Drummer reacts to "Heartbreaker" (Live) by Grand Funk Railroad 

Grand Funk was big when I was in high school. I bought their albums and wore them out. I read somewhere that Farner's mom was a good singer so we know where he got his voice from, while his father played guitar and sax, so we know where he got his instrumental chops from. He's still going strong at 75.

Grand Funk should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, what a shame.

My favourite is I'm Your Captain. It's about a captain of a ship who on a sea voyage had to face a mutiny from his crew. The violins at the end of the song are beautiful and just gives you the feeling of the ship drifting on the sea.

Two songs "We're An American Band" and "I'm Your Captain!!!"🎶🎸🥁✌🏻❤️🌎🇺🇸

I remember well my GFR concert 1971, have their 70s LPs, GF "live album" is one of the best of the 70s ! very sad how the band ended, without Mark no Grand Funk for me 🎸

Grand Funk and Black Sabbath both have great drummers and bassist . Rock on dude !!!

In the eraly 70s, when you were playing to a 15000 seat arena; long before big screen video; outlandish costumes, and overdramatic antics were almost a necessity. That's one reason the Who and Tull were so fuckin good live. Playing for us kids on the back row

It's hard to convey to those that weren't around back then, but GFR was a HUGE act. Selling out stadiums in record time. I saw them in ;69. '70 and '72. It was as good as live rock and roll gets. Farner was one of the very best frontmen in rock with a stage presence full of energy. He was skipping across the entire stage in three down chords, climbing the amps and running all over the place. Don Brewer played with Bob Seger for a while in the '80's. Their story is full of drama with betrayal and back stabbing galore. It was a sad end to an incandescent rock band.

Heartbreaker was the first song Mark wrote, he was 16. While he was in The Bossmen with Dick Wagner.

A LOT of artists have a song titled "Heartbreaker". Led Zeppelin's is the first to come to mind when I hear it, but Pat Benatar had a big hit with that title too among others. GFR's heartbreaker may be the most unique of them all.

Check out the "Grand Funk Live Album (1970)". Original recording left completely untouched...3 people live on stage... nothing added or taken away.

Mark Farner was the ultimate frontman, Don Brewer was a superb drummer/vocalist who doesn't get the recognition he should. His kit was tiny by today's standards, but I'd put him up against just about anyone for style, timing and precision. His fills are perfect. Mel Schacher was a beast on bass, it's too bad this video doesn't show the thunder he was capable of. This was the first song my very first band learned to play all the way through when we were in 9th grade, and it was the first song we ever played live in front of people. The bass player and drummer sang, because I can't play guitar and sing at the same time. Never have mastered that trick and at age 68 I never will. But girls loved this song for some reason. Other songs I remember we played back then were 18 by Alice Cooper and Paranoid by Sabbath. Fairly simple stuff for young bands just starting out.

(Feb. 22): Well at least from the thumbnail it appears you got the right video, from the 1974 LA concert, and not the 1969 video. I hope you like it as much as "Inside Looking Out" from the same concert.

"Shinin' On" from this same show is awesome...

Mu Mu ??? Man those are the Mambo sleeves of yo dreams !!

Do Foot Stompin’ Music . Guaranteed you’ll love it👍🏻🎸🎼

Here’s a Tid bit you probably don’t know. In the Early 70’s they sold out Shea Stadium faster than the Beatles😁👍🏻 They are awesome and you should pick up their Greatest hits CD there’s about 20 songs👍🏻

I remember back in the 70's there was a controversy about Farner not playing a "quality" guitar (Fender, Gibson etc.). He basically told the haters that he if he could get a good sound out of what he was playing with then it wasn't the brand of guitar that mattered but the the guitarist.🤔

Wow. Far better musicians than I ever knew they were. That was awesome.

This was quite a Band. Mark Farner was the frontman, lead guitarist and vocals for this three man Band. Early to mid 70s was their prime time. "I'm your Captain/"Closer to Home," (Really one song) "Some Kind of Wonderful," (so funky). They were an excellent Band in concert Live.

Hey Lee! My brother in law passed away yesterday. He was a good buddy. I dedicate this GFR jam to Johnny. They are such a good band LIVE❗️🙏🕊🕊🕊😎

For the most part, a basic 3 man power trio. They were great live. My first concert.

That's what you call STAGE PRESENCE, and how it's done, i wouldn't want to follow them on stage.

My first concert Grand Funk Railroad seen them with Humble Pie

GRAND FUNK, they were first in line to defend America from the British Invasion, by being out there rockin it HARD...!

There was a short time when this band kicked ass 69-71

I saw GFR at The Upstairs Ballroom in Lima Ohio Jan. 24 1970. It was freezing outside, but inside even the walls were dripping sweat. Amazing show opened by local favorites Ohio Power. Old as I am, this concert remains sharp as crystal in my memory.

Great reaction !! In their day, they ROCKED !! GFR Always gave it 110% and Left their hearts on the stage. They closed each show with this song. They had a RABID Fan base (mostly "Chicks"). When they opened a show for someone, they always "Up-Staged" the main act, even Led Zep (Half the crowd left when Led Zep came on.)!! Led Zep never let them open for them ever again !! When they opened for Rod Stewart and the Faces, the crowd Boo'ed Rod Stewart off the stage !! When promoters finally realized just how popular they were, GFR became the "Main Act". GFR became known as the originators of "Stadium Rock". They filled stadiums across the USA and Europe and sold out Shea Stadium in New York, in 72-hours !! The Beatles took 3-weeks to sell-out Shea !! I saw them twice in 1971 and they were AWESOME !! That year, at Pirates World in Dania, Fl. the Promoters sold 15,000 tickets for a outdoor venue, that only held 10,000 and the people who couldn't get in rioted and over-turned 3 City of Miami police cars !! If their manager (a friend) hadn't taken every penny and all their rights, even the guitars and Amps !! He left them NOTHING, or they would have been the biggest Band EVER !! Their leader and front man Mark Farner is still rock'in today, after decades of legal battles to finally, get the "rights" back enough to play GFR songs again !! GFR is the best thing to ever come out of Flint, Michigan (except maybe the GM Buick). There is NO GFR without Mark Farner !! WAKE UP R&R Hall of Fame !! It is criminal GFR is not in the HOF !!

Performers wore wild shit, we did not. It separated them from the levi crowd.

I just imagine all the ladies they could get. Like being a rock god.

In truth, there's not much wring with the quality. That's just what 1974 inside a concert arena looked like. There were no prohibitions on smoking anything, and everyone was passing around whatever they brought to the show.

This band played 3 days at the 1969 Dallas International Motor Speedway Rock Festival FOR NO PAY. Yep they did it for free & they blew everyone the frick away!

I'm old but I was young when this band was doing it's thing! Love 'em! Seen them live also thankfully. Thanks for the reaction.

I saw Grand Funk Railroad in concert in 1970 in Kansas City. Great show.

you need to give Grand Funk Railroad Black Licorice Live a listen you will Love it Brother

he is still singing today💚🎸

Inside looking out-Sins a good mans brother-Foot stomping music

Im Your Captain/Closer to Home is a classic GFR song. The studio version was, of course, the introduction to this one for most of us. But there's a good live version (I think from Shea Stadium concert) as well, and I always enjoynseeing them do their thing!

Grand Funk is still touring. I saw them 2-3 years ago and they were just as tight as ever

My second concert with Humble Pie (Steve Marriott/ Peter Frampton) opening in October 1970. Mark’s wah seemed to leap off stage into ears. Saw again 2 years later. Mark stabbed in back by manager, then bandmates. Sad treatment. Frank Zappa produced their last album.

Good live version. I've yet to find the live video version of HB from same concert you saw inside looking out. As a kid, I had that live LP and heart breaker was as brash and in your face as Inside LO. That show just had a little something xtra. Plus, it had a that pawn shop guitar that sounded so good. Mark said it was something he grabbed and what a beast it was. I think I read that later (74) they got real music mangers and had more money and were told to up their game visually. Notice Mark has a new guitar for this gig. Amazing to hear later hit songs like Locomotion and think this is the same band. Hit Were an American Band rocked.

would someone lift the shroud off this band, and give them the respect they deserve? Decades ago they were shrouded by DJ’s (goin way back)……..they were a threat….and were blackballed. I wish they would be nominated for the R&R hall of fame…..just so they could say “go F youselves and your pretentious clique !!!!!!” “Wipe your ass with the hall of SHAME”!!!

Check out Footstompin Music from this same concert.

MAN!!!! I LOVED THIS when I was 13 and into GFR, then I discovered URIAH HEEP and CAPTAIN BEYOND & then YES , and never looked back thereafter! - all within a year!

For me Grand Funk its best American rock bend all time 😈🤘🎸

More Grand Funk

Bands like Foghat could boogie, Sadly Led Zeppelin never could... Grand Funk could and did ....one of the best concerts ever.

The lawsuit by their ex-manager, Terry Knight, really derailed the band when they were at their peak in early '72. The amount of damages he was claiming amounted to $57Million. When they were going to play a charity gig at Madison Square Gardens on Dec 23rd 1972 Knight turned up with a sheriff and a court order to seize the band's equipment for the value of what they owed him. A compromise had to be made so that they could play the show (which was filmed) and confiscate the gear afterwards. Terry Knight also managed another excellent band that you should check out - BLOODROCK.

Yes, another great tune from GFR! For another, try Sins A Good Man's Brother, a banger that does not get heard enough by modern listeners. Great tune dude, Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶

Into the Sun!

Such a bad ass fucking song.

GREAT GREAT REACTIONS, MY SECOND ALBUM WAS GF LIVE… IT SOUNDS LIKE A CAMP FIRE NOW… LOL A COUPLE OF FAVOURITES ARE FOOTSTOMPIN’ MUSIC, MEAN MISTREATER, T.N.U.C., BLACK LIQUORICE, IM YOUR CAPTAIN ROCK ON 👊🖖

great reaction, you need to react to t.n.u.c from the same concert, you will enjoy it for sure.

Can't wait...!!!

Great band!

Gotta listen to black licorice live,you'll love the bass

Try 'Inside looking out'. That's my favorite.

INTO THE SUN live 1970🔥🔥🔥

I really love Mean Mistreater a lot, even though it's one of their more chill songs, to a degree. I had a gorgeous experience listening to it while tripping when I was about 15 or so! Back when you could still actually get the original chemicals for LSD. Basically, before it became JUNK!! Not promoting, but definitely glorifying. I don't have to currently use drugs to say they were delicious!! It was the after effects, the devastation that comes when they start to work against you that sucks, and make using a bad gig, altogether!! So, just say no, lol.

Black licorice caught in the act live

As a drummer check out Vanilla Fudge's You Keep Me Hangin' On. Think you'll enjoy him.

back in 1980, this was my gf favorite Grand Funk song.

Mel is a great bass guitar player so as Craig Frost playing the keyboards

So, you like the drums. check out the drum solo at this concert called " T.N.U.C. " Pure Power !

Unfortunately by this time, Mel had changed his bass sound and it was a bit less thick and forward in the mix. He originally had been using a fender bass with a Gibson mud bucker pickup added and a West amp, both which had went away from by this time. My favorite version of this is in their 1970 live album.

T.N.U.C if you like a 6 minute drum solo by Don Brewer ( he actually uses his head) or for straight rock banger Black Licorice

3 guys 2 toms a bass 4 cymbals a bass a guitar and vocals who else could do that mark don an mel

Shinning On and/or Footstompin Music are also great

Mark had to be the most musically inclined person in the business. They turned the bass down during the solo so they could turn it up when they all came back in, tech was different back then, there was no such thing as a bass amp, it was just guitar amp w lot of watts and big speakers, not like today

Don Brewer does a nice drum solo in TNUC. Check it out

So, you’re from MD? I’ve been living out in Harford County for the past 18 years, small world. Great song, great band! Next, check out Footstompin’ Music! ✌️

You have the gall to criticize what we wore with what everybody today having a whole bodies full of tattoos and piercings mutilating their bodies showing how much self-respect they have for themselves!

great group brewer was the best power drummer

I see that Molly Hatchet behind you. 🤘

These guys scared the crap out of Peter green and that’s saying something!

@L33Reacts GFR I believe is still playing but Farner was invited to leave the band years ago. He's doing Christian music these days. In one of their albums I bought was a poster which was a collage of pictures plus snippets of reviews of the band. It was hilarious because all of the reviews were negative

Thinking of rocking a fro Lee? You could pull off any do.

React to do The Locomotion and inside looking out by Grand Funk Railroad the best band by far that isn't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and no one knows why

listen to little johnny hooker great drum chops

Will listening to classic rock drummers change your drumming style in any way?

Why do young people care so much on how a man looks whike he's in the process of being great ?

Grand Funk was at their best with their early albums, then they became too popish

I seen them in 1970, then in 1971, and again in 1974....The 1971 show had a very cool band called BLOODROCK that opened up! BLOODROCK had such a unique sound. They had a really good live album also! BloodRock Live - 1972