Contrary to popular critical opinion, Seventies arena-rock boogie men Grand Funk Railroad weren't the most offensive rock & roll band on the face of the earth. Not that they didn't try. Flying on wings of hype engineered by major-domo Terry Knight, Grand Funk made millions as a crass, curdled version of Cream, cranking out battle-fatigued riffs – ninety-five percent volume, five percent chops – pitifully disguised as tunes. In later years, however, they did concoct a couple of ace garage-pop singles ("We're an American Band," "Bad Time"), and their 1976 swan song, the Frank Zappa-produced Good Singin' Good Playin', is a fine, undiscovered hard-rock party record.

History will remember Grand Funk Lives as one of the most embarrassing reunion albums ever, right down there with the comeback catastrophes of the Small Faces and Country Joe and the Fish. Where once they dared to outgross heavy-metal forefathers Blue Cheer, Grand Funk Railroad – singer-guitarist Mark Farner, drummer Don Brewer and new bassist Dennis Bellinger–now go gunning for Styx with the boy's-choir harmonies and false guitar bravado of "Queen Bee" and "Y.O.U." They also take a sluggish shot at Hall and Oates' electric soul music in "Can't Be with You Tonight." With the exception of a toothless remake of the Animals' "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," the rest of the LP is just boorish heavy-metal bluster, more flabby muscle than genre menace. (RS 365)

DAVID FRICKE