I'm Your Captain

In 1972, I shelled out a couple of bucks of my hard earned money on a double album called Mark, Don and Mel - 1969-71. Mark, Don and Mel were, of course, Grand Funk Railroad and the LP captured the power-trio's hits to date in studio and live performances.

The band came together in 1968 in Flint Michigan with Mark Farner on guitars, keyboards and lead vocials; Don Brewer on drums and lead vocals, and; Mel Schacher on bass. Their big break came as the result of a dynamite perfomance at 1969's Atlanta Pop Festival. By 1970 the group was selling more albums than any other American band and while the critics loathed them the fans loved them, making the group a major rock concert attraction.

In 1972 the band added Craig Frost on keyboards. In a case of "what might have been", the group's first choice to add to their sound was Peter Frampton. But Framption had just signed a solo contract with A&M Records.

I'm Your Captain first appeared on Grand Funk's Closer to Home album in 1970. Luckily for me it closed out my double-album purchase in 1972.