Greatest Hits

Performer: Grand Funk Railroad
Producer: Jimmy Ienner; Terry Knight; Todd Rundgren
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Grand Funk Railroad: Mel Schacher, Craig Frost, Don Brewer, Mark Farner, Dennis Bellinger. Derided in its time for the frequent overblown publicity campaigns of its manager Terry Knight, the late-1960s and early-'70s rock behemoth Grand Funk Railroad nevertheless achieved consistent chart success until the mid-'70s. This set collects many of the songs that made the outfit one of the early '70s' most popular bands, including "We're an American Band," "Mean Mistreater," and their cover of Little Eva's '60s hit, "The Loco-Motion." This 14-track Grand Funk Railroad hits collection, released in 2006, does solid justice to the Michigan boogie-rock legends. While certainly not the most cerebral band in the annals of rock, Grand Funk possessed a sweaty, caveman grandeur that remains difficult to fully dismiss. We're talking about a band that rocked so hard they needed to wear headbands--surely they deserve at least a little of our respect. Among the collection's tracks are all of Grand Funk's radio hits, including "Heartbreaker," "The Loco Motion," "Mean Mistreater," and "We're An American Band." While Grand Funk received little to no love from the rock cognoscenti of the 1970s, their mildly head-banging jams and good-times vibe have made them a beloved staple of classic rock radio decades after hitting the scene. [Note: The package also contains a bonus DVD packed with killer live footage.]

Homer Simpson may have captured the essence of Grand Funk Railroad in the SIMPSONS episode where he rhapsodizes about "Mark Farner's wild, shirtless lyrics, the bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher," and yes, "the competent drum work of Don Brewer." Emerging from the industrial town of Flint, MI, Grand Funk were a workman-like "people's band." They turned the Cream power-trio format into a stadium filling, larger-than-life experience that made them one of the most popular live acts of the early '70s. Their early albums were filled with amped-up blues-rock, but towards the end of their initial tether, they scored hits with covers of soul tunes such as "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "The Locomotion." IRS troubles contributed to their breakup in the late-'70s, but Grand Funk reunited with a vengeance in the '90s.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25