"It's good ... 'cause like their music is getting better and better all the time, it's like, you know, what people want to hear."

"Well, they have a wide variety of music..."

"It's a sound, y'know, they do the same kind of music I like. Just the way they do it. Like we got a group and we want to do it the same way. They feel the music, that's why I like 'em. And they're good musicians, that's why I like 'em."

"Yeah, I have it, it's fantastic. The sound, you know? The way they talk to the people. They're not stuck up, you know what I mean? It's just the way they are..."

"They're good—they're talented. It could have been better . . . all their old songs are on it, and they should've done originals, y'know? Their other albums were million sellers, and their fourth one should've been the real good one. It was OK, you know?"

"Why? Their music, their music is really nice. They sound like ... I like their back beat. I don't know how to describe it, but ... uh ... it's just their music. Like their words are nice, man, their words are nice, they really get a lot of things across ... But I guess I like the music most, the beat ... it gets to me, it goes through my blood."

"They're the best . . . I read an article in your magazine and you put 'em down, man, I didn't like that. Didn't like it. Yeah, and I don't think you give 'em enough coverage, man, you really don't. You like ignore 'em, and look at the power they have here ... unbelievable! Because they're good, people love 'em ... like you keep sayin' in your magazine people are turnin' to softer, nicer music. It's not it, man, people want to go to live shows and see heavy stuff that's gonna freak 'em out, man. I really don't think you give 'em enough coverage, you really don't."

"The live one? I haven't really been into it, I don't think I'd buy it, man, I really don't. I saw 'em live in Philly, man, and I don't think you can really capture something like that on an album. Really don't."

"They seem to get better with each album—the first was all right, the second got better, the third was really good ... and the live one's just as good as that one."

"They stick up for grass."

"I saw 'em before . . . they have some stage show. I saw them down in Staten Island and I saw them at the Fillmore and I ... they're really good."

"'Cause it's really good music and it really hits the brain ... I really dig it. I like the Stones too I'd go through the same shit for the Stones too. They both really know how to get it on with a guitar and everything..."

"I just dig the talent. If they're just bullshittin' around, y'know, just screamin' and shit and they're not playing good at all, that's no good. I like, y'know, if they can play good, and they know how to think."

"They can make you feel it, y'know, feel it when they play. Get across to you."

"The way Mark Farner moves around ... He ... you know, he just expresses himself, it's really nice the way he does it."

"Well, I just heard a couple of cuts on the radio, but . . . I liked the song that they played, "Inside Looking Out" I think it is, and it just ... y'know, like Joe Cocker, man, y'know he's good on albums, but he's fantastic live..."

"Well, I never really liked 'em that much, and my friend got new speakers and I was tripping one night and I got into Closer To Home and I starting liking Grand Funk after that."

"The way they play music ... they smoke!"

"The way they came up so fast, from nothin' to one of the greatest groups around . . ."

"Grand Funk, they're really outrageous. Y'know, they started out like nothin' and they just came all the way up there. Their second album was really outrageous. I got all their albums ... they're really together this group. And I tell you, I'd pay anything to see 'em; I'd pay up to fifteen, twenty dollars to see this group."

"They're really tight for three guys. Y'know, like Farner writes really terrific, really got . . . y'know he's got a good mind. Like he's not really a great guitarist, but like for what he does, I respect him. They put out a lot of power for three guys ... the other two are good back-up men, just like Hendrix, y'know, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell they back up Hendrix. Y'know, something like that."

"They really give an outrageous performance. 'Inside Looking Out'—definitely! Y'know, it's unbelievable when you think that Eric Burdon did it ... wow, he couldn't do it, they did it. It's like when you compare a 1970 song to a 1952, y'know, like those rock songs they have with Chuck Berry — and that's how it sounds ... I mean, it was cool for Eric Burdon in his time, but now, y'know, no comparison at all. It's really something ... Grand Funk, a really far-out group."

"I saw 'em down at the Fillmore, during August this year. They were really good. Shit, man ... My girlfriend said she couldn't stand up, she thought she was gonna roll down into the guy's bass drum. The fuck . . . the drummer was playing by himself for about 15 minutes, and he was really fantastic."

"Their sound. I think they're a great acid-rock group. I think they're one of the best acid-rock groups around."

* * *

Terry Knight is fond of saying that Grand Funk is here if you want it. The way I see it, if you can't fight 'em, join 'em . . .

Note: The quotations used in the preceding were all taken from a tape made at the Madison Square Garden concert. (RS 74)

LENNY KAYE