Live Album

This Grand Funk’s best album!! Enough said.

First received vinyl around age 10, when album came out. At that time, listening to Tommy, ELP, and Deep Purple Japan made for Live Album to be a harsh experience, due to raw nature of recording, so didn't make my then playlist. Fast forward 50+ yrs, and not having any GFR in CD collection, went a'looking: bought 2 different 'hits' collections, then Red Album, then return to Live Album. The Red Album is a killer 2nd album, and the '02 remaster has extensive liner notes which include recording and engineering intent. THIS helped to understand the raw nature of the live recording...SO, listening to it now in my 60's, I get it. Yeah, rough, distorted, harsh, but as a document of their live show, I can imagine myself there. Interesting, but I had the same experience with the Zeppelin debut CD, with the extra disc of their Paris '69 show: sounds awful (was a bootleg originally?), but if you play it LOUD, you can visualize being there. Cool. Back to Grand Funk, I have a later in life newfound appreciation of their talent. Of the 2 hits CDs I have, I prefer the Capitol Collectors Series (with blue and red stripes): 75 min, and in chronological order. For an overview, highly recommended. Studio album: so far 'Red' is favored (debut and CtH on the way!). But make sure to savor Live Album too!

All is good

Grand Funk - Live Album (recorded during 3 shows that took place in June and July 1970, and released in 1971). This extremely loud, raw, and hard recording of a 'classic' of classic American rock bands, Grand Funk Railroad, is considered by many to be one of the greatest live albums of the era. Many noted bands and artists have paid homage to the influence this album had on their sonic trajectory. It doesn't matter if you purchase an original pressing, a reissue, a recent reissue on 180-gram vinyl, or a remaster (CD only)...it's still going to sound noisy, at times sonically muddy, but rapturously POWERFUL. The vinyl versions sound much rawer, heavy, and ballsy than the CD remaster recordings that I've heard. I still have a copy of the original Capitol Records double album (lime-green labels with record 1 containing the A/D sides, and record 2 containing the B/C sides). The furious passion and energy coming from the band AND the audience makes nearly every 'live' rock recording, before or since, sound whitewashed and sterile.

Over 40 years after hitting the stores, Grand Funk's Live Album is still arguably the most energetic live disc ever released. As far as the old power trios go, they were never as strong musically as Cream or Jimi Hendrix Experience or Mountain. Where they made up for it is in their passion. Live Album is truly an inspired performance and you can hear the crowd feeding off their energy. As for the songs, there are some very good ones as "Are You Ready?" is a killer opener while the brooding "Paranoid" is carried by the heavy wah-wah bass of Mel Schacher and "In Need" is a good time boogie played with a lot of vigor. "Mark Says Alright" is a wicked groove led by Schacher (he's the star here as his bass is way up in the mix and his lines are great) while "T.N.U.C." is a great jam with a long (perhaps too long) drum solo from Don Brewer. Mark Farner's vocals and guitar playing are spirited throughout, especially on "In Need", "Inside Looking Out", and "Into the Sun". So why not 5 stars? "Mean Mistreater" and "Heartbreaker" are just not good songs. Never got into them. But that shouldn't discourage you from picking this up on CD or even on vinyl if you can find it. Live Album is energy personified and 90% of this fantastic.

Having seen this band for the first time in the summer of '69, before their first Atlanta Pop Festival appearance, and many, many times afterwards, I feel I have a pretty good body of work from which to form an opinion on GFRs live performances. Any fan of their early, Terry Knight produced, live shows know that they were powerful events. I don't think it's an over statement to say that Live Album is as good a representation of the raw power and talent that GFR possessed, as any, and , arguably, the best. That said, one of the criticisms of their early recordings was the heavy distortion and lack of clarity, or polish that some of the post Terry Knoght productions had, even though, many fans loved the records just the same. With this new 180 gram audiophile reissue, you get the best of both worlds. I am astonished at how great this new format sounds! It is far superior to any of the previously issued formats, whether it be original vinyl, cassette, CD or remastered CD. I won't attempt to review the record for its content, as it is already legendary to the loyal GFR fan base. Suffice to say that if you still value vinyl, and have the means, do yourself a favor and get this record. It will be like hearing it for the first time. It's SO great. Oh, one last thing, turn it UP!!

Some say this was the live recording that GFR recorded live at the Atlanta Pop Fest back in 1970 I believe I can't verify this because it dose not say anything about it on the liner notes. The Atlanta Pop Fest was held over the July 4th weekend not in Atlanta but Byron Georgia about 20 miles or so south of Macon Georgia. The story goes that GFR stole the show hands down. After listening this live album again after almost 40 years. It sound much better than the original L.P. record release of over 40 years ago. I really like the song too my favorites are Inside Looking Out clocking in at 13 minutes & 43 seconds followed by Into The Sun clocking in at 11 minutes & 26 seconds pure GFR magic. The disc opens with a introduction a waste of about 3 minutes followed by A rousing version of Are You Ready - Paranoid - In Need - Heartbreaker next a 52 second message from Mark Farner entitled 'Words Of Wisdom.". Next you will be treated to more GFR music. Mean Mistreter - Mark Says Alright - T.N.U.C - Inside Looking Out & Into The Sun... What a music blast from the past and well worth adding to you collection...Colorado Rick

Great grand funk album/CD