this summer ... Okay, okay. Time for the next big juicy rumor. The latest rumor to work it's way out of the mill, from the usual "reliable source." is that (for reasons unknown at this point) Nugent is no longer on the Grand Funk "ticket" as an open- ing act. Now, come on, hold up a bit ... I'm waiting for confirmation on this one and I don't know any more at the moment ... so don't ask. :-) As soon as I find out more, I'll post about it. Gosh ... can it really only be two more days?!? Take care, grok in fullness ... Bill-- ...who heard EMACS is a nice operating system, but UNIX has a better editor. (42-oink) +--------------------------+--------------------------+- ^..^ / --+ |William A. (Bill) Parrette|7177 Heritage Drive |_||___(oo)____||__| |wap@one.net |Westchester, OH 45069-4012|-||---"--"----||--| | *** http://w3.one.net/~wap/ *** |_||__( __ )___||__| +------------------- 513-779-0780 --------------------+-||---"--"----||--+ ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:55:50 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Sunday's show Hey all you lucky folks going to Sunday's show...don't have too good of a time! Is my jealousy showing just a tad? No, in all honesty, I hope everyone has a great time as I'm sure you will. I'm sure the show will be unbelievable!! And I hope each and everyone of you get to somehow meet the boys. If you do, say hi for me, OK! And, we expect a FULL report of the show on Monday morning. I'm gonna be looking forward to that! Enjoy... Phil - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= Phil Catalano phil.catalano@mci.com - --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--= ------------------------------ From: "William A. Parrette" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 15:03:01 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: 1997 tour Hi all, On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, steelhorse wrote: > ... > Anyway, we need to get you up to speed, guy! Go to Donna's site at > http://www.meclec.com/grand/ ... Er, uh, ... Is there, perhaps, anywhere else that he should look? Hurrumph! There are, uh, ... uh, other places to get in- formation, don't-cha-know. :-) :-) :-) Take care, look around, grok in fullness ... Bill-- ...who knows that in order to learn, one must change one's mind. |\/\/\/| +--------------------------+--------------------------+ | | (42,man)+ |William A. (Bill) Parrette|7177 Heritage Drive | | (o)(o) / | |wap@one.net |Westchester, OH 45069-4012| c _) / | | *** http://w3.one.net/~wap/ *** | | '___| | +------------------- 513-779-0780 --------------------+- | / ----------+ /____\ ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 15:55:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Phil Catalano wrote: > Ya know what though...even though they popped out with some of those tunes and > changed their sound. They still absolutely rocked out live. They sure did! I think they sounded better on the post-1973 music live than the records themselves did. For those that didn't see them live then, just listen to the live album from 75 or so. Great work, even for the pop ditties. > I've heard (actually read) Mel say a couple of times that they do shows and play > songs that get them off. They're not really worried about the audience that much > because usually if they're getting off the audience is getting off too. I can't > argue with that statement because they do get the crowds off! Interesting point, and very valid I think. I also read that Don once said "there isn't such thing as 'soft rock'" - anybody else remember reading that quote by Don? His point was that you were either rocking or you were doing pop, no in-between. Well, that may or may not be true, but it certainly expresses my sentiments on the issue. I mean, even when the old trio did "ballads" like "Mean Mistreater", they still rocked and had that non-pop sound. The live version is incredible, as you know. When Mark hits that electric keyboard hard to get those distorted chords just as the tune is going into its bridge....great stuff. Jeff ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:56:12 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: 1997 tour > > Okay, okay. Time for the next big juicy rumor. > > The latest rumor to work it's way out of the mill, from the > usual "reliable source." is that (for reasons unknown at this > point) Nugent is no longer on the Grand Funk "ticket" as an open- > ing act. I personally would rather Ted Nugent NOT tour with Grand Funk! Phil ------------------------------ From: jmaijala@sprynet.com Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:04:46 -0700 Subject: Re: AOL Questions Mike, I get that feeling with alot of bands. Their first work is their best. I have a theory about that. I believe that in the beginning they have a long time to come up with songs and lyrics and as albums start coming closer together they have a tough time writing new stuff in a short period of time. It becomes work and not joy anymore. I feel the same way about the Beatles and Led Zepplin. The early stuff is the best. And now I really will shut up, Jim ------------------------------ From: jmaijala@sprynet.com Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:10:35 -0700 Subject: Re: 1997 tour Hey Jake, Do you realize you were not even a twinkle in your mother's eye during GFR's Heyday?? I was "getting down on that groove thing" before you were even born. Are you driving yet? (I just had to do it) Jim ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 16:11:46 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions On Fri, 18 Apr 1997 ktut@ix.netcom.com wrote: > I love Anybody's Answer, in fact it was playing in the CD player last night > when the chat started. I guess my all time favorite GFR song would have to > be "I Come Tumblin". Damn I love that instrumental part in the middle of > that one. You got great taste, man! :-) I also loved "I Come Tumblin'" and "Anybody's Answer" - hell, all those old songs were excellent. I also liked "Call Yourself A Man" alot too. Hey, for all you guitarists out there - remember when Mark was constantly being bashed for his playing because he was not a virtuoso like McLaughlin or something? Haha. Those critics missed the whole point to GFR, I think. I mean, Mark really extracted out of a simple Bm/F#m/E chord series (like in "Anybody's Answer") every ounce of power that he could, right? His whole rhythmic energy was what made his playing so cool, I thought. That is/was the whole point to his playing - not to stand there and impress us with his virtuosity, but to draw us in to the rhythmic power. And jeesh, with guys like Don and Mel, who were crazy men themselves, you really got a POWER trio! I can't think of any other power trios then or now that compare. By the way, about how many folks are on this mailing list - anyone know? Jeff ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 14:17:59 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: 1997 tour On Fri, 18 Apr 1997 jmaijala@sprynet.com wrote: > Hey Jake, > > Do you realize you were not even a twinkle in your mother's eye during GFR's > Heyday?? I was "getting down on that groove thing" before you were even born. > Are you driving yet? (I just had to do it) Well, lets see, I think he said he was 22. That would bring us back to about 1975, the last time GFR toured...The ATGITWB tour! He could've been conceived during a GFR concert that year? Phil ------------------------------ From: Phil Catalano Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 14:20:52 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: AOL Questions > > You got great taste, man! :-) > I also loved "I Come Tumblin'" and "Anybody's Answer" - hell, all those > old songs were excellent. I also liked "Call Yourself A Man" alot too. > > Hey, for all you guitarists out there - remember when Mark was constantly > being bashed for his playing because he was not a virtuoso like > McLaughlin or something? Haha. Those critics missed the whole point to > GFR, I think. I mean, Mark really extracted out of a simple Bm/F#m/E chord > series (like in "Anybody's Answer") every ounce of power that he could, > right? His whole rhythmic energy was what made his playing so cool, I > thought. That is/was the whole point to his playing - not to stand there > and impress us with his virtuosity, but to draw us in to the rhythmic > power. And jeesh, with guys like Don and Mel, who were crazy men > themselves, you really got a POWER trio! I can't think of any other > power trios then or now that compare. Well put Jeff! I couldn't agree with you more! Haven't seen too many guitarists that put as much into what they're playing as he does! Phil ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 16:23:15 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!" OK, folks, here is Whitman's poem, like I promised - I found it on the web. It ain't exactly like Mark's "I'm Your Captain", of course, but when I read it, I immediately thought that perhaps Mark had read it also. At any rate, it is a classic poem. Enjoy.... Jeff O Captain! My Captain! 1 O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring: But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. 2 O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding; For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; Here Captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head; It is some dream that on the deck, You've fallen cold and dead. 3 My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of Grass. ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 15:30:49 -0700 Subject: Re: 1997 tour Well, hell, I'm battin a thousand today, aren't I? I go to try and -help- one and piss off the many. Geez, Is there anybody --else-- I can insult??? I'm on a roll..... Bill, it may humor you to know that I have never seen them live. I'd sell important parts of my body if I could. Seriously, Jacob, Bill is one of the 'pillars' within the GFR family here. Nearly all the GFR websites have references back and forth to each other. Sorry I didn't give you much of a choice, but :-) this ain't Luby's :-). Okay, Let's see if I can get it right this time: http://w3.one.net/~wap/grandFunk.html http://www.rpi.net.au/~loki/grand-funk/ http://www.asahi-net.or.jp:80/~JW8T-TKG/ http://www.anaserve.com/~cochran/home.htm This list is a few weeks old. I haven't tried them all in a while. William A. Parrette wrote: > > Hi all, > > On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, steelhorse wrote: > > > ... > > Anyway, we need to get you up to speed, guy! Go to Donna's site at > > http://www.meclec.com/grand/ ... > > Er, uh, ... Is there, perhaps, anywhere else that he should > look? Hurrumph! There are, uh, ... uh, other places to get in- > formation, don't-cha-know. :-) :-) :-) > > Take care, look around, grok in fullness ... > > Bill-- > ...who knows that in order to learn, one must change one's mind. > |\/\/\/| > +--------------------------+--------------------------+ | | (42,man)+ > |William A. (Bill) Parrette|7177 Heritage Drive | | (o)(o) / | > |wap@one.net |Westchester, OH 45069-4012| c _) / | > | *** http://w3.one.net/~wap/ *** | | '___| | > +------------------- 513-779-0780 --------------------+- | / ----------+ > /____\ ------------------------------ End of grand-funk-digest V1 #36 *******************************