Where Are They Now - Mark Farner

[winston]

The next subject in this series is a great musician that has been around the block and then some. His work has spanned decades. His heyday was in the 70's when he was with Grand Funk Railroad but he was a force to be reckoned with long before his rise to stardom and he has remained in plain view at least until 2006.

Here's an interesting fact: Grand Funk Railroad sold out Shea stadium faster than the Beatles did.

In 1976 after 12 gold and 10 platinum records, 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits including two at Number One both selling more than one million each, total sales in excess of 25 million copies sold worldwide, and 7 years of touring the world as America's Band, Grand Funk Railroad called it quits. Mark went on to forge a solo career.

He has reformed GFR at least twice by my reckoning and each time they have toured to packed venues. GFR remains a household name for musicians and fans alike from the era that they seemingly owned. Even though some music critics panned them mercilessly they became and perhaps continue to be "The American Band".

Where is Mark Farner now and what is he up to? I propose that we use the power of the internet to track him down and at the same time let's discuss the road to fame that he navigated with apparent ease.

[charlyg]

Here's one I know about, at least within a few years. I will link to his site, but want to say what I know first. There was a period in the late nineties where Mark went through a Christian period. I have two of the albums. They sounded pretty much like GF with different lyrics. The best of the best IMHO is Judegemtn Day Blues (GF thru and thru). He inevitably ran into some issues with organized religion and has comeup with some odd amalgam of Native American( he is part Cherokee) spiritualism, Christianity, with maybe a smattering of eastern religion.

http://www.markfarner.com/

[peewee]

All I know is that that red Grank Funk record just killed!

[charlyg]

There is a great interview on the home page that is worth a listen. He is still out there kickin butt every day!

[tamborineman]

Mark Farner is a fellow north woods resident of Michigan but has kept a low profile over 10 or 15 years. Other than a very brief one nighter at a Traverse City bar last spring we have seen or heard little. Gr Funk on the other hand are local heroes all over Michigan [ sans M. Farner]. A good friend of mine Dave Johnson a Trav. City resident is G.F.'s road manager. They keep him busy almost year around. No offence to Dave but G.F. just isn't the same without Mark.

[charlyg]

Mark Farner is a fellow north woods resident of Michigan but has kept a low profile over 10 or 15 years. Other than a very brief one nighter at a Traverse City bar last spring we have seen or heard little. Gr Funk on the other hand are local heroes all over Michigan [ sans M. Farner]. A good friend of mine Dave Johnson a Trav. City resident is G.F.'s road manager. They keep him busy almost year around. No offence to Dave but G.F. just isn't the same without Mark.

GF is Mark Don and Mel, end of discussion! Mark's new stuff sounds more like GF than the new GF IMHO!

PS - I think it ironic that the two most vocal R&R icons on the subject of gun ownership come from Michigan. Mark Farner(The Rock Patriot) and Nuge are two of the more aggressive rockers also....

[winston]

Here's another interesting tidbit: Mark played (along with an old friend of mine) in Ringo's All Star Band. Any guesses as to who I am talking about?

[kenposurf]

Never was a fan of this band but saw them open once for TYA and they kicked ***!

[britye]

Randy Bachman

[winston]

Randy Bachman

Bang on Brian!

[johnallg]

It was back in the late 80s and I met Mark at the park one block from where we live. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performs about 5 concerts in the summer in parks around Kalamazoo, and lo and behold the PA support all had Grand Funk Railroad written on it. After the concert, I walked over and met the two of them. I don't remember who was helping him but I was really surprised to see him there. The other time I saw Mark (and GFR) was 2000 miles west of there at Big Sur in Tempe AZ, an outdoor water park. That was in the fall of '73. I found it ironic that Flint and Kalamazoo are about 90 miles apart and I finally see GFR 2000 miles away. Great show as the sun went down too - it was the American Band tour.

[winston]

That's a great story John. I had heard that Mark often makes contributions to promote the arts and classical music. Now I see that it is true.

[johnallg]

It was only for the one year, but it was neat meeting Mark. Another tie-in is with a gent drummer we are trying to woo to get together on Sundays to just have fun. He grew up with Mark and was in a couple groups with him before GFR. When he was a senior in HS (obviously many years ago), he was asked by Mark to come and drum for GFR as they needed a drummer and they were just going out on their first big tour. He turned them down as it would mess up his plan to join the Navy. The rest is history. He did just retire from the Navy, so it was a life choice, but man! The missed chicks, booze, partying, and great R & R!