I saw GFR at a free concert in Hyde Park, London in 1971. Also playing was Traffic, which made for an odd billing. To me, GFR was the beginning of the end for Rock and Kiss killed it off completely.
As I understand it, Grand Funk Railroad paved the way for Jefferson Airplane, which paved the way for Jefferson Starship. This set the stage for the Alan Parsons Project, which was some kind of hovercraft.
Oh, great. Now every time I hear Some Kind of Wonderful on the radio, I’m going to hear ‘She’s some kind of hovercraft, yes she is…’ in my head.
Aw man, that had to be outta sight, Traffic in 1971 when Steve Winwood was still pretty young. They’re on my list of bands that I wish I could have seen at their most creative heyday. What were they like??
It was great. I actually saw them twice in two weeks, each time for free in an outside concert. I was only 16 and more into Cream, 10 Years After, and such but Traffic became one of my favorites.
What a waste of acid.
You’re joking, right?
Wasn’t the Alan Parsons Project a laser that Dr. Evil used to turn the moon into some kind of “death star”? I believe he controlled it from his base on Moon Unit Zappa.
Of *course *asterion’s joking. Jefferson Starship only set the stage for Jefferson Wheelchair.
Ah… Grand Funk…Mark Farner’s wild, shirtless lyrics, the bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher and the competent drum work of Don Brewer.
I can’t recall either, but I do seem to remember them saying they were coming to my town, and they’d help me do something. I can’t remember what, but I haven’t laid eyes on them yet!
Of course not. Though it’s a shame that none of them were at the greatest music festivals of my lifetime, the US Festival.
On a related note, according to Our Band Could Be Your Life, the Butthole Surfers traveled with a dog named “Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad.”
I believe the cities that were partied down in the 1970s were later built by rock and roll with government funding, except for Akron, which is still missing.
That’s because of the shoddy building-up work done by the Akron area government contractor, Buttercup Industries, Inc., which was later let down and reportedly messed around.
Then worst of all, the contractor never called when they said they would.
Homer Simpson said this, basically.
No wonder they built their city on rock and roll …
Then you really need to check your chronology and musicology.
This is a Homer quote, btw.
To learn more about Grand Funk, consult your school library.
No, that was Starship, and entirely different band altogether. The trauma of that experience, along with the 80s big hair, cause Grace Slick’s face to collapse; she’s been in seclusion (or possibly under house arrest) ever since.
Jefferson Starship was from Missouri, of course. They were known for playing one song which they gave several names to, and which would have been good had it ended five minutes sooner.
Jefferson Airplane (from Jefferson, OH) was an absolute kick-ass band, in no way related to either of the above. When several band members died from botulism contracted from tuna, the rest disbanded.
All of which has nothing to do with Grand Funk Railroad, which was (little known fact) really a Nicaraguan which fought deportation throughout their career.