Where Does Grand Funk Place?

Terrific! That kind of defines what I like about Grand Funk at that time (and my love of the historic "Grand Funk Live"). Grand PUNK Railroad - a brilliant rudimentary version of what Cream, Led Zep and others had already done, but it worked. They sound like Can also there. Love it.

 

With Loverboy, Chilliwack, and Aldo Nova.

 

You have to be careful when it comes to GFR. They are sneaky. They are much better and smarter than they seem. Just don't ask me to explain.

 

My favorite "Grand Funk Railroad" song is 'Disbelievin' by the band Kak (featuring Gary Lee Yoder pre-Blue Cheer).

 

I'd put them below Humble Pie as well...GFR were, as you say, a footnote. (personally, I think they suck)

 

My favorite band in my early teens. They had a really good run through We're an American Band, so '72?, '73? My music interests changed around then so I am unfamiliar with what they put out afterwards. But the live album, Grand Funk (red album) and so on were really good. Mr. Limousine Driver...that's a helluva song.
In retrospect, grudgingly (because I have fond memories of their music) I guess I would have to rank them below Zeppelin (but that's only because I kept listening to Zeppelin a year or two longer). So, for hard rock: Zeppelin at top all by themselves. Then: Purple, GFR, Uriah Heep, Free. 40 years ago I would have included Sabbath. Now, simply not interested.
Funny thing, though; from above list the only bands I'll occasionally listen to are Uriah Heep and Free!

 

My further thoughts on this since I first posted this thread
Are that Grand Funk may be misunderstood
In trying to measure their heaviness against the others
But rather should be seen as a uniquely American,
uniquely Michigan rock and rhythm and soul hybrid
That rocked and grooved hard, and didn't need to be heavy

 

Grand Funk was a great band. They got bad press. A real "American Band", and plenty of talent.
Get yourself a Pastmasters copy of the "Red" album, and when you are done listening to it, you'll know!

 

They were a hard rocking band early on.... Their version of Gimme Shelter is right up there with best....

 

Farner had a great voice, he sang without screaming, his songs were meaningful for the most part.
Don and Mel were about as good a foundation as they come. Very under-rated band imo.

 

I had never realized they were under-rated until I read through this several year old thread! But it seems you are right.

 

They can't really be compared or associated with bands like Zeppelin or Deep Purple. It's like trying to compare CCR with the Doobie Brothers.

 

Excellent live band. I do not care for their studio albums (as usual), but on stage they were a force to reckon. Maybe not on the level of Zepp, Purple, Sabbath and Pie, but better than Slade or Quo (very good bands by the way). IMO.

People tend to judge on the basis of studio albums, which were not forte of this band. Well, as I rarely care for those 20th century advertisement/souvenir artefacts assembled by engineers to keep audience engaged between the gigs, GFR is a great band in my book. On the other hand I have already read on this forum that Zeppelin, Doors and Velvets were weak, sloppy performers, whose live output is a mere addendum to their studio work, so... the opinions are going to vary.

Summing up - a great live band!

 

Survival is a great album, and I Can Feel Him In The Morning is a great tune.

 

When I hear the term "grunge rock" I think Grand Funk.
Loved them then, still do.

 

They were enough a force as a live band
That Zep had it in their rider
That they would NOT follow
Grand Funk

Plus they physically beat up Zep and Grant twice

 

I tend to agree with this. In retrospect, they shouldn't be compared to a band like Black Sabbath, although they most certainly were back when both were current. Uniquely American is right on, the blood of R&B and Motown flowed through the soulful voice and earnest guitar playing of Mark Farner. They were an entity unto themselves, and should be set apart from their British heavy rock contemporaries.

 

Got This Thing on the Move, Inside Looking Out, Mean Mistreater, I'm Your Captain, Heartbreaker...all fun and memorable. Good stuff.
"If" a power trio had to be pitted against another power trio of that era I would think it would be Mountain. Was Cactus a trio? I forget, but they weren't around as long. Beck, Bogert and Appice? A trio but not anywhere near as successful or long lived. Anyway, GFR and Mountain were both top tier power trios. Different type of bands than Purple or Zeppelin.

 

Could you elaborate? Literally?

 

Texas Pop
And Grande Ballroom saw altercations , I believe

 

These "blowing the competition off stage" stories are funny and plentiful.

 

I consider Humble Pie to be the footnote! Grand Funk was a very popular band, especially in middle America. I'd put them in between the two groups from the poll.

But I think they were definitely in the same genre as Rare Earth, and other Detroit rock bands that borrowed heavily from motown and soul music, going back to Question Mark and Mitch Ryder.

 

This raises them in my estimation a bit.

 

Both Frank Zappa and Todd Rundgren said they were a much better band than you could tell from their albums. Both wanted to produce them. Frank didn't have the chart success with them that Todd achieved.