Rock Era Results Rolling In

Today's Picks:

"Transmission by Joy Division is the greatest rock song
ever. If I could give a tie the other would be: Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before by The Smiths"

--Logan Ryan Smith

Without a doubt, the single greatest rock song is "Got this Thing on the Move" by Grand Funk Railroad. It's the opening blast on their second album, the Orange Album (that those fucking non-cheaters the Mooney Suzuki ripped off.) Anyway. it was way before Mark Farner found god, way before Shea Stadium and the "...we're an American Band" bullshit, way before they added a keyboard player (although Phoenix is an awesome track, from the album of the same name.) It was just Mark, Don, & Mel doing what they did best, rocking out.



I remember the first time I heard this album. I was at a party in high school, blitzed on bong hits and Glacier Bay (remember Glacier Bay, they had the cool bottles with the bottle opener built into the bottom of the bottle?) and going through my best friends record collection. I saw this cool looking album and had probably made the association "Oh... this is the band that does Some Kind of Wonderful... maybe this will be good..." and I slapped that record on the turntable and the rest is history. That album rearranged my DNA.



"Got this Thing on the Move" opens the album. Fuzzed out guitar, rumbling, spastic bass, & the most swinging, sophisticated drums I'd ever heard - everything you could ever want from rock. These guys were the quintessential power trio. Cream - curdled, Mountain - hill, Ten Years After - ten years behind... Grand Funk was it. And Farner's vocals - maxed out at the edge of his range. Ragged, beautiful, & blue collar.



It's been 17 years since I heard that album and it never gets old. Everyone I've ever played it for has completely lost their shit. I'm sure this entry is obscure - but any fan of real rock owes it to themselves to find this album. The whole thing is brilliant.

--Andrew Hughes