![]() They were regular guys, playing music for regular joes and regular jodies (And not the good kind of rudimentary that was applied to fellow transcendents of competence like Blue Cheer, Stooges, or the Shaggs.) In short: critics hated them then and critics hate them now (if they’re old enough to recognize the name at all). To this day, the term “rudimentary” has been applied to their musical chops. ![]() Grand Funk was regularly dismissed Rolling Stone compared them (negatively) to the television western Bonanza. Not for future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voters. Not for effete and impudent Velvet Underground fans. They were regular guys, playing music for regular joes and regular jodies. That said, Grand Funk Railroad was about as “everybody” as a rock band gets. High Falootin’ Woman (and critics) Warhol, to be clear, was talking about an “everybody” that exists outside of traditional star making machinations, not archetypal '70s stadium acts. Photo from the sex-tinged, traditional yodeling album, "A Roll In The Hay With Grand Funk", inexplicably shelved by Capitol Records. But, as Mark Farner would be the first to tell you, not knowing something has never stopped a rock critic before. I’m not even sure I believe the premise of the question (we’ll get to that). After reading voluminous amounts of Classic Rock copy, I… still don’t know. Most of it focussing on their former manager Terry Knight’s adversarial relationship with the music press of the time. There has actually been a fair amount of literature devoted to this question. ![]() So what happened? Why does Led Zeppelin still warrant six hundred page biographies? Why do the Stooges rate a legendary status that is wildly incommensurate to their success at the time, while the band that was, for nearly a decade, as big as (or arguably bigger than) any of 'em, consigned to the punchline junkheap of rock 'n' roll history? Why are the surviving members of Grand Funk currently touring, first of three, with Kid Rock? And playing before Foreigner? Why are the surviving members of Grand Funk currently touring, first of three, with Kid Rock? And playing before Foreigner? So it’s fair to note that the band, in the end, averaged less than a minute an album, famewise. Under normal circumstances, the cliche of Andy Warhol’s dictum, regarding everyone being famous for fifteen minutes, would be avoided, but Grand Funk Railroad were not averse to cliche. Nowadays though, in a time when the most mediocre art has a revisionist fan base devoted to it and no single moment of cultural detritus is allowed to be forgotten, even a joke about Grand Funk’s obscurity requires an explainer. By the airing of the 1996 episode, any media praise of the Flint, Michigan band (who had, just twenty years before, been awarded thirteen gold albums, ten of of which were certified platinum, and who had famously sold out Shea Stadium in less time than it took for the Beatles to do the same) was hard to come by. But as illustrated in season seven, episode 24, Homerpalooza, even that great man’s praise came with some caveats. Events are subject to change due to weather.Footstompin’ Music Even prior to the Simpson family patriarch’s craven retconning as being a fan of whatever radio bullshit was popular at least ten years previous to any given episode, and before the television series’ own reenactment of an archetypal classic rock band’s descent into diminished returns and grim self-parody, few public figures advocated for the music of Grand Funk Railroad with more vigor than Homer J. No Outside Vendors (other than Seminole City Center businesses) are permitted at this time. Prizes from Seminole City Center Businesses & RestaurantsīRING YOUR CHAIRS | NO COOLERS | NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR BEVERAGE ALLOWED I31 Whiskey Basket (apparel, bottle i31 Whiskey & $25 Irish 31 GC) Irish 31 Basket (apparel, sunglasses & $50 Irish 31 GC) Tito's Igloo Cooler (with t-shirt and hat) HUGE FIRST FRIDAY RAFFLE – Over $1,000 in PRIZES! (AREA SUBJECT TO CHANGE)Ģ Tickets to Halloween Horror Nights Orlando Irish 31 iCare Foundation and Cheers to PUBlic Service teacher recognition program Seminole Lake Rotary Foster Kids of Pinellas County Indulge in our NEW food and beverage options AND prizes – 100% of proceeds support: GET FUNKY WITH US! Join us for a tribute to the music of Santana & Grand Funk Railroad performed by 5 extraordinary musicians whose love for both bands rivals no other! Lose yourself in the reminiscent melodies of classics like Smooth, Oye Como Va, Some Kind of Wonderful, and MORE! ![]() PLEASE NOTE: First Friday Seminole is at a SPECIAL TIME THIS OCTOBER!!Īfterward, join us at the Seminole City Park for Music In The Parkfrom 7-9 PM! ![]()
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