Rating: **
(2 stars)
Title: Grand
Funk Live Album
Company: Capitol
Catalog: SWBB-633
Year: 1971
Grade
(cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: gatefold
sleeve; still in shrink wrap; includes the original bonus poster
Available: 1
Price: $15.00
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Okay, whether you admit it or not, most of you have a couple of guilty pleasures. We're ready and willing to admit that 1971's
"Grand Funk Live Album" is one of ours. A 12 track, double album set, the collection was certainly groundbreaking in marketing terms - literally serving to open the doors to what was to become a tidal wave of double album concert sets. Musically the album was also worth hearing, if only for the fact it was frequently hysterical (dumbsh*t introductory comments - you almost wished the MC had been shocked out of his shoes, blown notes, and ragged, haphazard harmonies).
Okay, okay, the set actually wasn't half bad. Sure, half of the songs were way too long (c'mon, a side long "Into the Sun"?), frequently clogged with needless solos ("In Need"), but even if you weren't a big Grand Funk fan, you had to admit the band displayed considerable energy on material such as "Are You Ready" and "Mean Mistreater". Moreover, you had to respect their willingness to forgo postproduction work - name another band willing to issue such an honest representation. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve and included a bonus poster.) Your parents (and grandparents) certainly loved the band, propelling the album to #5 on the charts.
"Grand Funk Live Album" track listing.
1.) Introduction - 2:30
2.) Are You Ready (Mark Farner) - 3:34
3.) Paranoid (Mark Farner) - 6:20
4.) In Need (Mark Farner) - 9:50
5.) Heartbreaker (Mark Farner) - 6:58
6.) Inside Looking Out (Jackie Lomax - A. Lomax - Eric Burdon - B. Chandler) - 12:22
7.) Words of Wisdom - 0:59
8.) Mean Mistreater (Mark Farner) - 4:40
9.) Mark Says Alright (Mark Farner - Don Brewer - Mel Schacher) - 5:10
10.) T.N.C.U. (Mark Farner) - 11:45
11.) Into the Sun (Mark Farner) - 12:10
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