From: owner-grand-funk To: grand-funk-digest Subject: grand-funk-digest V1 #45 Reply-To: grand-funk@roadkill.com Errors-To: owner-grand-funk Precedence: bulk grand-funk-digest Tuesday, 29 April 1997 Volume 01 : Number 045 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Roberts Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 23:36:17 -0400 Subject: Cover versions For a long time, I have considered it to be a sign of respect when an artist or band covers someone else's songs. Grand Funk (and Mark - solo) have covered quite a few other band's songs. I would like to know if anyone can help me to get another side collection going. Can anyone tell me who re-recorded any of Grand Funk's songs on CD, tape, or vinyl? The Jayhawks (Bad Time) are an obvious suggestion, but how many others are there? Tom Roberts - tigger2@prodigy.net ------------------------------ From: thesonics@earthlink.net (Jay Siekierski) Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 21:12:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Cover versions >For a long time, I have considered it to be a sign of respect when an >artist or band covers someone else's songs. Grand Funk (and Mark - >solo) have covered quite a few other band's songs. I would like to know >if anyone can help me to get another side collection going. Can anyone >tell me who re-recorded any of Grand Funk's songs on CD, tape, or >vinyl? The Jayhawks (Bad Time) are an obvious suggestion, but how many >others are there? > >Tom Roberts - tigger2@prodigy.net Tom; I think MONSTER MAGNET did SINS A GOOD MANS BROTHER! JAYOLA The Sonics:The All Music Site! Drifting & Closer To Home. Music Editor: Jay'Sonics'Siekierski http://home.earthlink.net/~thesonics/ ------------------------------ From: "w.d. jones" Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 22:56:46 -0700 Subject: GFR in KISS book Although GFR isthe reason I started to play guitar/bass..I listen to a variety of stuff. I describe my collection as Andres Segovia to ZZtop..or Zappa...but KISS is in there too...and I just happenedto be readingthe new KISS and SELL book and on page 50 the guywrites "A slew of groups soon emerged as big record sellers who could also draw large crowds onthe road--Led Zeppelin; the Eagles; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; the Allman Brothers; Grand Funk Railroad." YEAH. oh yeah the new GUITAR WORLD magazine has a foldout that has alot of guitarists guitar picks on it...one is Mark Farners' bill ------------------------------ From: James Lichtenberg Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 00:40:18 -0700 Subject: Re: Cover versions Dear Tom Roberts, The band Autograph did a cover of WAAB in the late '80's. It sounded pretty bad(lots of distortion). I also think that Huey Lewis redid SKOW. Hope this helps. Later. Regards Jim ------------------------------ From: einar@rfci.net Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 01:01:17 -0400 Subject: PCat Yo PCat, Are you still around dude? Been silent for awhile. Am I gonna have to make a long distance call to talk to you? I 'may' have something you are interested in. Funkola ------------------------------ From: QuoteNotes@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 02:30:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Meeting Mark About 3 years ago, Mark & The God Rockers were in Nashville and anyone who wanted to go meet him on his tour bus after the show was invited...I was one of the last on and it was REALLY late. He was totally cool and gracious...photos, autographs, etc. Me and my buddy were in awe of finally meeting the man who defined rock in the 70's. ------------------------------ From: theo kooyers Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 10:21:21 +0200 Subject: subscribe subscribe-grand-funk ------------------------------ From: Bass6plyr@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 05:27:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Song of the day I was just listening to the song Paranoid. I was wondering if anyone knows how Mark got that combination wah/buzz sound. Is it just his natual guitar sound that he used for that song and just added wah on those parts? Or did he use something else along with the wah pedal? Another question.... Does anyone know what Mel used on his bass sound? It sounds like it has a fuzzy sorta sound to it. Very effective and unique! General comments about Paranoid from a musicians point of view. The begining part of Mark's second solo is a little sloppy. It sounds as if the pick begins to trip over the strings and forces him to jump ahead a bit. Mel's sound is incredibly forceful, but seems to fall slightly behind in tempo every now and again during the verses. But hey, this isn't a bad thing at all. I'm not downing it... If fact, that's what I love so much about Grand Funk over any band that's out there today. They just play it with feeling. They let it flow. I can bet that all their songs were recorded on one take! Bands today are too much into perfection in the studio. I like the fact that GFR can just play how they feel at the time, and they may realize that they could go back and fix it if they want, but they leave it anyway. Why? Because theres nothing to hide. Their playing comes straight from the soul. The critics also disaproved of Don's drumming. Disaprove??? That's his style... his emotion... his feeling. They think they can take that away from him just because they feel that way? I don't think so! They certainly didn't put a scare into Don. Name one other drummer who sounds like that? Not one! It's all about originality. I think that a lot of critics have missed the point when it comes to that. They had no concept of any band just being able to riff it out. Everyone had to be perfect. Obviously, none of them had a "Rock and Roll Soul". The bottom line is, because of Grand Funk's style and how they did things, that is what turned us all on to them, and it made them become the band they were, and STILL are, rapidly approaching 30 years later! Put that in your pipe and smoke it! (damn critics) Keep it strong, keep it loud, keep it flowing, keeping it real!!! Rock on boys! This is silly, but I just thought I would share it with you. I remember when I was about 3 or 4 years old, and my dad would crank their tunes throughout the house. That wah/buzz guitar part in paranoid would scare the crap outta me! I would be looking inside at the pictures in the Mark Don and Mel album, and you know that picture of Mark when he's on his knees bent backwards and it looks like he's screaming? Well, it made me think that the picture was taken while he was playing that part, and the buzz sound was the guitar electricuting him, and that's why he was screaming. I still believe that til this day! ha ha ha... just kidding. Paul Bass6plyr@aol.com ------------------------------ From: Jacob Lowe Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 08:41:14 CDT Subject: Re: Cover versions At 11:36 PM 4/28/97 -0400, you wrote: >For a long time, I have considered it to be a sign of respect when an >artist or band covers someone else's songs. Grand Funk (and Mark - >solo) have covered quite a few other band's songs. I would like to know >if anyone can help me to get another side collection going. Can anyone >tell me who re-recorded any of Grand Funk's songs on CD, tape, or >vinyl? The Jayhawks (Bad Time) are an obvious suggestion, but how many >others are there? > >Tom Roberts - tigger2@prodigy.net > >Didn't Joe Cocker do a version of "Feelin' Alright" at the woodstock show a couple of years ago? Please correct me if I a mistaken. Jacob ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 8:03:11 EDT Subject: Re: Cover versions I believe "Feelin' Alright" is Dave Mason's song, Joe Cocker, Three Dog Night and GFR were a few of the bands that covered it. Cocker's rendition may be the most recognized version (by the masses), but of course the best version is Funk's. Mick - ------------- Original Text From: Jacob Lowe , on 4/29/97 8:41 AM: At 11:36 PM 4/28/97 -0400, you wrote: >For a long time, I have considered it to be a sign of respect when an >artist or band covers someone else's songs. Grand Funk (and Mark - >solo) have covered quite a few other band's songs. I would like to know >if anyone can help me to get another side collection going. Can anyone >tell me who re-recorded any of Grand Funk's songs on CD, tape, or >vinyl? The Jayhawks (Bad Time) are an obvious suggestion, but how many >others are there? > >Tom Roberts - tigger2@prodigy.net > >Didn't Joe Cocker do a version of "Feelin' Alright" at the woodstock show a couple of years ago? Please correct me if I a mistaken. Jacob ------------------------------ From: Jacob Lowe Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 08:56:20 CDT Subject: music critics Alright people, I have a question... I want various opinions as to the nature of the relationship between music critics and GFR. Those whom have been listening to Grand Funk long enough to remember public opinion in the early 70's and beyond would be most benifical. What my basic question is..."Why have critics been so hard on our band? Are there any critics that support GFR?" I could give opinions out the wazoo, but my intuitive response (which I honestly believe is the case) is that GFR was just WAY TO HEAVY for anyone to handle at the time. I think, (like Hendrix), that a lot of people were threatened by their no frills, open-hearted sound, and weren't quite ready for all that heaviness all at once. any comments? Jacob ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 8:07:09 EDT Subject: re: GFR Review in Newsday Nancy, We're all aware of the Newsday article here on roadkill (which I thought you and Bobby were members of; you must suscribe!) As a matter of fact I'm trying to post the article today. No problem, no damper, Mick - ------------- Original Text From: Nancy Barravecchio , on 4/29/97 8:57 AM: Good Morning Mick, Thanks for the details on the concert especially the song list. True to word was your interpertation of the nite. But!, did you happen to see the review of the concert in Newsday yesterday! It was a crime what this freelance writer did to the memory of the concert. In a nutshell he basically called it a chance for balding egotistical old men to cash in on the revival band wagon for a few bucks. That if he never wanted to see GFR again and the concert put the last nail in the coffin to confirm it. Yet he had the gahl to say that he liked GFR! Bobby was steaming when he showed it to me. Now I may not be a funk head, but even I was upset with what this man wrote. We are considering (heavily considering) writting a letter to the paper. Thought you might want to let the rest of the people who were there and really saw what happened know that. Did not mean to damper your morning....If you know who to contact to put our own review of the concert in let me know... I will be busy keystroking as kindly as I can.....Talk to you soon Nancy ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 09:43:45 -0700 Subject: Re: Song of the day Bass6plyr@aol.com wrote: > ... In fact, that's what I love so much about Grand > Funk over any band that's out there today. They just play it with feeling. > They let it flow. I can bet that all their songs were recorded on one take! > Bands today are too much into perfection in the studio. I like the fact that > GFR can just play how they feel at the time, and they may realize that they > could go back and fix it if they want, but they leave it anyway. Bass6plyr, as you and others probably know, weird things happen in the recording studio. I've been around a few and seen/heard what goes on. Basically, the belief is there is no such thing as a 'perfect' song: there will always be missed notes or those outta time. Also, the drum track might be played by itself with the drummer either listening to a metronome tick in the headphones or a blinking light. One thing that I remember that on a song being recorded, the bass player missed a single note of his run. They took the music, digitized, and focused the 'window' right on that missed note. Then, the correct note was 'punched in'. Played back, you'd never know it happened. WaLA. A perfect package. Boring. Is it just me, or is GFR the only group that could and did play all of its studio recorded songs live? Give me Mark, Don and Mel straight 'out of a dirty glass', bartender!!!! ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 09:53:22 -0700 Subject: Re: GFR Review in Newsday Michael Catalano wrote: > It was a > crime what this freelance writer did to the memory of the concert. Who is this rank amateur and how do we GFRers contact him? Is there some place we can voice our opinions? Editor's columns? HIS BOSS???? You know how I feel about this: I'm still warmed up over 'communicating' with the local Dallas radio stations (what a classic THEY are!). ------------------------------ From: Bugsy41157@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 11:30:39 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Cover versions Tom, I believe a band called April Wine (one of those big-haired-80's-type groups) covered WAAB. Bugsy...Alrighta! ------------------------------ From: Mike Butler <1kfunkrr@vegasnet.net> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 09:35:37 -0700 Subject: Re: music critics Jacob Lowe wrote: Alright people, I have a question... I want various opinions as to the nature of the relationship between music critics and GFR. Those whom have been listening to Grand Funk long enough to remember public opinion in the early 70's and beyond would be most benifical. What my basic question is..."Why have critics been so hard on our band? Are there any critics that support GFR?" I could give opinions out the wazoo, but my intuitive response (which I honestly believe is the case) is that GFR was just WAY TO HEAVY for anyone to handle at the time. I think, (like Hendrix), that a lot of people were threatened by their no frills, open-hearted sound, and weren't quite ready for all that heaviness all at once. any comments? Jacob If you guys haven't already seen the transcript from Marks chat on Prodigy, check out Donna's site http://www.meclec.com/grand under the 'current news' section. It's a far better chat than the AOL one. He discusses the 'critics' and how the band sometimes wondered if they'd been to the same show. Sounds familar doesn't it. - -=Mike=- ------------------------------ From: Ken Blackley Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 10:25:43 -0700 Subject: Re: Cover versions Bugsy41157@aol.com wrote: > > Tom, > > I believe a band called April Wine (one of those big-haired-80's-type groups) > covered WAAB. > > Bugsy...Alrighta! I'm not so sure. For one thing, April Wine is a Canadian Band, and I can't see them singing American Band. Also, I've been a semi-fan since their hay-days in the seventies and I don't remember them recording WAAB. But, for all I know, they may have played it live . . . See ya! - ----Ken ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 9:17:54 EDT Subject: Here's the Article (Re: GFR Review in Newsday) Actually, it was Nancy that said it. And yes, there is a place that we can voice our opinions: Newsday, Pinelawn Rd. Melville, NY 11747 website -- www.newsday.com email -- letters@newsday.com . Use the email address to reply, this is where the editors monitor comments and feedback. The writer's name is Stanley Mieses and the column appeared in the Monday April 28th issue in Part 2 under "Music Review". The title of the story is "Grand Funk Railroad Is Still Chugging" And so are fans in Beacon's beer blast MUSIC REVIEW GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. Reunited with the Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra, and special guests, at the Beacon Theatre, Broadway at 74th Street, Manhattan. Friday night. By Stanley Mieses WHEN THE STYLE merchants brought platform shoes and bell-bottoms and mirror balls and all the trappings of the 1970s back for a 1990s commercial spin, they also opened the door for some of the more memorable antistyle artifacts of the '70s to cash in on the revival, too. The reunion of Grand Funk Railroad,as antistyle a rock-and-roll band as there ever was, ranks high on that list, and the show at the Beacon Theatre on Friday night proved -- to a marketing mentality, at least -- that there's still gold to be mined from the slob esthetic. That sensibility was on powerful display both onstage and in the audience. The band hasn't changed its musical approach one iota from the days of its great hits, which is not so much evidence of a formula as it is of creative limitation: This is what they do, this is *all* they do. Which is taking blues and funk riffs, treating them to power trio rock modalities, and adding lyrics that, when broken down, are really about the joys of possessing genitalia and a guitar. Those timeless themes really connected at the Beacon. It appeared that not too many guys who came to this show found -- or, perhaps, even sought -- female dates. Grand Funk Railroad, in its heyday in the early 1970s, was clearly a boys band, and some 25 years later it still is, and the male energy in the house was unmistakable. (The guys on stage looked a hell of a lot better than the ones in the audience, which reflected the Stephen Stills-David Crosby look a little more closely.) The promoters must have done their demographic homework, as there were an unusual number of bars set up in the lobby that kept filling up hockey-game-sized beers and frozen alcoholic drinks for the increasingly untethered fans throughout the nearly three-hour-long show. (All antismoking regulations seemed to have been temporarily tossed, too.) At this point, I must introduce the notion that the show was a benefit for the Bosnian-American Relief Fund, and featured the appearance of the Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra behind the Detroit-based power trio. The orchestra's connection to the proceedings was as germane as a ring girl's to a boxing match. I'm sure that they're relieved to be out of Bosnia, but hearing lead guitarist and singer Mark Farner introduce Bosnia's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Muhamed Sacirbey, by saying, "Come on out here, Mo!" was worth the price of admission. Well, almost. Competent as Farner, drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schachter (sic) may be, both as musicians and rock stars, I've never yearned for the return of Grand Funk Railroad, and this show put a nail in it. While their musical tradition is one I love, and the band's music involves the best of Motown and urban and delta blues, its lyrical sensibility is closer to Frankie Valli and the four Seasons. I don't think I ever want to be at another show where a fat, balding guy in his 40's looped on beer, stands gesturing wildly with devilhorns and shouting "Heartbreaker/bringing me down!" "Hey, baby want to make the scene?/Jump into my time machine," go the words to one of their songs. I think I'll stay here, thank you. *Stanley Mieses is a free-lance writer* copyright (c) Newsday 1997 A photo of Mark on stage (at the Beacon) in his classic bent-at-the-knees guitar stance accompanied the article and the caption read: "Mike (sic) Farner of Grand Funk during the '70s group's benefit Friday for the Bosinian Relief Fund with the Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra" Yes, that said "Mike". What immediately comes to mind after reading this is -- It's a shame that a ticket was wasted on this guy. Bass6player (Paul) from da Bronx coulda been there "looped" with the rest of us. Interesting how his review differed from mine. Perspective is everything. Well, at least we know that he won't be at any of the summer shows. So, Newday told me that if you want your comments published you MUST include your phone number. Let 'em have it boys (and Donna, and Nancy, and Liz, and Carla, and Gretchen)!!! These girls will never learn...GFR is a BOYS' band.......... Lovin' Every Minute, Mick ps -- funny, I think I read the same review in '72 and in '73 and in '74 and in'75 and ...... pps - how many records did Funk sell? ppps - how quick did they sell out MSG? pppps - how quick did they sell out Shea a year later? ppppps - I heard that they're gonna cover "Oh What a Night" on their new CD, actually I just made that up. pppppps - what was that you say? they had to add 500 more standing room only tickets at the Beacon Show? hmmmmmmm.............................. - ------------- Original Text From: steelhorse , on 4/29/97 9:53 AM: Michael Catalano wrote: > It was a > crime what this freelance writer did to the memory of the concert. Who is this rank amateur and how do we GFRers contact him? Is there some place we can voice our opinions? Editor's columns? HIS BOSS???? You know how I feel about this: I'm still warmed up over 'communicating' with the local Dallas radio stations (what a classic THEY are!). ------------------------------ From: "Michael Catalano" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 6:54:10 EDT Subject: "RotRock Q104 NYC" During my review of the Beacon show I mentioned these "boneheads" and said, "more on this later. Well here it is. First, I just loved Jim Lichtenberg's phrasology so much, I instantly adopted it: "RotRock 104". Man if that doesn't fit this station.... These clowns, or snapperheads whichever you prefer, sponsered the Beacon show. And they were all introduced on stage, hugging and air-kissing each other. Well. I got the chance to meet and "chat" with a few of them back stage. My absolute favorite is Donna-Donna (yes, that's what she calls herself. She figures she's got two chances to hear you when you call her.) She has the personality of a Stepford wife. god, I love punching the radio button to turn her off in the morning. I walked up to her and said, "So, are you going to play more Grand Funk after what you witnessed tonight?" She knew I hit an open nerve and replied (lamely) "I'd like to but.....I'll have to introduce you to someone you can talk to." I said, "After what you witnessed here tonight are you gonna play more Grand Funk? There were over 3000 people standing on their feet screaming every word to every song for over two hours, doesn't that mean anything to you people?" "I'll try and find him" was her reply as she slitherred away. Now I hook up with this guy, I believe he was the producer or station manager from the way he was acting; ordering people around and organizing things. I posed the same question, "Are you guys going to play more Grand Funk after what went down here tonight?" And the broken record continued, "I'll have to see what I can do...." "You know something, I purposely turn OFF your station and tune to WPLR so that I can hear some Grand Funk. Does that mean anything to you?" was my interuption. "I'll see what I can do. Now Mark, I want you in the photo with the two guys who won the auction....." Let their Rock Rot in silence. It ain't on my radio anymore. Unbelievable! Mick ------------------------------ From: steelhorse Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 12:56:29 -0700 Subject: Re: music critics Jacob Lowe wrote: ..."Why have critics been so hard on > our band? My opinion is "Jealousy". They came from a garage and hit the big time before the media could get its, uhm, head out of its tailpipe. The media stated, when GFR first hit the big time, that they would never amount to anything because their style was so different. Platinum albums and sellouts later, it was obvious the media predictions were all wrong. They tried to cover their embarassment with criticisms, which in my opinion, just proved how wrong they were in the first place. ------------------------------ From: Stan Pace Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 14:16:05 -0400 Subject: Re: Here's the Article (Re: GFR Review in Newsday) Gang, This guy just proves my contention that out-of-touch, idiotic, eaten up with their own self-importance asses will always be out-of-touch, idiotic, eaten up with their own self-importance asses. I never lose one moment of sleep worrying about their opinions or whether they continue to consume valuable oxygen. At least he is creating valuable CO2 for the plants . . . Stan At 09:17 4/29/97 EDT, you wrote: >Actually, it was Nancy that said it. > >And yes, there is a place that we can voice our opinions: > >Newsday, Pinelawn Rd. Melville, NY 11747 > website -- www.newsday.com > email -- letters@newsday.com . Use the email address to reply, this is >where the editors monitor comments and feedback. > >The writer's name is Stanley Mieses and the column appeared in the Monday >April 28th issue in Part 2 under "Music Review". The title of the story is >"Grand Funk Railroad Is Still Chugging" > >And so are fans in Beacon's beer blast > >MUSIC REVIEW > >GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. Reunited with the Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra, and >special guests, at the Beacon Theatre, Broadway at 74th Street, Manhattan. >Friday night. > >By Stanley Mieses > >WHEN THE STYLE merchants brought platform shoes and bell-bottoms and mirror >balls and all the trappings of the 1970s back for a 1990s commercial spin, >they also opened the door for some of the more memorable antistyle >artifacts of the '70s to cash in on the revival, too. > >The reunion of Grand Funk Railroad,as antistyle a rock-and-roll band as >there ever was, ranks high on that list, and the show at the Beacon Theatre >on Friday night proved -- to a marketing mentality, at least -- that >there's still gold to be mined from the slob esthetic. > >That sensibility was on powerful display both onstage and in the audience. >The band hasn't changed its musical approach one iota from the days of its >great hits, which is not so much evidence of a formula as it is of creative >limitation: This is what they do, this is *all* they do. Which is taking >blues and funk riffs, treating them to power trio rock modalities, and >adding lyrics that, when broken down, are really about the joys of >possessing genitalia and a guitar. > >Those timeless themes really connected at the Beacon. It appeared that not >too many guys who came to this show found -- or, perhaps, even sought -- >female dates. Grand Funk Railroad, in its heyday in the early 1970s, was >clearly a boys band, and some 25 years later it still is, and the male >energy in the house was unmistakable. (The guys on stage looked a hell of >a lot better than the ones in the audience, which reflected the Stephen >Stills-David Crosby look a little more closely.) > >The promoters must have done their demographic homework, as there were an >unusual number of bars set up in the lobby that kept filling up >hockey-game-sized beers and frozen alcoholic drinks for the increasingly >untethered fans throughout the nearly three-hour-long show. (All >antismoking regulations seemed to have been temporarily tossed, too.) > >At this point, I must introduce the notion that the show was a benefit for >the Bosnian-American Relief Fund, and featured the appearance of the >Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra behind the Detroit-based power trio. The >orchestra's connection to the proceedings was as germane as a ring girl's >to a boxing match. I'm sure that they're relieved to be out of Bosnia, but >hearing lead guitarist and singer Mark Farner introduce Bosnia's ambassador >and permanent representative to the United Nations, Muhamed Sacirbey, by >saying, "Come on out here, Mo!" was worth the price of admission. > >Well, almost. Competent as Farner, drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel >Schachter (sic) may be, both as musicians and rock stars, I've never >yearned for the return of Grand Funk Railroad, and this show put a nail in >it. While their musical tradition is one I love, and the band's music >involves the best of Motown and urban and delta blues, its lyrical >sensibility is closer to Frankie Valli and the four Seasons. I don't think >I ever want to be at another show where a fat, balding guy in his 40's >looped on beer, stands gesturing wildly with devilhorns and shouting >"Heartbreaker/bringing me down!" > >"Hey, baby want to make the scene?/Jump into my time machine," go the words >to one of their songs. I think I'll stay here, thank you. > >*Stanley Mieses is a free-lance writer* > >copyright (c) Newsday 1997 > >A photo of Mark on stage (at the Beacon) in his classic bent-at-the-knees >guitar stance accompanied the article and the caption read: "Mike (sic) >Farner of Grand Funk during the '70s group's benefit Friday for the >Bosinian Relief Fund with the Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra" > >Yes, that said "Mike". > >What immediately comes to mind after reading this is -- It's a shame that a >ticket was wasted on this guy. Bass6player (Paul) from da Bronx coulda >been there "looped" with the rest of us. > >Interesting how his review differed from mine. Perspective is everything. >Well, at least we know that he won't be at any of the summer shows. > >So, Newday told me that if you want your comments published you MUST >include your phone number. Let 'em have it boys (and Donna, and Nancy, and >Liz, and Carla, and Gretchen)!!! These girls will never learn...GFR is a >BOYS' band.......... > >Lovin' Every Minute, >Mick > >ps -- funny, I think I read the same review in '72 and in '73 and in '74 >and in'75 and ...... >pps - how many records did Funk sell? >ppps - how quick did they sell out MSG? >pppps - how quick did they sell out Shea a year later? >ppppps - I heard that they're gonna cover "Oh What a Night" on their new >CD, actually I just made that up. >pppppps - what was that you say? they had to add 500 more standing room >only tickets at the Beacon Show? >hmmmmmmm.............................. >------------- >Original Text >From: steelhorse , on 4/29/97 9:53 AM: >Michael Catalano wrote: >> It was a >> crime what this freelance writer did to the memory of the concert. > >Who is this rank amateur and how do we GFRers contact him? Is there >some place we can voice our opinions? Editor's columns? HIS BOSS???? >You know how I feel about this: I'm still warmed up over 'communicating' >with the local Dallas radio stations (what a classic THEY are!). > > Stan Pace U.S. Atlantic Command Joint Training, Analysis and Simulation Center ------------------------------ From: Stan Pace Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 14:22:24 -0400 Subject: Re: "RotRock Q104 NYC" Mick, Good job! I like people not afraid to get in the face of idiots. If you (we) don't, who will? Stan At 06:54 4/29/97 EDT, you wrote: >During my review of the Beacon show I mentioned these "boneheads" and said, >"more on this later. Well here it is. > >First, I just loved Jim Lichtenberg's phrasology so much, I instantly >adopted it: "RotRock 104". Man if that doesn't fit this station.... > >These clowns, or snapperheads whichever you prefer, sponsered the Beacon >show. And they were all introduced on stage, hugging and air-kissing each >other. Well. I got the chance to meet and "chat" with a few of them back >stage. My absolute favorite is Donna-Donna (yes, that's what she calls >herself. She figures she's got two chances to hear you when you call her.) > She has the personality of a Stepford wife. god, I love punching the >radio button to turn her off in the morning. I walked up to her and said, >"So, are you going to play more Grand Funk after what you witnessed >tonight?" She knew I hit an open nerve and replied (lamely) "I'd like to >but.....I'll have to introduce you to someone you can talk to." I said, >"After what you witnessed here tonight are you gonna play more Grand Funk? >There were over 3000 people standing on their feet screaming every word to >every song for over two hours, doesn't that mean anything to you people?" >"I'll try and find him" was her reply as she slitherred away. > >Now I hook up with this guy, I believe he was the producer or station >manager from the way he was acting; ordering people around and organizing >things. I posed the same question, "Are you guys going to play more Grand >Funk after what went down here tonight?" And the broken record continued, >"I'll have to see what I can do...." "You know something, I purposely turn >OFF your station and tune to WPLR so that I can hear some Grand Funk. Does >that mean anything to you?" was my interuption. "I'll see what I can do. >Now Mark, I want you in the photo with the two guys who won the >auction....." > >Let their Rock Rot in silence. It ain't on my radio anymore. > >Unbelievable! >Mick > > Stan Pace U.S. Atlantic Command Joint Training, Analysis and Simulation Center ------------------------------ From: In2theSon@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 14:23:49 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: BEACON SHOW I agree with Riche...it is amazing that some would go to a concert to enjoy the music and think that the music is enhanced by the madness of a drunken stooper. Hey if you want to drink that's your business, but why go beyond the refreshment and/or high of a beer or two (or three if it's you), to become an inebreated nuisance who "hits on" the 13 yr old daughter of the fan in front of him. PLLLease. Grand Funk is Great, let your ears and mind savor every tasty note, along with those sitting around you. Then go out back of the Cirlce K, turn up you Grand Funk Railroad music, get obnoxiously drunk, fall all over each other and spend the night face down in a pile of dog dung left by that fat old lady's poodle who drives the 1968 blue cadilac, and smokes the Virginia Slims. I'm not your conscience, just a fan who loves to hear GF and hopes to HEAR them when they finally do come my way without such distraction. joe ------------------------------ From: Bugsy41157@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 14:37:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Cover versions Ken Blackey wrote: >I'm not so sure. For one thing, April Wine is a Canadian Band, and I can't see them >singing American Band. Also, I've been a semi-fan since their hay-days in the >seventies and I don't remember them recording WAAB. But, for all I know, they may >have played it live... Hey Ken, Thanks for recharging some of my memory cells. It was a group called Autograph that covered WAAB. Maybe April Wine sang We're An Canadian Band!!! Nah, don't think so, its hard to even say! I did see one of your countrymen, Aldo Nova, in concert in the early 80's and he played Footstompin' Music! Bugsy...Alrighta! PS Once again, thanks for Gilmour! ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:01:26 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Cover versions On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, Ken Blackley wrote: > Bugsy41157@aol.com wrote: > > I believe a band called April Wine (one of those big-haired-80's-type groups) > > covered WAAB. > > I'm not so sure. For one thing, April Wine is a Canadian Band, and I > can't see them singing American Band. Also, I've been a semi-fan since > their hay-days in the seventies and I don't remember them recording WAAB. > But, for all I know, they may have played it live . . . Well, Canada is part of America, right? :-) Perhaps April Wine was doing this tune as a way to say so, eh? Anyhow, April Wine was more than a "big-haired-80s-type-group" really. Their first album came out on Big Tree records in 1972 I believe, and it was really quite good. It had a great version of "You Could've Been a Lady" (an old Hot Chocolate tune, I believe), and really rocking tunes like "Drop Your Gun" and wonderful ballads like "Didn't You". Great album. But then, I never much followed them in the 80s, so perhaps indeed they did go the big-hair route, eh? I did like their oft-played tune "Just Between You and Me", even though it was quite formulaic and silly. Jeff ------------------------------ From: JOHN PETITT Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:12:35 -0500 Subject: Cover versions -Reply Tom and everyone, The German metal band Helloween has a really great version of Closer to Home. It is about 9min. long and has the orchestra parts and the water sounds. It is really great. It is included on a bonus only CD that comes with their CD called The Master of the Rings. If any one wants to hear it I can work out a trade for other tapes. Their guitar player Roland sites Mark as his biggest influence. He also has a GFR cover band in Germany. This is something I really want to hear. I am going to write him via E-mail and try to get a tape of them. They have a web site at www.Helloween.com(in case anyone cares). My review of the BEACON show is coming soon. Have been real busy here at work. Had a great time with all the Roadkill people at the Westside!!! More latter. GFR RULES the WORLD!!! F@#K the Critics!!!!!!!!!! Jay AKA-Jaypfunk@aol.com ------------------------------ From: JOHN PETITT Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:13:16 -0500 Subject: Re: Cover versions -Reply Isaac Hayes also does a killer version of Feelin' Alright on his live album. Jay AKA-Jaypfunk@aol.com ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:27:47 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: music critics On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, Jacob Lowe wrote: > What my basic question is..."Why have critics been so hard on our band? From a purely logical viewpoint, I could never understand the VEHEMENCE with which critics have bashed GFR. I can understand their not rating GFR as a great "force", but I never could fathom why the consensus amongst critics was so unanimous. But I just think that the critical community has to have its "hated group" at any given time, and GFR seemed to be the one they chose. No real reason that I can find... I will be honest and say that the music GFR was playing in the late 60s and early 70s was not exactly intellectual and structurally rigid composition! Haha. Most of it was damned simple pounding chords and rhythms, with no real depth other than the sheer power of the energy behind the music. But just look at what the critics praised then and you just can't justify their selective hatred for GFR. I mean, MOST of the music then was ENERGY and not deep intellectual "art". In other words, I have no freaking idea as to the answer of your question, Jacob! HAha. Sorry....some things just remain an enigma... Jeff ------------------------------ From: WHIRLEGREG@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:35:39 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: music critics i have been a fan of gfrr since before they were grand funk! i saw them as the fabulous pack and they were awesome!!! so i may qualify? at any rate my recollection is that terry knight ruffled many feathers in his years at the helm making it a gfrr and fans vs the world type (including critics) battle and he wasnt shy in letting them know that if they wanted any info on the band it would be available when where and from the knight himself!! he had the same tight rein on the band members too! he was very strict and enforced bed checks and all that rot with them and that imho is part of the reason for the break up! anyway more later! greg ------------------------------ From: "G. Jeffrey Gower" Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 16:02:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Here's the Article (Re: GFR Review in Newsday) On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, Michael Catalano wrote: > WHEN THE STYLE merchants brought platform shoes and bell-bottoms and mirror > balls and all the trappings of the 1970s back for a 1990s commercial spin, > they also opened the door for some of the more memorable antistyle > artifacts of the '70s to cash in on the revival, too. I must admit that I found (and still find) the onslaught of 70s revival tours to be a bit much. I mean, in one month, we had 12 different 70s groups perform near here, usually in tandem. Not that I mind that, for most of these groups are just classics, but with the onslaught, one can see where the opportunity to criticize can be quite tempting... > The reunion of Grand Funk Railroad,as antistyle a rock-and-roll band as > there ever was What the hell is "antistyle"? > on Friday night proved -- to a marketing mentality, at least -- that > there's still gold to be mined from the slob esthetic. Here we go - the stab at "marketing mentality" of 70s reunion tours....VERY original and probing analysis, Stanley! Jeesh. "Slob esthetic"? What? If GFR represents "slob", what about the oft-praised (and VERY rightly so) KING of slob/grunge, Neil Young, and his huge band of followers, the entire "grunge" genre that is so worshipped by the likes of Rolling Stone, etc.? GFR were never slob or grunge for the sake of being so, like all these grunge acts - GFR was about unadulterated raw energy, without the pretty-boy or the trans-gender or the glitter facade that most of the 70s bands had. GFR was HONEST, which is something the critics seemingly have a problem with. > The band hasn't changed its musical approach one iota from the days of its > great hits, which is not so much evidence of a formula as it is of creative > limitation: This is what they do, this is *all* they do. What would YOU have them do, Stanley? Be honest, you vacuous waste of flesh - really, is there ANYTHING that GFR could have done to impress you? Wouldn't you have trashed them no matter what they did? Isn't that why you wasted a ticket to go and "review", "critique"? What MD&M "do" is be GFR! Yes, that is what they do, and that is why they have sold more records and venue seats than most acts. > Which is taking > blues and funk riffs, treating them to power trio rock modalities, Let's see here, I wonder if I can come up with any other rock trios that have done this? Hmmm.... So, what is your point, Stanley? > adding lyrics that, when broken down, are really about the joys of > possessing genitalia and a guitar. Huh? This guy has not listened very well. I will never claim that GFR's lyrics are that great, which they aren't, but they are most assuredly more varied than this. > Those timeless themes really connected at the Beacon. It appeared that not > too many guys who came to this show found -- or, perhaps, even sought -- > female dates. So, had this been a real pick-up event, that would have suggested better music was being performed? Huh? You're battin' .000 so far, Stanley. > Grand Funk Railroad, in its heyday in the early 1970s, was > clearly a boys band And Rolling Stones weren't? Alice Cooper? The Who? So what? > (The guys on stage looked a hell of > a lot better than the ones in the audience, which reflected the Stephen > Stills-David Crosby look a little more closely.) Again, what does this have to do with the show? The music? > At this point, I must introduce the notion that the show was a benefit for > the Bosnian-American Relief Fund, and featured the appearance of the > Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra behind the Detroit-based power trio. He "must" introduce the "notion", folks. Thanks for going the extra mile, Stanley, in your rigorously intellectual and honorable write-up. > Well, almost. Competent as Farner, drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel > Schachter (sic) may be, both as musicians and rock stars, I've never > yearned for the return of Grand Funk Railroad, and this show put a nail in > it. There we have it, folks! This waste-of-paper newsrag sends some incompetent writer to a concert being put on by a band he has always disliked. Being the properly-unbiased (yeah right) "journalist" that our Stanley is, he is able to put aside his personal leanings and compose a clearly thought-out, objective appraisal of the music and performance, right? Nope. The guy is a hack, and his review is drivel. > While their musical tradition is one I love, and the band's music > involves the best of Motown and urban and delta blues, its lyrical > sensibility is closer to Frankie Valli and the four Seasons. So, you LOVE the "tradition" and admit that their music is based on "the best of" rock roots, but since you don't care for some of the lyrics, you bash GFR and their audience? Okeedokee... > I don't think > I ever want to be at another show where a fat, balding guy in his 40's > looped on beer, stands gesturing wildly with devilhorns and shouting > "Heartbreaker/bringing me down!" I suppose if he was lucky enough to retain all his hair and still looked like a skinny teenager, you'd be OK with that? Like Stephen Tyler singing about "love" in an elevator perhaps? Or Mick Jagger still drawling on about "I can't get no satisfaction" perhaps? Or were you talking about an audience member? Haha.... > "Hey, baby want to make the scene?/Jump into my time machine," go the words > to one of their songs. I think I'll stay here, thank you. Yes, please do. > *Stanley Mieses is a free-lance writer* No, Stanley Mieses is a free-lance hack with a bug up his..... > Interesting how his review differed from mine. Perspective is everything. > Well, at least we know that he won't be at any of the summer shows. No, but some other hack with a free ticket and a lack of original ideas will be! > ps -- funny, I think I read the same review in '72 and in '73 and in '74 > and in'75 and ...... So did I.... > pps - how many records did Funk sell? > ppps - how quick did they sell out MSG? > pppps - how quick did they sell out Shea a year later? Well, the critics don't care about all that. I mean, Neil Diamond sells out his venues, and so does Barry Manilow and Yanni. But the critics hated GFR/Farner even when they/he were playing bars, so.... On we go..... Jeff ------------------------------ From: JOHN PETITT Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 09:43:06 -0500 Subject: Cover versions -Reply Tom and everyone, The German metal band Helloween has a really great version of Closer to Home. It is about 9min. long and has the orchestra parts and the water sounds. It is really great. It is included on a bonus only CD that comes with their CD called The Master of the Rings. If any one wants to hear it I can work out a trade for other tapes. Their guitar player Roland sites Mark as his biggest influence. He also has a GFR cover band in Germany. This is something I really want to hear. I am going to write him via E-mail and try to get a tape of them. They have a web site at www.Helloween.com(in case anyone cares). My review of the BEACON show is coming soon. Have been real busy here at work. Had a great time with all the Roadkill people at the Westside!!! More latter. GFR RULES the WORLD!!! F@#K the Critics!!!!!!!!!! Jay AKA-Jaypfunk@aol.com ------------------------------ From: WHIRLEGREG@aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 16:08:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: MCat & PCat GFR Beacon Report just to clarify one point that the cat bros mentioned and that is re: fishof david fishof was not at the show i saw him in his office friday afternoon but he didnt indicate any conflict but i was sorry to see he missed a great show and btw he would have been doing the into's that fell into marks lap at the halftime festivities! i thought it was great start to finish i sat 5th row center 1 row behind pfunk gfrr rules greg ------------------------------ From: JOHN PETITT Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 16:56:03 -0500 Subject: Re: MCat & PCat GFR Beacon Report -Reply Greg, Right on my funk brother, now that's the power of the people!!!!! You are the man!! F$%K the critics! Jay AKA-Jaypfunk@aol.com ------------------------------ From: ktut@ix.netcom.com Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 16:08:33 -0500 (CDT) Subject: critics I remember long ago when a well known rock magazine, I think it was Circus, had negatively reviewed every GFR album only to watch them climb the charts and reach gold and platinum status. So when Live Album came out, their review consisted of nothing but rave reviews from the bands' adoring fans. Kind of like, if you can't beat 'em, the hell with it. My favorite quote on critics came from David Lee Roth, when asked why critics liked Elvis Costello and not Van Halen, DLR replied, "that's because most music critics look like Elvis Costello." Screw 'em. If they were any good, they would be on stage and Mark, Don, and Mel would be reviewing them. Don't know who said it, but "For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't understand, no explanation will suffice." Rock On and F@#K THE CRITICS. king tut ------------------------------ End of grand-funk-digest V1 #45 *******************************