"We're an American Band," - perhaps Grand Funk Railroad's signature song

While many who read my blog will argue that "Some Kind of Wonderful" is Grand Funk's signature song, the truth is that "We're an American Band," the title track from their album which is 45 years old today, is the ultimate signature!

Anyway, the song began when Grand Funk was on tour with their new keyboardist, Craig Frost, who sat in for the 1972 "Phoenix" record, which generated a minor hit with "Rock'n'Roll Soul." The band was forced to write a more radio-friendly hit, and so drummer Don Brewer picked up a guitar and worked out the basic chord progression. (It should be noted that Brewer admitted that he is bad at guitar and can only play two-finger chords). Neveretheless, the track shot straight to number 1.

Also noteworthy is that this is one of the few songs on which Brewer actually sings. He sang on "Walk LIke a Man," while Mark Farner sang the most lead vocals. Farner and Brewer both traded lead vocal duties on "Some Kind of Wonderful."

Also, according to Brewer, the idea for the song was born one evening while the members of GFR were seated with the Zombies in Sacramento (I believe) debating over each other's musical style. Brewer got up and shouted "We are an American band!" The record is about their touring career and some of it really happened. Contrary to popular belief, there WERE four groupies in a hotel lobby in Omaha waiting for the band to return. However, the term chiquitas was used in order not to stay vulgar.

After this song, GFR had another number 1 hit with "The Loco-Motion" from their 1974 record "Shining On." Their next LP "All the Girls in The World Beware!" gave them hits with "Bad Time," and "Some Kind of Wonderful." Grand Funk called it quits in 1976 after battling tons of lawsuits although they did record two records between 1980 and 1984 (with Dennis Bellinger in for Mel Sacher), but a ful on Grand Funk reunin did not materialize until 1996 albeit without Frost.

In 1980 Craig Frost joined Seger's Silver Bullet Band, with Brewer doing the same in 1983.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Legacy of Davorin Popovich and Indexi

Image
In the former Yugoslavia, there were many successful artists, but one of the most important, and even overlooked sometimes, was a popular band called Indexi (The Indeces). They had an awesome lead singer. The late, great Davorin Popovich today is remembered for has raspy, tenor voice - to me, a bit comparable to Burton Cummings of The Guess Who fame. Over the years, he has earned various nicknames such as Dacho and Pimpek. They were the seeds for other bands. Formed back in 1962, Indexi set the stage for what is now known as the Sarajevo School of Pop Rock - a movement that would live for the next three decades (a la before the Yugoslav wars). Their name, by the way, is the plural of Index - a student's gradebook. Each student was expected to record and maintain their own grades. The core  members, aside from Popovich, consisted of late guitarist Slobodan Bodo Kavachevich and bass player Fadil Redzich (pronounce "dz," like "s" in "risotto)."
Read more

Jimmy Stokley and Exile

Image
  Although of minor significance, today is 35 years since we lostJimmy Stokley of Exile. A little known Kentucky band, Exile is perhaps only known for their 1978 hit Kiss You All Over . In the 80s, the band shifted to more of a country sound, and has not made any noteable chart hits since. A Jagger-like frontman Born James Carr Stokley on October 18, 1943, Stokley joined The Fascinations in 1963, who then became Jimmy Stokley and The Exiles, featuring future Exile guiarist J.P. Penington  Jimmy Stokley and The Exiles, were, towards the end of the decade, shortened to simply The Exiles, before the plural form was dropped in the mid 70s, becoming Exile. Interestingly, Stokley's attire and attitude on stage led to many calling him the American Mick Jagger. One hitters In 1978, Exile issued their LP Mixed Emotions  through Warner Bros. records. The record features the disco-ey hit Kiss You All Over , written by producer Mike Chapman (also notorious for working with Blondie). Despite co
Read more

Bijelo Dugme - Former Yugoslavia's Greatest Rock Band

Image
In today's blog post, we will examine perhaps one of the GREATEST rock bands of the former Yugoslavia. Bijelo Dugme (The White Button), which by sound is largely influenced by the heavy metal likes of Deep Purple, Zeppelin, and Sabbath; however in culture, they were most simillar to the Beatles. In fact, there was a Dugmeania in the former Yugoslavia in the late 70s akin to Beatlemania in the US in the 60s. The brainchild of the band was a young man named Goran Bregovich, aka Brega. He was born on 3, 22, 1950 in Sarajevo to a Serbian mother and a Croatian father. At some point, his mother enrolled him into a music school with violin as a chosen instrument, but around twelve he was expelled showing lack of interest. Consequently, his mother bought him a guitar in his early teenage years. Brega's first bands were high school bands. He played bass guitar for Beshtije (The Beasts). At a  br in 1969, Bregovich met Zeljko Bebek who was part of a band called Kodeksi (The Codexes)
Read more