In 1969 they we’re opening for Led Zeppelin in Olympia. They were bring down the house. Shortly after starting Peter Grant ( Zeppelin manager) pulled the plug on there performance. They were kicked off the rest of the tour. This is not a bash to Zeppelin, they have always been my all time rock-n-roll band ever. It just shows how great Grand Funk was.
I remember hearing that but I was so into Zeppelin I refused to believe it. All due respect to Zeppelin, but they aren't one of the great live performance bands out there. Albums? Different story entirely. What a catalog. Grand Funk Railroad can't hold a candle to Zeppelin's catalog. But live performance? Different ballgame. Same with Rolling Stones. Amazing catalog. Not the greatest live band ever.
"Sweet Sweet Connie" Hamzy was a famous groupie in Little Rock from about 1970-1990. If you were a touring artist during those years and you had never gotten a BJ from Sweet Connie you weren't really a rock star. She was also a substitute teacher for years in the Little Rock school system until someone snitched out "Miss Hamzy" as being Sweet Connie. She wrote a memoir in the 1990's, and passed after a short illness in 2021 at age 66.
Don Brewer, one of the best drummer/singers in R&R - Fun fact: after GFR broke up, Bob Seger scooped up GFR's keyboardist, Craig Frost, and drummer, Don Brewer - that's why they so tight and solid!!
If Grand Funk doesn't lift your soul, I'm afraid you may not have one. Another killer tune to rock my morning - love how much you both appreciate everything that goes into a great live performance. Rocking with you on a rainy morning up in Canada 🤘
I remember reading that……..they played somewhere outside of Atlanta (25 miles out) and people could hear them in downtown Atlanta. That concert was loudest musical act ever measured in decibels.
Bought this album, Deep Purple "Made In Japan" and Alice Cooper "Billion Dollar Babies" on the same day. Good Times. The actual album was made of clear yellow, gold?, vinyl, still have it in my collection. Don Brewer killing the vocals and the Drums. Only thing left to say is MORE COWBELL!!!
Yep, yellow record. Rolling Stones had a black+blue album, Dave Mason had a pink, black swirl. Forgot who had saw blade shaped album. Another reason why I loved albums. Kept it interesting.
Long time follower.... Great reaction ! Prob should respond more often , just wanted to let you guys know you're appreciated. Thx gents! Also thx for the time travel.... I was there for most of these old vids........
It's a true statement that GFR was one of the greatest bands live. The first time I saw them was at The Forum. Their 1st live album was Grand Funk (Live Album) remastered now and every band had a drum solo in their show. For GFR the song is T.N.U.C. and other really good songs when they were still a 3 piece band are "Heartbreaker" and "Mean Mistreater". Now historically this show I saw at The Forum had an opening act that we never heard of, early 1970, but by the end of the year they were extremely important. The opening act for GFR was Black Sabbath.
We had a lot of great music on TV back in the late 60s and 70s! Midnight Special, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert…so much good music on TV - we didn’t know how good we had it!
That comment, them being from America, You're completely right!Yes, bands from overseas were poppin' hard when this was released. It was a cool way of partying while proclaiming, "we're an American band" at the same time! One of our own!
This entire concert was bangin’ from the first notes of “Foot Stompin’ Music!” I think this was at Shea Stadium around 1971-72. I never knew of RNR TV when I was a kid ha ha. You guys are great! I tuned in for the performance and to see your shick at seeing the drummer sing.
You are right, Grand Funk was the fastest sell-out in Shea stadium history. They also broke attendance records of the Rolling Stones and Elvis. Sold out MSG twice in 6 hours. in the days when you had to get tickets at the Garden Box office only ! No calling or ordering at strawberry's. Grand Funk blew Led Zepplin off stage 3 times. Grand Funk was the first band to sell 10 straight Platinum albums.
Don Brewer (GFR drummer) wrote this tune (melody and lyrics) based on the band's experience on the road..."Sweet, sweet Connie" (a famous groupie) just passed away a few months ago. Brewer had all the lyrics and the melody ready to go, but he didn't have the "hook" and one day it just dawned on him that he was writing the song about an American band. And the rest is history!
Grand Funk Railroad was so big in their day. I was just a 7 year old punk in Brady Bunch white suburbia and all the older school guys were jamming this on any equipment available. I was into Motown and not a rocker yet. That was another few years when Jethro Tull and Peter Frampton grabbed my ear. Still love that Motown. And Grand Funk Railroad is a bridge right in between you can hear it in the bass riff.
The same named studio album was produced by the legendary Todd Rundgren. Another artist you guys definitely need to check out. Genius, pioneer, eclectic just begins to describe him. My favorite artist of all time.
Very tight. As a young guy back in the day these guys were Rock Gods to us. I've always used one word to describe Donnie Brewer's drumming........SICK!
Spot on reaction. The U.S. was being saturated by foreign bands, especially from the U.K. And while they are phenomenal in their own right, GFR made a statement with this song.
In the 70s there were a lot of British rock bands coming to the US, like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, etc (they call it the british rock invasion). So Grandfunk Railroad is a true american rock band.😊😊😊
Rock & Roll TV was 'late night' on Don Kushner's Rock Concert. Great band! I knew a gal who got to party with them after a concert in Omaha. Told us about it the next morning. Never figured out if she was one of them Chiquitas they wrote about??! IDK...??? Love those drums 🥁
Enjoyed your reaction to GFR!! I saw them on this tour in 1974, and previously in 1972. Also saw them on their reunion tour in the 90s!!! Amazing live shows!!!!
Hey you were talking about bands not wanting to go on after Grand Funk Railroad. They opened for Led Zeppelin in their home town of Flint Michigan. They did two oncores and the manager of Led Zeppelin got mad and was demanding that they get off the stage. After they were forced off the stage the crowd started throwing shit at Led Zeppelin. It started a riot and the show was stopped. Grand Funk Railroad never opened for anybody else ever. True story
If you want to see all of the best bands of the 60s and 70s play live, watch these two tv shows from the 1970s - Don Kirschner's Rock Concert and the other one is The Midnight Special. There was also The Old Grey Whistle Test out of England. Authenticity and having the chops to play live was what rock was all about back then, at least from 1970 to maybe 1977, then the "Pigs" of corporate America took over all aspects of the music industry.
There was always a bit of rivalry between bands back in the day, but it was rarely about Nationality. Their was respect on a musical level between most of the American and UK bands.
Great reaction guys. Darryl Strawberry!! I remember the headline of the sports section of the Daily news the day after he crushed one, it said "STRAW BELTER!!" Loved Darryl.
These guys had crazy energy in their live shows. LOVE your comments guys - funny and spot on.☺ Thanks so much for reacting to this one. I will have to watch it again in the morning to get me going!
A nice shout-out there to the famous "Sweet Sweet" Connie Hamzy, Queen of the Groupies -- also to the great Freddie King, one of 'The Three Kings' of the blues.
They wrote this song after having a discussion/argument with the English group, Humble Pie featuring Peter Frampton, while in a bar. I heard at one point in the discussion Don Brewer, Grand Funk's drummer, stood up and said We're an American Band?????
I wanna you Kats sompin. I'm 71 year grizzled Ole honky. This stuff kept us going in DA Nam. The Brothers loved this shit. We used dance our stoked and smoked asses of to this. Thank you for making it clear that music has no ethnicity and brings us together
Another great tune of them in their prime is their cover of the Rolli g Stones' Gimme Shelter or their original Loneliness, do the studio audio of either for the pristine mix and how they really sounded when in a controlled environment, they can do more than many expect. Clean, powerful Funk. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
Hell yeah!! I was wondering when you were going to get back to my boys from Flint Mi..Love this band..Please check out "Mean Mistreater" and "I'm your captain/I'm getting closer"..Thx guys..another great reaction!! Shout out from the old metal head from Detroit..Peace and love..
It really was a British Invasion. The battle was on.😂 “Heartbreaker”, that same concert and “I’m Your Captain”, studio. (Interesting story about their debut at an Atlanta outdoor concert with scouts in the audience.)
An often unknown or forgotten about fact about Grand Funk Railroad is their sold out show at Shea Stadium in NYC on July 9, 1971 is famous for having sold it's 55,000 tickets in 72 hours. Selling out the stadium faster than The Beatles had in August, 1965. A record at the home of baseball's New York Mets that stood until the stadium was torn down in 2008.
@@matthewashman1406, I went to a ton of live shows in the 70's and I don't care what era your from, selling 55,000 tickets in 72 hours is pretty damn impressive in any era, IMO.
Hallo guys, I love your reactions. Try Grand Funk She got to move me. It's from the 1972 Album Phönix. You will like it. It's fire. Nice greetings from Germany
Don Brewer's afro steals the show again!! He's going crazy on the drums and it just follows slightly behind his head as he's moving around. I wonder if he uses it as a pillow. 🤔
You guys should check out Lynyrd Skynyrd live Freebird 76 England when they opened for the rolling stones, they did such a good job that the Stones were scared to come out.
I bought the E Pluribus Funk album in college and wore it out! It is my favorite GFR album. All the songs are good, but especially, "People, Let's Stop the War", "Upsetter", "No Lies", "Loneliness". Please, more Grand Funk Railroad!
I saw mark farner in concert,he's like a force of nature a fucking tornado, a hurricane. The energizer bunny,it's like he never gets tired.i saw it first hand from the 4th row, this dude never stopped throwing off massive energy. I shit you not
Don't remember "Rock and Roll Television", I do remember "The Midnight Special" and "Don Kirschners Rock Concert" back then. They were on over the weekend and was my generations MTV.
the critics back then hated them, but the people LOVED them!
I have such a great respect for a drummer that can deliver killer vocals. Great band!
Don Henley of The Eagles is another, though admittedly, he didn't tear up the drums like this guy. 🔥🔥🔥
Peter Criss!
Don Henley and Phil Collins agree with you.
@@royalway12 Good call. I forgot about Phil.
I can’t imagine the hand eye coordination, the footwork, and sing on top of that while seated and your feet pumping.
In 1969 they we’re opening for Led Zeppelin in Olympia. They were bring down the house. Shortly after starting Peter Grant ( Zeppelin manager) pulled the plug on there performance. They were kicked off the rest of the tour. This is not a bash to Zeppelin, they have always been my all time rock-n-roll band ever. It just shows how great Grand Funk was.
They blew Zep away 3 times. At Boston Garden at Olympia stadium and in Ohio 3 days after that.
I remember hearing that but I was so into Zeppelin I refused to believe it. All due respect to Zeppelin, but they aren't one of the great live performance bands out there. Albums? Different story entirely. What a catalog. Grand Funk Railroad can't hold a candle to Zeppelin's catalog. But live performance? Different ballgame. Same with Rolling Stones. Amazing catalog. Not the greatest live band ever.
@@Greg-io1ip The only band to come close to Grand Funk in " Live " shows, is
" The Who " .
great story! never knew that before... thanks!
True
"Sweet Sweet Connie" Hamzy was a famous groupie in Little Rock from about 1970-1990. If you were a touring artist during those years and you had never gotten a BJ from Sweet Connie you weren't really a rock star.
She was also a substitute teacher for years in the Little Rock school system until someone snitched out "Miss Hamzy" as being Sweet Connie.
She wrote a memoir in the 1990's, and passed after a short illness in 2021 at age 66.
One of the most underrated drummers ever. I saw them live. Dude must've broke 200 drumsticks. He pounded the hell out of his kit.
Phenomenal! Maybe the best opening to any song ever. Don’t care what genre you like, if this song doesn’t fire you up you have no pulse
Don Brewer, one of the best drummer/singers in R&R - Fun fact: after GFR broke up, Bob Seger scooped up GFR's keyboardist, Craig Frost, and drummer, Don Brewer - that's why they so tight and solid!!
Honestly...the greatest live band in the history of Rock!!
If Grand Funk doesn't lift your soul, I'm afraid you may not have one. Another killer tune to rock my morning - love how much you both appreciate everything that goes into a great live performance. Rocking with you on a rainy morning up in Canada 🤘
🙏🍁
I remember reading that……..they played somewhere outside of Atlanta (25 miles out) and people could hear them in downtown Atlanta. That concert was loudest musical act ever measured in decibels.
These guys definitely owned the midwest!
The live version of Heartbreaker is killer. Try that one next. Loved this, thanks guys.😊
second
Bought this album, Deep Purple "Made In Japan" and Alice Cooper "Billion Dollar Babies" on the same day. Good Times. The actual album was made of clear yellow, gold?, vinyl, still have it in my collection. Don Brewer killing the vocals and the Drums. Only thing left to say is MORE COWBELL!!!
yesss..still have the original gold ...so glad i kept it héhé
I have a fever, and the only cure is more cowbell!🔔🔔🔔
Yep, yellow record. Rolling Stones had a black+blue album, Dave Mason had a pink, black swirl. Forgot who had saw blade shaped album. Another reason why I loved albums. Kept it interesting.
Quite the day.
Sticky fingers album ...had panty covering inside record.....!
100 percent effort.. 100 percent talent!!
Long time follower.... Great reaction ! Prob should respond more often , just wanted to let you guys know you're appreciated. Thx gents!
Also thx for the time travel....
I was there for most of these old vids........
Thank you!! We appreciate you!!
U gotta crank this up every single time
what a great band Respect to the Drummers who play and sing.
They were great, so many great American bands from this era....
Omg. Imagine going on after these guys. 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Freakin LOVE YOU GUYS
It's a true statement that GFR was one of the greatest bands live. The first time I saw them was at The Forum. Their 1st live album was Grand Funk (Live Album) remastered now and every band had a drum solo in their show. For GFR the song is T.N.U.C. and other really good songs when they were still a 3 piece band are "Heartbreaker" and "Mean Mistreater". Now historically this show I saw at The Forum had an opening act that we never heard of, early 1970, but by the end of the year they were extremely important. The opening act for GFR was Black Sabbath.
Their We're An American Band concert tour was so great. HIGH HIGH ENERGY concert.
Proud to say they're from my home town
We had a lot of great music on TV back in the late 60s and 70s! Midnight Special, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert…so much good music on TV - we didn’t know how good we had it!
The drum solo from this show is something you should see.
That comment, them being from America, You're completely right!Yes, bands from overseas were poppin' hard when this was released. It was a cool way of partying while proclaiming, "we're an American band" at the same time! One of our own!
This entire concert was bangin’ from the first notes of “Foot Stompin’ Music!” I think this was at Shea Stadium around 1971-72. I never knew of RNR TV when I was a kid ha ha.
You guys are great! I tuned in for the performance and to see your shick at seeing the drummer sing.
You are right, Grand Funk was the fastest sell-out in Shea stadium history.
They also broke attendance records of the Rolling Stones and Elvis.
Sold out MSG twice in 6 hours. in the days when you had to get tickets at the Garden Box office only ! No calling or ordering at strawberry's.
Grand Funk blew Led Zepplin off stage 3 times.
Grand Funk was the first band to sell 10 straight Platinum albums.
I saw them in 15' , they still play this way at 70
Great band, great classic song. Thanks for playing, especially the live version!
They were the loudest band at the time!
Used to love this song as a kid. Hard rock at its best.
The drummer/singer is a true powerhouse.
Don Brewer (GFR drummer) wrote this tune (melody and lyrics) based on the band's experience on the road..."Sweet, sweet Connie" (a famous groupie) just passed away a few months ago. Brewer had all the lyrics and the melody ready to go, but he didn't have the "hook" and one day it just dawned on him that he was writing the song about an American band. And the rest is history!
Grand Funk Railroad was so big in their day. I was just a 7 year old punk in Brady Bunch white suburbia and all the older school guys were jamming this on any equipment available. I was into Motown and not a rocker yet. That was another few years when Jethro Tull and Peter Frampton grabbed my ear. Still love that Motown. And Grand Funk Railroad is a bridge right in between you can hear it in the bass riff.
The same named studio album was produced by the legendary Todd Rundgren. Another artist you guys definitely need to check out. Genius, pioneer, eclectic just begins to describe him. My favorite artist of all time.
In Todd We Trust
I’m with you
He and his wife own a little restaraunt in hawaii now.
Very tight. As a young guy back in the day these guys were Rock Gods to us. I've always used one word to describe Donnie Brewer's drumming........SICK!
If you haven't heard
Inside Out Looking In
Live 1969 WOW it's a Experience.
Enjoying your Channel
Spot on reaction. The U.S. was being saturated by foreign bands, especially from the U.K. And while they are phenomenal in their own right, GFR made a statement with this song.
That was how we rolled in the 70's, hard,fast and fun!
They were so good you couldn’t tell the live version from the recording… just loved them!
We're going to tear this Cow Bell up. ❤
Well said
In the 70s there were a lot of British rock bands coming to the US, like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, etc (they call it the british rock invasion).
So Grandfunk Railroad is a true american rock band.😊😊😊
Probably the most under rated trio
Their "Caught in the Act" is one of the best live albums, and how I start every road trip.
Rock & Roll TV was 'late night' on Don Kushner's Rock Concert. Great band! I knew a gal who got to party with them after a concert in Omaha. Told us about it the next morning. Never figured out if she was one of them Chiquitas they wrote about??! IDK...??? Love those drums 🥁
The boys from Flint, MI...Mark, Don, and Mel...
When I was a kid and heard this on the radio, I thought they were saying, "We're in America, man!"
Lol I love misheard/mocked lyrics!
Sweet sweet Connie was an infamous groupie in the late 60’s early 70’s
Reminds me of I Wanna rock n roll all nite! Gotta love the anthems
Awesome review...👍...you earned a new subscriber today...look forward to many more from the 2 of you!!!.... 😃💥✌👌💥
Enjoyed your reaction to GFR!! I saw them on this tour in 1974, and previously in 1972. Also saw them on their reunion tour in the 90s!!! Amazing live shows!!!!
I saw them in Kalamazoo Michigan on their first tour fresh from Atlanta and they blew the place away also my ears
How about some "Foot Stomping Music" , another banger!
“Foot stompin music”….one of the best live
Hey you were talking about bands not wanting to go on after Grand Funk Railroad. They opened for Led Zeppelin in their home town of Flint Michigan. They did two oncores and the manager of Led Zeppelin got mad and was demanding that they get off the stage. After they were forced off the stage the crowd started throwing shit at Led Zeppelin. It started a riot and the show was stopped. Grand Funk Railroad never opened for anybody else ever. True story
If you want to see all of the best bands of the 60s and 70s play live, watch these two tv shows from the 1970s - Don Kirschner's Rock Concert and the other one is The Midnight Special. There was also The Old Grey Whistle Test out of England. Authenticity and having the chops to play live was what rock was all about back then, at least from 1970 to maybe 1977, then the "Pigs" of corporate America took over all aspects of the music industry.
There was always a bit of rivalry between bands back in the day, but it was rarely about Nationality. Their was respect on a musical level between most of the American and UK bands.
This was from the Shining On tour. I saw them in LA. All of those clothes they are wearing, glow in the dark under black lights.
Great reaction guys. Darryl Strawberry!! I remember the headline of the sports section of the Daily news the day after he crushed one, it said "STRAW BELTER!!" Loved Darryl.
These guys had crazy energy in their live shows. LOVE your comments guys - funny and spot on.☺ Thanks so much for reacting to this one. I will have to watch it again in the morning to get me going!
There aren't many bands more high energy than Grand Funk!
Grand Funk Railroad
Inside Looking Out
1969. It's a Experience
Live...
Love the music video of this song
I had this on LP. The vinyl itself was gold see through. I wore it out.❤❤❤❤
I still have my gold copy somewhere..
A nice shout-out there to the famous "Sweet Sweet" Connie Hamzy, Queen of the Groupies -- also to the great Freddie King, one of 'The Three Kings' of the blues.
Love you guys ❤ great Channel and reactions
Nice reaction. Classic. My aunt had the 8-track and I used to rock out to it
Perfect road trip jams!!
Sweet Sweet Connie was a groupie named Connie Hamzy. She lived all her life in Little Rock. She died last year, age 66.
I recommend Heartbreaker live - 1974 next by them. They are an amazing live band. Mark Farner their lead singer/guitar player stills sounds great.
I knew Sweet Connie. She was fun to be around back in the day. RIP
Much appreciated 🙏
They wrote this song after having a discussion/argument with the English group, Humble Pie featuring Peter Frampton, while in a bar. I heard at one point in the discussion Don Brewer, Grand Funk's drummer, stood up and said We're an American Band?????
One of the best drum intros ever.
I wanna you Kats sompin. I'm 71 year grizzled Ole honky. This stuff kept us going in DA Nam. The Brothers loved this shit. We used dance our stoked and smoked asses of to this. Thank you for making it clear that music has no ethnicity and brings us together
The song just started and all I can say it - BAD ASS!
Another great tune of them in their prime is their cover of the Rolli g Stones' Gimme Shelter or their original Loneliness, do the studio audio of either for the pristine mix and how they really sounded when in a controlled environment, they can do more than many expect. Clean, powerful Funk. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
Hell yeah!! I was wondering when you were going to get back to my boys from Flint Mi..Love this band..Please check out "Mean Mistreater" and "I'm your captain/I'm getting closer"..Thx guys..another great reaction!! Shout out from the old metal head from Detroit..Peace and love..
It really was a British Invasion. The battle was on.😂 “Heartbreaker”, that same concert and “I’m Your Captain”, studio. (Interesting story about their debut at an Atlanta outdoor concert with scouts in the audience.)
Song got that swag. Drummer is 🔥
Even if I didn’t appreciate this band, the name would get my attention. Great music!! Great band name!! ☮️❤️
Love this band!!
An often unknown or forgotten about fact about Grand Funk Railroad is their sold out show at Shea Stadium in NYC on July 9, 1971 is famous for having sold it's 55,000 tickets in 72 hours. Selling out the stadium faster than The Beatles had in August, 1965. A record at the home of baseball's New York Mets that stood until the stadium was torn down in 2008.
in the 70s even your grandma could outsell the Beatles concerts ', the concert scene had changed so much in a few years
@@matthewashman1406, I went to a ton of live shows in the 70's and I don't care what era your from, selling 55,000 tickets in 72 hours is pretty damn impressive in any era, IMO.
A great response to the British Evasion. Both great.
Still rocking too😮
From Flint Michigan baby !!!!!!!
It just ended - that’s was EFFING Great!
They do a super great cover of Little Eva’s song (mid 60’s) Loco-Motion
Hallo guys, I love your reactions. Try Grand Funk She got to move me. It's from the 1972 Album Phönix. You will like it. It's fire. Nice greetings from Germany
Love us some Darryl Strawberry!💥🔥⚾️
I never heard the live version of this song. I love the studio version though.
Don Brewer's afro steals the show again!! He's going crazy on the drums and it just follows slightly behind his head as he's moving around. I wonder if he uses it as a pillow. 🤔
😂
The HEY HEY HEY-yyyy scream gave me goose bumps.
You guys should check out Lynyrd Skynyrd live Freebird 76 England when they opened for the rolling stones, they did such a good job that the Stones were scared to come out.
Another good one !!
My boys from Flint Michigan 🎉
My dad's favorite song ever is I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home by these guys, be killer if you react to it 🤘
I'm from Arkansas and got to meet Sweet Sweet Connie at a Kiss after party. She later became an elementary school teacher. It was scandalous haha.
I bought the E Pluribus Funk album in college and wore it out! It is my favorite GFR album. All the songs are good, but especially, "People, Let's Stop the War", "Upsetter", "No Lies", "Loneliness". Please, more Grand Funk Railroad!
I saw mark farner in concert,he's like a force of nature a fucking tornado, a hurricane. The energizer bunny,it's like he never gets tired.i saw it first hand from the 4th row, this dude never stopped throwing off massive energy. I shit you not
Don't remember "Rock and Roll Television", I do remember "The Midnight Special" and "Don Kirschners Rock Concert" back then.
They were on over the weekend and was my generations MTV.