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By Ryan Sparks
If anyone has achieved
iconic status in the world of rock ‘n roll, it would be Mark
Farner. As the former singer, songwriter and guitarist of one of
America’s most successful and identifiable bands of the 1970’s,
Grand Funk Railroad, Farner lived the rock n’ roll dream to the
max.
Together with drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher, Grand
Funk went on to sell over thirty million records. The band’s
endless cycle of recording and touring, yielded a staggering
eleven studio albums and two live albums between 1969 and 1976.
They even did the unthinkable in 1971 breaking The Beatles
attendance record at Shea Stadium in New York, a record that
remarkably still stands to this day.
Grand Funk epitomized the meaning of the power trio, and
Farner’s signature guitar sound played a large role in shaping
the band’s musical vision. His incredibly soulful voice also
graced many of their most recognizable songs, such as “The
Loco-Motion”, “Closer To Home”, “Rock n’ Roll Soul” and “Are You
Ready”. If that wasn’t enough, Mark was also responsible for
writing 95% of all Grand Funk’s recorded output.
In
1977 the band decided to call it a day. Brewer and Schacher went
on to form their own short lived group Flint, while Mark began a
solo career. Almost five years passed before Grand Funk got back
together again, albeit without Schacher who opted out at the
last minute. While both Grand Funk Lives (1981) and
What’s Funk? (1983) were decent albums; the band eventually
folded for a second time shortly afterwards.
Mark’s personal life and sub sequentially his musical career
took a bit of a detour during the 80’s after he embraced
Christianity. He released three albums on the Christian record
label Frontline Records while continuing to tour with his own
solo band. In the mid 90’s he also joined Ringo Starr’s All Star
Band, which eventually led to a much anticipated Grand Funk
reunion (with Schacher on board this time) in 1996. The
following year the band captured the reunion with the double
live CD Bosnia, recorded at three sold out Bosnian
benefit concerts in their home state of Michigan. Things
appeared to be going well as Funk stayed active on the concert
scene for almost three years. However, behind the scenes things
were beginning to sour. In 2000 Grand Funk announced they were
forging ahead without Farner, hiring Max Carl (ex-.38 Special)
and former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick in his place. The fact
that Mark is no longer part of the band he helped build from the
ground up is obviously something that still bothers him, and he
feels that the people should see the original band together one
more time.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Farner has forged ahead and
returned to his solo career. Although his recorded output has
been rather sporadic over the years, Mark assured me that he is
always writing songs. His most recent effort For The People
is full of everything his fans have come to know and love about
Mark Farner. For starters that timeless voice remains stronger
than ever, and true to form his penchant for creating thought
provoking, socially conscious lyrics, still remain at the
forefront of his music.
Mark Farner is the consummate rock patriot who has always stood
firm in his beliefs and told it like it is. He will give it to
you straight with no chaser. For almost forty years he has been
sharing his God given talents, and giving back through his gift
of song. Read on to discover more about what drives his creative
process, what he feels is missing in today’s music and why he’s
proud to call Ted Nugent a friend.
Ryan: Tell me a little about how you’re most
recent CD For The People came about, but also why it’s
been so long since we’ve had a new Mark Farner solo album.
Mark: It came about because there was just so much demand for
new Mark Farner music. I’m a songwriter and just because I don’t
have a record deal with a major label doesn’t mean the song
writing stops [laughing]. I try to live in a conscious state of
mind Ryan that affords me the time I need to spend in that place
where these songs come from, and it’s precious to me.
Ryan: What do call that, do you refer to it
as your muse?
Mark: It’s like the song zone, unconsciousness you know? It
comes from a relationship of love. I feel and I draw from it
like it’s from my Mother. It’s very much a nurturing kind of
thing and I try to stay there. This is where the music comes
from. It influences the music and I think it adds passion to
what a person has to say, especially if you intend to do it this
way before you even play the first note. I think things can then
fall in order. I haven’t stopped writing songs over the years;
I’ve got tons of songs. Lately I’ve been writing with Richard
Young from the Kentucky Head Hunters, we wrote this blues
country song. I’ve also written with John Anderson, just to
diversify who I am and who I turn out to be. Because playing
with all the different musicians that I have played with over
the years, every one of them has gotten on me, so I’m a bit like
them now. I think it’s important to say, when we can afford to
say “Here’s my music”, but who do you say it to? We’ve had to go
from the internet presence as a root and then stem out from
that, because it’s kind of topsy-turvy from the old world I used
to live in. It’s now ruled by people who don’t know shit about
it, so it’s perplexing to a musician, especially one who’s lived
through the era, and had it when it was good, before it was
controlled and contrived.
Ryan: I’ve had this very conversation with
many of the musicians that I’ve had a chance to speak with. I
think what’s good about the internet and things like myspace
sites, are that people have that instant connection to you. If
they’ve never heard of Mark Farner or Grand Funk, then tools
like this are great for exposing your music to people. I guess
it’s a little different from how you were used to operating.
Mark: It was. I think it was more from the passion Ryan. It was
sparked by people and carried forth by people who love music and
identify deep within themselves, something in the music is
speaking to them. It’s like when Hendrix played man, that guitar
cried. I experienced the emotion of that guitar. I believe
that’s the way it should be.
Ryan: I know you don’t listen to much new
music because you’re so focused on your own stuff, but in your
opinion is that emotion and passion missing from today’s music?
Mark: I just think that in the conscious mindset it’s missing.
It’s not talked about enough, it’s not embraced enough and held
out visibly to embrace and love upon like it should be. I think
public schools or government schools as we call them; dropping
music programs because they can’t afford them is crazy. Music is
so important, how could there be freedom without any music? It
carries a torch bigger than any legal boundaries, and those of
us who have embraced it with that kind of passion have kept it
alive. If we believe in it then by God it is, you know what I’m
saying?
Ryan: You’ve got some very talented musicians
accompanying you on this disc as well. I know your bassist
Lawrence Buckner has worked with you extensively in the past.
You’ve also got drummer Hubert Crawford as well, Dennis
Bellinger and your brother Rick.
Mark: It’s because of the friendship. It’s not a case of a solo
artist going out and getting a bunch of hired guns. I know some
people in the business use studio musicians and they go in and
cut their tracks with guys who are basically hired guns. They
don’t play wrong notes because they don’t know how to
[laughing]. So everything comes out this way, I mean especially
in country music if you listen to it. It’s Dann Huff on guitar
on ninety some percent of it, and the guy is talented, but he’s
also limited as well. You’ve got to let someone else in there
and play you know? [laughing] I think that’s kind of what it’s
coming around to with the whole business of it being contrived
and controlled by people who are just in it from the money
angle, and what they can do marketing wise. It’s really messed
things up for the talent that is still alive, and I think the
stuff that is left is really crying out to be heard, and crying
out in ways just to get attention. Some times we think “God how
can I listen to this crap?” but if you listen close enough you
can get past whatever it is that is upsetting you, to really
understand where that music is coming from. There is a passion
but it’s so far removed from peace and love because it hasn’t
been given any hope, so its doing the best it can.
I
think we had a better crack at it my friend just simply by the
virtue that there wasn’t the shit there is to deal with that
these young kids have to go through today. I didn’t have all the
video games and stuff, I didn’t have that influence. I’d watch
combat on T.V. and all that stuff, and it was kind of cool
playing army guys, going outside and playing Cowboys and Indians
with your friends and all that stuff. However man, when it turns
to the blood and guts and all these toys hanging on the racks
are all these super hero type things, this is what our kids have
to embrace in their minds. This is what being a man is? It’s
just blown out way past what our limits were. Their imaginations
go crazy because they’ll never satisfy that crap that has
developed from the origin of money.
Ryan: You mentioned about where your songs
come from but has your approach to song writing changed at all
over the years? For example do you still have these constant
brain waves or flood of ideas floating around in your head at
all times?
Mike: Pretty much yeah.
Ryan: As a songwriter that must be a pretty
great thing to have.
Mark: My wife encourages it as well because she sees who I am
and more importantly who we are, because her side of the family
is Chippewa and on my side it’s Cherokee. My mothers grand
mother was full blood Cherokee, and the Cherokee men esteemed
their women to be equal with themselves, and its there that you
find true love. Just think about that. If you thought that the
person was even slightly inferior to you, then you’re only
shitting yourself. How are you going to love somebody that you
can’t even give that kind of love to? That’s the influence of my
wife upon my music, she encourages me and sees that I need to be
in that place, even though sometimes man it sure would be nice
for me to come back to earth and help her out on this one little
thing. She’ll lay back and wait until it’s time you know? It’s
been really good; we’ve been married for thirty years so this is
my true love. When you give to each other equally and when you
give each other what you want, that’s the way it works.
Ryan: You’ve never been afraid to speak your
mind and use your songs as a platform to convey either your
political or religious beliefs and true to form you don’t waste
time or mince words either on the title track. What is it going
to take in your mind to rebuild the United States back to what
it was?
Mark: To get over the religious influence, because we’ve allowed
ourselves to believe in a lot of things that are untrue. I
believe in love my friend and the love is unconditional, and the
love that was shown to all men from the creator is
unconditional. It doesn’t have any attachments or qualifications
to it, or things to get you in, but people believe in this.
People believe in hell, they don’t even believe in the words of
the holy bible but they believe in something that somebody told
them. When Jesus went into the earth and he came out with the
keys to hell and to death, well bingo, hello! If this is the
redeemer and the saviour of the entire world, and he has these
keys then guess what? Satan got saved, it’s unconditional and
hell is bullshit. It’s controlled by religion it really is. If
you believe in it then you’ll fear it, and I believe it’s been
put out there for men to fear, for the purpose of control. I
believe the powers and principalities live in the hearts of men,
not in any devil or spirit or something bigger than life, it’s a
man like you and I brother. He’s just twisted somebody who would
allow himself to believe that they are better than another
person, or so arrogant as to spend the life of another mans
child, just flaunt it out there and profit from it, that’s sick.
It’s a sickness and I’m sorry that people can allow themselves
to go to that level, that they actually believe that they
deserve this and that they are better. There are billionaires
out there while kids are going hungry, it just doesn’t make any
sense. It will never make any sense because the trickle down
from insanity isn’t good no matter where it stops on the ladder.
Ryan: I’ve never been one to put a lot of
faith or credence in political parties as neither sides both in
the US or Canada where I live, really seem to serve the people
or be working for the people. I’ve never really understood these
so called political labels, for lack of a better word, but I’ve
heard people describe you as being even further to the right
than Ted Nugent.
Mark: I don’t know where that gauge is because I haven’t really
stood back and objectively thought of it in that sense, but I am
there somewhere in what I believe and I believe the truth is
drawing me to itself. The truth is this body expires someday,
there is an expiration date stamped somewhere on this body
[laughing]. I haven’t found it yet and I’ve been able to look
pretty much everywhere. However when we pass from the body I
believe you can have such a conscious connection with where
you’re headed to, that you wouldn’t even notice that you had
left. I believe this is attainable and it’s attainable if you
believe in the unconditional love, and that my friend is the key
to it all. If you believe it then it is, but you’re taught not
to and in this mans world that we live in do you think there’s
any balance for a woman’s energy in the mix of things? I don’t
think so. I don’t think they’re asking women’s opinions on a lot
of things. It’s a bunch of arrogant men running this place dude.
I’m sorry but things have got to change. People that have
children and grandchildren like myself, that are middle working
class people, there’s a hell of a lot more of us that stand to
lose if we don’t just stand for love. We have to stand for love,
forget all the religion, let’s agree on love. Is that a bad
thing to have, everybody agreeing on love? I think we could form
the people’s army of planet earth! We would only oppose those
who would oppose love and peace.
It’s like why isn’t Grand Funk in the rock n’ roll hall of
fame, is it the numbers? I don’t think so. As you said before
brother, the music spoke to the hearts of people and to the
generation that today calls it protest songs. We sold out Shea
Stadium before “We’re An American Band”, “Some Kind Of
Wonderful”, “The Loco-Motion” or “Bad Time”, there were no hit
singles. It was all underground radio that we were getting
played on. FM had no commercials, they had a guy spinning the
discs and when he would spin it for the first time, like Deep
Purple’s “Hush” people would go “WOW!” They had to go out and
get it. That’s the way it was and that’s the way it should be,
and that’s the love that’s missing today.
Ryan: Something which I find is often
overlooked about you is your exceptionally soulful voice, which
by the way is still as powerful and stirring now as it was back
in the Grand Funk days.
Mark: Thank you Brother Ryan I appreciate that.
Ryan: You voice encompasses everything from
Motown, and the great Stax singers of the 60’s but I also
understand you were also influenced by gospel music as a
youngster, is that true?
Mark: Yes. My family on my mother’s side was from Leachville
Arkansas and my Grandpa Cotton, my Uncle Woody and Uncle Brian,
all the aunts and uncles and all the kids all moved into the
Flint area to get these high paying jobs in the auto factories.
It brought in people from all over the United States into that
area. We would get together every Sunday which was a family
custom, just to get together and play gospel music. So that’s
how my influence initially got started, and also just the way it
sets my soul up to receive something of that love that we spoke
of.
Ryan: Your lyrics have always addressed both
social and political subjects dating back to early songs like
“Closer to Home”, “Loneliness”, “Creepin’”, “Loneliest Rider”,
“Save The Land” and on and on.
Mark: “People Let’s Stop The War”.
Ryan: Exactly. These songs dealt with issues
which unfortunately are still concerns today proving that it
wasn’t just a bunch of hippie idealism was it?
Mark: No. Those of us who have been chosen for this, it’s almost
like a task. It’s not a burden; it’s what ties us together, and
the thread between us all, which compels us to keep it alive and
to sow what love and life we have into it.
Ryan: The fact these issues are still very
relevant today is somewhat discouraging yet you still have to
have hope for the future don’t you?
Mark: Oh yeah I do have hope absolutely, but I want to provoke
people to think without giving them solutions in a song, at
least provoke them to think about it. I think that’s kind of
what we need is to just get back to the basics of mother earth
and to the bosom of who we are. We need to take care of this
place and think forward just like the Indians do to the 7th
generation. This is the way it was back in the day. You thought
enough of yourself that you would look forward into your sons
and daughters and you saw yourself in them. You would prepare
them with your words and your love for their future. Then their
kids would come and you would see yourself in your grandchildren
and you’d prepare them in the same way for their future, so they
wouldn’t go blindly into this programmed, televised way of
thinking. Everybody is conditioned by all of these things that
have been projected into our minds, and we must consider all
these things which come into our eyes. I believe that we’ve sped
up time with these machines so fast, that we’ve gone past where
we should be on this earth.
\Ryan:
Speaking of your Christianity or spirituality, was there really
a definitive or defining moment when you found God? It seems to
me that matters of spirituality and God were always in your
subconscious but you were just slightly off course and maybe not
always on the right road in your life, would that be a fair
assessment?
Mark: Oh God I believe you just smacked it right on the head
because my Dad died when I was nine years old. I prayed with
Billy Graham, I was on my knees in front of the television set
in my living room and I prayed with him because he was doing a
revival in Flint Michigan at the stadium there. It was very
moving and being that I had just lost my dad, I was watching my
mom and her friends in the dining room all turning to drink to
try to drown their troubles. I was learning at a very early age
that that wasn’t working. Billy Graham said that ‘if you are
hurting and need this love right now then get down on your knees
in front of your television set and receive it’. That was my
first encounter spiritually reaching out as a nine year old with
the understanding, as much as I could grasp as a nine year old.
I did know that the guy that I loved most in the world, for some
reason wasn’t there anymore. I saw the devastation that took
place, because for my Mother, my Dad was her God. It really tore
her up and she was a very sensitive woman. She had six kids, I
have two brothers and three sisters and we all had to endure it,
but we all still love each other and we still sing music when we
get together. We’ve got to keep it alive. I believe in that
whole grieving process as well, but from what I know about death
now, and the short time that we’re here, there are other things
that need tending to that our minds are better suited for.
Lesia and I embrace death and we believe in things like the
Indian ghost suppers where everybody brings a dish to pass. It
starts at six o’clock and goes all night until six the next
morning. You talk and you bring pictures and you tell stories
about the people who have passed on. It keeps them with us and
keeps them who they are, and who they are in us, in front of us.
We bring it out when we speak of these things, and we don’t
think of it as a dark day, and that the person is gone forever;
no hold on because this is graduation! You’re going there, what
makes you think you aren’t going too [laughing]. You better
change your mind about some stuff.
Ryan: Right. Just because someone is no
longer here in the flesh doesn’t mean your relationship with
that person has changed.
Mark: That’s right because that stuff will drive you crazy man.
Ryan: After this change of heart so to speak,
did singing any of the songs in Grand Funks back catalogue pose
any moral dilemmas for you at all?
Mark: Not at the time I was singing them. I thought so when I
first got into the Christian scene back in 1983, because with
that scene there’s a lot of, I don’t know… weight and debt that
comes from certain lifestyles, from what you don’t want to do
and what you do want to do and all that. So from that
perspective yes, and even some of the first Christian music that
I did was under the influence of that conditional Christ. Well I
don’t believe in the conditional Christ anymore because through
revelation I thank the creator for the unconditional Christ, who
is love and I serve love. If I err at least I err on the side of
grace.
Ryan: In Grand Funk you wrote almost 95% of
the bands songs, was that by choice? I mean did you just assume
that role in the band and did you encourage the others to
contribute more in that regard?
Mark: It was forced upon me at fist because I was the only one
who could write music it seemed. I was a twenty year old kid
just starting out. We would be in rehearsals and they would take
off and go to McDonalds or something. I would get a jam going
and a chord progression and they’d say ‘Oh do you have anything
to go with that?’ and I’d go “No”. They would go to McDonalds
and by the time they’d get back I’d have it. A lot of the songs
on the first eight albums were that way, so it’s always been
part of who I am. Then when Don started writing it would be, it
might be something I didn’t have any words or melody for, and if
Don heard me playing a particular song like “Black Licorice” or
“Shinin’ On” he would say ‘Hey man I hear some stuff for that’.
I would be like “Good man go for it”, we used to be friends like
that. However I think the desire for more attention in that area
and more money from a song writing standpoint kind of put a
contingency on our relationship and it still does. When Grand
Funk broke up this last time in 1998 it was like a divorce, and
its hateful shit that really shouldn’t be in our relationship.
Our love for each other and friendship ought to go past it, but
for some reason people go there.
Ryan: In many ways I thought Grand Funks
dichotomous blend of soulful R&B influences with a gutsy raw
energy is what really defined the band and sub sequentially set
you apart from your contemporaries of the time. Would you agree?
Mark: Absolutely. I think the assembly line of rock ‘n roll
which is what we called it, that particular brand of rock ‘n
roll that was coming out of Michigan was influenced heavily by
what we listened to on the radio. At that time it was CKLW out
of Windsor Ontario with Rosalie (Trombley), as well as the local
stations in Flint, WAMM which was a soul, blues, and black
influenced station. WTAC and WTRX were other stations that would
play R&B cuts, especially Motown because it was dance, and all
the disc jockeys back then were having dances. They’d have
people come out, spin the records and have a band show up and it
was great, there was no alcohol, at least none sold [laughing].
It was a great time and I think that’s something that’s missing
from our music today too, a place for young musicians to get
appreciated. I applaud the people and the stations that are
still involved, like this station in Northern Michigan Double
Rock KLT. Teri Ray up there has local bands; they have a
Northern Michigan Rocks CD that they put out every year. They
are a station that promotes local talent, and I’m telling you
this is something everybody needs to do, to encourage all of our
young musicians to keep love alive.
Ryan: When you set out to form Grand Funk
Railroad were you looking to the power trio’s of Cream and the
Jimi Hendrix Experience as your musical blueprint?
Mark: We certainly considered the sounds and the impact that
those bands were having. We knew that we couldn’t be like them,
but we knew that what we felt good together playing as musicians
is what made our sound.
Ryan: All of Grand Funk’s albums were
recorded very quickly.
Mark: Oh yeah.
Ryan: The band released eleven studio, and
two live albums in seven years, and toured endlessly which was
something that took its toll on your health physically, as you
developed an ulcer in your early twenties. It seemed like it was
one big constant cycle of record, tour, record tour.
Mark: Absolutely, but I was at an age where I would look forward
to the next thing no matter what it was Ryan. If we were taking
off the next morning from Detroit for Europe I was like “See you
at the gate dude”. I would be looking forward to that and having
it provided for you, all you had to do was walk in the shoes. It
was good.
Ryan: Looking back now, do you think you had
enough time to take it all in and really enjoy it as much as you
would have liked?
Mark: Absolutely not [laughing]. When you’re in the middle of
doing it, we had an airplane that we leased that had Grand Funk
Railroad written down the side of it in big letters and
Bloodrock was out touring with us. That plane carried both bands
gear and 17,000 pounds of PA. They removed all the seats from
the front bulk head to the rear bulk head, and the band and crew
would sit in the rear bulk head in the seats that were left
which was probably about 40 or 50 seats. In those days it was a
prop engine and when they started it, it was like we were
clearing the bugs for forty miles [laughing]. We took off from
Oakland California; we had just finished 61 cities in 63 days or
something like that. It was a gruelling tour, we couldn’t wait
to get home and we were partying in the back of the airplane. It
was gaining altitude and then all of a sudden “BOOM!” the engine
on the right wing exploded into a fireball, and this was like 3
o’clock in the morning so it was darker than the inside of a
boot. I think it caused everyone to speak to God because it got
very silent, you could have heard a pin drop on the carpet
[laughing]. Then the captain said that we had to go back, and
anyway when we got back it didn’t have the power to reverse
thrust so the plane runs off the end of the runway. All of these
emergency vehicles were sitting alongside the runaway with their
lights on, but we went right by them off the end of the runway
and into the cattails of the marsh. We jumped out of the plane
into the darkness and hit the turf and went running away from
it.
Ryan: That’s a heck of a way to end a tour
isn’t it?
Mark: Oh my God! [laughing] Like I said I think everyone on that
plane had their own conversation with God I’ll tell you.
Ryan: The band had other close calls up in
the air as well.
Mark: Oh yeah. One time we were in the Lear jet, I think we were
in Connecticut flying into New York City. We were going into the
private aviation at La Guardia and you could see New York City
from where we finally levelled off, at like 47,000 or something
like that. We hit some clear air turbulence and it flamed out
one of the jets, and the co-pilot had the sense enough to put
these flaps up, which they use when they cold start the jets,
which saved the flame on the one. They did eventually get the
other one restarted in the air, but it was so traumatic that
when pilot finally landed and got out of the plane, the doors
open on a Lear jet like a clam shell, and the stairs go down. He
left the door open and went to take the first step and ended up
on the tarmac. His legs went out from underneath him and so did
mine, everybody experienced that. Our heads ricocheted of the
top of that tube, and nobody was feeling that they were going to
make it back to the ground in the first place. When you have a
situation like that, it does cause you to think about all those
other bands and the people that went down in those planes, and
you’re going [yells] “Not now God. Give me one more chance!”
[laughing].
Ryan:
Do you remember playing a festival called The Strawberry Fields
Festival in Montreal and Toronto in 1969 and 1970?
Mark: Oh yeah in Montreal I remember when we were coming in on
the bus, there was all these people waking around with no shirts
on, and this girl who had the biggest set of jugs had peace
signs painted on them, two peace signs. It just went so well
with the theme [laughing].
Ryan: While it’s safe to say your ex-manager
the late Terry Knight wasn’t exactly what you’d call an honest
man with regards to how he handled the bands affairs, he was
quite successful at promoting the band wasn’t he?
Mark: Oh yeah the guy was really genius in his own respect as
far as the promotional aspect went, and what his grip on the
industry was at the time. He knew what to do to get the most
exposure for Grand Funk Railroad. Part of that was the ploy to
keep us from the press to create a mystique, which really
created a platform for him to rave about himself [laughing].
Ryan: Was it Terry that came up with the
great album ideas such as the coin shaped cover on E Pluribus
Funk, the yellow vinyl and stickers for We’re An American
Band and the 3-D glasses for Shinin’ On?
Mark: Terry was responsible for the coin. Lynn Goldsmith and Any
Cavaliere came up with the Shinin’ On glasses and the
gold vinyl for We’re An American Band. Those were great
marketing tools which created something memorable.
Ryan: I know you forgave Terry for ripping
off the band and he certainly didn’t deserve to go out they way
he did (Ed note: Terry was murdered in 2004 by his daughter’s
boyfriend). In your autobiography, which ends a few years prior
to his death, you mentioned unsuccessfully trying to contact
him. Were you ever able to speak to him?
Mark: I did talk to Terry briefly on the phone and I got to say
to him that didn’t hold anything against his mortal soul. I
counted all his lessons at that point in my life and I wanted
him to know that. Even though I think it was wrong and I think I
got ripped off, I wanted him to be able to come to himself with
those terms, and then do what was right in his heart from that
point, but there are people that just don’t get it. They sell
out to the values of money.
Ryan: How did that conversation go?
Mark: It was kind of contentious a little bit on his end. It was
at arms length, and not to let on that you were in any way
friendly, so it was a little uncomfortable, but nonetheless I
got it off my chest brother.
Ryan: Many of your contemporaries, some of
whom you actually got to meet personally, fell victim to the
rock n’ roll lifestyle and didn’t make it out alive. Did you
ever feel yourself dancing at little to close to the edge at any
point?
Mark: Yeah I mean the close calls that you have, just personally
with your life, and knowing when you’re experiencing that
closeness to the exit. When you get that close you can’t deny
it. I think that I’ve been through enough to know that fear
that I used to be under, is something I now embrace because I
know the inevitable. I’ve contended with it, with the
unconditional love, the conception of that in my mortal mind,
and the placement of it in my conscious day. You have to
overcome everything else because it’s like that Matrix movie.
The guy had to unplug all the shit that he was plugged into, and
that’s what it really boils down to. We are jumping through so
many hoops that our slave master is debt, and not just the money
debt. People will expect things of you and you won’t fulfil
their expectations, and there will be a debt put on you from
that point of view. Then we have the debt of regret when we
don’t fulfill our own expectations and we kick ourselves in the
ass. We learned this debt stuff real good and it manipulates us
real good and pushes ourselves around in our lives. It moves us
out of the comfort zone a lot of the time, it’s just a
burdensome thing. I’ll tell you something, it’s a man
controlling it and it’s me controlling it if I’m holding it
against another person. The evil of this whole world comes from
the son of a bitch that will not forgive the debt. Now that’s an
evil son of a bitch. That’s where it all originates, it’s in the
heart and mind of a man, and I’m sorry but those kinds of people
are just sick. They’re insane with a lust for power and they
can’t be satisfied. Like I said the trickle down from there
isn’t good buddy.
Ryan: I think I speak for many fans when I
say that without you in the band that Grand Funk is really just
the band in name only as far as I’m concerned.
Mark: I agree.
Ryan: Is it hard for you to be apart from
something that you were such a big part of and had such a hand
in creating? At this point in your life would you even want back
in?
Mark: Well yes, because in fact I went to Capitol Records when
they released the CD/ DVD companion of the Shea Stadium footage.
I sat across the table from the heads of their department and
committed to them to put the band back together to promote this
new release if they could get Don and Mel to do it. I thought
what better way to show the fans that we’re still sucking air.
We’re all going to die someday. I don’t know who is going to be
the first one to go, but there won’t be the ability to put Grand
Funk back together someday, not with the original guys, so I
figured lets do it. I had even tried before that, but they want
no part of it, so I don’t know what it is. It’s hurtin’ people,
hurtin’ people, that’s what I know.
Ryan: I think you’ve pretty much gotten on
with your life and you’re making new music whereas the last time
I checked they haven’t released anything new.
Mark: I played in the Rock n’ Roll Fantasy camp with Bruce
Kulick and he played bass on “Closer To Home”. I showed him the
chords and stuff because I make these different formations, and
we were very friendly towards each other, and I hold nothing
against Bruce. He’s a great player and just because of the
calibre of musician that he is, I’m sure that if they did
anything new, that it would sound good, because you’ve got some
great players, but it isn’t going to be Grand Funk. Grand Funk
in the eyes of the people is Mark, Don and Mel. In my mind,
because there hasn’t been anything else to prove that’s who we
are outside of our records, then that’s who we are you know?
[laughing] To say that we’re anything else, I don’t know… I
could never do it; I’m not built that way. I think there have
been so many other bands that have done that. It just feels like
something they could do, make some money at it, and they don’t
need me…whatever. I don’t know all the thoughts that go through
a persons mind, but I do know that there’s nothing that either I
could do by myself, or the two of them can do together, to
satisfy the true Grand Funk fans who would like to see us get
back together before we die.
Ryan: You mentioned earlier on about the Hall
of Fame and why Grand Funk isn’t in there, in your opinion is it
all political?
Mark: Yes it is, it has to be. People can say what they want but
it seems like the public just believes what they hear. It’s like
9/11, the official story is the jet fuel somehow melted the six
inch steel I beams, which caused it to pancake floor, after
floor, after floor. That’s what the words said, but your eyes
saw the whole building freefalling at one time, there was no pan
caking. I know because I spoke to people that were in the
building, so that is a farce that has been perpetrated by the
people that own and print our money and that isn’t us. That’s
what America has to do to get back on her feet, because in order
for you to make anything out of your business, your money has to
work for you, it can’t work for somebody else. In order for the
United States to make anything for itself, our money has to work
for us, and it can’t be controlled by these European families
that own the Federal Reserve. It doesn’t do us any good, because
they don’t have a patriotic bone in their bodies, and I believe
they’ve been spanking our ass since 1913 for telling the king to
go shove it up his. I think that’s kind of what it is, those
spoilt little shits.
Ryan: Last question we spoke about of Uncle
Ted earlier.
Mark: Yeah The Motor City Madman.
Ryan: I had read somewhere that he said that
one of his wishes before he leaves this world is to record with
you. Is this the first you’ve heard of it or have you ever
spoken to him about it?
Mark: Those were definitely Ted’s words because he spoke those
words to my wife. I was on my way home and I didn’t have my cell
phone with me at the time, so when I got here I called Ted. I
was sitting in my bathroom and I’m on the cordless [laughing]
and Ted says “Farner you’ve got to listen to this”. He plays me
a song, he’s in his bathroom and he’s got his flattop in there,
and he plays me this song over the phone, it was great. We’ve
had that kind of relationship, very close to mother earth and
the Great Spirit. I don’t care about anything else because that
in itself is enough for us to be friends.
Ryan: So do you think it will ever happen?
Mark: All Bother Nugent has to do is make the call; he knows
I’ll be wherever he’s at. I’ll be there.
www.markfarner.com
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