Grand Funk Railroad is an Americanpower trioband. Not usually well-received by critics, the original Grand Funk Railroad lineup was highly popular during the 1970s, having sold over 25 million records and selling out arenas world-wide. They were often cited as "the loudest rock and roll band in the world." The current Grand Funk Railroad lineup uses the nickname "The American Band", from their hit song "We're An American Band".
Even with critical pans and lack of radio airplay, the group's first eight albums, released in three years, were successful. Knight launched an intense advertising campaign to promote Closer To Home, a multi-platinum, smash hit album that was slammed by virtually every music critic, reportedly paying $100,000 for a huge billboard in New York City'sTimes Square. In 1972, Grand Funk Railroad fired Knight, who sued for breach of contract, resulting in a protracted legal battle. After recruiting Craig Frost (keyboards), Grand Funk Railroad released Phoenix in 1972, and then as a result of the ongoing legal battle, shortened their name to Grand Funk. This was followed by two huge hit singles, "We're an American Band" (from We're An American Band) and "The Loco-Motion" (written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin for Little Eva). Following a pop-style album, All the Girls in the World Beware
!, and a name revert back to "Grand Funk Railroad", the band's popularity decreased. After finishing Good Singin', Good Playin' (1976) with producer Frank Zappa, Grand Funk Railroad disbanded. Farner began a solo career, releasing two critically acclaimed albums, while Brewer and Schacher formed Flint with the addition of Billy Ellworthy.
Grand Funk Railroad reunited in 1980 with Dennis Bellinger replacing Mel Schacher at the last moment on bass, and released two albums on the Warner Brothers label Full Moon. Neither album achieved much success. After disbanding a second time, Farner continued as a solo performer, eventually converting to Christianity and becoming a Christian recording artist, while Brewer and Frost joined Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band. Most fans were convinced that they would never see GFR play together again, but in 1996, Grand Funk Railroad reunited once more, playing to 260,000 people in 14 sold out shows in a three month period. In 1997, the band did three sold out Bosnianbenefit concerts, releasing a benefit album called Bosnia. In 1999, after three years of touring, and a year longer than he had originally agreed on, Mark Farner left the band to continue his solo career, which he had put on hold. He continues to perform with his band N'r'G, doing mostly GFR tunes as well as some solo material. He no longer has any affiliation with the original band, despite an occasional advertising misquote by some promoters.
As for GFR, after Farner left in 1999, Brewer and Schacher were left with a band that was once again hot and popular, but now without a frontman and principal vocalist. They eventually decided to keep the train rolling by recruiting lead singer Max Carl (of .38 Special fame), former KISSlead guitaristBruce Kulick, and keyboard player Timothy Cashion in late 2000, and the new Grand Funk Railroad has toured steadily since then, building a new audience while still drawing fans of the original band.
The new GFR plays around 50 concerts per year, recently breaking attendance records in Buffalo, New York and Orlando, Florida, drawing well over 20,000 fans to both concerts and the band has been writing new material and promises an upcoming release which will include the 9/11 inspired ballad "Who Took Down The Stars" written by Carl and Kulick.
