"…Inside Looking Out…"
With their debut “On Time”
released only months earlier in August 1969 (a slow burner that eventually
charted in October and rose to Number 27) – their second platter simply called
"Grand Funk" followed only months later at the tail end of December
1969 – days away from the beginning of the new decade. Capitol Records saw
their investment in Michigan’s finest deliver a Number 11 placing on the Rock
LP charts – and hearing its heavier than lead-piping tunes in 2015 (a mere 45
years after the event) - it’s easy to hear why ”Grand Funk” with its garish
'red' cover was both lauded and derided in equal measure (much like the band itself
really in certain quarters). But I’d argue if you want gutsy Hard Rockling
American Rock ‘n’ Roll – then there’s a lot to love about GRAND FUNK RAILROAD.
And featuring two rather excellent Bonus Tracks with sympathetic 24-bit Digital
Remastering - this still-as-cheap-as-chips CD remaster is a fantastic way into
this most American of Boogie bands. Here are the hard-hitting details…
Released November 2002 – "Grand
Funk" by GRAND FUNK RAILROAD on Capitol 5393812 (Barcode 724353938123) is an ‘Expanded
Edition’ and plays out as follows (59:46 minutes):
1. Got This Feeling On The
Move
2. Please Don’t Worry
3. High Falootin’ Woman
4. Mr. Limousine Driver
5. In Need [Side 2]
6. Winter And My Soul
7. Paranoid
8. Inside Looking Out
Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd
album "Grand Funk" – released January 1970 in the USA on Capitol SW 406 and
February 1970 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 307
BONUS TRACKS (both
Previously Unreleased):
9. Nothing is The Same
(Demo)
10. Mr. Limousine Driver
(Extended Version)
Track 9 (along with most of
the album) was recorded on 20 October 1969 and is an early attempt at a song
that would eventually surface on their 3rd LP “Closer To Home” in June of 1970.
This early-take features a different arrangement and Don Brewer on vocals in
the middle section.
Track 10 is a 2002 Remix
with Alternate Guitar and an Extended Ending
The 12-page booklet is a
rather visually pleasing affair – a centre-page spread of Ticket Stubs,
Fillmore East Posters and Hand Flyers, uber rare Japanese 7” Single Picture
Sleeves and even Studio Track Sheets. Beneath the see-through plastic tray is a
picture of their 2nd-only British 45 for “Inside Looking Out” in its Capitol
Records label bag. It was belatedly released in good old Blighty in January
1971 on Capitol CL 15668 with “Paranoid” as its B-side (I believe it played at
33 1/3 because of its lengthy playing time). The informative, witty and
affectionate liner notes are by STEVE ROESER feature interviews with the band’s
main men MARK FARNER (who wrote all the songs) and DON BREWER.
GRAND FUNK were:
MARK FARNER – Guitar, Piano,
Harmonica & Vocals
DON BREWER – Drums And
Vocals
MEL SCHACHER - Bass
The CD remaster on all of
their early albums was always going to be tricky – notoriously recorded with no
sense of audiophile – but every sense of 'how it feels'. This is down 'n' dirty
American Rock with hiss levels that takes no prisoners. EVREN GOKNAR has 24-bit
remastered from original tapes and while the hiss is still there – he’s given
more muscle to the overall sound. These tracks come at you with renewed power –
not dampened down – but allowed to breath. The all-over-the-place vocals are
there – as are the guitar/drum combos – and keyboard interludes – but with more
punch. It’s well done.
It opens with the “baby let
the good times roll” of “Got This Thing On The Move” – a funky groover with a
huge Bass Line and fuzzed-up guitar. Things slink into Free territory with
“Please Don’t Worry” with Brewer’s cymbals and drum kit way up in the mix.
Capitol put out the double-boogie-commercial “High Falootin’ Woman” as the flip
of the equally catchy “Mr. Limousine Driver” on Capitol 2691 in November 1969 –
weeks before the album’s late December release (it scraped the Top 100 at
Number 97). The audio on both tracks is wickedly good even if the solo guitar separation
on “Mr. Limousine Driver” is pretty harsh.
The near 8-minute “In Need”
has always been a fave of mine sounding not unlike the Faces circa “Long
Player” (dig that natty little Harmonica/Bass battle half way through followed
by great grunge guitar). The Funksters get a bit Bluesy on “Winter And My Soul”
– even if the vocals let the vocal down somewhat. Another near 8-minute chugger
comes in the shape of “Paranoid” where our boys notice “men outside...come to
take you away...” (and with the amount of drugs they were doing – that was
probably true). It ends on the 10-minute monster “Inside Looking Out” which
features the best vocal on the album.
The Bonus Material may seem
lean at only two cuts – but they’re both worth owning. “Nothing is The Same” is
an early version of a track that would eventually surface on album No. 2 “Close
To Home” in June 1970. Audio and structure-wise it feels pretty much the same
as the album material – guitars harshly in the left while the drums and vocals
linger on the right and centre. The extended “Mr. Limousine Driver” adds on
another minute at 5:29 duration and sounds incredible – much cleaner and just
as driving with that great guitar boogie in the left channel. That same guitar
goes into wild soloing towards the run out...
So there you have it.
"Grand Funk" won’t be everyone’s cup of Darjeeling for damn sure but
that’s the nature of 'awkward' bands. Derided by critics and beloved by fans in
equal measure – Grand Funk Railroad were huge back in the day – and on the evidence
of this cool little reissue – it’s easy to hear why…
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