Grand Funk Railroad
Greenville, South Carolina
May 25th, 1998
I am having a hard time finding the proper way to start this story. So many
things are going through my mind at this point, I hardly know where to start.
This was my first attempt at being a show coordinator. To everyone that
attended the Greenville show, I hope I did a worthy job. Actually, I found it
fairly easy to do. Where do I find Roadkill a place to eat in Greenville?
Call the Chamber of Commerce. Where do I find specific directions to the
show? Access the web site for Freedom Weekend Aloft. Being show coordinator
does have its advantages. I will explain them later in my story.
The pre-show get together was scheduled for 2:00 at Bailey's Sports Bar and
Grill. This meant I needed to leave my house in Summerville, SC by about
10:00. No problem I thought, I'll have four hours to make it there. Even if
I get lost, I'll have some extra time to work with. I kiss my wife goodbye,
and I'm off. Ninety minutes later, just outside of Columbia, I decide to stop
and get some Chicken McNuggets and a Coke. After I cut the engine off, anti-
freeze starts spraying everywhere! I'll get my snack and look at it after it
calms down. I could not find a leak, but filled the radiator anyway. Let's
hope this does the trick. I arrive at Bailey's right at 1:30, park the truck
and the anti-freeze goes haywire again! This time I found the leak, changed
the hose and went inside to wash my hands.
I am the first one to arrive. I get a table and proceed to drink a couple of
glasses of iced tea. Fifteen minutes later, the door opens, and in walks Don
and Sunny! I JUMP out of my chair and go over and introduce myself. I
apologize to Don for "acting like a little kid" and then ask them to join me
at the table. What a thrill! We talk to each other like we've known each for
years. Naturally I had a thousand questions to ask him, and naturally, I
forgot most of them. I asked him about the anthology....it will probably be a
2 CD set, record stores do not want to stock a 4 CD set at this time. Why not
a Volume 1, and then later a Volume 2, like the Beatles? "Great idea Gary!"
was Don's reply "I'll pass that along." When will the set list change?
"Don't really know, but we have quite a few possibilities......."Into The
Sun", "Nothing Is The Same", "Winter And My Soul", "Walk Like A Man",
"Creepin' ", and "Stop Looking Back", just to name a few." What do the
new songs sound like? "We have recorded 5 that we really like, two are
ballads, and the other three are rockers, just Mark, Don and Mel on those
three. Mark wrote the three rockers and the two ballads were written by other
people." What was playing with Peter Frampton like? "Peter is a real
perfectionist, his solo on "Time Machine" was done that way. Slash was a
whole 'nuther story."
Sometime during our conversation Tony Woodall, his wife, and family arrive.
They have two very cute and well behaved daughters. We order lunch and talk
some more. I tell Don that I have 6th row seats for the Myrtle Beach show in
June, and ask him to toss me a drumstick after is solo. He says he will try
to remember.
Crash Test Chris and his wife Susan arrive around 3:30. Everyone is having a
great time. Sunny and Don are such gracious people. Sunny then starts to
hand out the passes for the meet and greet. She says it will occur before the
show instead of after. The band needs to leave early she says. We all ask
other questions, most of which I can't remember. I ask Don if he is also a
vegetarian, and he replys, "Only when I'm with Sunny!."
Right before they leave, I get Don, and then Don and Sunny, to pose for a few
photographs in front of my S-10 truck. I have a home made "GFR" license plate
right below the grill. I have always wanted to pose Mark, Don, and Mel there.
The pictures turned out great.
We stay at Bailey's until 4:30 or so and then leave for the show. Since it is
almost 90 degrees outside, we don't want to get there too soon.
Right at 8:00, the members of Foghat come out unannounced and played a very
inspired fifty-five minute set of old and new tunes. Rod Price was very
impressive on slide guitar, and Tony Stephens on bass rocked! He is right up
there with Mel Schacher when you think of great bass players.
After Foghat finished, we headed backstage for the meet and greet. Sunny met
us at the gate and promptly handed me a photo/stage pass. Wow, I get to watch
part of the show from the sidelines! I hope I can remember to take pictures
while I am up there. We meet the band, pose for photos, and get autographs.
I get my copy of the "Radio Sampler" signed by all four, Howard Eddy included.
I tell Howard how much I enjoy his background vocals on "Gimme Shelter". He
thanks me and leaves to get ready for the show. Kutch was a gentleman,
forcefully moving things along so the band would not be late. We finish with
the photographs and head outside. I thank Kutch for the pass, and he tells me
just to be careful when onstage, "Don't trip any of the guys, please!?" I
head for my spot.
Right at 9:30 the lights go out and "2001" starts to introduce the band. Let
me tell you, Mel's bass rumbled the entire stage. I could feel the floor
vibrate below my feet. I took some photos but found myself rocking back and
forth to the music. This was a very cool way to experience a Grand Funk
concert. Midway through "Footstompin' Music" I decide to go around front to
watch the rest of the show. Stan and Tia Pace are in the front row having the
time of their lives. "Hearbreaker" and "Paranoid" are incredible as always,
and "Inside Looking Out" drives the crowd wild.
After a very great version of "Shinin' On", the band let's loose with "TNUC".
Little did I know what was to soon follow. After the song ends, Don gets up
and walks out to the left side of the stage. He tosses one of his sticks into
the crowd. He then walks over to the right side of the stage, spots me in the
front row, smiles, and bends down and hands me the other stick! I was
thrilled, to say the least.
Mark then starts his guitar solo/intro to "Inside Looking Out". After all
these years he can still play a very fast guitar. I tried to time the solo
but no luck. It was definitely longer than past shows. At one point, Mark
walks in front of the loudspeakers and tip-toes his way out to the edge of the
stage. He never missed a note. It was like he was walking on the window
ledge of a skyscraper. After Mark's harmonica solo he tosses it out into the
crowd. Who catches it? None other than Stan Pace! He is so excited he turns
around towards the crowd and jumps up and down. I swear he looked like he won
the lottery!
The final song of the evening was "I'm Your Captain". Mark dedicated it to
all war veterans, especially the Vietnam vets. This song gives me goose bumps
everytime I hear it. What an evening! What a day!
Many thanks to Sunny. She really works hard for the fans, especially us at
Roadkill. Thanks also to Kutch. He has a very demanding job, yet makes
everyone feel at home. Thanks again for the stage pass, it was a thrill.
Thanks to the Roadkill members that attended the show. It was a blast. It
was great to see Crash and his wife, Tony Woodall and his family, and Stan and
Tia Pace. Hope to see you all in Myrtle Beach.
And many thanks to Mark, Don, Mel, and Howard for taking the time and making
the effort to meet the fans. We do appreciate this sincerely, thank you guys
again.
