When Mark and the boys took the stage,you had to be there to appreciate the energy and the vibe.They were down to earth,raw and thee band to see at the time! Especially if you were 13. I also loved Zep.Any music lover can appreciate both bands..
Zeppelin only did 1 show with The Who at Merriweather post pavilion in Maryland in 69 or 70. They never liked playing with real competition from other bands. Grant protected them well.
Grand Funk are one of the greatest rock bands. For just three guys Mark, Mel and Don they were a powerhouse. Zepoelin knew it that's why Peter Grant pulled the plug on them.
Mark has been one of my neighbors for over 30 years. He is a genuinely down to earth family man. He and his family are much loved members of our community.
I was always a huge Zeppelin fan but I've always thought this story was hilarious 😆 Grand Funk was bringing the house down and Peter Grant couldn't handle it. Plain and simple!! I can't believe some of the stories I've read here making excuses for why this happened and the only REAL reason it happened is GF was blowing them away....... The end
You're trippin, GFR went over their allotted time & were cutting into Zep's time. GFR didn't equal a sweaty hair on Zep's a$$ & the only way they could blow them away is with their mouths.
@@SmokeyTreats dude ? Led Zeppelin changed my world okay, Jimmy Page was the first guitar hero I had and the reason I play guitar still today some 45 years later and I'm in no way dissing or disrespecting the mighty Zeppelin so relax. Grand Funk was a high energy band that ALWAYS won their crowd ALWAYS. They were playing on their home turf and owned that crowd. Peter Grant was highly protective of the boys and was probably honestly more than half the reason they had the success they had. They had NOTHING to think or worry about other than writing recording touring and the families they had to leave behind doing so. If Peter Grant could have been everyone's manager everyone would have enjoyed the success Zeppelin did. But, I've heard this story for years now okay and "IF" you listened to what Mark was saying, this happened after the SECOND song they did that night, The SECOND SONG!!!! HELLO? Two songs isn't "going over the allotted time" and this is the only time I've ever even heard "THAT EXCUSE" So, You think or believe whatever it is that you choose to think or believe, it doesn't change the truth!
@@aschule5684 I rewatched it & didn't hear him say after the second song. Time stamp it for me please. I had only heard the allotted time reason from a previous post, nor have I been following the story for years like you have. Also, have you been to their show? Was it normal for them to do ILO after only 2 songs? I would think they'd save it for last like The Who did with WGFA.
@@SmokeyTreats no worries friend it's not worth getting upset about it doesn't really matter I guess, I liked and have respect for both bands and although Zeppelin more so they both have played a part in my life and it was just an interesting story "cheers ' 👍
Well I sure enjoyed GFR and your music was approachable enough that we covered a half dozen or more of those early songs. Thanks for the great interview.
Yup. I was at that show too. original line-up Allman Brothers band was 3rd on the bill. Great local band called Crank was 4th on the bill, played in the afternoon. GFR blew the place apart. summer 1971.
I was at a similar show. Edgar Winter opening for Alice Cooper. The crowd reaction to EW first four tunes played back-to-back was explosive, the greatest roar I had ever heard from a crowd notorious for their 'ok impress me' attitude to rock bands. AC was always a great show but EW rocked your a$$ off.
Oh yeah I can see that I mean with the great Bobby Caldwell on drums Rick Derringer on lead guitar and the song Frankenstein which we wore out back in the day yes I can definitely see that😊
Agreed. Led Zeppelin is one of my favorite bands. And by that I mean what they did in the studio. Live, not so much. Between 1970 and 1977, I saw them about 2 dozen times. Everywhere from Europe to the states. Including that fiasco in Oakland in 1977. Lots of overdubs in the studio. Signature bass and keyboard parts, multiple guitar tracks, Robert Plant hitting high notes in every song… very easy when you take a month to record an album. But out on tour, Plant couldn’t sing night after night and hit those high notes. Without the help of hired guns on stage, their sound could not be properly duplicated live. Still, I attended all those shows. Like I said, love Led Zeppelin. Glad I got to see them through the years. Grand Funk was excellent live. Peter Grant was a punk. Stopping their set and firing them from that tour was like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum and sweeping all the pieces off of the chess board because he was losing the game.
We actually called them the American Black Sabbath back then.. even Ozzy Osbourne said in an interview in the early seventies I guess we're kind of like Grand Funk and that was in Circus magazine I believe 1972... remember Grand Funk had a song Paranoid also😮
Oh I don't know what about Keith Emerson wrestling with his keyboards using daggers Moog synthesizers.... but I hear you I've seen them in the early days and Mark Farner was a wild man technically not the greatest guitarists but he got the house rocking down😮
Mark Farner's a liar! Read the book "when giants walked the earth" and you'll get the real story! Peter Grant didn't pull the plug. There was a curfew and LZ had to be offstage by a ridiculous early time. They wanted their fans to get the whole show and GFR was playing long for their set. Look it up!
What's funny is nobody from Zeppelin or the music fans in general are talking about grand funk some 50 years later, except little mark farner .....still b__tthurt a century later.😂
I’ve been a professional musician since 78 and I’ve encountered a lot of fragile egos along the way, even at local open mic nights. This story reminds me of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler attempting to pull the plug on Kansas only to have bass player Dave Hope get straight in his face and threaten him bodily 😂
To young to know, but could be accurate, Funk was huge, manager was scum, so they did not make big $$$ like zep, but I have heard that folks were a bit confused by zep at the start, Like a lot of the best bands, at first, people are like, WTF, But nobody could compete with zep once they got rolling.
Dick Webster did UpBeat .. I was there in Cleveland standing right in front you in 70… I was 15 years old.. I came to see GFR… don’t even remember Zep.. it snowed hard outside and we had a hard drive home to Akron.. white knuckled..also saw you guys in Canton late 69 at Canton Memorial Auditorium.. you were just getting it together.. then I saw your first reunion tour.. 96(?).. Cleveland again.. I loved you guys and still do Mark..wish Don and Mel would see it the way I do.. it’s about us and it’s about the music and it’s about time before one of you goes for good.. you three are the only three on the planet that can sound like that.. still out of breath from the three live performances I’ve witnessed.. I’m 67 now so come and finish me off guys!!!
I just figured out that I actually saw GFR the month after in November at Public Hall Cleveland and Grand Funk was the headliner with Glass Harp of Phil Keagy fame was warm up band.. that was the night it snowed so hard.. my mistake..
That's a great story! A similar thing happened to Augie Garcia the Mexican American rock legend from St. Paul, Minnesota in the 1950's. Augie was the warm up for an Elvis concert in St. Paul. He wore his trademark Bermuda shorts and had the audience going wild when Elvis's manager cut him off for getting the crowd too focused on Augie. I too would have walked out of the Zeppelin concert if they had done that to Grand Funk. The "American Band" was always incredible!
I had to Google Augie Garcia because I had never heard of him,but I have heard his songs on oldies stations. They just never mentioned his name, or I missed it somehow. Seems like he was just as obscure as a lot of the early rock pioneers like Lonnie Mack after the British invasion.
Augie was an early star with Mexican American heritage. The rock and roll scene in the Mpls./St. Paul area in the 1960's, '70's and beyond has always had a very talented Mexican Heritage musicians. I played bass in a band with guys, (keyboard and guitarist), from Tijuana in the 1970's. The first Mexican inhabitant of St. Paul was a symphony orchestra muscian with a Mexican orchestra. He was hospitalized for an illness after performing here ages ago. The orchestra moved on but he set down roots here and stayed when he recuperated! Prince had Native American heritage too.@@truthseeker2321
GFR was my very first Rock concert I went to. I was about 13yo, 1971 I believe, and it was Cleveland Public Hall as mark mentioned, but a different time because I think GFR was the headliner. They had us all on top of the chairs ROCKIN'!!!! Best show EVER! I eventually saw Led Zeppelin years later at Richfield Coliseum near Akron.....Good Times!
Look, I'm a musician of 43 years fulltime, GFR was badass, but don't try to compare them to Zepplin. Sure they kicked ass that night but half the people did not leave when they stopped. Musicians have huge egos, they need them, but sometimes their ego gets the best of them lol I'm not taking anything away from GFR but If you've never seen Zepplin Live, and I'm not a big rock fan, you haven't seen something more powerful than this band. Its not even close for the rest. I've seen some phenomenal shows, Bee Be and Cee Cee Winans in New Orleans, Van Morrison in Houston Wavelength CD, Stevie Ray Vaughn's 1st New Orleans Jazz Fest appearance on the Riverboat. I could go on and on, If you don't know then you don't know.
This promoters need to know respect for legend MR, Mark Farmer one of the greats rock and roll musician, the Great Grand funk, I still washing the Japan concert over and over is amassing the energy Mr, Mark has the sound is good un forgettable performance in Japan Grand Funk.
Same thing happened to Black Sabbath when Van Halen opened for them, got blown away, the crowd still yelling out for Van Halen while Sabbath are playing.
Led Zeppelin, the OCCULT band. It was the 70s and even as naive as we were back then, we were hearing that and about the ties to Allister Crowley. I did lead vocals in a band called Cliques and we covered Zeppelin songs but it was just good, solid rock. We did Foreigner covers to and grand funk. Man what music we had back then.
Might have been a douche, but he was THEIR douche, and looked out for their interest like a fierce mama bear. That’s the kind of manager you wanted in such a cutthroat business…. Not Mr Nice Guy. He could be a real shit, but he LOVED his band.
Peter Grant was successful because he was tough...and listen closely Helen, I know your hearing is bad...and because he was honest. He'd make million dollar deals with just a handshake. No one does that with you unless you've got an iron clad rep for being a stand up guy. He pulled plug because Funk ran overtime, and city had strict curfew. @@helenespaulding7562
There’s no problem if GFR blew the greatest band off the stage one time with a local crowd, I got nothing against railroad they probably did have the fans wound up It’s like my high school mile one time I did a 4:51 one time I always mention it if the subject comes up . Zeppelin blew a lot of bands off stage not one . 56 plus thousand in Atlanta Ga 1973 , not railroad . I’m your captain yeah yeah yeah yeah , I always liked it .
Yeah huge difference between a party band that knows nothing other than simple 4/4 timing while punk slamming decibels with no sense of dynamics or musical structure versus a musician's band that can play several hours of music in every genre known to man and sell out record stadium seats, which still hold attendance records to this day.
@@DG-sf9ei 😆 Why so defensive! It was Zeppelin First Tour! Know 1 in 🇺🇸 had even heard of them yet! Yes! Zeppelin is the Better band in the long run. Just not on those days in 1969. CK out Grand Funk Live! You'll understand why Peter Grant cancelled Them from being the opening Act! They Kick some ass back in the Day! All the Best! Hoy
Zep's first tour of America was actually December '68/January' 69. They took America by storm. Famously at the Filmore and Tea Party etc. Word of mouth got around and their debut album smashed the top ten, despite no singles.
You pretty much said what I was going to. Zepp is my favorite band from '70s. But I will defend Farner here (even tho he skews* the real story). Zepp played many blues songs in early days. Kids don't want that. Like me, they want your "4/4 slamming". Which is why AC/CD had rep for blowing bands off the stage. Same with Metallica blowing away melodic metal bands in early career. Zepp' song list for this tour had two long slow blues tunes. Dazed, which is also slow in parts. And a long acoustic set by Page. Motor city ain't got time for dat! I'm all into Zepp's dynamics. But if I'm a teenager in '69, I'd rather hear Grand Funk's non stop attack. That's just me. I like to be pummeled. Grand Funk were tight dude. Had dynamics too. Go watch the Shea Stadium show. You don't sell out Shea with minimal radio play unless you're an amazing live band. *Grant pulled the plug because Funk was running over allotted time. City had strict curfew. Zepp would have had to cut their performance short. Anyone who buys the thing about Zepp pulling the plug cuz jealousy has serious critical thinking deficit. Even a child would know that story doesn't cut the mustard, on like 4 different levels. @@DG-sf9ei
Not even the mighty Led Zeppelin could follow Grand Funk Railroad in their heyday, and by the time that show was hooked up in the Midwest Grand Funk was just too popular. I mean they were the first people to ever sell out Shea stadium other than the Beatles that’s how popular they had become, and he talks about a high energy concert. They were definitely a high energy concert at home, but yeah there there is such a thing as just 22 powerful a lineup and it in all in a two to band Show, and that the first band can wipe you out but I’ll tell you I don’t. I don’t know if I agree with them and when he said that the place emptied out that I don’t know about that and I’ll I mean I’m not gonna leave a concert I want to just watch Grand Funk Railroad and I know Led Zeppelin‘s coming up and I’m not leaving. Are you kidding me? I don’t care how good they were. I’m not I’m not walking away so I don’t know if I believe that.
"the first people to ever sell out Shea stadium" except for the Beatles not sure if you know how counting works but that would make them the second🙄🤦♂️
Yes he was. Former wrestler. And a fierce protector of his bands best interests. Relied mostly on verbal intimidation but could do the physical as well. Not Mr Nice Guy, but his devotion to the band left the band free to concentrate strictly on music. They didn’t have to worry about anything else. Grant made sure of that. It was the Wild West back then and someone like Grant was who you wanted in your corner.
Nonsense. Zeppelin had more energy, power, and musicianship than GFR. Not even in the same league. The story glosses over the fact of how late it was in the evening and Zeppelin needed to take the stage. Remember, there still needed to be an equipment change.
Man I was a kid , when American Band song was introduced on the air waves , that was what we wanted early 70s . Listen to that song over and over when Dad took us to Okinawa. The Okinawans hated that song we didn't care , Vietnam was on and we watch the F4 s and other equipment leave Kadena AFB to fight over Vietnam , that song rallied all the Mama's who could dance and the Daddy's that rock n roll , We were all part of The American Band in song and spirit .😅
Let me offer a counterpoint I saw GFR @ the Atlanta Pop Festival; according to Knight, speaking from the stage, the band & he had driven all night to get there, hoping for their first big gig, their first real exposure as a band. They went on early, either before or after Ten Wheel Drive w/ vocalist Genya Ravan. As a member of the audience, & no music snob, I thought they were terrible - sound & fury, but dismal, no energy. Compared to Ten Wheel Drive - unknown then AND now - the crowd was uninterested. Back in the city, I bought TWD’s first album. When GFRs 1st came out not long after, it reminded me of everything I didn’t like about their show: turgid, too loud, too long. Fast forward to 12/69: GFR headlining, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac was the opening act (yes, their legendary ‘69 tour). We came for Fleetwood Mac, who were brilliant; in the loo between sets, I heard a guy talking. Said he’d come for Grand Funk, never heard of these other guys, but his party was leaving: they’d decided nothing could top that opening set (agreed, one of *THE*BEST*SHOWS* ever) As we left the building, GFR cranked up: a crashing indistinguishable noise. We couldn’t tell *what* they were playing until we got in the car 2 blocks away. The vehicle deadened the sound enough that I could identify it. (It wasn’t Heartbreaker, it was the other one) I respect all musicians, actors, creatives; it takes guts, vision, and a hell of a lot of work to even go nowhere. I mean no disrespect to Farner, Knight, or any other person or event connected to the band or its members: this an accurate report my experiences, nothing more At the same time, in the case of LZ, this wasn’t a ‘battle of the bands’: not every opener is THE RIGHT opener for a show. No idea what Grant’s calculus’s might’ve been…but the bands were incredibly different in every way - & knowing both bands, it sounds like as much of a complete mismatch as the FM/GFR pairing - the two audiences for the two bands could not have been more different from each other, the two bands could not have been more different from each other Not the first story I’ve heard about trouble between openers & headliners, BTW. It happens
it happened a lot in those days. your story reminds me of a show I went to around the same time - maybe 1970. the lineup was supposed to be: Savoy Brown Blues Band / Fleetwood Mac / Rod Stewart & Faces. I was psyched for that show. turned out neither Savoy Brown nor Faces showed up. And "Fleetwood Mac" turned out to be the counterfeit "Fleetwood Mac" that their manager had sent out on the road after both Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer had quit the band, and he and the band were having "disagreements." needless to say, it was a MOST disappointing evening. but not uncommon back in those days.
Grand Funk had energy in their songs and their live performances were amazing, Zeppelin was more of a psychedelic mind bending, two totally different styles.
Knowing these two bands as well as anybody, I couldn't imagine it going down any other way... in Detroit? shoot no... they transcended the thing and blew themselves off the stage that night they were so bad... in the good sense of the word... and I bet they meant to serve 'em up too... good job to the boys in the band
Zep's first 5 albums were 5 of the best Rock albums ever made. But they were never the Live Rock and Roll band that Grand Funk was. While Zep kept their bass in the background, Mel Schacher brought the thunder for Grand Funk. While Plant never tried to hit the same high notes on tour that he sang on records, Mark and Don sang the songs exactly as they recorded them.
Zep never tried to recreate their music live like it was recorded or like you'd expect to hear it and it really bothered me. (You know the way class acts like RUSH did) They re wrote their music on stage every night. Most people praise them for being that way, not me. I thought it sucked! Their albums were all masterpieces and they would never recreate any of the music the way most people would want to hear it or (just me I guess) ? Robert was too busy flipping his hair and shaking his ass around showing everyone his bulge and Jimmy was always too whacked out on heroin and they just did whatever they felt like doing and didn't care. They were Led Zeppelin and could do whatever they felt like doing and did just that. I've been a fan since 1971 and I never saw them live but I've seen enough live footage not to be sorry I didn't.
@@aschule5684 Page was great at layering guitar parts in the studio. On stage he just had to play a little of this and little of that. Plant had to save his voice. No way could he hit those studio high notes for two hours, 3 times a week for 4 months. About the only time that a live performance was better than the studio was Achilles Last Stand at Knebworth. That was classic.
@@bobturnley2787 you're a good guy. Much more understanding and positive about it all than I. I get and understand what you're saying but even taking into consideration what you said they still seemed careless about just many little subtle things that seemed to make any given song what it was. I'm going to use the solo in stairway for an example. There isn't a more fitting or perfect solo for a song than that. Jimmy never once in his career played that solo the way it was recorded again not once. Was it too hard? I don't think so. I play guitar and have played that solo for years. The closest he ever came was the O2 show in '07, he actually started playing it and I almost fell over in disbelief then he did it again he just went off into improvising. I don't know I just wasn't able to be as understanding as you I guess. No offense my friend but I've seen that version of Achilles and I can't agree with that being better than the studio version. Nothing they did live came close to the studio albums but that's just my personal opinion. Cheers, thanks for your reply ☮️
@@aschule5684 I think Plant had had enough of Page and was intent on going solo in 1981 no matter what happened to Bonham. Page's drug problems had to have had an effect on the way the rest of the band approached playing their shows. Great while it lasted but 10 years is all anyone can expect from a band.
No go watch and listen to Zeppelin in their prime on stage. Danmark TV 1969, Royal Albert Hall 1970, even much of TSRTS plus BBC Sessions and How The West Was Won. Incredible stuff.
I wonder how many people commenting here on Zeppelin ever saw them live. I saw them three times - they were not a great live band. Page was great in the studio, but other bands of that era that absolutely blew them off the stage included GFR, Humble Pie and the Who. Anyone who was going to "hard rock" concerts in the early 70s knew. Listen to the live albums (Rockin' the Fillmore by Humbe Pie, Live at Leeds by the Who)... Led Zeppelin wasn't in their class as a live stage band (no one arguing Zeppelins studio LPs).
@@brithaddenhadden8383 Ever see them live? I'm not arguing about Led Zeppelin being a huge successful band. But they were not great live. "Classic" rock radio has centered around a few groups: Pink Floyd; AC/DC; Led Zeppelin; Lynyrd Skynyrd; the Who etc... That is all most people know - and they're great bands. But, people who were there know that groups like the Pie, Thin Lizzy, Robin Trower, Foghat, Grand Funk, Nugent, Montrose, etc etc could rock the house down and often were better live bands.
@@helenespaulding7562 I seen them live probably when you were still crapping your diapers hahaha I mean how is 1971 for you were you even around back then. They were okay but there's a hell of a lot of bands better than them... they're highly overrated
The same thing happened down here in Texas when ZZ top.opened for the rolling stones ZZ top was tearing it up and I remember thinking how the stones were going to follow that up but once they got going they didn't have any problems
Grant never screwed over anyone. Big rep for honesty. City had strict curfew and Grand Funk would not stop rocking. Understandably. Grand Funk on hometown adrenaline is a scary thing. So Grant had to cut the sound. Otherwise Zepp has to cut their set short because curfew. In a more reasonable world Zepp should have appreciated this way beforehand. And offered to shorten their own show (cut out some of the slow blooze numbers please, thanks.) so the local band could have the time of their life playing for the home crowd. Farner's a great dude after all. It's Ok. The Funk sold out Shea Stadium a few years later. I can hear Grant catching wind of that. "Fookin 'ell. How'd they do THAT?" @@TheMightySynchromess
Zep loved to speak of the beginning times when they were the supporting band and how the headliners hated going on after them, but I dont recall them ever saying they were forced off the stage, or had the power pulled, and I'm sure they would have if it had ever happened. Obviously, being gracious wasn't on the calendar for that tour. Even a band as great as they were was capable of petty acts of jealousy. I will say, it may have been because that was the beginning of their rise and they were a little more insecure than they were later on. Or not.
Michael McDonald version of the Doobies did the same thing to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at Indy"s Market Square Arena in the early 80"s. My guess it was Michael's doing. Tried to blame it on technical difficulties. Hogwash. Nothing wrong with the sound. Just the Dirt Band tearing it up and crowd loving it.
Great story. L@@ks like Grant is living up to his reputation with this one. Why not just let them finish and THEN deal with whatever problem there is/was? Why pizz off the crowd with the old vaudeville style hook method worthy of the gong show? A perfect dust up for the press? Grant was nobody's fool and not your friend.
I'm late again but that seems to be the Norm for me. I did not like either band when I first heard them but they grew one and now I have a great collection of them both. It's my opinion their styles are diferent enough it isn't fair to compare them, but that's my humble opinion. I love them both for different reasons..
Peter Grant is known for his intimidating/bullying style. Not a nice man but Led Zep believed in his approach and so did Steve Winwood. Yes, your heard that right. Possibly he was Winwood's manager first. l don't think this was a lone incident in the 'main act being intimidated/upstaged by the opening act'. Farner and company came from Flint l think, and l'm going to say DE-troit from now on!
there were a lot of not well thought out pairings of bands for shows back in those days. in '70 or '71 (not sure) I saw Traffic (w/Winwood of course). they were EXCELLENT. But the opening band was Cactus, and they just absolutely blew the roof off the place. It was really difficult to fully appreciate Traffic right after seeing and hearing Cactus live for the first time. their set just peeled the paint off the walls in that place.
@@anthonypanneton923 Mike Jeffery [sp?] managed both the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Monkees. He thought it would be a great idea to have the first group open for the second. Turns out it wasn't!
I can't believe this interview after all of these years. I was at the Cleveland concert. About halfway back on the left balcony. It was my first big time concert. After the show it felt like GF was the main act and Led should have been the warm up band. It was confusing to me. Led was still great but GF really blew the doors off the place. I didn't know about what happened at the next concert. Chump managers.
Always thought it funny that zep’s ego was so weak that they just played the complete Hotel California recording as the opening act at the Kingdome show… funny, after seeing them multiple times, felt that listening to the Eagles that night was a far more enjoyable experience
GFR in their hometown...home region 2 shows in a row. What did Peter Grant think was going to happen? Arrogance is the only answer. I don't think Led Zeppelin would ever mail it in, but what else can be Peter Grant's mindset prior to the show? "Well, all they have to do is walk on stage tonight....just show up and the job is done..." You always read about, hear in interviews that quote unquote "rock bands" had rivalries back in the golden age....Be Ian Faith....."You're Led Zeppelin...go be Led Zeppelin..." and you have a full show....nope, uh oh, Grand Funk is mopping the floor with us....gotta put a stop to this..." At least that is how I picture it 10 years before I was born...
If it happened the way Farner says, and you uncritically take as fact, the country boys in Grand Funk would have beat the crap out of every band member in Zeppelin. Both contratually and practically you just can't order a band off stage unless you've got good reason. Reason being the city had a strict curfew. Funk wouldn't stop playing. Running over their alloted time. If Grant hadn't interceded Zepp would have to cut their show short due to curfew. Grant had a reputation for being honest and a man of his word. In Grant's last few years with Zeppelin, '78, 79,80, his drug habit impinged upon his character, and he would strong arm people. But not prior to that.
Peter Grant didn't want any competition for his band. He was selling his label and he wanted to murder any competition and anything that destroyed / diminished any money flow to the band. Remember Grand Funk Railroad had 10 straight platinum albums in succession. Don't know if that record has been beat by others.
@@anti7928 "The Eagles" Bad Company" "Fleetwood Mac" "Rush" "Cheap Trick" "Peter Frampton" "Tom Petty" "AC/DC" "Deep Purple" "Judas Priest" "Metallica and I totally agree "Black Sabbath" were all amazing live bands, and IMO were better than GFR. I love GFR though, but their not any better live than the ones listed above, nor are they as good as what "Pink Floyd" was either.
Yeah definitely Grand Funk Railroad were huge back then and if you've ever seen them live in the early seventies they rocked the house down much better than Led Zeppelin. I've seen both bands back in the day so I speak from experience😮
These guys were obviously trying to be cute and play over their allotted time... Peter Grant didn't take no shit. This dude is trying to rewrite history.
@@markandrews1955 you get no argument here my brother and I have been saying that for years about those guys especially since the two of us grew up on Grand Funk in 1970
Peter Grant was definitely a ruthless businessman, but… when your opening act is absolutely thrashing the main event… I can see this short term solution as a damage control measure for crafting the narrative. It’s probably what Black Sabbath should’ve done when Van Halen was opening for them (although Sabbath was on a decline at the time).
I went to see Aerosmith open for Three Dog Night, must've been about '73, and Aerosmith's sound was so off it was painful to listen to. I once briefly met Steven Tyler decades later and he said that was a common thing for the headliner to do to the opening act.
Bod Dylan did. There’s a funny story about Grant feeling he had to approach Dylan and tell him he was the manager of the biggest rock band in the world. Dylan’s response was “My names Bod Dylan and yet do you hear me whining on about my problems”
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
When Mark and the boys took the stage,you had to be there to appreciate the energy and the vibe.They were down to earth,raw and thee band to see at the time! Especially if you were 13. I also loved Zep.Any music lover can appreciate both bands..
Mark Farner is a tremendous ambassador for R&R in every way. I cant say that about everyone and there is no one like him.
Zeppelin only did 1 show with The Who at Merriweather post pavilion in Maryland in 69 or 70. They never liked playing with real competition from other bands. Grant protected them well.
The Who were 10x better than Zeppelin were playing live.
the who are very good but cannot match led zeppelin !@@Ycjedi
Be serious, dude. The Who are in the top four, but they are only number four.
@@obbor4The Who blew Zep off the stage at Meriweather.
The Who were virtually no competition for Zep. Hardly even close. "Zep could hardly follow us," MW says. Oh, please.
Grand Funk are one of the greatest rock bands. For just three guys Mark, Mel and Don they were a powerhouse. Zepoelin knew it that's why Peter Grant pulled the plug on them.
You're trippin, they were cutting into Zep's allotted time. GFR didn't equal a sweaty hair on Zep's a$$.
If you're talking about a trio then Cream or Rush are better
@@lespaul1755 Jimi Hendrix trio best trio ever, though your picks are awesome too.
@SmokeyTreats Geez how the hell could I forget Jimi one of the top 2 guitarists in the world!
Sorry guys! When you get older the brain farts come more often. Haha 😄
Mark has been one of my neighbors for over 30 years. He is a genuinely down to earth family man. He and his family are much loved members of our community.
Mark Don and Mel.... was one of mu first records !
👍🏼
I was always a huge Zeppelin fan but I've always thought this story was hilarious 😆 Grand Funk was bringing the house down and Peter Grant couldn't handle it. Plain and simple!! I can't believe some of the stories I've read here making excuses for why this happened and the only REAL reason it happened is GF was blowing them away....... The end
You're trippin, GFR went over their allotted time & were cutting into Zep's time. GFR didn't equal a sweaty hair on Zep's a$$ & the only way they could blow them away is with their mouths.
@@SmokeyTreats dude ? Led Zeppelin changed my world okay, Jimmy Page was the first guitar hero I had and the reason I play guitar still today some 45 years later and I'm in no way dissing or disrespecting the mighty Zeppelin so relax. Grand Funk was a high energy band that ALWAYS won their crowd ALWAYS. They were playing on their home turf and owned that crowd. Peter Grant was highly protective of the boys and was probably honestly more than half the reason they had the success they had.
They had NOTHING to think or worry about other than writing recording touring and the families they had to leave behind doing so. If Peter Grant could have been everyone's manager everyone would have enjoyed the success Zeppelin did. But, I've heard this story for years now okay and "IF" you listened to what Mark was saying, this happened after the SECOND song they did that night,
The SECOND SONG!!!! HELLO?
Two songs isn't "going over the allotted time" and this is the only time I've ever even heard "THAT EXCUSE"
So, You think or believe whatever it is that you choose to think or believe, it doesn't change the truth!
@@aschule5684 I rewatched it & didn't hear him say after the second song. Time stamp it for me please. I had only heard the allotted time reason from a previous post, nor have I been following the story for years like you have. Also, have you been to their show? Was it normal for them to do ILO after only 2 songs? I would think they'd save it for last like The Who did with WGFA.
@@SmokeyTreats no worries friend it's not worth getting upset about it doesn't really matter I guess, I liked and have respect for both bands and although Zeppelin more so they both have played a part in my life and it was just an interesting story "cheers ' 👍
I guess EGOS had nothing to do with it😂
Well I sure enjoyed GFR and your music was approachable enough that we covered a half dozen or more of those early songs. Thanks for the great interview.
I saw GFR around 1971 in Nashville. Huge energy and the loudest concert I ever heard. I felt like my ears were bleeding! 🤣 Great concert.
You should try stroking with sandpaper.
I wish I could've been there. I was only 8. Those power trios are awsome!🎸🎛
I saw GFR at RFK stadium, DC. Unbelievable energy . We ran down four flights of seating sections like Lemmings.
Yup. I was at that show too. original line-up Allman Brothers band was 3rd on the bill. Great local band called Crank was 4th on the bill, played in the afternoon. GFR blew the place apart. summer 1971.
@@anthonypanneton923yes those were the days my friend😊
Kicked that butt Detroit Style....
I was at a similar show. Edgar Winter opening for Alice Cooper. The crowd reaction to EW first four tunes played back-to-back was explosive, the greatest roar I had ever heard from a crowd notorious for their 'ok impress me' attitude to rock bands. AC was always a great show but EW rocked your a$$ off.
Oh yeah I can see that I mean with the great Bobby Caldwell on drums Rick Derringer on lead guitar and the song Frankenstein which we wore out back in the day yes I can definitely see that😊
I love Zep as anybody here but if there is any band who would blow Zeppelin offstage, It would definitely be Grand Funk.
Blow zep off stage😂
Agreed. Led Zeppelin is one of my favorite bands. And by that I mean what they did in the studio. Live, not so much. Between 1970 and 1977, I saw them about 2 dozen times. Everywhere from Europe to the states. Including that fiasco in Oakland in 1977. Lots of overdubs in the studio. Signature bass and keyboard parts, multiple guitar tracks, Robert Plant hitting high notes in every song… very easy when you take a month to record an album. But out on tour, Plant couldn’t sing night after night and hit those high notes. Without the help of hired guns on stage, their sound could not be properly duplicated live. Still, I attended all those shows. Like I said, love Led Zeppelin. Glad I got to see them through the years. Grand Funk was excellent live. Peter Grant was a punk. Stopping their set and firing them from that tour was like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum and sweeping all the pieces off of the chess board because he was losing the game.
Nobody could
LMFAO
@@kingfishstevens2087 No it was simply because they were cutting into Zep's allotted time. You're trippin.
Back in 1970-71 me and my friends would say Grand Funk is the American Led Zeppelin!
We actually called them the American Black Sabbath back then.. even Ozzy Osbourne said in an interview in the early seventies I guess we're kind of like Grand Funk and that was in Circus magazine I believe 1972... remember Grand Funk had a song Paranoid also😮
Peter Grant was a beast! But as far as Zep was concerned, he was their beast and did wonders for them.
Nobody could beat Marks energy! Nobody!
Oh I don't know what about Keith Emerson wrestling with his keyboards using daggers Moog synthesizers.... but I hear you I've seen them in the early days and Mark Farner was a wild man technically not the greatest guitarists but he got the house rocking down😮
Never heard this story surprised to hear Zeppelin would fear any band...
They certainly didn't, this story's a crock.
Mark Farner's a liar! Read the book "when giants walked the earth" and you'll get the real story! Peter Grant didn't pull the plug. There was a curfew and LZ had to be offstage by a ridiculous early time. They wanted their fans to get the whole show and GFR was playing long for their set. Look it up!
@@shilohpuppy5649u know how people change things around well that’s what that book did. Believe whatever you want. Ur a j
What's funny is nobody from Zeppelin or the music fans in general are talking about grand funk some 50 years later, except little mark farner .....still b__tthurt a century later.😂
This story is bollocks
I’ve been a professional musician since 78 and I’ve encountered a lot of fragile egos along the way, even at local open mic nights. This story reminds me of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler attempting to pull the plug on Kansas only to have bass player Dave Hope get straight in his face and threaten him bodily 😂
Grand Funk really did kick ass in their day!
They sold out Shay stadium twice, quicker than the Beatles ever did. They were the band to see in the late 60's and early 70's.
To young to know, but could be accurate, Funk was huge, manager was scum, so they did not make big $$$ like zep, but I have heard that folks were a bit confused by zep at the start, Like a lot of the best bands, at first, people are like, WTF, But nobody could compete with zep once they got rolling.
They're coming to Pittsburgh PA in March and I hope I can go!!!!! Love them!!!!!
Yes but a BIG part of GFR's popularity was Terry Knight's massive hype campaign. Putting a billboard on the Sunset Strip was huge.
I was There, man!! Zep had a hard time getting the crowd going. You guys were killin!! It. ❤👍🏼
among the greatest power trios
Wish I would have been at that show
Dick Webster did UpBeat .. I was there in Cleveland standing right in front you in 70… I was 15 years old.. I came to see GFR… don’t even remember Zep.. it snowed hard outside and we had a hard drive home to Akron.. white knuckled..also saw you guys in Canton late 69 at Canton Memorial Auditorium.. you were just getting it together.. then I saw your first reunion tour.. 96(?).. Cleveland again.. I loved you guys and still do Mark..wish Don and Mel would see it the way I do.. it’s about us and it’s about the music and it’s about time before one of you goes for good.. you three are the only three on the planet that can sound like that.. still out of breath from the three live performances I’ve witnessed.. I’m 67 now so come and finish me off guys!!!
I just figured out that I actually saw GFR the month after in November at Public Hall Cleveland and Grand Funk was the headliner with Glass Harp of Phil Keagy fame was warm up band.. that was the night it snowed so hard.. my mistake..
I was there in Akron in '69. Don't remember the show. I was only 3 months old. Saw Sabbath play the Flats around '91.
That's a great story! A similar thing happened to Augie Garcia the Mexican American rock legend from St. Paul, Minnesota in the 1950's. Augie was the warm up for an Elvis concert in St. Paul. He wore his trademark Bermuda shorts and had the audience going wild when Elvis's manager cut him off for getting the crowd too focused on Augie. I too would have walked out of the Zeppelin concert if they had done that to Grand Funk. The "American Band" was always incredible!
I had to Google Augie Garcia because I had never heard of him,but I have heard his songs on oldies stations. They just never mentioned his name, or I missed it somehow.
Seems like he was just as obscure as a lot of the early rock pioneers like Lonnie Mack after the British invasion.
Augie was an early star with Mexican American heritage. The rock and roll scene in the Mpls./St. Paul area in the 1960's, '70's and beyond has always had a very talented Mexican Heritage musicians. I played bass in a band with guys, (keyboard and guitarist), from Tijuana in the 1970's. The first Mexican inhabitant of St. Paul was a symphony orchestra muscian with a Mexican orchestra. He was hospitalized for an illness after performing here ages ago. The orchestra moved on but he set down roots here and stayed when he recuperated! Prince had Native American heritage too.@@truthseeker2321
Thumbnail reminded me of the bad guy in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The guy who had a face melt at the end.
Grand Funk's first live album is still the best live album of all time.
grand funk are good but they cannot equal zeppelin !
Unleashed in the East sends telegram from Tokyo: "Dear Mr. Fricke. You are incorrect."
Grand funk on the same stage as led zep in my mind , ain't no doubt about it. 👍👍👍🇺🇲
GFR was my very first Rock concert I went to. I was about 13yo, 1971 I believe, and it was Cleveland Public Hall as mark mentioned, but a different time because I think GFR was the headliner. They had us all on top of the chairs ROCKIN'!!!! Best show EVER!
I eventually saw Led Zeppelin years later at Richfield Coliseum near Akron.....Good Times!
Look, I'm a musician of 43 years fulltime, GFR was badass, but don't try to compare them to Zepplin. Sure they kicked ass that night but half the people did not leave when they stopped. Musicians have huge egos, they need them, but sometimes their ego gets the best of them lol I'm not taking anything away from GFR but If you've never seen Zepplin Live, and I'm not a big rock fan, you haven't seen something more powerful than this band. Its not even close for the rest. I've seen some phenomenal shows, Bee Be and Cee Cee Winans in New Orleans, Van Morrison in Houston Wavelength CD, Stevie Ray Vaughn's 1st New Orleans Jazz Fest appearance on the Riverboat. I could go on and on, If you don't know then you don't know.
So what...2 TOTALLY different bands, music, fans, etc.I just love these guys who say oh we blew them off stage, this & that
This promoters need to know respect for legend MR, Mark Farmer one of the greats rock and roll musician, the Great Grand funk, I still washing the Japan concert over and over is amassing the energy Mr, Mark has the sound is good un forgettable performance in Japan Grand Funk.
Mark Farner and his orig. members of Grand Funk are legendary in NY.
Yeah, tho around the nation or the world for that matter........who the F is mark farner or grand funk?
@DG-sf9ei Is that you Peter Grant?
Still trying to COPE?
Lets not cry about Zep getting upstaged by the great Funk,it happened to everybody who shared the bil with GFR
Nope
😂😂😂😂😂The only people who are crying some 50 years later is little mark farmer in this YT vid and his 10 bot fans in the comment section.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@DG-sf9eidoesn't sound like he's crying about it..
no one could upstage led zep and never did and never will !
Same thing happened to Black Sabbath when Van Halen opened for them, got blown away, the crowd still yelling out for Van Halen while Sabbath are playing.
Maybe in Pasadena. Otherwise, nah
Led Zeppelin, the OCCULT band. It was the 70s and even as naive as we were back then, we were hearing that and about the ties to Allister Crowley. I did lead vocals in a band called Cliques and we covered Zeppelin songs but it was just good, solid rock. We did Foreigner covers to and grand funk. Man what music we had back then.
I have only seen GFR videos. Complete badassery . Peter Grant was a legendary douche nozzle not doubting this happened at all.
"Doeche Nozzle " 😂😆🤣
Might have been a douche, but he was THEIR douche, and looked out for their interest like a fierce mama bear. That’s the kind of manager you wanted in such a cutthroat business…. Not Mr Nice Guy. He could be a real shit, but he LOVED his band.
Peter Grant was successful because he was tough...and listen closely Helen, I know your hearing is bad...and because he was honest. He'd make million dollar deals with just a handshake. No one does that with you unless you've got an iron clad rep for being a stand up guy. He pulled plug because Funk ran overtime, and city had strict curfew. @@helenespaulding7562
There’s no problem if GFR blew the greatest band off the stage one time with a local crowd, I got nothing against railroad they probably did have the fans wound up It’s like my high school mile one time I did a 4:51 one time I always mention it if the subject comes up . Zeppelin blew a lot of bands off stage not one . 56 plus thousand in Atlanta Ga 1973 , not railroad . I’m your captain yeah yeah yeah yeah , I always liked it .
Led Zeppelin First Tour of 🇺🇸 Grand Funk was a high energy Party Band! They Smoked Zep off the Stage!
Yeah huge difference between a party band that knows nothing other than simple 4/4 timing while punk slamming decibels with no sense of dynamics or musical structure versus a musician's band that can play several hours of music in every genre known to man and sell out record stadium seats, which still hold attendance records to this day.
@@DG-sf9ei 😆 Why so defensive! It was Zeppelin First Tour! Know 1 in 🇺🇸 had even heard of them yet! Yes! Zeppelin is the Better band in the long run. Just not on those days in 1969. CK out Grand Funk Live! You'll understand why Peter Grant cancelled Them from being the opening Act! They Kick some ass back in the Day! All the Best! Hoy
Zep's first tour of America was actually December '68/January' 69. They took America by storm. Famously at the Filmore and Tea Party etc. Word of mouth got around and their debut album smashed the top ten, despite no singles.
You pretty much said what I was going to. Zepp is my favorite band from '70s. But I will defend Farner here (even tho he skews* the real story). Zepp played many blues songs in early days. Kids don't want that. Like me, they want your "4/4 slamming". Which is why AC/CD had rep for blowing bands off the stage. Same with Metallica blowing away melodic metal bands in early career.
Zepp' song list for this tour had two long slow blues tunes. Dazed, which is also slow in parts. And a long acoustic set by Page. Motor city ain't got time for dat! I'm all into Zepp's dynamics. But if I'm a teenager in '69, I'd rather hear Grand Funk's non stop attack. That's just me. I like to be pummeled. Grand Funk were tight dude. Had dynamics too. Go watch the Shea Stadium show. You don't sell out Shea with minimal radio play unless you're an amazing live band.
*Grant pulled the plug because Funk was running over allotted time. City had strict curfew. Zepp would have had to cut their performance short. Anyone who buys the thing about Zepp pulling the plug cuz jealousy has serious critical thinking deficit. Even a child would know that story doesn't cut the mustard, on like 4 different levels. @@DG-sf9ei
Even here in Flint,Mark was always the stand up guy and is only one that still lives around here.
Similar to when Lynyrd Synyrd showed up the Stones by opening for them in 76'...
Not even the mighty Led Zeppelin could follow Grand Funk Railroad in their heyday, and by the time that show was hooked up in the Midwest Grand Funk was just too popular. I mean they were the first people to ever sell out Shea stadium other than the Beatles that’s how popular they had become, and he talks about a high energy concert. They were definitely a high energy concert at home, but yeah there there is such a thing as just 22 powerful a lineup and it in all in a two to band Show, and that the first band can wipe you out but I’ll tell you I don’t. I don’t know if I agree with them and when he said that the place emptied out that I don’t know about that and I’ll I mean I’m not gonna leave a concert I want to just watch Grand Funk Railroad and I know Led Zeppelin‘s coming up and I’m not leaving. Are you kidding me? I don’t care how good they were. I’m not I’m not walking away so I don’t know if I believe that.
"the first people to ever sell out Shea stadium"
except for the Beatles
not sure if you know how counting works
but that would make them the second🙄🤦♂️
grand funk will never come close to led zeppelin !
From what I have been able to glean, it seems that peter Grant was quite the piece of work.
Music owes a lot to Peter Grant.
Yes he was. Former wrestler. And a fierce protector of his bands best interests. Relied mostly on verbal intimidation but could do the physical as well. Not Mr Nice Guy, but his devotion to the band left the band free to concentrate strictly on music. They didn’t have to worry about anything else. Grant made sure of that. It was the Wild West back then and someone like Grant was who you wanted in your corner.
@@helenespaulding7562
And he was fine towards anyone who didn't cross him or try to cheat Zeppelin.
Nonsense. Zeppelin had more energy, power, and musicianship than GFR. Not even in the same league. The story glosses over the fact of how late it was in the evening and Zeppelin needed to take the stage. Remember, there still needed to be an equipment change.
love these guys!
Man I was a kid , when American Band song was introduced on the air waves , that was what we wanted early 70s . Listen to that song over and over when Dad took us to Okinawa. The Okinawans hated that song we didn't care , Vietnam was on and we watch the F4 s and other equipment leave Kadena AFB to fight over Vietnam , that song rallied all the Mama's who could dance and the Daddy's that rock n roll , We were all part of The American Band in song and spirit .😅
Who's your douche nozzle crying a 1/2 Century later in a YT video about getting superceded by Led Zeppelin?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Let me offer a counterpoint
I saw GFR @ the Atlanta Pop Festival; according to Knight, speaking from the stage, the band & he had driven all night to get there, hoping for their first big gig, their first real exposure as a band.
They went on early, either before or after Ten Wheel Drive w/ vocalist Genya Ravan.
As a member of the audience, & no music snob, I thought they were terrible - sound & fury, but dismal, no energy. Compared to Ten Wheel Drive - unknown then AND now - the crowd was uninterested. Back in the city, I bought TWD’s first album. When GFRs 1st came out not long after, it reminded me of everything I didn’t like about their show: turgid, too loud, too long.
Fast forward to 12/69: GFR headlining, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac was the opening act (yes, their legendary ‘69 tour). We came for Fleetwood Mac, who were brilliant; in the loo between sets, I heard a guy talking. Said he’d come for Grand Funk, never heard of these other guys, but his party was leaving: they’d decided nothing could top that opening set (agreed, one of *THE*BEST*SHOWS* ever)
As we left the building, GFR cranked up: a crashing indistinguishable noise. We couldn’t tell *what* they were playing until we got in the car 2 blocks away. The vehicle deadened the sound enough that I could identify it. (It wasn’t Heartbreaker, it was the other one)
I respect all musicians, actors, creatives; it takes guts, vision, and a hell of a lot of work to even go nowhere. I mean no disrespect to Farner, Knight, or any other person or event connected to the band or its members: this an accurate report my experiences, nothing more
At the same time, in the case of LZ, this wasn’t a ‘battle of the bands’: not every opener is THE RIGHT opener for a show. No idea what Grant’s calculus’s might’ve been…but the bands were incredibly different in every way - & knowing both bands, it sounds like as much of a complete mismatch as the FM/GFR pairing - the two audiences for the two bands could not have been more different from each other, the two bands could not have been more different from each other
Not the first story I’ve heard about trouble between openers & headliners, BTW. It happens
it happened a lot in those days. your story reminds me of a show I went to around the same time - maybe 1970. the lineup was supposed to be: Savoy Brown Blues Band / Fleetwood Mac / Rod Stewart & Faces. I was psyched for that show. turned out neither Savoy Brown nor Faces showed up. And "Fleetwood Mac" turned out to be the counterfeit "Fleetwood Mac" that their manager had sent out on the road after both Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer had quit the band, and he and the band were having "disagreements." needless to say, it was a MOST disappointing evening. but not uncommon back in those days.
Grand Funk had energy in their songs and their live performances were amazing, Zeppelin was more of a psychedelic mind bending, two totally different styles.
Knowing these two bands as well as anybody, I couldn't imagine it going down any other way... in Detroit? shoot no... they transcended the thing and blew themselves off the stage that night they were so bad... in the good sense of the word... and I bet they meant to serve 'em up too... good job to the boys in the band
That’s funny, because Zeppelin always liked the MC5 opening for them in Detroit, and they were certainly high energy.
I think its fair to say Peter Grant was Old school. No way you get away with that sort of nonsense these days
You mean stuff like Sharon Osbourne having her kids throw eggs at Bruce Dickinson and cutting off Iron Maiden's power?
Really? When did that happen mate.
Zep's first 5 albums were 5 of the best Rock albums ever made. But they were never the Live Rock and Roll band that Grand Funk was. While Zep kept their bass in the background, Mel Schacher brought the thunder for Grand Funk. While Plant never tried to hit the same high notes on tour that he sang on records, Mark and Don sang the songs exactly as they recorded them.
Zep never tried to recreate their music live like it was recorded or like you'd expect to hear it and it really bothered me. (You know the way class acts like RUSH did) They re wrote their music on stage every night.
Most people praise them for being that way, not me. I thought it sucked! Their albums were all masterpieces and they would never recreate any of the music the way most people would want to hear it or (just me I guess) ?
Robert was too busy flipping his hair and shaking his ass around showing everyone his bulge and Jimmy was always too whacked out on heroin and they just did whatever they felt like doing and didn't care. They were Led Zeppelin and could do whatever they felt like doing and did just that. I've been a fan since 1971 and I never saw them live but I've seen enough live footage not to be sorry I didn't.
@@aschule5684 Page was great at layering guitar parts in the studio. On stage he just had to play a little of this and little of that. Plant had to save his voice. No way could he hit those studio high notes for two hours, 3 times a week for 4 months. About the only time that a live performance was better than the studio was Achilles Last Stand at Knebworth. That was classic.
@@bobturnley2787 you're a good guy. Much more understanding and positive about it all than I.
I get and understand what you're saying but even taking into consideration what you said they still seemed careless about just many little subtle things that seemed to make any given song what it was. I'm going to use the solo in stairway for an example. There isn't a more fitting or perfect solo for a song than that. Jimmy never once in his career played that solo the way it was recorded again not once. Was it too hard? I don't think so. I play guitar and have played that solo for years. The closest he ever came was the O2 show in '07, he actually started playing it and I almost fell over in disbelief then he did it again he just went off into improvising. I don't know I just wasn't able to be as understanding as you I guess. No offense my friend but I've seen that version of Achilles and I can't agree with that being better than the studio version. Nothing they did live came close to the studio albums but that's just my personal opinion. Cheers, thanks for your reply ☮️
@@aschule5684 I think Plant had had enough of Page and was intent on going solo in 1981 no matter what happened to Bonham. Page's drug problems had to have had an effect on the way the rest of the band approached playing their shows. Great while it lasted but 10 years is all anyone can expect from a band.
No go watch and listen to Zeppelin in their prime on stage. Danmark TV 1969, Royal Albert Hall 1970, even much of TSRTS plus BBC Sessions and How The West Was Won.
Incredible stuff.
I always liked Grand Funk over Zepplin and many other big rock legends. I still listen to the Red album regularly.
Best Live act ever!!. watch the you tube videos from their live sets from the 70's, everybody else sucks in comparison, even Led Zeppelin
Check out the black and white dvd of Deep Purple live in Denmark or Ten Years after 1975 show from Winterland two awesome jaw dropping concerts
led zep are far better than grand funk could ever be !
I wonder how many people commenting here on Zeppelin ever saw them live. I saw them three times - they were not a great live band. Page was great in the studio, but other bands of that era that absolutely blew them off the stage included GFR, Humble Pie and the Who. Anyone who was going to "hard rock" concerts in the early 70s knew. Listen to the live albums (Rockin' the Fillmore by Humbe Pie, Live at Leeds by the Who)... Led Zeppelin wasn't in their class as a live stage band (no one arguing Zeppelins studio LPs).
zeppelin were better live and certainly far better than grand funk who cannot measure up vocally or musically !
@@brithaddenhadden8383take your medication and ask the nurse to lock the door so you can get some sleep😅
@@brithaddenhadden8383 Ever see them live? I'm not arguing about Led Zeppelin being a huge successful band. But they were not great live. "Classic" rock radio has centered around a few groups: Pink Floyd; AC/DC; Led Zeppelin; Lynyrd Skynyrd; the Who etc... That is all most people know - and they're great bands. But, people who were there know that groups like the Pie, Thin Lizzy, Robin Trower, Foghat, Grand Funk, Nugent, Montrose, etc etc could rock the house down and often were better live bands.
I think How The West Was Won is fantastic! As are the others you mentioned of course
@@helenespaulding7562 I seen them live probably when you were still crapping your diapers hahaha I mean how is 1971 for you were you even around back then. They were okay but there's a hell of a lot of bands better than them... they're highly overrated
Zeps lucky they didn't have Rory Gallagher opening for them cause if they pulled the plug on Rory they would have had a riot on their hands
The same thing happened down here in Texas when ZZ top.opened for the rolling stones ZZ top was tearing it up and I remember thinking how the stones were going to follow that up but once they got going they didn't have any problems
I like Zep but they are a bit overhyped at times and with a manager like Grant you were literally able to bully your way to the top unquestioned.
Unfortunately at that time you had to have an enforcer like Grant because a lot of venues would rip off the bands with contract riders, etc...
Grant never screwed over anyone. Big rep for honesty. City had strict curfew and Grand Funk would not stop rocking. Understandably. Grand Funk on hometown adrenaline is a scary thing. So Grant had to cut the sound. Otherwise Zepp has to cut their set short because curfew.
In a more reasonable world Zepp should have appreciated this way beforehand. And offered to shorten their own show (cut out some of the slow blooze numbers please, thanks.) so the local band could have the time of their life playing for the home crowd. Farner's a great dude after all.
It's Ok. The Funk sold out Shea Stadium a few years later. I can hear Grant catching wind of that. "Fookin 'ell. How'd they do THAT?" @@TheMightySynchromess
zep could never be overhyped.
GFR built lots of excitement with their 4 chords, and then Zep came out and played music.
Zep loved to speak of the beginning times when they were the supporting band and how the headliners hated going on after them, but I dont recall them ever saying they were forced off the stage, or had the power pulled, and I'm sure they would have if it had ever happened. Obviously, being gracious wasn't on the calendar for that tour. Even a band as great as they were was capable of petty acts of jealousy. I will say, it may have been because that was the beginning of their rise and they were a little more insecure than they were later on. Or not.
In general, most of the British bands thought they were musically superior to the American bands.
Michael McDonald version of the Doobies did the same thing to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at Indy"s Market Square Arena in the early 80"s.
My guess it was Michael's doing.
Tried to blame it on technical difficulties.
Hogwash. Nothing wrong with the sound. Just the Dirt Band tearing it up and crowd loving it.
Great story. L@@ks like Grant is living up to his reputation with this one. Why not just let them finish and THEN deal with whatever problem there is/was? Why pizz off the crowd with the old vaudeville style hook method worthy of the gong show? A perfect dust up for the press? Grant was nobody's fool and not your friend.
We're an American band that Rocked a British band into submission!
I put GFR up there with Cream and that's saying a lot.
Grand Funk💪💪❤️it!
Farner IS GOD!
CLEVELAND ROCKS!!!
gfr good ole american rock band,man I wish it was then again.
Peter Grant was a legendary bad a$$!!!
I'm late again but that seems to be the Norm for me. I did not like either band when I first heard them but they grew one and now I have a great collection of them both. It's my opinion their styles are diferent enough it isn't fair to compare them, but that's my humble opinion. I love them both for different reasons..
Anybody notice the Peavey Mystic on the stand behind him.
Peter Grant is known for his intimidating/bullying style. Not a nice man but Led Zep believed in his approach and so did Steve Winwood. Yes, your heard that right. Possibly he was Winwood's manager first. l don't think this was a lone incident in the 'main act being intimidated/upstaged by the opening act'. Farner and company came from Flint l think, and l'm going to say DE-troit from now on!
there were a lot of not well thought out pairings of bands for shows back in those days. in '70 or '71 (not sure) I saw Traffic (w/Winwood of course). they were EXCELLENT. But the opening band was Cactus, and they just absolutely blew the roof off the place. It was really difficult to fully appreciate Traffic right after seeing and hearing Cactus live for the first time. their set just peeled the paint off the walls in that place.
@@anthonypanneton923 Mike Jeffery [sp?] managed both the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Monkees. He thought it would be a great idea to have the first group open for the second. Turns out it wasn't!
I can't believe this interview after all of these years. I was at the Cleveland concert. About halfway back on the left balcony. It was my first big time concert. After the show it felt like GF was the main act and Led should have been the warm up band. It was confusing to me. Led was still great but GF really blew the doors off the place. I didn't know about what happened at the next concert. Chump managers.
Construction drummer bonham was tough. But a photo shows grant was the big bad ass
Like Van Halen opening for Journey.
Or Journey opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
@@anthonypanneton923no, nothing like that
david lee roth couldn't sing live so journey are better !
Always thought it funny that zep’s ego was so weak that they just played the complete Hotel California recording as the opening act at the Kingdome show… funny, after seeing them multiple times, felt that listening to the Eagles that night was a far more enjoyable experience
If find the idea that ANY band could cause ZEP concern to be crazy, but give em credit. GF was sgreat band. Its possible.
GFR in their hometown...home region 2 shows in a row. What did Peter Grant think was going to happen? Arrogance is the only answer. I don't think Led Zeppelin would ever mail it in, but what else can be Peter Grant's mindset prior to the show? "Well, all they have to do is walk on stage tonight....just show up and the job is done..." You always read about, hear in interviews that quote unquote "rock bands" had rivalries back in the golden age....Be Ian Faith....."You're Led Zeppelin...go be Led Zeppelin..." and you have a full show....nope, uh oh, Grand Funk is mopping the floor with us....gotta put a stop to this..." At least that is how I picture it 10 years before I was born...
If it happened the way Farner says, and you uncritically take as fact, the country boys in Grand Funk would have beat the crap out of every band member in Zeppelin. Both contratually and practically you just can't order a band off stage unless you've got good reason. Reason being the city had a strict curfew. Funk wouldn't stop playing. Running over their alloted time. If Grant hadn't interceded Zepp would have to cut their show short due to curfew. Grant had a reputation for being honest and a man of his word.
In Grant's last few years with Zeppelin, '78, 79,80, his drug habit impinged upon his character, and he would strong arm people. But not prior to that.
Peter Grant didn't want any competition for his band. He was selling his label and he wanted to murder any competition and anything that destroyed / diminished any money flow to the band.
Remember Grand Funk Railroad had 10 straight platinum albums in succession. Don't know if that record has been beat by others.
I read that it was because Funk was allotted a certain amount of time and they were continuing to play after their time expired.
No band, before or since, could beat Grand Funk Railroad live.
Led Zeppelin did..
Only in your dreams mate. All major bands at the time did. The Who, Zeppelin, Genesis, Skynyrd are just a few.
Ever heard of Black Sabbath...
@@anti7928 "The Eagles" Bad Company" "Fleetwood Mac" "Rush" "Cheap Trick" "Peter Frampton" "Tom Petty" "AC/DC" "Deep Purple" "Judas Priest" "Metallica and I totally agree "Black Sabbath" were all amazing live bands, and IMO were better than GFR. I love GFR though, but their not any better live than the ones listed above, nor are they as good as what "Pink Floyd" was either.
@@anti7928 Black who??
"Mel, our bass player" We do know the other guys in the band Mark haha.
Yeah definitely Grand Funk Railroad were huge back then and if you've ever seen them live in the early seventies they rocked the house down much better than Led Zeppelin. I've seen both bands back in the day so I speak from experience😮
nice
Smart move on Grants. Part. GFR was on fire back then
These guys were obviously trying to be cute and play over their allotted time... Peter Grant didn't take no shit. This dude is trying to rewrite history.
Saw gfr closer 2 hme tour..msg nyc .saw zep..sept 71....73.75.772× each all msg nyc...now?? Im old
That was Grand Funk in their prime, before they sold out.
It’s time now for Don Mel & Mark to bury their differences and play together again.
Apparently it's a money thing like everything else in this world in this case one of the other a huge amount of copyright money😮 it's a damn shame😢
@@edljnehan2811
Then come to some agreement for a one time tour. Time is NOT on their side.
@@markandrews1955 you get no argument here my brother and I have been saying that for years about those guys especially since the two of us grew up on Grand Funk in 1970
I seriously doubt that “half” the crowd left after their set. Please people do your homework to get the whole and “real” story behind that night.
Peter Grant was definitely a ruthless businessman, but… when your opening act is absolutely thrashing the main event… I can see this short term solution as a damage control measure for crafting the narrative. It’s probably what Black Sabbath should’ve done when Van Halen was opening for them (although Sabbath was on a decline at the time).
I left the BS/VH show after Van Halen's 45 minute set in Memphis.
@@rodneysammons5544
The Never Say Die tour… they died 😂😂😂
I saw both bands in Dallas ---- Led Zep was pretty great, in spite of Robert Plant's limited vocals! Grand Funk was okay.
Peter Grant... acting like Steven Tyler, throwing a fit when opening act Kansas stole the show.
Read Joe Perry's book about Aerosmith being totally upstaged in a NYC outdoor concert by Rory Gallagher.
I went to see Aerosmith open for Three Dog Night, must've been about '73, and Aerosmith's sound was so off it was painful to listen to. I once briefly met Steven Tyler decades later and he said that was a common thing for the headliner to do to the opening act.
Page was doing dope.
T.N.U.C !
One of my favorites, I believe from the 'On Time' Lp¡☆! 😏
Grant did everyone a favor by stopping them before they could play Locomotion or Some Kind of Wonderful
Sad nobody had the guts to put Grant in his place.
Bod Dylan did. There’s a funny story about Grant feeling he had to approach Dylan and tell him he was the manager of the biggest rock band in the world. Dylan’s response was “My names Bod Dylan and yet do you hear me whining on about my problems”
Farner is delusional. If GFR were as exciting as he says then they would have been at the same level or better, since then but alas they were not.