Grand Funk Railroad – they truly were an American band.
Grand Funk Railroad for lunch today – recorded at the San Diego Arena on June 2, 1974.
You almost can’t talk about the 1970s without mentioning Grand Funk Railroad, or Grand Funk as most everyone called them, at some point. They were Headbangers, a Sweat Band, prototype Heavy Metal, Blue Collar Rock and a big slice of Americana.
The first half of the 70s they filled arenas, their albums sold in the millions, their concerts sold out within minutes, they were what hard rock was all about.
Yet no one really mentions them anymore, which is weird. They were a band you either loved or hated. Audiences loved them, critics hated them – they were the Soul of Middle America and snobbery may have had something to do with it. Grand Funk got their start in Flint, Michigan – not a picturesque place, even in 1969. Part of what they used to call “the flyover states”, now known as The Rust Belt. The town people escaped from, not proudly pointed to as an inspiration. Grand Funk was the ultimate Party Band, hell bent on having a good time as opposed to MC5, another Michigan band whose message was a bit more radical in their world view. Grand Funk had fun -MC5 had a message – MC5 were more upscale, being from Detroit, as opposed to Flint where the working class were having the worst of it
But at the time, Grand Funk were huge and virtually unstoppable until the 70s took a few turns and audiences graduated to Fleetwood Mac or Bruce Springsteen. Coupled with the pressure-cooker of demands and fans, leading to internal tensions which eventually caused them to fracture and split, Grand Funk Railroad left their mark – perhaps one that needs some uncovering, but a vital one nonetheless.
For proof of that, this San Diego Arena concert is pretty much the norm for them at the time – loud, non-stop and high-octane.
Goes well with lunch on a tight schedule.
