A good Start

This long, anticipated 3 CD set (should've been 4 CDs) gives a good account of the bands' history. (It would've been more thorough with 4 CDs). You can see my only pan of this well produced and put together project.

It starts out with the young picture of Mark Farner, the icon and lead singer/guitarist of the group embossed on CD 1, songs from the very early stages of the band. Not even called Grand Funk Railroad, or just Grand Funk for that matter. They were called Terry Knight and the pack or just the Pack. This band had Mark Farner and Don Brewer as members. Mel Schacher the renowned bass player was not a member yet.

The first 3 songs, "Getting into the Sun", "Can't be Too Long" and "Got this thing on the Move" are primitive compared to songs done later by the band, and in the case of "Getting Into the Sun" much slower since the better known live version of this song really rocks! The searing guitar solo is not as sophisticated as other artists, but what it lacks in talent it makes up in energy.

"Time Machine" was the first single released by the band, back when singles really meant something. It's a bluesy fun song with a great beat and a harmonica solo that would make John Popper sit up and take notice.

The disk ends with a couple more studio-recorded songs, "Mr. Limousine Driver" and "High on a Horse" both a bit adolescent, but that's what these guys were barely out of at the time. After that though three great songs from the best live album ever recorded (in my humble opinion) "Are you Ready", "Paranoid" and "Inside Looking Out" (not off the Live album, but done live all the same). This 15-minute plus song rocks from the beginning to end and I have not gotten tired of it yet. This song alone is worth the price of this 3 CD set (should've been 4 CDs).

On CD 2 with the best darn drummer in the world, Don Brewer pictured on it starts out with "Feelin' Alright", "Gimme Shelter" (I'll take their version over the stones any day) and "I can feel him in the Morning" a soft dreamy song protesting the war, with an intro both kind of hokey and haunting at the same time. These three songs were on the bands album, Survival. The next song, "Can't get along with Society" was recorded for Survival, but left off because it didn't quite fit, and it didn't. The CD continues with "Upsetter" a rocker from "E Pluribus Funk" (the best studio album by this band) and "Loneliness". Farner sings with a cry in his voice, of the terrors we reap on the land. The song ends with a rockin' orchestra (yes, orchestra complete with violins, flutes, the works) playing along with the rockin' band. This song was ambitious for the time, and still holds up today. It has even been compared to the early Moody Blues in how it worked rock with classical music.

The CD continues with a song from Phoenix, the bands' comeback album after dumping long time friend and producer Terry Knight. This is the only album the band produced and it showed. The song "Tryin' to Get Away" was one of the better songs from this album. The next three songs, "Walk like a Man", the well sung "Creepin'" and the showstopper, "We're and American Band" are highlights of the "We're American Band" album. "Hooray" was recorded for WAAB but left off maybe because of time on the album. It's a fun gem and I'm glad it was put on here, and so is "The End" a rough mean song, that maybe didn't fit in on this party album. It is though one of my favorite "never released" songs in this box set.

This CD ends with the song "Destitute and Losin'" left off the "Shinin' on" album. Very different for the band, but so was "Shinin' On". Very electric and polished.

CD 3, with the greatest bass player ever, Mel Schacher on the front starts out with the song "Shinin On'" an d continues with a few more songs from that album, and some of their bigger 'hits', "The Locomotion", "Some Kind of Wonderful" and a live version of "Bad Time". None of these are my favorites but they did chart high, and are crowd pleasers. It continues with "Footstompin' Music", "Rock n' Roll soul" and "Heartbreaker" done live (all from the Bosnia album).

"Take me", "Sally" and "Love is Dyin" are from the little known album "Born to Die". This is where I disagree with choices of songs. Keep "Love is Dyin"; put on "I fell for your Love" and get rid of "Take me" and "Sally" both are sub-standard of this really well done album.

"Can you Do it", "Pass it Around" and "Crossfire" are off the excellent album "Good Singin' good Playin'" produced by the late great Frank Zappa. "Crossfire" is the best here, with its social message and the great singing and guitar playing by Mark Farner, but the Brewer penned tune, "Pass it Around" is not bad either.

"Queen Bee" and "We gotta get out of this place" put out in the early 80's and without bass player Schacher I even question these songs being on the album. Neither was great even though "Queen Bee" made it to a movie sound track called "Heavy Metal".

The last three are 'never before released songs' recorded after the group got back together in the late 90's. They sound more like Farner's solo work songs to me then Grand Funk but I like them all the same. I like some of Farner's solo works too.

All in all, for a Grand Funk fan that cannot buy all their albums on CD this is a good representation of the bands' music. There are staples you need to buy such as the first Live album and "E Pluribus Funk" and maybe "Survival" if you can find it. Other wise this 3 CD set (again, should've been 4) is a good start.