The ONe and only Mark Farner

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Mark Farner- Grand Funk Railroad

Interview conducted on September 28, 2020

By Dan Locke

Mark Farner as one of the founding members, lead singer, lead guitarist, and wrote 90% of the Grand Funk music catalog, Farner has always been known as the energetic driving force on stage, the engine that pulled the original Grand Funk Railroad to the top of the charts.

What is your upbringing?

I grew up in Flint, Michigan. My father was a tank driver in World War II and a recipient of four bronze stars. After the war, he became a career fireman. My mother, who has Cherokee heritage, was the first woman in the US to weld on Sherman tanks at Fisher Body in Flint during the war, which was the type of tank my father drove. I grew up on an apple orchard farm and always felt connected to the planet. I played football for a couple of seasons in school and my sister Diane and I used to dance a lot together. We entered and won many a contest. My family was close growing up, lots of Sunday family dinners with all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings. There was always great music and harmonies and fried chicken or sloppy joe dinners! Our neighbors were auto workers, some of the hardest working people you will ever meet. Even though the auto factories have pulled out, the families are still there and Flint is a town full of music.

How did you discover music?

I discovered music through a football injury when the doctor notified my mother and I that I couldn’t play any more football, no more track, my mother rented an acoustic guitar, and bought me six lessons from Marshall Music in Flint. The guitar teacher was injured halfway through my lessons and encouraged me to watch my friends that were in bands. He said to study how they made cords and learn from that. I did and learned very quickly.

How did you start to write music?

The songs just came to me, as I started performing in area cover bands, we played everything from high school dances to wedding receptions. I would jot down ideas and formulate the choruses. As you can imagine, being a teenager, you go through a lot of emotional turmoil with the opposite sex, so I put those feelings to the song. They just started to come one after another from then.

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What is your favorite current guitar (year, make and model)?

My current guitar, since 1996 really, is the 1991 Parker Fly Classic, my baby. I had neck surgery in 1996, which stemmed from a car accident I had in 1979, so I need a guitar that is light. I was dealing with the neck pain for years, but then it got worse so I had no option but to have surgery. My doctor told me to stop playing Stratocasters and Les Pauls because I shouldn’t put anything around my neck that weighs more than five pounds, which is what the Parker weighs. I own three of those guitars. They are hardtail guitars, which have no whammy bar, so there is no added weight from that apparatus. The Parker Fly has stainless steel frets and carbon fiber over the fretboard, so there’s no fret wear. It’s the sweetest guitar to play, because when you do hand vibrato, like I do, there’s no limitation or slight chance of pulling the string past the fret.

A lot of people ask me, too, if I still own the green Musicraft Messenger guitar I played in many of the Grand Funk Railroad concerts, and yes, I sure do.

What was your first performance at like?

A rush! Magic! A bucket full of nerves. That energy coming from the audience to the stage and transferred to the performer, it can’t be replicated.

What makes a good songwriter?

A good songwriter writes what is in their heart.

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

The title of my first original song was “Heartbreaker” which is on the On Time album.

How did you form Grand Funk Railroad?

Don Brewer and I discussed forming a three-piece after a misadventure in Boston that broke up the Fabulous Pack. I recommended a three-piece to mitigate this same occurrence. While we were looking for bass players, we were in Bay City in the offices of Delta Promotions, who were responsible for our visit to Boston. As we were in the waiting room there was a band in rehearsing in one of the rooms. I commented to Brewer, “listen to the bass player!” He agreed that whoever it was known how to play bass. When the band took a break and the rehearsal room door opened out walked my high school buddy, Mel Schacher. At that time, he was playing with Question Mark and the Mysterians. When we mentioned our plans to put a three-piece band together Mel said he’d like to join it because he was ready to leave the Mysterians. The rest is history.

How did you get your name?

Terry Knight had a song called “Grand Funk Railroad” and in Michigan and Ohio, the railway that runs, even up to Ontario, Canada is called Grand Trunk and Western Railway. It’s a play-off of that.

How was it to work with Todd Rundgren?

Todd is a musical genius. He really knew how to mix our sound for Top 40 radio, and gave us more sonic options. It was a great relationship in the recording studio, he listened and we listened back.

What was it like to first meet him?

Meeting Rundgren was pleasant! There was respect coming and going, respect all around. That’s what it takes for a good relationship.

How was it to play on the Midnight Special? Did you meet Wolfman Jack?

An honor! Any time we could play any stage was special, but to perform on such an iconic TV show was even more amazing. We always wanted to bring that dynamic stage presence to as many viewers and fans as we could. Yes, we did meet Wolfman Jack. What a cool cat he was!

What is your favorite track on the album?

All of them are my favorite. If you’re asking about my favorite track on the Todd Rundgren-produced album Shinin’ On, then I would have to say that I have a special place in my heart for “The Loco Motion”. It charted at No. 1, and in my mind, it really honored Little Eva, the original singer. She’s amazing, and we all grew up with the rhythm and blues sound in Flint, our AM stations played all that stuff.

How has touring changed since the 60s?

Touring is incredibly different now than in the 60s. Back then it was a lot of festivals, a lot of packaged shows. When we toured, it was months on the road. The ticket prices are a heck of a lot different, and we’re trying to create different fan packages and experiences. I love meeting my fans after the shows. While that still is the case for many bands, in my case, Mark Farner’s American Band shows are more ‘weekend warrior’ style. We go out on a Wednesday, and play Thursday thru Sunday. Back home on Monday. Or we do a three-day show, with that last show being a matinee or sometimes acoustic. I’m not 20 years old anymore, and I want to make sure every time I step out on that stage, my fans are getting the best of me and the best of my music.

How do you stay healthy while touring?

I’m blessed to have a wife, Lesia, that feeds me right, so I’m not eating fast food when I am home. When I’m touring, I make sure to get as much sleep as I can, and I also take supplements and stay away from unhealthy foods as much as I can.

What are you’re feeling about streaming music?

I’m excited about anything that connects music with the people.

Digital vs. vinyl?

I’m an analog guy, and I love the experience of putting on a record and hearing those little nuances you can only hear on vinyl. Again, if the fans are craving digital and that’s a way to have them connect with your music, then it should be up to them.

What is your feeling about the Radio we hear today?

I like when bands create their music from the heart and they are genuine. When the Federal Communications Commission changed the rules in 1996 and allowed all these mom and pop stations to be run out of town, it created a huge disservice to the music industry. A lot of what I’m hearing on the radio is fabricated and ingenuine. I’m not opposed to modern music; I’m opposed to music that is lacking the heart and the soul of the artist behind that song.

How did your Mid-Michigan Flood Relief Fund go?

We’re still hoping to hit our goals. We’re not quite there yet. I know there are many communities hurting right now. A lot of needs are not being met worldwide. My wife Lesia and I are proud to still live in Michigan. We want to give back as much as we can. Anyone still wanting to help – any of it helps, even if it a couple of bucks. gf.me/u/x4b4v6

What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?

Having lived through the sixties and seeing many mirroring cries, it’s a very sad time in our nation’s history.

What is the mental health situation of the United State?

This is a very interesting question. I think we’re having a rough go of it right now. Between the quarantine, social unrest, and many uncertainties, I understand why many people are crying for help. We have a desperate need to help our veterans and first responders. I’m concerned that many American heroes put on a brave face, but are truly suffering on the inside. I hope we can continue to give them mental health services, as well as prayers to heal. This isn’t going to fix things overnight. It’s going to be a long process.

Do you think kids should be going back to school this fall?

I think that’s up to the parents and a family to make that decision. They should voice their opinions to the school district; however, they feel.

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

The song that’s in my mind right now is “Loneliness”. It means more because we have lived the words of that song and we are living in the words.

How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

Unfortunately, many smaller music venues or independent music venues are going to close their doors. I think some of the independent promoters are going to do the same. Many of my contemporaries will have to decide if they can tour. Again, we’re not 20-years old anymore, and many of our fans are in the same age group. That said, rock and roll is freedom. I’m not going to give up that easy. I think it’s going to be a tough next couple of years, but we will get back into the swing of things as soon as we can. Will it look different? You can’t replicate the synergy and the magic that happens at a concert watching on your home computer or mobile device. People need other people and we need to gather. We just have to hunker down now and brace ourselves.

What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?

My wife and I own a farm. I tinker around on the tractor, enjoy the land, and we’ve been gardening, something we don’t usually have time for being on the road. We’ve also been camping. I’m always writing music, and have been doing Zoom interviews, and Zoom sessions with David Fishoff’s Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps. It’s been a great opportunity to connect with fans in a new way. I’m really enjoying it.

Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?

I guess you could say the Zoom interviews and connecting with media that way is new to me. I did a Zoom interview with my good friend, my brother Ted Nugent. That was really cool. I’m getting the hang of it.

95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?

My favorite streaming channels are the ones that have cooking shows and nature.

Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?

I think independent musicians, those just getting started in building their fanbase and finding their feet, will have to come up with something alternative. But, again, you can’t replicate that live-music experience. I know some bands and artists are trying to supplement their income during this time, which is a shame, but it’s yet another example to pivot.

With no real live music (mostly virtual shows) except for things like Drive-In Theater shows with crowds for the past 6 months, what do you think will be the future of music?

I’m very hopeful that the return to live music will come soon. I think the future of music is going to look like it’s always been – live and on-stage and people connecting. We just have to be patient.

How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?

They have to find a way to communicate to their fans. Fan club email blast lists, Zoom opportunities and work as a team to create something unique for the time being.

Live Nations just started Live Nation from Home. Which are concerts from artist homes. An all-new virtual music hub keeping fans connected to their favorite artists featuring daily live streams, performances, new music, and more. Do you think it will be possible to make a living doing concerts this way?

I think it’s a great way to supplement income, but not to live on. Then again, rock and roll are about sacrifice and doing all that you can to get your art out into the world.

For smaller bands who do not play large crowds, this is not really an issue. How do you see bands going back to smaller venues and doing things like play for the door, with no guarantees?

I think that is absolutely going to be the case for the next few years. Unless you’re in a position to four-wall the venue yourself, this is discussion agents and managers are having on a daily basis. We just don’t know yet. I’m very hopeful that audiences will be very eager to see live music, be a part of that unique experience, and venues can make up for some lost time.

With Social Distance being the norm. Do you feel that it may be the end of the music fest for the next couple of years?

With rock and roll and music, there is always a way to change the world. I’m seeing some outdoor festivals creating ‘pods’ or sectioning off areas. It’s going to look and feel different but it can’t go on forever.

Are you going to vote by mail or in person? Did you know that Live Nation Activates Concert Venues as Polling Places and Promotes Voting Engagement among Fans and Employees?

Yes, I will vote in person. I was not aware that Live Nations is doing this.

What about Holographic concerts in our living room?

I think it’s an interesting concept, and I understand the appeal of this. I personally think it lacks the soul, the real magic of the experience.

What of the newer bands do you listen to?

A band called Red Voodoo has been on my radar. They work closely with Frank Hannon, from Tesla. They have a killer sound, and it’s really honest and refreshing.

How do you see yourself in the next five years?

Still doing what I love, and for the people I love. I’m so blessed to have the career that I’ve been afforded. When I hear about how songs like “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home) comforted our men and women in uniform in our times of war, especially the Vietnam War, I’m grateful for their service and my part in helping them.

Anything you would like to say in closing.