#Grand funk railroad on time cracked

вЂњGrowing up in Flint, Mich., we were influenced by R&B. вЂњIt wasnвЂ™t on anybodyвЂ™s radar,вЂќ Brewer said. This time, it was a little known song by the Soul Brothers Six that peaked at No. ThatвЂ™s what we were going for - a big party in the studio.вЂќДЄ year later, Grand Funk Railroad hit the Top 5 with another remake. They recorded вЂBarbara AnnвЂ™ and it sounded like a party. We are going to record вЂThe Loco-Motion!вЂ™ (Producer) Todd Rundgren put a Beach Boys feel on it. вЂњSo we called our manager and said: вЂWeвЂ™ve got to have the lyrics to the Little Eva version.

#Grand funk railroad on time cracked

We broke for dinner one night and Mark came back singing: вЂEverybodyвЂ™s doing a brand new dance now.вЂ™ We just cracked up! That would be such a goof for Grand Funk Railroad to do вЂThe Loco-Motion.вЂ™ вЂњWe had basically completed the album and were going to release вЂShininвЂ™ OnвЂ™ as (the first single). вЂњWe were looking for another hit to follow вЂWeвЂ™re An American BandвЂ™ and вЂWalk Like a Man,вЂ™вЂќ Brewer said. 1 single almost did not make the 1974 album вЂњShininвЂ™ On.вЂќ I thought: вЂLet me step up to the plate and what I can come up with.вЂ™вЂќ But we never had to concern ourselves with having a вЂhit singleвЂ™ before. вЂњMark was our primary songwriter and we were happy to have him contributing at that level. вЂњI hadnвЂ™t focused on being a songwriter prior to that,вЂќ he said. Besides вЂњWeвЂ™re An American Band,вЂќ Brewer wrote and sang hits such as вЂњWalk Like a Man,вЂќ вЂњShininвЂ™ OnвЂќ and вЂњTake Me.вЂќ The group dynamic also changed when Brewer began writing and providing lead vocals on many songs. вЂњWe were struggling to survive and we had to move on,вЂќ Brewer said. Grand Funk Railroad shortened its name to Grand Funk, added Craig Frost on keyboards and enlisted Todd Rundgren to produce the bandвЂ™s new album (вЂњWeвЂ™re An American BandвЂќ) and help them become more radio-friendly. вЂњEverything had to three to four minutes long. вЂњRadio had changed from being вЂunderground FMвЂ™ to an вЂFM hitsвЂ™ format,вЂќ he said. The band, Brewer said, was вЂњlooking for a change.вЂќ By 1973, though, Grand Funk Railroad had fired manager/producer Terry Knight, having spent most of the previous year fighting him in court. That was faster than the BeatlesвЂ™ sell-out in 1965. Grand Funk RailroadвЂ™s first wave of success culminated in July 1971, when the band sold out Shea StadiumвЂ™s 55,000 seats in 72 hours. ItвЂ™s honest - and thatвЂ™s what people picked up on.вЂќ вЂњWhen I listen to those albums now, IвЂ™m fascinated by the mistakes I hear and how many things we couldвЂ™ve done better. We werenвЂ™t in a recording mecca saying: вЂHow does this snare drum sound?вЂ™ We were focused on capturing the moment. вЂ¦ The songs had to be good, the performances had to be good - and the recording was what it was. вЂњWe would record them in a matter of days. вЂњI believe that if you listen to those first three records (вЂOn Time,вЂ™ вЂGrand Funk,вЂ™ вЂCloser to HomeвЂ™), they were very honest rock вЂnвЂ™ roll,вЂќ he said. Grand Funk Railroad also benefitted from an organic recording nature that вЂњcaught the moment,вЂќ Brewer said. It might be a rodeo place with a dirt floor, bleachers and three Super Troupers for lights.вЂќ вЂњWe played all over - even places where there wasnвЂ™t a good concert facility. вЂњWe were always on the road,вЂќ Brewer said. Formed in Flint, Mich., in 1969, the trio of Brewer, Schacher and guitarist/singer/songwriter Mark Farner blended their love of hard rock and R&B into a sound that produced 10 gold or platinum albums from 1969 to 1975.

Going (Pa.) Dutch: Festival offers taste of folk cultureД¬ONCERTWATCH: Appice Brothers join forces for drum-driven rock showД¬ountless nights on the road not only provided Grand Funk Railroad a devoted fan base, but also helped make the band one of musicвЂ™s biggest acts of the 1970s. WeвЂ™re just going to do new stuff that we want to do!вЂ™ We give them what they want.вЂќ WeвЂ™re not a band that says: вЂWe donвЂ™t want to do the hits. вЂњWe do a piece that is all percussion in the middle of the show called вЂThunder and Lightning.вЂ™ We know what everyone wants and expects. вЂњWe mix in a few new things that weвЂ™ve worked on over the years,вЂќ he said. The band, which performs about 40 concerts per year, generally sticks to its classic-rock and pop staples during live shows, Brewer said.