Love Hey You! White People!
posted by on July 16 at 13:37 PM
What am I, an asshole? What else have you been keeping from me? Wait, lemme restart:
Why am I just now discovering the pleasures of Grand Funk Railroad?
The only time anybody in my life had mentioned GFR to me was when a DJ—who, when giving me digging tips, said the word ‘funk’ was always a good clue—said with a snicker “Unless it’s fuckin’ Grand Funk Railroad.” And that was that.
Look, I grew up strictly on rap and funk. I had to get into rock the hard way, via the Spin Doctors. (Long story.) I managed to find my way to more reputable things fairly quickly. No one was there to guide me, and the joy of discovering the joys of the Jam, Black Flag, and Thin Lizzy over the years has given me a giddy sort of there’s-always-new-worlds-to-discover high; but upon hearing “Shinin’ On” (thanks to Mr. Gorton’s suggestion of bumrocks.com), I really feel like motherfuckers been holding out on me. I already know about the Clipse, dammit. Bring something to the table for your boy here!
Fuck it tho, all’s forgiven. I just spent a great post-B-day weekend getting my full-bore boogie-rock on to the dismay of my girl and the surprise and satisfaction of her stepdad, a huge GFR fan. Our Sunday afternoon poker game was that much better thanks to “I’m Your Captain.”
But something tells me I coulda figured this all out if I’d just gone to Slow Ride already…
come to slow ride on the 29th and i will play you the yellow vinyl 7" of GFR's "we're an american band," complete with classic hair bear picture sleeve photo. we can party down.
My first 45 ever was a GOLD one of "Crawlin'" by GFR. I bought it because it said "ass" in it.
larry, welcome to the outrageously badass, soulful, and undervalued genre that is 70s southern scuzz rock.
you like GFR, check out "keep on smilin" or "baby fat" by wet willie. also for the ages: molly hatchet's "flirtin with disaster," foghat's "slow ride," and "green-eyed lady" by sugarloaf. seriously funky!
people just dont know. if they did, wed have molly hatchet playing a stranger-sponsored summer surprise festival at the moore.
I've been a fan since I first heard their version of Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion" ("Some Kind of Wonderful" is another great cover). And who can resist lyrics like, "We're comin' to your town/We'll help you party down/We're an American band." I'll say!
70s southern scuzz rock
GFR hailed from Flint, Michigan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Funk_Railroad
home to the tuff as fuck Dayton Family
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dayton_Family
segal, are you gonna tell me there isnt more than a touch of southern grit in GFR's schtick?
good seeing you the other day, btw. how was head like a kite?
I love GFR/GF...they smoke an AWESOME version of the Animal's Inside Looking Out. They're talent justified their hype...for a three piece they made a LOT of noise and had some brilliant syncopated drumming. wish I could seen 'em in like '71.
Oh, I'm w/Segal, I wouldn't consider them southern rock @ all, they're NOT a blues/country based band and they formed before most of the Southern Rock thing happened (they were Terry Knight & the Pack first), but I get how you might lump 'em in. Molly Hatchet's Flirtin' w/Disaster is a RAGING track BTW.
Also, GFR/GF fans oughta dig Damnation Of Adam Blessing, a Cleveland band that had a nice GFR fixation.
jz-
That's just my dormant Michigan pride coming to the fore--and my annoying tendency to demand factual accuracy ;-).
HLAK were mighty fine. I caught 4 songs and then headed to Krakt for Joel Mull.
Good seeing you, too.
I think it also needs to be addressed that GFR was NOT a funk band. I know it's in the name and everything... but no. Not funk. Not at all. Just a great rock band.
And agree with Kathy #4, that "Some Kind of Wnderful" single is AMAZING. Up there with Steppenwolf's cover of "Sooky Sooky" and Bad Company's "Can't Get Enough", which is there own, but easily fits with so many of the era's soul/rock covers.
meanwhile, im just thrilled were having this conversation at all over here.
this was my finest achievement during my tenure as rock and pop editor at rhapsody:
"Bell Bottom Bliss"
Forget gas shortages, Watergate, Vietnam, cocaine and disco: The '70s were a magical time for rock 'n' roll. There was a fantasy world unfolding from the music, one wrapped in bell bottoms and sporting Jew-fros and grasping at stardom one single at a time, one that took a back seat to the big-budget AOR that dominated the charts. Here are those 8-Track b-sides, those late-night AM curveballs that might not be classics but carry a heady whiff of nostalgia. Breathe deep.
1. Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)
Looking Glass
2. Brother Louie
The Stories
3. Magic
Pilot
4. Viva Tirado
El Chicano
5. The 6 Teens
Sweet
6. The Groove Line
Heatwave
7. Love Is Alive
Gary Wright
8. Kiss You All Over
Exile
9. Classical Gas
Mason Williams
10. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
11. I'm Not In Love
10cc
12. Flirtin' With Disaster
Molly Hatchet
13. No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Natur...
The Guess Who
14. Keep On Smilin'
Wet Willie
15. Slow Ride (Single Version)
Foghat
16. Free Ride
Edgar Winter
17. I Just Want To Celebrate
Rare Earth
18. The Rapper
The Jaggerz
19. Come And Get Your Love
Redbone
20. Spooky
Atlanta Rhythm Section
21. Temptation Eyes
Grass Roots
22. The Night Chicago Died
Paper Lace
23. Ride Captain Ride
Blues Image
24. Something In The Air
Thunderclap Newman
http://www.rhapsody.com/playlistcentral/playlistdetail?playlistId=ply.10863411
no GFR--i think the track i wanted wasnt licensed--and no sugarloaf, but pretty awesome 70s rock all the way through.
i might have to repost that as a line out post bc its so damn good.
"Free Ride" is a world-historical jam. I'm surprised nobody's ever sampled that phenomenal breakbeat near the end.
Damn fine catchy songs jz has posted. Wish there were songs like those getting written nowadays.
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