Excellent Anthology covering all of GFRs career.

Capitol Records started work on this Anthology Project back in early 97. And It was on again off again, do too layoffs at EMI, etc., Due to the very successful 2 1/2 year GFR tour (96-98) Capitol decided they had better get this set out. They Hired David Tedds (A Huge GFR Fan) to head the project and he did a wonderful job. The remastering is wonderful the (Bong Rattling) bass of Mel Shcacher is right in your face the whole set, Mark Farner's Guitar is crisp and clean Don Brewer's (competent) drums are clear as a bell and the (wild shirtless) Vocals of Mark and Don are all clear and fantastic. (Parentheses from Homer Simpson) This anthology set, Called "Thirty Years Of Funk 1969-1999" is a Grand Funk Railroad fan's dream come true.

It comes in a Digi Pack which folds out into two and then four sections. It has a nice booklet (50 Pages) with many old and rear photo's and GFR's story. As it folds out into two it has the famous photo of GFR simi-nude in the hay with the American flags, from The We're An American Band album (these was the streaking days my friend in 73). The Didi pack then folds out again into four separate sections. The first section holds the booklet. And the next three sections each holds a CD. Each CD has a picture of band member's Mark Farner (Guitar, vocals, Keys and Harmonica), Don Brewer (Drums and Vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass) from the inside of the self titled GFR album called Grand Funk (known as the Red Album to GFR Fan's). And under each CD is a picture of each member on the 97-98 reunion tour. A very Nice packaging job I must say.

The set starts off with three songs from the pre GFR Pack days (1968) and all there of them rock. "Getting Into The Sun," "Can't Be Too Long," and "Got This Thing On The Move" all have a 60s feel along with a very heavy sound. These three songs just blow me away. Hear you see the foundations of the GFR Sound. The First disk also has the GFR favorites "Time Machine," "High On A Horse," "Mr. Limousine Driver," "Aimless Lady," "Mean Mistreater," "Paranoid" (live), and The Classic Mark Farner written and GFR signature song (along with We're An American Band) "I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home." The first disk caps off with a 16:30 minute version of "Inside Looking Out" (cover) Live, This version is real funky and innovative and will be a treat for all GFR Fan's. Also check out the introduction to the song, I'll just say it was a sign of the times.

The Second disk covers GFR from 71-73 and has the GFR covers of "Feelin' Alright," and "Gimme Shelter" Two real sledge Hammer versions of those classic songs. Then it moves into a beautiful songs from the Survival album called "I can feel him in the morning," which is a Simi religious and anti Vietnam war songs. Next is a previously unreleased songs called "I Can't Get Along With Society" it is another song with a political message (antiestablishment) in it, and it has a darn good guitar lick in it. The second disk moves on to GFR staples; "Upsetter," "Loneliness," "Trying To Get Away," Walk Like A Man," "Creepin," "To Get Back In," and The Classic Don Brewer written song and number one hit "We're An American Band." It also includes two unreleased songs from the We're An American Band secessions called "Hooray" and "The End" and both Rock hard. Don Brewer Carries the Vocal on both of these Songs. Last on the second CD is "Destitute and Losin," The B-side from the Locomotion Single. This is another Hard Rocker from GFR, I was always surprised that it was left off of the Shinin' On Album.

Disc three features songs from the Shinin' On Period (73) to the present. This disk has the GFR Hit's; "Shinin' On," "The Locomotion," (cover) "Some Kind Of Wonderful" (Cover) "Bad Time," "Footstompin Music," (Live) Rock N Roll Soul," (Live) "Heartbreaker," (Live) "Take me" and "Sally." Disk three also features some of the more obscure GFR songs such as "Love Is dyin" a very good rocker from the Born to Die Album; Can You Do It (Cover) Pass It Around, Cross Fire all from the Good Singin Good Playin Album. Queen Bee from the Heavy Metal Soundtrack & Grand Funk Lives Album and We Got To Get Out of This Place recorded live in Japan in 1982 (not from a great sounding recording). Disk 3 conclude with three brand new GFR songs recorded in 96. "Pay Attention to Me" is a solid rocker, It has a very 90's sound combined with the softer GFR Sound. The Next one is called "All I Do, and is a good pop song, its not real heavy and sounds a bit different then anything GFR has done before. And the last song (and definitely not least) is called "In The Long Run." "In The Long Run" is a Beautiful song; Maybe too pretty to be a GFR song. I would say this song is from a kinder and gentler GFR. It is a mellow ballad with piano and orchestra (the Strings sound great). All three of these new songs are really not great in comparison to the rest of the Anthology; But there not bad.

In conclusion Thirty Years Of Funk is a must have for every GFR fan, and even for the casual fan. If your gonna get only one GFR CD; get this one. You won't be sorry...

escuchen con los oidos, no con el corazon......

no hay manera de entender la excesiva adulacion a la obra de este peculiar grupo, sin tener en cuenta razones sentimentales.
Hay gran cantidad de bandas que uno asocia a determinados momentos de nuestras vidas, a distintas sensaciones, grupos que hacen la banda de sonido de algun momento de nuestras vidas, y uno guarda un gran afecto hacia ellos, sin tener en cuenta talento ni originalidad.
creo que es lo que sucede con este paquete de canciones.
Conocida es la malicia con la que los criticos (?) de rock trataron a este grupo, pero francamente no eran ningunos genios!
esta antologia reune en tres cd gran parte del legado de esta banda, y realmente no consigo entender la magia de los temas que encierran excepto el himno contra vietnan lo demas es prescindible... el booklet es precioso, la presentacion es destacable...pero la musica....ya se que diran que es una aplanadora, que eran geniales....bla,bla,bla..pero cuando teniamos 15 años!!!!!!!!!!!!
a los 35 años me cuesta no reir ...es musica que no supo pasar el examen del tiempo, la madurez del sonido....quieren actitud, talento y polenta??? escuchen por favor a led zeppelin, free, hendrix,mc5,....o permanezcan en la eterna ( y hermosa) adolescencia..!

Great start, should've been 4 CDs.

This long, anticipated 3 CD set (should've been 4 CDs) gives a good account of the bands' history. (It would've been more thorough with 4 CDs). You can see my only pan of this well produced and put together project.

It starts out with the young picture of Mark Farner, the icon and lead singer/guitarist of the group embossed on CD 1, songs from the very early stages of the band. Not even called Grand Funk Railroad, or just Grand Funk for that matter. They were called Terry Knight and the pack or just the Pack. This band had Mark Farner and Don Brewer as members. Mel Schacher the renowned bass player was not a member yet.

The first 3 songs, "Getting into the Sun", "Can't be Too Long" and "Got this thing on the Move" are primitive compared to songs done later by the band, and in the case of "Getting Into the Sun" much slower since the better known live version of this song really rocks! The searing guitar solo is not as sophisticated as other artists, but what it lacks in talent it makes up in energy.

"Time Machine" was the first single released by the band, back when singles really meant something. It's a bluesy fun song with a great beat and a harmonica solo that would make John Popper sit up and take notice.

The disk ends with a couple more studio-recorded songs, "Mr. Limousine Driver" and "High on a Horse" both a bit adolescent, but that's what these guys were barely out of at the time. After that though three great songs from the best live album ever recorded (in my humble opinion) "Are you Ready", "Paranoid" and "Inside Looking Out" (not off the Live album, but done live all the same). This 15-minute plus song rocks from the beginning to end and I have not gotten tired of it yet. This song alone is worth the price of this 3 CD set (should've been 4 CDs).

On CD 2 with the best darn drummer in the world, Don Brewer pictured on it starts out with "Feelin' Alright", "Gimme Shelter" (I'll take their version over the stones any day) and "I can feel him in the Morning" a soft dreamy song protesting the war, with an intro both kind of hokey and haunting at the same time. These three songs were on the bands album, Survival. The next song, "Can't get along with Society" was recorded for Survival, but left off because it didn't quite fit, and it didn't. The CD continues with "Upsetter" a rocker from "E Pluribus Funk" (the best studio album by this band) and "Loneliness". Farner sings with a cry in his voice, of the terrors we reap on the land. The song ends with a rockin' orchestra (yes, orchestra complete with violins, flutes, the works) playing along with the rockin' band. This song was ambitious for the time, and still holds up today. It has even been compared to the early Moody Blues in how it worked rock with classical music.

The CD continues with a song from Phoenix, the bands' comeback album after dumping long time friend and producer Terry Knight. This is the only album the band produced and it showed. The song "Tryin' to Get Away" was one of the better songs from this album. The next three songs, "Walk like a Man", the well sung "Creepin'" and the showstopper, "We're and American Band" are highlights of the "We're American Band" album. "Hooray" was recorded for WAAB but left off maybe because of time on the album. It's a fun gem and I'm glad it was put on here, and so is "The End" a rough mean song, that maybe didn't fit in on this party album. It is though one of my favorite "never released" songs in this box set.

This CD ends with the song "Destitute and Losin'" left off the "Shinin' on" album. Very different for the band, but so was "Shinin' On". Very electric and polished.

CD 3, with the greatest bass player ever, Mel Schacher on the front starts out with the song "Shinin On'" an d continues with a few more songs from that album, and some of their bigger 'hits', "The Locomotion", "Some Kind of Wonderful" and a live version of "Bad Time". None of these are my favorites but they did chart high, and are crowd pleasers. It continues with "Footstompin' Music", "Rock n' Roll soul" and "Heartbreaker" done live (all from the Bosnia album).

"Take me", "Sally" and "Love is Dyin" are from the little known album "Born to Die". This is where I disagree with choices of songs. Keep "Love is Dyin"; put on "I fell for your Love" and get rid of "Take me" and "Sally" both are sub-standard of this really well done album.

"Can you Do it", "Pass it Around" and "Crossfire" are off the excellent album "Good Singin' good Playin'" produced by the late great Frank Zappa. "Crossfire" is the best here, with its social message and the great singing and guitar playing by Mark Farner, but the Brewer penned tune, "Pass it Around" is not bad either.

"Queen Bee" and "We gotta get out of this place" put out in the early 80's and without bass player Schacher I even question these songs being on the album. Neither was great even though "Queen Bee" made it to a movie sound track called "Heavy Metal".

The last three are 'never before released songs' recorded after the group got back together in the late 90's. They sound more like Farner's solo work songs to me then Grand Funk but I like them all the same. I like some of Farner's solo works too.

It's a good start.