Grand Funk Railroad Album: “Grand Funk [Remaster]”

RED ALBUM was THE GRAND FUNK RAILROAD in all their raw, nasty, sexual, high energy, Live sounding Power Trio madness. This is a Great second Album surpassing there great debut On Time, and helps rank GFR with the Great's of the 70s like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. This album was recorded live and the only overdubs are putting some rhythm guitar where the leads are (al of GFRs Terry Knight Produced were done the same way, as fast as possible and No Frills). Like On Time its a sledge hammer album, but even heavier with the smash songs that GFR used live such as In Need, Inside Looking Out and Paranoid. Red Album which is what we GFR fanatics call Grand Funk, also has the radio friendly songs Mr. Limousine Driver, Please Don't worry, and High Falottin Women. As well as the Sledge hammer rocker Got This Thing On The Move. This was what GFR was all about, Mel Schacher Playing his BOOMING BASS behind the note. Don Brewer Playing his POUNDING DRUMS ahead of the Note and Mark Farner playing his wild rhythms and screeching leads on GUITAR anywhere; before, after, or in the middle of the note. Or to be more accurate Don playing at the beginning of the note, Mel playing at the end of the note and Mark going wherever he wants with his wild rhythms. This sound made GFR something unique and special and gave them a driven sound that made you feel like your moving. Don and Mark do great Harmonies and both are excellent lead singers as well. Red Album is a special album every hard rock fan should have in there collection. GFRs sound can't be faked or copied, its something natural to the three musicians. This album along with Live, On Time, and Closer To Home, captured millions of fans for GFR who still reminisce about these albums to this day. This edition of RED ALBUM the CD is 24 Bit remastered with New liner Notes, Bonus Tracks, and photos. The Bonus tracks are a demo version of Nothing is the same and an extended version of Mr. Limousine Driver and there very cool. This is the first Time Capitol has released Red Album on CD in the USA and is a must have CD for every GFR fan and Every fan of Hard Rock. Is there someone standing Just out side your door?

RickDC :)

It seems like ever since I first got a CD player, I've been waiting for the EARLY Grand Funk albums to be released. Unlike a lot of bands whose albums were at least available, albeit not remastered, most of the GFR catalog has been strangely absent from the CD racks for years - until now. People tend to think of "We're an American Band" or, God forbid, "The Locomotion" when they think of the Funk, but what they often overlook is how powerful, raw and loud these guys were in the early days. And this, "THE RED ALBUM", is their masterpiece. Capital has done a great job on the remastered sound, with Mel Schacher's booming, heavy bass right up front right where it belongs. These guys were crankin' when this type of sound was critically lambasted - alongside Sabbath, the early pioneering metal of Grand Funk was looked upon as being talentless noise by the critics. We all know now that it was simply a precursor to heavy-metal in general and the Seattle grunge sound in particular. This, along with their first album, "On Time", are testaments to one of the loudest, heaviest bands in existence.

As I was reading some of the other posts, I couldn't help but notice that someone posted saying that the Canada release of the CD was equal in sound. You have got to be kidding me!!!! When I purchased this Cd, I entered it into my car stereo and the clarity and raw power including mel's bass blew me away. David Tedds did an exceptional job on the rematering of the Album. Also I noticed the post included that the bonus material wasn't worth it. Well I on the other hand loved the "Nothing is the Same" demo. It has a whole different sound to it and different melodic breaks and tempos. Also there are some very nice fill-ins on "Mr. Limosuine Driver" Overall in my opinion this was Grand Funk Railroad's prime album. I loved everything else that they ever completed, but this was at a time when Grand Funk was the heaviest and loudest band on the planet. The only others that could compete were maybe Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath at the time. After ON TIME was released in 69, there were several things that Mark (farner) wanted different. For example the drums on ON TIME were put in front while Mark's guitar took a backseat, as did mel's bass. But on "GRAND FUNK" (RED ALBUM) Mark is in full force driven by the most powerful bass player in the history of rock, and the best drummer ever to grab the sticks. Every note on this album is perfect. Don is exceptional and Mel makes the bones in your body vibrate. Mark is playing his Messenger, which sounded great and gave the album that rusty, edgey feel. The combination of Blues/hard rock takes this album and makes it one of the best albums ever. songs like "Please don't worry", "Got this thing on the move", "In need", "Paranoid", and "Inside Looking out" showcase the band's talent. One thing about Grand Funk is that no one song of the bands has ever sounded the same. So in response to that one post, this album is obviously worth your hard earned money, you won't be sorry. You might even cry a tear after hearing the musical ingenious that went in to the album. 5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also check out the other 3 remasters in the package-ON TIME, CLOSER TO HOME, THE LIVE ALBUM. Enjoy

"Serious" music journalists generally hated this kind of stuff. "The music is too ham-fisted and the lyrics are hopelessly cliche and socially irrelevant", they self-righteously argued while clinging to their worn out copies of "Trout Mask Replica". Meanwhile, these same critics were drooling over solo-era Lou Reed lyrics that read as if they were penned by a troubled third grader. To an extent, the critics were correct. Grand Funk comes across like a pissed off, mentally retarded dinosaur heavily into weed, chicks and muscle cars. But that's really the beauty of it! The early-70's were all (okay, mostly) about big, bloated, dumb and heavy rock and roll and Grand Funk Railroad was its chief ambassador.

Forget that "The Red Album" contains no earnest acoustic guitar balladry or poignant socio-political "observations". Mark, Don and Mell didn't have time for that touchy-feely crap! They wanted to rock! And rock they did.

Humor aside, GFR were actually very good musicians and very good at what they did: super heavy power trio thunder. That's why this CD is so fun to listen to. It consistently rocks the whole way through. Credit must also be given to producer (and swindler) Terry Knight for faithfully capturing the band's raw power in the studio. You just don't hear record production like this anymore. Knight, recognizing how integral Mel's earth shaking basslines were to the band's sound, wisely featured him prominently in the mix. Add Don's dry amd heavy drums and Mark's super raw guitar heroics and you have the complete picture of a band who were out to take no prisoners. Some Nixon-era headbangers even put their bongs down long enough to discover that GFR recorded a song called "Paranoid" a full year before fellow knuckle draggers Black Sabbath did. While Sabbath's "Paranoid" is rightfully considered a classic, GFR's may actually be heavier.

Some may say this, GF's second record, is a musically simplistic piece of work. But no one ever listened to Grand Funk for complexity. For a raw, burning power trio sound, this record is hard to beat. Lots of fun, funky rock 'n' roll and lots of sex in the first four tunes. The record gets heavier after that, including the longer concert staples In Need and Inside Looking Out, Mark Farner's climactic hard edged guitar playing on display. Only one throw-away tune: I just never cared for Paranoid. If you're looking for depth and complex musical layers, buy some Pink Floyd or Deep Purple. If you're looking to party and nothing else, put on this record.