"We're An American Band" by GRAND FUNK – July 1973 US Seventh Album (Sixth Studio set) on Capitol Records (October 1973 in the UK) – featuring Mark Farner, Don Brewer, Craig Frost and Mel Schacher (November 2002 UK Capitol Records Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Four Bonus Tracks in the Grand Funk Remasters Series) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Loneliest Rider…"

With album chart-numbers like No. 6 for both July 1970's "Closer To Home" and April 1971's well-received "Survival" – on top of November 1971's "E Pluribus Funk" at No. 5 and November 1972's "Phoenix" at No. 7 – it seems odd now to think that the American press had written off Grand Funk Railroad in late 1972 and early 1973 as 'finished' – or worse – just not that good. 

This is a band that has always had vitriol thrown at them. But a smart decision to employ Drummer and Singer Don Brewer and Keyboardist Craig Frost into their ranks permanently – and an even smarter decision to get ace zeitgeist master Todd Rundgren on board as Producer – Grand Funk Railroad would shorten their name and shorten that distance in the charts. 

Because with July 1973's "We're An American Band" – Grand Funk went all the way up to No. 2 on the US Billboard LP charts, despite the naysayers. It invigorated the group and even spawned two 45-smashes in the shape of "We're An American Band" and "Walk Like A Man" - the title track achieving a rapid numero uno slot - not something every group in the world could manage in the busy listings of summer 1973. Which brings us here... 

This deftly-handled 2002 CD Reissue in their 'Grand Funk Remasters' series doesn't quite have the gold-effect cover impact of the original vinyl LP (does at least have a gold first page to ape that) – but it does sport four cracking bonus tracks actually worthy of inclusion - while new STEVE ROESER liner notes give this much-maligned American institution their proper due. And it's cheap-as-chips too in 2021. Let's point the big gold finger; here are the details…

UK released November 2002 – "We're An American Band" by GRAND FUNK on Capitol 5417262 (Barcode 724354172625) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue in their 'Grand Funk Remasters' Series with Four Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (55:13 minutes):

1. We're An American Band [Side 1]

2. Stop Lookin' Back

3. Creepin'

4. Black Licorice

5. The Railroad [Side 2]

6. Ain't Got Nobody

7. Walk Like A Man 

8. Loneliest Rider

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 7th studio album "We're An American Band" – released July 1973 in the USA on Capitol SMAS-11207 and October 1973 in the UK on Capitol EA-ST 11207. Their first album credited to just GRAND FUNK – it was produced by TODD RUNDGREN and peaked at No. 2 in the US album charts (didn't chart UK). Mark Farner wrote Tracks 3 and 5, Don Brewer wrote Track 1 with the remainder written by both Farner and Brewer 

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Hooray 

10. The End

Tracks 9 and 10 were studio outtakes from the June 1973 album sessions first issued in June 1999 as part of the UK 3CD Box Set "Thirty Years Of Funk 1969-1999: The Anthology" on Capitol Records 72434-99523-2-4

11. Stop Lookin' Back (Acoustic Mix) – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 

12. We're An American Band (2002 Mix) – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 9, 10 and 11 written by Brewer and Farner - Track 12 by Brewer

GRAND FUNK was:

MARK FARNER – Lead Vocals on Tracks 3, 5 and 6 with duet vocals on Track 9 with Don Brewer, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Conga and Electric Piano on "Creepin'" only

DON BREWER – Lead Vocals on Tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 11 and 12 with duet vocals on Track 9 with Don Farner, Drums and Percussion

MEL SCHACHER – Bass 

CRAIG FROST – Organ, Clavinet, Electric Piano and Moog 

While their earlier albums were notoriously recorded with no sense of audiophile, Rundgren was at the helm in 1973 and you have to wonder why. Rundgren explains in the new liner notes that he heard the new songs - not Rock rambles and jams - but more accomplished tunes with actual verses and choruses. And they were rehearsed. The title track was recorded in one day, completed and mixed on the second and by day three on its way to pressing plants. In fact by album's end, the single was already climbing the 45-charts to Number 1 as they mopped up the LP. The 12-page booklet repro's the original 'pointing finger' artwork as well as the gold sleeve - that awful naked photo in some barn somewhere and a better black and white snap showing the four-piece alive and kicking on stage. There are track-by-track recording details and of course extensive reissue credits. 

Still pumping out down 'n' dirty American Rock when they boogied, but now with flourishes of Acoustic beauty too, Rundgren brought a polish to GF and their material that both clearly needed (and according to the liner notes, wanted). Audio Engineer EVREN GOKNAR has 24-bit remastered this from original tapes - giving each Brewer vocal, Farner riff and Frost keyboard flourish more muscle. These tracks come at you with renewed power – not dampened down – but allowed to breath (like the other remasters in this series). Very well done. To the music and the cool bonuses...

Released in early July 1973 when the boys were still putting the LP together, Capitol rushed out the title track "We're An American Band" on Capitol 3660 with a 6:28-minute edit of "Creepin'" on the flipside. They gave it a picture sleeve and coloured vinyl and while some maintain the A-side was 'so' rushed in release that the mix is in fact an unpolished Rundgren version - his recollections put a damper on this hoped-for 'rare single version'. Rundgren remembers final mixing and mastering "We're An American Band" at Criteria before it was sent off to the pressing plants ("Creepin'" was also recorded on 12 June 1973 although originally entitled "I Don't Want To Be Their Fool"). The drum-start and guitar-funk come roaring out of the speakers - forty days on the road - come into your town - help you party down. 

"Stop Lookin' Back" feels like Grand Funk have suddenly discovered Funk-Rock via a Clavinet and Organ. Stuck in a county jail, our hero is hearing a turnkey and a voice calling him 'a dirty punk'. I'd forgotten how strong the Funk is with this one - Frost and Farner trading Guitar and Organ solos to fantastic effect. That's neatly followed by the seven-minute keyboard-slink of "Creepin'" where Frost gets to shine with big chunky notes. I love this - so Steppenwolf and John Kay - and in a good way. A love affair with a lady of colour infuses "Black Licorice" with a Stevie Wonder rapido Funk-Rock mania. And again, you can hear why Rundgren liked this - a hooky tune, that dances like a goodun (although I find it hard to hear those bullish lyrics amidst his screaming vocals). 

Side 2 opens with six-minutes of "The Railroad" - a brooding treated guitar snaking its way out into your loving room with tales of hard work and punch cards and sweat running down your back. Time for a quick but commercial rocker, so we get "Ain't Got Nobody" - a I-don't-why-I'm-crying boo hoo moment (huge audio on this when they go into that break). Capitol paired the big choruses of "Walk Like A Man" with "The Railroad" in October 1973 to produce the LP's second single release - Capitol 3760 rising to No. 19. Far better in my eyes is the Side 2 finisher "Loneliest Rider" - another Rock-Funk chugger that has Mark Farner talking about his Cherokee roots and meaning it. Grand Funk had a driving intensity and its here in "Loneliest Rider". 

And stripped of its bombast, the Bonus Mix for "Stop Lookin' Back" features just two acoustic guitars, Don Farner vocals and some percussion moments towards the end – a very clever bare-naked version that makes you feel the song anew. The excellent rocker "Hooray" (so Steppenwolf) was recorded 14 June, while four-minutes of "The End" was done on the 15th. Both have been smartly added on here as extras - once only available on the 1999 3CD Box set that in 2021 is long deleted. Accomplished, finished, it's surprising they remained in the can for so long. The extensively remixed new cut of the title track is 'guitar heavy' - a looser live-in-the-studio vibe than the more polished LP final. Nicely done...

For sure there will always be those who knock Grand Funk and neither Farner nor Brewer were ever going to be in the greatest singers ever in Rock lists any time soon. But I'd forgotten the good parts on this album and I'm glad I've renewed acquaintances with "We're An American Band", beefed up good and raring to go...

"Grand Funk" by GRAND FUNK RAILROAD [featuring Mark Farner] (2002 Capitol 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Inside Looking Out…"

With their debut “On Time” released only months earlier in August 1969 (a slow burner that eventually charted in October and rose to Number 27) – their second platter simply called "Grand Funk" followed only months later at the tail end of December 1969 – days away from the beginning of the new decade. Capitol Records saw their investment in Michigan’s finest deliver a Number 11 placing on the Rock LP charts – and hearing its heavier than lead-piping tunes in 2015 (a mere 45 years after the event) - it’s easy to hear why ”Grand Funk” with its garish 'red' cover was both lauded and derided in equal measure (much like the band itself really in certain quarters). But I’d argue if you want gutsy Hard Rockling American Rock ‘n’ Roll – then there’s a lot to love about GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. And featuring two rather excellent Bonus Tracks with sympathetic 24-bit Digital Remastering - this still-as-cheap-as-chips CD remaster is a fantastic way into this most American of Boogie bands. Here are the hard-hitting details…

Released November 2002 – "Grand Funk" by GRAND FUNK RAILROAD on Capitol 5393812 (Barcode 724353938123) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ and plays out as follows (59:46 minutes):

1. Got This Feeling On The Move

2. Please Don’t Worry

3. High Falootin’ Woman

4. Mr. Limousine Driver

5. In Need [Side 2]

6. Winter And My Soul

7. Paranoid

8. Inside Looking Out

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd album "Grand Funk" – released January 1970 in the USA on Capitol SW 406 and February 1970 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 307

BONUS TRACKS (both Previously Unreleased):

9. Nothing is The Same (Demo)

10. Mr. Limousine Driver (Extended Version)

Track 9 (along with most of the album) was recorded on 20 October 1969 and is an early attempt at a song that would eventually surface on their 3rd LP “Closer To Home” in June of 1970. This early-take features a different arrangement and Don Brewer on vocals in the middle section.

Track 10 is a 2002 Remix with Alternate Guitar and an Extended Ending

The 12-page booklet is a rather visually pleasing affair – a centre-page spread of Ticket Stubs, Fillmore East Posters and Hand Flyers, uber rare Japanese 7” Single Picture Sleeves and even Studio Track Sheets. Beneath the see-through plastic tray is a picture of their 2nd-only British 45 for “Inside Looking Out” in its Capitol Records label bag. It was belatedly released in good old Blighty in January 1971 on Capitol CL 15668 with “Paranoid” as its B-side (I believe it played at 33 1/3 because of its lengthy playing time). The informative, witty and affectionate liner notes are by STEVE ROESER feature interviews with the band’s main men MARK FARNER (who wrote all the songs) and DON BREWER.

GRAND FUNK were:

MARK FARNER – Guitar, Piano, Harmonica & Vocals

DON BREWER – Drums And Vocals

MEL SCHACHER - Bass

The CD remaster on all of their early albums was always going to be tricky – notoriously recorded with no sense of audiophile – but every sense of 'how it feels'. This is down 'n' dirty American Rock with hiss levels that takes no prisoners. EVREN GOKNAR has 24-bit remastered from original tapes and while the hiss is still there – he’s given more muscle to the overall sound. These tracks come at you with renewed power – not dampened down – but allowed to breath. The all-over-the-place vocals are there – as are the guitar/drum combos – and keyboard interludes – but with more punch. It’s well done.

It opens with the “baby let the good times roll” of “Got This Thing On The Move” – a funky groover with a huge Bass Line and fuzzed-up guitar. Things slink into Free territory with “Please Don’t Worry” with Brewer’s cymbals and drum kit way up in the mix. Capitol put out the double-boogie-commercial “High Falootin’ Woman” as the flip of the equally catchy “Mr. Limousine Driver” on Capitol 2691 in November 1969 – weeks before the album’s late December release (it scraped the Top 100 at Number 97). The audio on both tracks is wickedly good even if the solo guitar separation on “Mr. Limousine Driver” is pretty harsh.

The near 8-minute “In Need” has always been a fave of mine sounding not unlike the Faces circa “Long Player” (dig that natty little Harmonica/Bass battle half way through followed by great grunge guitar). The Funksters get a bit Bluesy on “Winter And My Soul” – even if the vocals let the vocal down somewhat. Another near 8-minute chugger comes in the shape of “Paranoid” where our boys notice “men outside...come to take you away...” (and with the amount of drugs they were doing – that was probably true). It ends on the 10-minute monster “Inside Looking Out” which features the best vocal on the album.

The Bonus Material may seem lean at only two cuts – but they’re both worth owning. “Nothing is The Same” is an early version of a track that would eventually surface on album No. 2 “Close To Home” in June 1970. Audio and structure-wise it feels pretty much the same as the album material – guitars harshly in the left while the drums and vocals linger on the right and centre. The extended “Mr. Limousine Driver” adds on another minute at 5:29 duration and sounds incredible – much cleaner and just as driving with that great guitar boogie in the left channel. That same guitar goes into wild soloing towards the run out...

So there you have it. "Grand Funk" won’t be everyone’s cup of Darjeeling for damn sure but that’s the nature of 'awkward' bands. Derided by critics and beloved by fans in equal measure – Grand Funk Railroad were huge back in the day – and on the evidence of this cool little reissue – it’s easy to hear why…