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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 285 Today's Peep Enjoys An In-Depth Conversation with Rock Legend Mark Farner: From Grand Funk to American Band- More Cowbell, Less Corporate BS, 40 Million Albums Sold, Musical Legacy, Forgiveness and a NEW ALBUM!
Mark Farner, founder, guitarist, and lead vocalist of Grand Funk Railroad, opens up about his incredible musical journey spanning over five decades of rock history. His genuine passion for music and steadfast commitment to integrity shine through as he shares stories from his legendary career and discusses his newest musical offerings.
• The corporate music industry struggles that led to Mark losing rights to the Grand Funk Railroad name despite writing 94% of their original songs
• How a spontaneous shirtless performance at the 1969 Atlanta Pop Festival launched Grand Funk's meteoric rise to fame
• The story behind "American Band" and how Mark insisted on testing six different cowbells to find the perfect sound
• Creating "I'm Your Captain" after a heartfelt prayer for a meaningful song that would touch people's hearts
• Working with iconic producers including Terry Knight, Todd Rundgren, and Frank Zappa
• Recording his new album "Closer to Home" in the original 432 Hz tuning for a more harmonious sound
• Mark's philosophy of forgiveness toward former bandmates reflected in his new single "Anymore"
• Memories of playing for Vietnam veterans and witnessing how deeply music can heal emotional wounds
Check out Mark's new album "Closer to Home" available now in red vinyl, CD, and digital formats at markfarner.com, where you can also find tour dates and merchandise.
All right, welcome to the Pats Peeps podcast. We are at number 285 podcast today, today's Thursday. I'm looking out my studio window into the beautiful foothills of Northern California. It's cooled off today We've got a little breeze going. It is delightful. And I'm going to tell you what I'm always excited to have a great guest on my podcast here. And today I'm super excited because today, on this Thursday, I'm bringing to you here on Pat's Peeps 285, a rock and roll legend and I am just so delighted to do this. Mark Farner is joining us. Mark Farner, how are you, sir?
Speaker 2:Joe Walt, I'm doing so good. I can't. I mean joe walt. Yes, I'm talking to joe walt I'm a huge fan by the way of joe walt.
Speaker 1:I was just watching a thing with him yesterday, mark, and then we'll tell everyone who somehow doesn't know who you are who you are, because everyone knows. I was watching joe yesterday and you know what he's saying on stage. He says um, he said you know, I love his voice and I love his sense of humor. He's like I'll tell you what I loved it better when I was in my 20s in the 1970s versus being in my 70s in the 20s, and everyone got a good laugh out of that. How do you feel about that right about now, mark?
Speaker 2:I'm just proud to be sucking air, pat. I'm telling you, brother, you know, yeah, I'm proud to be still singing the songs in the same keys that I wrote them in. There's another thing man. You know, I'm born to rock and roll. You are.
Speaker 1:Man, if I've ever seen anyone who's born to rock and roll, it's you. So all right, grand Funk Railroad. Born to rock and roll, it's you. So all right, grand funk railroad. This, we're talking about the founder, we're talking about the singer, we're talking about the guitarist. We're talking about a keyboard, a harmonica player, uh, the, the inspiration putting this band together, which is, uh, absolute. Shame that it's not the rock and roll hall of fame, but I don't find that legit sometimes anyhow, but I don't want to start there. What I want to start is but no, you know what I mean. I, I have so many notes and so I'm just going to be all over the map, if you don't mind, mark yeah, man, let's jump around first of all, you have a new record.
Speaker 1:I'm starting off right there, all of these years later, before we get into the uh, you know the, the stuff from the past. Let's talk about your new record, because you know what I love is I love your attitude, mark, and I do a lot of. I watch a lot of your music, I listen to a lot of your music. I love your attitude towards your former bandmates. I love the fact you've tried to initiate maybe a reunion here and there, and your music. You're patriotic, you're Christian. As I'm listening to your new album, which is called Closer to my Home, please everyone check it out and you've got a new song called Anymore, I just appreciate what you're still doing these days.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, man. I appreciate the encouragement, brother, really do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I'm listening to the song Anymore. In the beginning. In the beginning it was me and my and my bad, it's sad to say. We don't play together anymore. That came from the heart right there, I could tell.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely man, because there's only three people that can make that noise. Anybody else, uh, trying to would be. You know what do they call those bands? A tribute? Tribute band, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what do you think when you see some of these bands that are out there now? I mean, I certainly don't mean to diss any band, I'm not certainly trying to do that, but you know, if you look at Lynyrd Skynyrd I was a huge fan there's no one left. Artemis Pyle is still with us, but you know Foreigner and some of these other bands that are touring under those names, you know, and they're really not that lineup. Do you have a thought on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the same thing as the government. You know, really it's a scam, it's a sham and it's legal.
Speaker 1:The biggest pain in the ass brother, it's legal.
Speaker 2:The biggest pain in the ass, brother, is that this is legal. It's legal to lie like that because somebody has the trademark. It's a corporate-owned trademark and what corporations are able to get away with is unbelievable. I was talking with Hunter Nelson you know the Nelson twin, or Gunner Gunner yeah, gunner Nelson and he was doing a guest DJ thing in Cleveland. And he says Farner, he said do you know that there's 126 groups called the Platters? I said you kidding called the platters. I said you kidding me. And he says he says no, dude, he says one guy owns the trademark and he licenses the use of that trademark and he's taken a cut of every one of them, oh wow.
Speaker 2:This has turned into a just horsey poo poo brother.
Speaker 1:Right, wow, that is uh.
Speaker 1:I I never heard that. I mean, I didn't realize that was going on like that. Just to let everyone know that you are out on tour. You're going to be I wish you were coming to my neck of the woods, I'll tell you to promote your new record here in Northern California, but I see that you're going to be coming up here. What? On the 28th you're going to be at the Arcata Theater in St Charles, illinois. You're going to be at the DePlaine Theater Hope, I said that right there in Illinois and then Penn's Peak.
Speaker 1:You know, one of the things that's really cool, mark, is that you're playing Two people you're playing with. I'd like to ask you about You're playing with Jeff Skunk Baxter as an opening. I guess he's going to open your show. It's cool to see Jeff out there and see what he's doing. Jeff Skunk Baxter, who you know he's a great guitarist. He's been in, you know, like Steely Dan, he's been in the Doobies. Everyone knows him from the you know, 70s and 80s. But the thing that surprises me is that he's also worked as a defense consultant and advised us members of congress on missile defense. How ironic is that right now?
Speaker 2:yeah, he's a great guy and and he is a character dude. To be around him is a hoot. It's wonderful. I can't wait to see him again. Man, he, he is a character. I love a man because he's sincere about what he does. If he's rocking, he's sincere. If he's a defense contractor, he's sincere.
Speaker 1:I would have never guessed he's a defense contractor working with missiles. And then the other band that is opening this is going to be at least that I see here at Penn's Peak is the band Sweet. This is going to be at least that I see here at Penn's Peak is the band Sweet. Now, the band Sweet, of course, responsible for Ballroom Blitz and Little Willie and Fox on the Run. All of these great songs from the early 70s. Love is Like Oxygen, one of my favorites. What's it like playing with Sweet? Are they pretty much an original band at this point?
Speaker 2:I couldn't tell you at this point, brother Pat. I don't know for sure, but I know when I get to hang with people like go out with Randy Backman or Burton Cummings and these guys, it's good to bump up against that armor on those guys, because they're still holding it up and they're still the same people, even though, uh, in in light of what we were talking about, how the the scam bands are out there, people don't know, they just love the music, man, and that's, that's the part I, I love the fans because they love the music. They are not, uh, they're not educated to who's in the band. They don't want to know about that. They just want to know about that song brother. They want to boogie, they want to shake their ass, they want to tap their foot. That's what it's about.
Speaker 1:That's interesting to me because, again, I go way back as a rocker. We're talking with Mark Farner, founder of Grand Funk Railroad, and out on tour. He's got a new record. Close to my Home, he's got a new song called Anymore. I do find that interesting because I'm such a music guy that I know, you know, but maybe but you're right, I don't know what the percentage of people who know the band's history or what have you, you know that they don't really care, they just want to hear whatever their hits are, which I do find interesting. Speaking of hits, we're talking to you, you know, we're talking about a band, you know, grand Funk Railroad, who sold over what? 10 million albums, mark, 10 million.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:It's over 40 million, it's over 40 million, over 40 million. Oh, my God, man, I had that number wrong. 40 million, wow. What is it like to think about that, the use of 40 million albums?
Speaker 2:Well, it's great, because when I get out and play my music to people with Mark mark farner's american band, that's that's the band I tour under now, since, uh, the other guys are two-thirds of the corporation that controls that trademark, even though I wrote 94 of the music yes original song. You know I can't use the, the name I got. I go on as mark farner's american band, but I, uh, I go out and play my music and people love it. Man, I'm telling you they want to hear my voice because I sang those songs.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:They appreciate it that I'm still singing in the same piece and that I still have the same heart that you were talking about, brother. I never let myself get puffed up and think that I was somebody. I saw too many of those cats, brother pat, walking around with their noses up in the air and looking down the slope of their nose at the roadies and the people on the stage, and you know, giving commands instead of asking people to do things, I I don't ever want to turn into that, so I have stayed right down with my feet on the earth and I play my music with my feet on the earth. I mean, that's all where it came from, man, right here on this planet.
Speaker 1:By the way, great name Mark Farner's American Band. I love, love that name. That is incredible. You know you bring up your former bandmates. It's pretty unusual to be somehow. I guess. I don't know, maybe you can explain it better but how is it that you are eliminated from your own band by so your bandmates? You guys are this power trio. I guess some people call it power trio. I just think it's a rock and roll trio. You call it what you want, call it power trio. I just think it's a rock and roll trio. You call it what you want. You know um, but um with um. You know with don and with. You know um don and uh, mel shocker.
Speaker 1:Mel shocker right, I think I just blew his name, yeah and he comes right and he comes from question mark and the mysterians which I do find fascinating, like how did that happen? I'm curious about that. And then how in the heck tell me about that? And how the heck do you? How are you the one that exits your own band?
Speaker 2:Well, one night, after we played a gig and after the party because after the shows we would have a bit of a party, you know, toss down a few drinks and what have you and after a gig at Canock Dye Harbor I don't know if you know where that is Sure do.
Speaker 2:Out there in California and I went back to my room it's got like a little kitchenette and stuff and I reach in there and I pull a beer out and I'm just sitting at the table and I hear a knock at the door and it's the drummer. I hear out and I'm sitting at the table, I hear a knock at the door and it's the drummer, and so he comes in. He says hey, partner, we all need to sign the individual ownership of the trademark into the corporation where it will have a protective umbrella. Now he's talking to a guy that didn't finish high school and he had gone to law school. So I figure he knows what he's talking about.
Speaker 2:But I'm half in the bag. You know, I don't know. I said so, okay, well, if that's going to help the band, if it's going to protect the band, you know I'll do it. He says, okay, I'll go to my room and get the papers. And when he left I thought why the hell didn't he just bring the papers with him? But it didn't dawn on me that, you know, he was testing the wires. And if I would have said, hell, no, I'm not going to do that, you know, then he wouldn't have done it, but I was under the influence and my Cherokee blood can't take too much of that. You that?
Speaker 2:so uh, so, anyways, I signed it and that put, uh, my one-third ownership of the trademark into the corporation and so that makes two-thirds, those two guys against one-third. They could do whatever they want to do, brother, and they do, they do. But that's, hey, that's the way life is, that's the way, like I said, referred to the government All this corporate crap is ruining. You know, it's greed, is what it is, and it's the love of money, and it's ruining the world, man, but we can't let it ruin the rock community, brother, pat, right, you know.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:What we're talking about. It's going into people's hearts who really respect rock and roll, who love rock and roll and who have lived through these eras that we have come through and they still have it in their heart and the stuff the guys and the gals that were Beatles fans and the love that you take is equal to the love you make. You remember those words.
Speaker 1:Sure, do you better believe it? Yeah, man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, buddy, so we're still here and you, my friend, are an instigator to keep us together.
Speaker 1:Oh, that is an honor, that is a role that I cherish. I promise you that I talk about it a lot on my radio show, which I told you off air, we're talking with Mark Farner, founder of Grand Funk Railroad. Now Mark Farner's American band on tour new album, which is out closer to my home, which I love the name, anymore, is their new song. You know, gosh, I've got so many things to talk to you about. I sure appreciate your time. One of the things is I've always wanted to ask you this question when did the name Grand Funk Railroad come from? And at some point Railroad was kind of like eh, maybe we don't use that all the time. Hey, have you listened to the new Grand Funk? Did you like, when they were kind of we because I'll admit to that too Grand, I didn't always say Railroad. Hey, man, did you hear new Grand Funk? Are you going to go see Grand Funk Versus? Are you going to go see Grand Funk Railroad? How did that name come about?
Speaker 2:Well, it came about. Terry Knight, who was our first manager, had written a song and he called grand funk railroad. And he said why don't you guys call the band what the name of my song, grand funk railroad? And he wrote that about uh, it was a take off of grand trunk and western, which is an actual railway system. It runs through ontario, canada, down through michigan and ohio and uh, so it was a playoff that name. And in the overpass in Flint on Fenton Road at 12th Street, there is an overpass that says Grand Trunk and Western. Well, it used to say that years ago, but every time they change it back, the fans, the fans pay overnight, man, it don't last. It doesn't last 12 hours and it's back to Grand Funk, mark Don and Mel.
Speaker 1:Oh, that is great, that is great. She brought up Tyrion.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, go ahead, go ahead as far as the shortening. It was like Chicago Transit Authority right. Oh yeah right, you know. And then they tried to shorten it to CTA. Well, the fans shortened it. They just say Chicago, I'm going to see Chicago.
Speaker 1:Right Bang, right, you know who it is. I'm going to see Grand.
Speaker 2:Funk. The fans do that for us.
Speaker 1:I felt guilty a few years ago. I'll be honest with you, I'll admit to this. I felt guilty. I went to a concert at the Toyota Amphitheater in Wheatland, here in Northern California. I can't remember if it was Cheap Trick or Jason Bonham, led Zeppelin Experience or what have you and Grand Funk. I was so excited to see you and then I realized that it wasn't you and I felt bad about that. I gotta be honest. I'm confessing to you right now, mark Varner.
Speaker 2:Bless your heart. Thank you, brother. I appreciate your honesty.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I really did. I thought, you know I was thinking about the whole time, even though I, like your, love the music. It wasn't you. Not that they weren't doing a fine job, but my gosh, you know it wasn't you, and you were the guy. By the way, you were also the guy who not only was mostly shirtless in most yearly concerts that's right but but no wives or girlfriends really for the band at the beginning, isn't that right?
Speaker 2:that's right, absolutely right. You are on the money, brother why was that?
Speaker 1:because you just wanted to focus on the music.
Speaker 2:That all the other stuff was just too much to deal with yeah, I guess you know, and at the first, uh, atlanta pop festival when we went out there it was, we didn't have a record. We did not have a record, we didn't even have anything recorded at the time, but I had written the first album. By that time I had the music done to the first album. And we went up because the attorneys that Terry Knight used in New York City were also the attorneys that were doing the legal work for this pop festival in Atlanta, georgia. So they pitched the promoters on putting this band, grand Funk Railroad, on first. Let us open this, we'll play for free, but let us open the festival and we will take a reduction in our legal fee. So that's so that worked.
Speaker 2:And when we got up on that stage, dude, it was like, oh my God, I was people, as far as I could see, 185. That's, you know, that's a lot of folks, dude. And I looked over at my guitar tech. I said, dude, I got a piss so bad you can't even imagine.
Speaker 1:You didn't take care of business before the show. You didn't take care of business, oh no, how do you hold it in?
Speaker 2:That's right. That's right. Oh man, that is. You know we played and the people loved it. But I had bought this back then. You know 69. $50 was a lot of money to spend on a shirt. It was a paisley print, see-through kind of material. But when I got sweating in 110 degrees down there in Atlanta, georgia, that stuff was sticking to me and holding me back. And when I went into we used to do Land of a Thousand Dances but we did it kind of like Wilson Pickett style. And when I took my axe off and started dancing, this shirt was bothering me, so bad dude started dancing, I this shirt was bothering me, so bad dude. I ripped that 50 shirt off of my back and the people jumped to their feet and I said, oh my god, that worked. So I kept it in the show from that point on did you?
Speaker 1:did you keep ripping shirts off, or did you just come out with no shirt on?
Speaker 2:I just come out with like a vest or no shirt, right sure you know, by the second song my vest was off and it was no shirt. Anyway, there you go.
Speaker 1:It's just awesome, and that was your big break. I mean, you walk up the steps, you see this incredibly huge crowd Atlanta becomes your big break. You said you didn't even have your stuff really recorded. If I may, I cleared this ahead of time. By the way, if I may, can we go back for a moment to your first record? Can we do that? Because I'm a fan. I got to tell you, man, yeah, man, I am a fan, got this thing on the move. I dig the sound of this, all right. And then I'm going to say something about your trio here. Come along with a joyride.
Speaker 3:And let your mama see Ain't no way to deny it If it's in your soul. You don't know till you try it. Baby, let the good times roll. Oh Woo, let me taste your life.
Speaker 1:So here's what I'm going to say. You, I don't know how you'll react to this, I don't know how others will react, but it's an honest, genuine statement. When I tell you let's go to trios, I am way, way more into Grand Funk, grand Funk, railroad in this, this case, grand funk is the album that I am into. Cream, it's gonna be straight up honest. Wow, not a big cream guy. Wow, when I listen to your power trio, I'm like this music here, that's my stuff, right there wow, thank you, brother pat.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that brother yeah, it's absolutely true.
Speaker 1:And this is all before you started. You know, I want to go back real quick. You mentioned Terry Knight. Now I know there's a few stories there with Terry Knight, who was your producer, correct, and he was getting you guys out there, he was getting you to the Atlanta Music Festival for your big break and all of that, but then you guys had issues with Terry, correct?
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, oh, big issues, yeah yeah. We played Europe and we had like a million and a half dollars and he said we can't take this back to the United States, man, because the Infernal Revenue Service is going to take most of it. They're going to get a lot of your money. And he said let's leave it in the most stable world currency, which I think at the time was deutschmarks, and leave it in a swiss bank account. We said, okay, you know, we're 20 year old kids. Uh, we don't know, we don't know from nothing. My mother had to sign a contract with him because I was only 20 and in Michigan you got to be 21 to be legal, you know, I mean back then. Uh, so, so we never saw that money, we never saw one cent of that money and so at that.
Speaker 1:That is just that is awful. You hear these stories, whether it's you know, credence with fantasy records or bad company or your story, it's uh story. It's really sad to hear because at some point then we're talking with Mark Farner, the founder guitarist and just the inspiration, the soul behind Grand Funk Railroad. At some point you stopped writing songs because of this. You ended up living off of shows and songs that you'd written in the past, correct?
Speaker 2:Well at some point, yeah I mean. But I kept writing and went on into a solo career, even after Don Brewer quit the band in 1976, after we did the album with Frank Zappa producing oh my gosh, yeah, that was kind of a shocker when Brewer walked in an hour and a half late for rehearsal and quit the band. But I kept going, I kept writing songs. I'm still writing songs. I did have a little low spot there, you know, when things went down, but my heart is driven by love, man, and I won't serve another master. I mean, that's between you and me and the Fence Post brother. Love is it and ain't nothing else to look forward to.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and I certainly didn't mean to insinuate that you stopped writing music, but there was that period of time where it was kind of difficult because of what you were going through. Can I just tell you I love that you just brought up Frank Zappa producing your record. I'll tell you this you are talking to the ultimate diehard Frank Zappa fanatic right here. That's great. Oh, my brothers and I, mark, we talk in Frank Zappa lyrics. We literally will speak to each other in Zappa lyrics and you know, there is such misconceptions about this man who died at 53 years old in 1993. It's just awful. A misdiagnosis for prostate cancer. Anyhow. A genius in my mind, just like you are, absolutely and he. There's this misconception about Frank like, oh man, he must have been on drugs. That is so wrong. If you had a roach in his band, you were out of the band. You were not Frank, to my recollection. Here's what Frank did he smoked cigarettes and he drank coffee.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, did he drink coffee, brother? He'd make a cup of coffee nervous, I'm not kidding. He drank more than 10 people on to in the course of a day, brother. I'm not lying.
Speaker 1:I can just imagine, because of his creative flow and his soul and his passion, what some of those sessions had to be like, with just his creative drive and drinking coffee at the same time. That had to be something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, you know. He had one of those air pots. It's like a thermos that you pour the coffee down in there and you push the button on the top and the coffee comes out. It's still hot. He keeps it hot all the time. He would constantly look in that thermos and when he'd get about halfway down he'd send the engineer to brew another pot.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's amazing, so I love that you brought up Frank. One last note on Terry Knight. It was a tragic ending, I think, for Terry. He was stabbed to death by his daughter's boyfriend. If I recall, that is what happened with Terry, and then you were being produced by Todd Rungan, correct, correct?
Speaker 2:Yeah, man Todd Rundgren.
Speaker 1:Is he one of the greatest ever, I mean one of the most talented, not just producers but artists ever. Todd Rundgren oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, man. And what a trip to be around, because he's always fooling around with something, always got something in his you know, you just wait long enough and it's going to pop out and you're going to laugh your ass off. He's working on it, man, all the time. He's a great guy, great producer and, in my estimation, another genius as far as you know. Talking about Zappa and his genius, well, we had it, you know, in Rundgren as well.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, I agree, Todd, is I. Those are two guys. You. We had it in Rundgren as well. Absolutely, I agree, Todd, those are two guys. You, these two guys I always had much, much respect. We move to 1974.
Speaker 1:Now this is my little sweet spot for Grand Funk. All right, so I'm of an age. We're talking with Mark Farner, the founder, the genius behind Grand Funk. I don't care what anyone says. The other guy's great as well, by the way. I love the way you treat them and that you even offered in many times to try to get a reunion together. But here I am. I'm 13 years old, I ride the bus to school, I'm listening to music constantly, I have my Panasonic clock radio and I'm listening to music constantly. I have my Panasonic clock radio and I'm listening to everything. I could tell you any hit from any year of the 1970s. There's this skit out where people say you know what's his name? Christopher Walken says I need more cowbell. I need more cowbell on SNL. Well, when I think of cowbell, you know I love Blue Oyster Cult. It was what they play on the skit. I think of this, my friend, guitar solo.
Speaker 3:Out on the road for 40 days. Last night in Milwaukee Put me in a haze Sweet, sweet Connie doing her act.
Speaker 1:She had the whole show and that's a natural fact, boy, that is a great, great song that takes me back to riding the bus. I'm listening to it. I couldn't get enough of that song. I can remember, like I say, all the other hit songs that were out of the time can I ask you a couple questions about? I'd like to ask about the cowbell. I'd love, yeah, man, I'd love to hear about the four young chiquitas in omaha. I'd like to know about sweet, sweet connie and that and then that was it, the little, was, a little rock that you mentioned in there. What can you tell me about some of?
Speaker 2:this yeah, little Rock, arkansas. Well, the cowbell. When Brewer first of all Lynn Goldsmith, who was our publicist but really slash co-manager she said you guys need to write a song about who you are, what you are You're an American band she dropped that one day and brewer had the lyrics written the next day and then I wrote the music that you hear on that, that song I. I wrote that music and I said this song is begging for a cowbell. And brewer looks at me. He says I don't have a cowbell. I said, well, it's begging for a cop, it don't have a cowbell. I said, well, it's begging for a cowbell, it has to have a cowbell man. He says all right, all right, I'll stop and get one on the way to rehearsal tomorrow. I said no, pick up six of them and we'll pick the best one out of the six to go with this.
Speaker 2:So that one that you're hearing, that's the one that we trialed. You know all six of them. You're hearing, that's the one that we trialed. You know all six of them. That one with a little duct tape on it was the one dude. And in the what was that? Rolling Stone, the top ten cowbell songs, we were number two, with American Band, only to be superseded by Honky Tonk Women.
Speaker 1:Oh well, that's not so bad, that's pretty good.
Speaker 2:No, that's a pretty good one too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, See, that's going to give me a great idea for my show the greatest cowbell songs. I haven't done that. I cover any aspect I can possibly find out there regarding music. That is great. I never thought I'd never hear. Hey, can I go? Yeah, go ahead. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:As far as Sweet, sweet Connie, yeah, I have to tell you, in her book she said that I was the only gentleman that she met in rock and roll.
Speaker 1:You know, I did not accept the offer, brother, oh wow, and so I don't know the offer, brother, oh wow.
Speaker 2:And so I don't know what that was like. Everybody else could probably tell you about it, but I don't know what that was like because I went no, I'm married. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1:Good, for you, man, thank you. And she makes it in the song because of that, I will never, ever forget, ever forget. That is you know what. I already respected you. I respect you even because you were listen, you were what were you in your 20s?
Speaker 2:at that time yeah, man, 20 years old when the band started and uh, so, man, it was fast and serious because you could have.
Speaker 1:You could have lived that life and you chose not to. You chose to be true man. You are a good man. What about the four young Chiquitas in Omaha?
Speaker 2:Now the four young Chiquitas in Omaha, those gals, those are for real Chiquitas.
Speaker 1:Were they waiting for the band to return from the show?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that was at a time when I wasn't married. Oh, okay, oh yeah, yeah, so that was from our life as Grand Funk Railroad. He just pulled little episodes out of there here and there.
Speaker 1:That's right. I won't forget that either.
Speaker 2:And then you want to touch on the Little Rock thing.
Speaker 1:What is the lyric in there about Little Rock? I spaced that one off for a second.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Little Rock, Arkansas. That's where Connie was from.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's where Connie was from. Oh, I see, all right. Yeah, dude, let me go way back and just ask you a very random question. This is so random, but listen, it's eating away at me. I him, but listen, it's eating away at me. I need to know. Let's go back to your first album one more time. I'm going to play a song. I'll listen a little bit. I'm just going to play the beginning of this incredibly awesome listen. He's got a new record. I'd check out their first record too, but a song called paranoid. Let's listen to the beginning. As I'm listening to this, I hear the story, the news clips yeah, man, pan American. You hear sirens, pan American Airways. What was the thinking behind that? What was going on?
Speaker 2:That was Terry Knight, because he said I love the title to your song, I love what you're saying in your song, I love the feeling I get from your song. He said I think if we put a little something up front just to kind of prepare people for that message, put their mind in the news, put their mind into places they've already been and then when they hear your message they will digest it.
Speaker 1:It's very powerful, it's a good record, it's an overlooked Grand Funk record and, again, I highly recommend that to anyone who is listening to my Pat's Peeps 285. Now we jump forward to, as I said when I was a kid and I'm listening to American band and all of a sudden, here come the hits. Jimmy Linners comes by and Jimmy becomes your producer correct, and he wants to take you in a more, let's say, mainstream radio friendly direction. Would that be fair to say?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would say that.
Speaker 1:And you guys have a love coming from Michigan for Motown, for soul music, for that type of music.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, yeah, that's what we cut our teeth on man.
Speaker 1:And you're listening to this song and you're like hey, what is this? Little Eva, right? Little Eva did the locomotion. Little Eva, yeah yeah, little Eva.
Speaker 2:right, little Eva did the locomotion. Little Eva, yeah, yeah. And it was Rundgren that came out the end of the studio door. As I'm walking down the driveway coming back from the farm across the street where I went and had lunch, I'm singing. Everybody's doing a brand new dance now and all the guys are out having a cigarette in the parking lot. I can't see them because of the trees, but they start singing. Come on, baby, do the locomotion. And so Rundgren comes walking out the end of the building and he goes what the hell is that? I said what is that? That's Little Eva, that's the locomotion. He says well, come on in here right now.
Speaker 2:He says because we're going to record the locomotion. And I'm not kidding you, that's how it happened.
Speaker 3:Damn Wow. Everybody's doing a brand new dance now. Come on baby. Come on baby, the locomotion. I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now. Come on, baby. I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now. Come on, baby. Do the locomotion. My little ABC I took and do it with ease. It's easier than running your ABC, so come on come on and do the locomotion.
Speaker 1:It's so powerful. It is so powerful for a cover record. A little Eva Jump up, jump up, jump back. Oh man, I think you got the name Whoa, whoa, now it's you. Oh geez, it's just so pounding and so good and so appealing in my headphones, mark, what is it like? What is it like God? I love this kind of stuff, mark. What's it like to hear your songs being played on the radio constantly back in those days? It's everywhere. All these songs are everywhere.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man.
Speaker 2:It was, I mean, the first time that we heard one of our songs. It was like, oh my God and I'm telling you about it right now, dude, I'm getting goosebumps the same ones that came up on me in the same places the first time we heard our music coming across the airwaves. Because back then, you know, dude, they were switching from AM to FM and uh, and that was the only place, fm was the only place I could get, uh, my song I'm your captain played Cause it was a 10 minute song. But, dude, I've had so many DJs over the years that I've spoken with, say, man, thank you for that song, mark Dude. If I had to take a leak, if I had to smoke a cigarette, if I had to eat a sandwich or something, I'd give it all up on that song.
Speaker 1:You know that's funny. I just did that on my show recently that topic Because I was a DJ at one point the greatest DJ, you need to break songs and that came up on the list with several others that were, you know, don mcclain and some others that everyone would remember. That is pretty funny. By the way, I'm your captain. You record that on your new album.
Speaker 2:It's a re-recording of that song, correct, of this classic yes, it's a re-recording in the original american standard for tuning back before 1953 when rockefeller changed it to 440. Before it was 440 hertz, it was 4-3-2. Count backwards from 4. It was 4-3-2. And 4-3-2 just happens to be in tune with natural things. A guy sent me a link man, and it was this dude that had a kiddie pool on his deck full of water, he had a speaker next to the pool, he had a tone generator and amplifier and he played a2 in the 440 scale, uh, and, and he played it at 125 decibels and there was waves and foam and it was that little kiddie pool was jumping up and down like it had legs on it. Brother, I'm talking, it was a storm on that thing. So then he tunes it down, he tunes to the original American standard 432. He hits A2 at 125 decibels. It's a piece of glass. It is still there. There ain't a quiver during a ripple, there is nothing. And I went oh, you got my attention and I had to know about this because four, three, two, which this entire new album is recorded in the old standard, the old us standard for tuning.
Speaker 2:Four, three, two is Hermione. It's like you know, when I looked at that kiddie pool in my mind. I'm seeing somebody putting a pair of boxing gloves on and they're beating the crap out of this pool. They're punching it, punching it hard and it's you know it's agitating this water. Then I'm seeing four, three, two, the same note. It's like somebody slipped their fingers in these velvet gloves and wrapped them around your heart. It's just a nice, still calming effect. And since our bodies are more than 70% water, man, just think about that. With the sound pressure level, the SPL, hitting 125, that's some pretty loud. You know, the threshold of pain is 90 decibels, so imagine 125. So I went back and I love four, three, two. I love playing my acoustic guitar four, three, two man tuning it up and and just letting it feed me because, uh, you know, if there ain't nobody else around, if you can play in it and it's feeding you, that's good wow, fascinating.
Speaker 1:I love learning about this. I love talking about this stuff he, this, you, I and in listening to it, mark, and as you're explaining that, and I and I was and listening to the song, you, you, you really did it so incredibly well. I'd like to play a little bit of this. And also you mentioned this, you sort of alluded to this a couple of times and you as a guitar player, as a keyboardist, as I mentioned earlier, harmonica, everything that you've done and as a singer I sing in a couple of bands and as a singer, I try to explain to everyone.
Speaker 1:Not that everyone else in our band, as you probably know, believes this, but you know the voice is a very temperamental thing. You know, a guitar will still make a sound. It'll still sound today the same way it sounded yesterday. If it's tuned up, everything's right, drum will still hit that. Sometimes your voice is temperamental. It's gone through things. Sometimes your voice is temperamental. It's gone through things. It depends on your health, it depends on how you've been treating it and such. Sometimes you get to people like they can't hit those high notes anymore. Well, let me tell you something, mark you sound as good as you have ever sounded your song, the redo of the song, the re-recording of it talking about, in this case, I'm your captain, is absolutely incredible.
Speaker 3:And I'd like to share everyone, share with everyone the new mix here, the new recording, guitar solo. Everybody, listen to me and return me my ship. I'm your captain. I'm your captain, though I'm feeling mighty sick.
Speaker 1:I've been lost now, wow, god, your voice sounds so good and it's months since I've seen home. It sounds so good. Mark, you're just. I don't want to interrupt it, but, wow, can you?
Speaker 3:hear me. Thank you, Mark. Am I all alone?
Speaker 1:If you return me. Thank you, brother. It is still one of the greatest anthems ever. I've heard stories of people coming home like guys in the Navy. You know other people have listened to this song for inspiration. You know, returning home from whatever they've been doing. Mark, that is such a good recording of that. I have to say it's beautiful.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thank you, thank you. I really appreciate that, Brother Pat.
Speaker 2:And you're right, my song. The Vietnam Veterans of America contacted me and they wanted me to come to DC and play my song at the 25th anniversary of the monument, the Vietnam Veterans Monument, the wall there. And I said, well, you know, what do they want? Do you want the acoustic, or what do you want? And he says, well, you know, uh, we, we got a stage and lights. And you know, pa, and I said listen, I won't cost you a cent, but I will bring my band, I'll bring the bus in there, we'll put the show on for you, we'll give you a free show, all the vietnam veterans that come you know, it's a free show and we'll put I'm your captain in there.
Speaker 2:And, dude, it was 36 degrees in Washington DC that day and yeah, but, dude, I'm not kidding you the vets that showed up not just the American Vietnam veterans, but the Canadian Vietnam veterans that showed up there the people don't really realize. The Canadians were there fighting right along our side, and when they finally got to the end of the show and we did, I'm your Captain there was not a dry eye anyplace. And, dude, I'm trying to sing You're talking about, you know, taking care of your voice. I'm trying to sing with a softball in my neck because I'm so choked up, I'm so emotional over looking out at this audience and the crowd is just teared up. Man, it was a very, very emotional time and I will never forget that time and I thank God for that song, because that song, dude, I prayed for that song.
Speaker 2:I always say my prayers, you know Now I lay me down to say prayers for that song. I always say my prayers, you know. Now I lay me down to sleep first. And I asked God that night, dude, I asked God, please give me a song that would reach and touch the hearts of those you want to get to and I got up in the middle of night and I wrote those lyrics. But I get up a lot of nights and I write songs and I just write just writings. I just write, and not all of them are songs. I mean, the majority of what I have written is just thoughts. So I'm not really, you know, relating to this is the answer to my song or to my prayer.
Speaker 2:Until the morning when I got up and I grabbed my guitar and I'm playing the you know playing that little ditty on the front, I went wow, that's pretty cool. And then I hit an inversion of a C chord that I'd never hit before and as I'm trying to man, I got to memorize this. This is really good stuff. It's talking to me. And the thought came to me go get those words, go get those words, go get those words. So I go and grab the words off the nightstand by my bed, put them on the kitchen table and I hit the record button on my Sony cassette recorder. Yeah, and that that song came out. It just it came out.
Speaker 1:You knew you had something right there. You knew your prayers were answered right there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, brother.
Speaker 1:You know, mark, that is a great story. I am so with you. I pray every day. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to give me If I should die. Before I wake up, I say all of my prayers, my father. I say them all. I say them. I say them before I say all of my prayers, my father. I say them all. I say them before I eat. I'm always thankful to the Lord for anything I have Good on you.
Speaker 1:I prayed before this interview, mark, I'm not kidding. I thank the Lord that I have an opportunity to talk with someone who I respect, and it doesn't matter who it is if I'm talking to him. I thank the Lord that I have that opportunity. I thank him that he puts me in a position where I can talk to folks like you, who people care about. Sometimes people tell me that my show makes them feel better. You know, whatever it is, I pray about that, and so for you to say that is so, I just respect it so much. So can we do because I want to play, if we may, the entirety of your new single coming up? Tell people about your, your new record. But can we do like a little lightning round, because I know, I know you have, you're a busy guy. You got things to do. Heck, we've almost been an hour here. Can I, can we do a little lightning round and get your take on a few things?
Speaker 1:yeah, let's do it brother my friend, tony, last night tells me and I said, tony, I'm gonna ask mark about this. He says, patrick, you're, you're going to interview Mark Foran. I said yeah. He says please ask him this, you tell him this. I saw him at the Oakland Coliseum BB King opened up for you, apparently, if you recall. And Tony says Pat and Tony and I go to a lot of concerts and Tony was a longtime radio DJ. He knows his stuff. That was the loudest concert by far that I have ever been to thoughts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that and and that kind of became a trademark for us that it was going to be loud and and so actually front of house is responsible as, as you know, for the overall decibel level. The sound pressure level is not adjustable by the band outside of our own amplifiers and I would have to.
Speaker 2:Sometimes, going over in front of Melbourne's stack of bass amps, I would have to like, oh my God, I got to get out of here because it was like knocking me off my equilibrium, you know, and but that was all that. Front of house, you know, pushing it, pushing it, pushing it. And I think you know, because we were three piece, that they were overcompensating for us just being three guys up there and there was some noises that were not even they weren't being created by any band member but the collision of sound waves and and the harmonics and the reverberation coming off.
Speaker 2:You know it got. It got to a lot of people.
Speaker 1:Do you remember playing with BB King and at the Coliseum? That had to be tough. I mean mean, it's great to be a rock star, but, as we see, brian johnson from acdc and some other people who are, uh, huey lewis and some others who are dealing with some kind of hearing issue, how was your hearing? You're hearing okay these days. All right, here we go. We'll continue with the lightning.
Speaker 1:By the way, mark foreignercom, ladies and gentlemen, mark foreignercom, check, ladies and gentlemen, markfarnercom, check that out. Please check out his new music that you're going to hear, because it's so good. I'm with you on one thing, and I looked this up. I don't know how I found this out about you, but you and I agree on this too. I never liked music videos. Come on with the music video video thing. I don't want to see your take on a song. I don't want to see your take I. I want my. I want the song to be in my mind. I want, I'm your captain, I want you know, I want any more. I want these songs to be in my mind. I don't want them to be your version that you're presenting to me right on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a 150% dude. I am there Because our imaginations have been underused. They have been put on the low shelf since all this BS music videos come out and I have hated them from the first one I looked at. I mean, they depict one definition of that song and they restrict your imagination to that definition. What you're viewing in the video where you know, without a video, I'm your captain can be to a million different people. It could be a million different things, brother yeah, I, yeah, I've that's.
Speaker 1:I was never a big mtv fan, vh1 for those reasons. Uh, talking with mark farner, grand funk railroad. Rick derringer just passed, brian wilson just passed. What a couple of talents right there oh my god.
Speaker 2:And and rick was my buddy, oh my god sorry for your loss we were, yeah, man, uh, he, he was really instrumental in my guitar playing early on. You know, uh, rock and roll, hoochie coo and uh, you know the stuff that him and edgar winter did, uh, just mind-blowing stuff. And you know, with Brian Wilson, the harmonies, all that Beach Boys stuff. Back in the day, man, it was like in my room. You know it was great memories for me and sorry to see them go, but you know we all go.
Speaker 1:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:So get your ass ready.
Speaker 1:Well, what I love about it when you watch them work, you know you cared about the music, you cared about what you were doing, you cared about how it was produced and certainly you know, if you look at Brian Wilson, either one of those two guys but you know Brian, you watch him work, he really, really cared about his work. Rick Derringer geez, you know growing up sitting by the pool. You know Frankenstein, which was a huge hit, working with Edgar and Johnny Winter. Both the Derringer Live stuff. I mean Teenage Love Affair. I mean just an incredible artist and an incredible guy as well. I'm in the gosh, I don't know. This is kind of a controversial. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I'm not with it, man. They put some people in there who belong, obviously, but I think they're going a different direction. It's bogus if you aren't in there, if Bad Company isn't in there, certain other bands Do you have a thought on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, the whole thing is bad as far as some people. They say Rock and Roll, hall of Fame, but then it's restricted to those who own or are on the board and the people are locked out of that decision. Brother, if it was for the people, if the Rock Hall was the will of the people being played out, we would see the acts you just mentioned in the Rock Hall. But that's not what it's about, man, it's about just a select few characters who are picking it. And you know people say well, why ain't you in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I say it's because we don't have that brown ring around our lips.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, I'm sure you've been asked that many times. Oh, I'm sure you've been around that and asked that many times. You're talking about a band not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. By the way, that their first seven albums went gold or platinum probably platinum by now You're talking about a band people would regard the Beatles as one of the you know, the top echelon, the Stones, the Beatles, the who, whoever you would throw up in there. By the way, just to let you know, grand Funk and you could correct me if I'm wrong Mark sold out Shea Stadium in 72 hours, which took the Beatles seven weeks. And you're not in the Rock and Roll.
Speaker 2:Hall of Fame. That's right. Right on, right on, brother, that's exactly right. And you know, janice and I used to talk about this all the time. God rest her soul. But she says you know, where the hell are they getting this British invasion thing? You know, british invasion. She says, mark, do you sing in the King's English when you go to play in London? You play Hyde Park. I go no, no, no. And do all of the English bands sing in the American English? Yes, in the dialect of Americans, yes. So where is the invasion? Well, the invasion happened in 1913. It's called the Federal Reserve Act and that's when income taxes started. So there's your British invasion. It's those who control the Infernal Revenue Service, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England. There's the culprits right there.
Speaker 1:Talk about opening for Led Zeppelin in 1969. Your first album? I don't know, I guess it had just come out, maybe right about that time. What a perfect pairing for Zeppelin.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we played in Cleveland at the Cleveland Auditorium first. The night before we played our stomping ground in Detroit, Olympia and when we played.
Speaker 2:Olympia. They didn't like I say they. Zeppelin's manager did not like what was going on because the people were out of their seats. They were at the stage. They came to the calling, the band was calling and the fans were answering. Man, we wanted to rock together and that's the way we rocked every audience. They came out of their seats, they came to the front and Peter Grant, zeppelin's manager, told Terry Knight he was going to pull the plug on the show if the band didn't quit.
Speaker 2:So what happened? He pulled the plug on the show if the band didn't quit. So so what happened? He pulled the plug on the show. Terry knight walks out, grabs my microphone it's the only microphone working in the house he says I'm sorry, but due to contractual agreement, grand funk has to leave the stage and everybody went boom, boom boom.
Speaker 2:And they started throwing wine bottles and whiskey bottles. All these bottles started hitting the stage. They wanted us to. We were fixing to go into inside, looking out, and they would have brought the house down. Oh my God.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, wow, that is incredible. What a story. Wow, mark Farner man, I know we could sit and talk for hours and hours, so I want to get to your new record Closer to my Home, which is obviously an excellent choice. There's a song on there. We're going to talk about your song anymore, but you know what? Listen to the song Real, real, which I love as well patriotic. You discuss new world order, I believe the common man, it's all about that, you know, which I find to be really, really good stuff. Um, I highly recommend it. Thank you, um, tell us about your new single, uh, from your new album. Uh, this one is called anymore, tell, tell us about it.
Speaker 2:The song. You know, when I was young I listened to the words of men, but that was then and I won't listen to them anymore. They told me things I should believe, but all it did was make me grieve, so I won't listen to them anymore. That's kind of you know how it kicks off to set people up to understand. And who could not relate to that right there? What person couldn't relate to that right there? But then in the beginning it was me and my band.
Speaker 2:It's sad to say that we don't play together anymore. It's not the quantity, it's the honesty. My friend, the story ends and I'm not angry with him anymore. You know why, brother? Because the Lord gave me forgiveness in my heart for them guys misusing the trademark and misusing this guy personally. I give it up because we're supposed to forgive with the same measure that we expect to be forgiven with. And, dude, I have found that debt consciousness is the plague of mankind and I will not accept anybody's debt. I will not get into anybody's debt and I encourage people to set themselves free from any debt that they have been carelessly put into.
Speaker 1:Yep, this is the reason I respect you. I this, none of this surprises me. I love your attitude. I, um, I really do. I love that you don't harbor any ill feelings towards these gentlemen, um, that you let bygones be bygones, that you, you become a. You even become a better man. So, without further ado, with your permission, Mark Farner, can we play a new song anymore from your new album?
Speaker 2:Please, please, please, brother Patrick, do it here we go.
Speaker 3:When I was young, I listened to the words of men, but that was then, and I won't listen to them anymore. They told me things I should believe, but all it did was make me grieve. So I won't listen to them anymore. I won't listen anymore. No, no, anymore. Won't be sad Anymore. Love, keep on shining, shining on me, love, keep on looking, far as you can see, keep on looking, baby. In the beginning it was me and my band. It's sad to say that we don't play together anymore. It's not the quantity, it's the honesty. My friends, the story ends and I'm not angry with them anymore. No, people, no, no. Ain't it a shame, lord, love, keep on shining, shining on me. Yeah, love, keep on looking, far as you can see, keep on lookin', baby Eddie Vaughn, eddie Vaughn, eddie Vaughn, come on and let the love, love, keep on shining. Shine down, shine in on me. Yeah, love, keep on looking, far as you can see. Keep on looking, baby, eddie Boy.
Speaker 1:Mark, mark, mark, I love that. I love it. I love it. The song is so well produced. I love the clapping at the end. I love your voice. I'll let that break right about two minutes into the song. It sounds vintage grand funk. It sounds vintage, mark Farner. I think it's wonderful and, with your permission, thank you for giving me permission to play it on my podcast. I'd also like to be able to play that on my show tonight with your permission. Yeah, man, please do Play that hit out of it.
Speaker 1:That is so good. I love the cover of the record. You got a barn with the American flag. Jeez, check out this record. Please. Everyone. Go to markfarnercom and see what he's got going on. Check out his tour, the new record and all of this. Mark man, I just can't thank you enough for your time today. It's been very nice talking to you.
Speaker 2:It's been great talking with you, brother Patrick. I appreciate it. And for all those vinyl fans out there, that thing comes in red vinyl or a CD as well as the download. So the CD has a bonus track written by Jim Peterick from the Ides of March and myself. It's called Flins Forever. Check it out. God bless you, set yourself free.
Speaker 1:Ides of March. I'm your vehicle, baby Right Vehicle. Come on now, ides of March Vehicle. Now You're telling me. You're telling me. I'm so glad you said that I can cause I'm getting ready to hook up my, my ProTech Ruby Red turntable. I've got some. I got a Zappa, I got some Floyd, I got some stuff that I just bought. I'm getting ready to hook it up so I can go and I can purchase your new record on colored vinyl. Oh hell yeah it's red vinyl brother absolutely awesome.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna buy it. It's gonna be the first thing on my turntable.
Speaker 1:It's red vinyl brother. Absolutely awesome. I'm going to buy it. Solid red I'm going to buy it. It's going to be the first thing on my turntable Mark.
Speaker 2:thank you and congratulations.
Speaker 1:God bless you, brother Mark markfarnercom. Thanks for listening. Pat's Peeps number 285.
