Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Mark Farner's Closer To Home Fan Club Memberships

Fan Club Memberships | Mark Farner

Limited Edition Jackets
Orders welcomed through December[2009]




Take the voyage with Mark Farner and sign aboard the "Closer To home" Fan Club. The Merchant Ship can be in your pirate spy glass here.

Yarrrrrr Me'Bucko, Captain's Crew members can grab Mark's booty and set sail!


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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Mark Farner And Chiodos Craig Owens Croon Poe's Poem El Dorado

Mutual respect of musicianship had brought together two talented singer/song writers. Mark Farner of the Classic Hard Rock Original Grand Funk and the Screamo singing style of Craig Owens with Heavy Metal Chiodos. The highly anticipated result is a track titled "El Dorado" that didn't make it on Craig's solo effort when he decided to release only 7 songs on an EP instead of a full CD. Who knows maybe El'Dorado will land on a CD by another favored band...
Here is:

Craig Owens with Chiodos



Mark Farner with the Classic Original Grand Funk



Craig Owens talks about Mark Farner vocal prowess and the "El Dorado" track he collaborated on with him.



Craig Owens performing acoustic Solo El Dorado, Punk Rock Song and I Didn't Say I Was Powerful, I said I'm A Wizard


twitter.com/craigeryowens
https://twitter.com/farner9

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Presentng Mark Farner With The KEY To Hometown Flint!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee has sent us another listless list of inductee's. And, no surprise, due to politics and swayed opinions, the name "Grand Funk Railroad" is bizarrely missing from the vote. Again and again, year after year, Grand Funk Railroad is missing from the list. But, let's not subscribe to all that nor the magazine Empire that makes the elite committee possible.

"It's better than being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame"

In mid-August, as I remember it, standing there off to the side of the red carpet. I heard Mayor Dayne Walling present Mark Farner with an impressive black plaque holding the key to Farner's first hometown of Flint, Michigan. Mark was visibly humbled and proud and had this to say to the film crews and fans there on the red bricks of Flinttown:
"It's better than being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To think that the people of my hometown think that much of me means a lot." [See New's article]




August 14, 2009 Mark Farner receives the Key to the city of Flint for his achievements in music.





The little gold plaque Reads: "Mark Farner, Flint's Rock Patriot"





This dedication took place the day before the Atwood Stadium concert. After dinner the band went to do a night time sound check then, Mark did an awesome interview for Flint's own Kettering University radio station, WKUF 94.3
Find Mark with the Butcher Shop Brother's on the Pod Cast Player, Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/butchershopshow




Mark shakes hands with Mayor Walling. To Mark's right is Flint's hostess with the Mostess, Lynn Sorenson, Flint Revival Committee.

Pics by;
Mary N & Sue T

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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Mark Farner's: "The Most Famous Messenger" Guitar

Labor Day was the last day to check out the "Rock Star's Car's and Guitar's" exhibit at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. So,I was on a mission to meet the Messenger! Guitar, that is..like the sign say's: "It was Grand Funk's first guitar voice and was used to record the first three albums"

I walked right past the Kiss costumes. Too much makeup,not enough chords. And sure the cars were cool. I did slow down by Elvis' Caddy, Kid Rock's Ride was all right, Alice's Billion Dollar Babies mobile was interesting but, the lure of the Guitar's behind plexiglass pulled me just around the cordoned corner from Janis Joplin's pretty little psychedelic Porsche. Here hangs the Famous and frazzled stringed-ones in suspended animation. One in pieces, from The Who, it was displayed underneath a
likely story from Pete Townshed on how it accidentally got smashed when he tripped, creating a signature Axe Assault expectation to their shows. There was an "H" shape guitar from Ian Hunter, A Checker board guitar along with too many other things to care about from Cheap Trick, John Entwistle's Axe from the "Ox" was an "Awww-Wow" attention grabber but, the one many little boys and Farner Fanaticals stopped to fingerprint the glass in front of was that magical Messenger with the sign reading: "The most famous Messenger guitar in the world" Courtesy of MARK FARNER:



I took a picture of every inch of this unique piece of history so when Mark Farner tells his story [click here for tekky interview] I can refer you to:

"The Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Tone" toggle switch! Built right into the guitar. Reached down and flicked it on during a lead.


"The body was HOLLOW. Sound would get in the "F" holes and just feedback and squeal so, I stuffed it full of foam and put duct tape and masking tape on them then, I did a psychedelic paint job on it, kinda glow in the dark a little bit"




"WHY the Messenger? Because my friend, distributor in Michigan, allowed payments on the $200 dollar purchase! Used it up until '71-'72 right up in there..."



"The neck, actually, you didn't run into any wood until the last fret. That's when the body began, so you could play it, it was the same dimension all the way there so, it was very easy to play, aluminum neck and, inside the body was an A440 tuning fork"






The Messenger Axe that became an instrument of Hard Rock at it's masters fiery fingers at the Atlanta Pop Festival, Shea Stadium and huge crowds in America and Japan!




The taped guitar something to be hold! I hope it gets home safe.




And to the right of the legendary Messenger...The Gibson L5S, we'll save that for another story...stay "In Tune"





~Cruizinsuezin

njc2kmhysv



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Friday, August 14, 2009

C'Mon Baby Do The Local Motion: Mark's In Flint!

The Eagle has landed...Mark Farner in Flint building up momentum.

Local Farner Fans line up to Meet 'n Greet their hometown Rock legend:


Signing Autographs and talking with friends and neighbors:



Interviews:



Flint Revival Booklet:


Mark Farner will Burst through these Gates and give the "40 Years Funkin'" concert of a lifetime right here in Flint...couldn't get much Closer To Home! See Ya There!


For a list of Flint establishments selling tickets: Tickets at: http://www.flintrevival.com
$15.00 pre-show, $20.00 at the gate

Pics by Mary Newton





MARK IS INTERVIEWED ON FLINT TOWNS "THE BUTCHER SHOP" at 10:00 EST
By RT, producer/host of the "Butcher Shop" Radio show on WKUF-LP 94.3 FM, Flint, Michigan USA.
Yes, the in-studio interview with Mr. Farner will be "LIVE" both terrestrial FM broadcast and streaming audio.
The set time for the interview begins at 10:0pm (EST)

Here is the direct link to the stream:

http://webstream.wkuf.org:6232/

The studio call-in line is (810) 762-9725

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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Mark say's: "Alright" I'm Runnin With The Pack in Flint! [Again]

When Mark Farner's speech at the party to announce the Atwood concert in Flint contained his dream of playing Atwood Stadium, it was clear that this would be a heartfelt genuinely special show. He remarked: "Back in '69 when Grand Funk hit big, I always dreamed of playing Atwood Stadium. Here it is 2009, 40 years later and, I'm gonna play Atwwod Stadium!"

Mark Farner, the engine of the Grand Funk train is building up N'rG...momentum is mounting...the anticipation for this huge scale Flint Reviving event is a breath of fresh air! On August 15TH Flint's Atwood Stadium makes history with the gates opening at 10:00AM. Bands start at 11:00 and play all day until around 6:30 when members of Mark's old bands come to jam and lead into his two hour set! Lets see just who Pack O Mojo are:

In the beginning for Mark Farner , before Flint's Famous Funkman was to be the charismatic conductor of Grand Funk Railroad, we find 1964 with the Genesseians as his very first band.

1965 saw Robin's Hoods (aka: The Derelicts) formed with noted musicians Craig Frost and Mike West.

Through 1965 to 1968 Mark was in and out of such Flint area bands as "Terry Knight And The Pack" and "The Fabulous Pack", "Terry Knight And The Fabulous Pack Part II" with a break for "The Bossman" in 1966 where he met Dick Wagner that later went on to produce the album, play and sing back up vocals of the haunting song "Lorraine" from the [1977] solo album: "Mark Farner"


The Hard Rock Year of 1969, with the edition of stolen bass player Mel Schacher (from ?The Mysterians) just the power trio three; Mark, Don and Mel take the world and Grand Funk Railroad blew us away with their freight train full of Funk!

So you see, the band going on just before Mark Farner: Pac O Mojo are life-long friends and musicians in their own right.





Curt Johnson [guitar] from The Nightwalkers with Mark, The Pack And/Or Fabulous Pack (4/'67-4/'67) Curt also landed the job of Grand Funk sound man during the rigorous touring years.




Dennis Bellinger ( Coolie Group '68 and The Pack [Mark on lead vocals of both bands that Summer]) Grand Funk reunion tour included Dennis on bass 1980 to 1983 when Grand Funk once again, dis-banded



Mark Performs "I'm Your Captain" With Curt And Dennis At Jester's In Flint




The Pack




The Fabulous and the Famous! Let The Funk Fly!


Preceding Pack O Mojo and Mark with N'rG will be local talent drawn from the musical melding pot that is Flint's gift to the Indie world!

Mark Farner
and N'rG play that good ol' Axe-Kickin' Grand Funk Rock 'n Roll PLUS, some Farner Flavored, NEW, Funked Up, For The People, For The Flintoids, For The Flint Revival, For 2 hours...For Heaven's Sakes be there!

That's two hours of the Fabulous and the Fam
ous! Rock bands from the Flint area melding pot personally dipped into by Mike Abrahams of "Mikes Triple Grille" in downtown Flint! Get tickets by going to: http://www.flintrevival.com and locally at the MARK FARNER ticket BOX office downtown Flint, at Kearsley and South Saginaw.

Downtown Businessman Tom Z is buying tickets to give away to the unemployed. Stop by his restaurant and ask. Tom has been promoting the concert on his electronic billboard.

Elecro Billboard at: 3010 N Saginaw St~Flint, MI 48505~(810) 787-1111



New Mayor Dayne Walling will be asked to designate a Mark Farner Day and award him the key to City. This will be done a t a 103.9 remote promotion. He will also have a role on stage during the concert before Mark Farner.

The VIP tent is $100 for admission. This gets seating next to the stage, food, under a tent, cash bar and bathrooms near. General admisison seats are $15 advance, $20 day of the event. I'll be there with bells on...Bell bottom jeans that is!

Let's all keep fully hydrated with the special Farner N'rG Stimulus Ade:




Special Thanks to:
Terry Bankert for sharing info from
:
http://goodmorningflint.blogspot.com/

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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Fill It Up With Funk Please Or, Rock 'n Roll Soul Slurpee

Tell Ev'rybody ya know'ooo...
You got some Rock 'n Roll Soul...in your SLURPEE CUP!


Yep,the 70's were COOL...
Does not get much cooler than a Grand Funk Slurpee from the 7-11 Carry Out

FILL IT WITH FUNK PLEASE!


Don Brewer and Mel Schacher

"FUNKY STUFF" FLAVOR!


Mark Farner

"Oh Thank Heaven For 7-11"




Pics courtesy of the Sensational Allee Willis blog on:
www.alleewillis.com/blog/category/famous/

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

The Hunk-Of-Funk Now Appearing On Billboards In Hometown

What's Mark Farner UP to these days you ask? Well, IN and Around Flint, Michigan, we'd say he's up to maybe 12 feet or more off The ground! It's Flint's finest marketing Mark with multiple Banners, Lighted Displays, Handbills and Billboards:

Flint's Farmer's Market Banner
Farner Tickets Sold Every Saturday



Raffle Poster
Proceeds To Benefit "Mission Of Hope"Homeless Shelter, Win An Autographed Guitar!
Contact: http://flintrevival.com/



Lighted Displays



Billboards




Photo credits:Terry Blankert



Forty Years Funkin' Collectors T-Shirts available at: MARKFARNER.COM






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Mark at "TheSwap" studio

FORTY YEARS OF FARNER

FORTY YEARS OF FARNER
Forty Years Funkin'

Anniversary T-shirts

Anniversary T-shirts
40Year's Funkin'

Title Tune From "For The People"

Copyright

© Mark Farner •

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