The man behind one of their biggest hits, drummer and vocalist Don Brewer has seen it all over the span of four decades. As one of the most talented drummers in the American rock anthology, Brewer has achieved cult status amongst GFR fans and skin bashers worldwide. Besides his historical work with GFR, Brewer has been the touring drummer for Bob Seger, recorded with Pat Travers and worked with other music legends such as Todd Rundgren and Frank Zappa… However at the end of the day, he emerges as a legend himself… one that truly has rock and roll soul.
AAM: So history has it that you started playing drums at the ripe old age of 12… what turned you on to becoming a stick man?
Don Brewer: Well, it all started in Junior High School, I was playing the clarinet in band, moved all the way up and then back down in the ranks... then one day the band leader was looking for volunteers for the drum section. I took a look and saw that was all the girls were so it was an EASY decision! (laughing) Plus my Dad was a drummer playing Swing in the Depression. He really helped me and showed me how to play.
AAM: After selling more than 25 million records and selling out arenas, some bands would have rested on their laurels, what has kept you going?
We did go on a hiatus in 76 and took a break. The music then wasn’t what we were really about-there was a brief reunion in the ‘80’s… Then in the 90’s because of all of those reissues there was a resurgence and we became a staple of classic rock radio. We decided in 1996 to give it a whirl and we’ve been touring ever since with only one break…this is our 9th year, and the audiences have become generational—young kids, grandparents, parents –they’re still loving the music and we have a great time!
AAM: First album, On Time, rumor has it you were in the service and you were wearing a wig, any truth to this?
Really? I was wearing a wig??
AAM: Yes, on the album cover.
Wow! No, I never served in the military—I had a legitimate doctor’s excuse.
AAM: In the early days Grand Funk took a beating from the critics, which didn’t affect your popularity at all…what was it like to go through that?
It was very frustrating! We just had to ignore it- Terry Knight, our manager at the time, just wanted to fan the flames-and critics hated how he ran the band-like we were his puppets or some kind of version of the Monkees and they would take it out on us. I remember reading a review of our Madison Square Garden show and it was sooo obvious the critic wasn’t even at the show! The set list quoted was wrong, there were inconsistencies, etc and he slammed us. But after Terry was no longer with us, we appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone!
AAM: How did you get into singing? I’ve always thought it must be 20 times more difficult for a drummer to keep the beat of an entire band AND sing at the same time. What’s the process to do both?
It’s a very physical process - I do a lot of aerobic activity because a lot of it is wind- you’ll blow your voice if you don’t control your wind. Plus it’s learning how to coordinate. It was a natural thing for me in many ways because I was always a singer but at the same time my right arm is doing one thing, my left is doing another, one foot is on the bass, one is on the high hat and then my vocals are a whole other body part doing something else. The best advice? Just don’t think about it!
AAM: Changing of the guards—when a band has such a long history and you bring in new members how do you work the dynamics?
When we were first entertaining the thought- we didn’t want to go the traditional audition route… we wanted to just find the right person, you know?... we found Max, our blue eyed soul singer who knows how to combine R&B and rock, and when it came to a guitar player, I had been friends with Bruce Kulick for years and gave him a call… then we made some calls for a keyboard player and found Tim Cashion..at the end it all kind of came together.
AAM: Speaking of Bruce Kulick, with him in the band have you two ever discussed that its rather obvious that Peter Criss’s solo in “100,000 Years” is very similar to your solo in “TNUC”?
(laughing) You know, I am sure I have stolen from someone else! It’s just as well –how many beats are truly original? The way I look at it , is its all fair game—at the end of the day, it’s how you learn to play.
AAM: So, what is your kit of choice?
I play DW drums which are a great American drum company, Sabian cymbals, Pro Mark sticks…I love that I get to use these for free, but I tell ya, if I had to pay, I’d buy all the same gear.
AAM: You’ve sold out Madison Square Garden in record time, played Shea stadium….at the end of the day what memory sticks out as the one that most matters to you?
Wow, there’s a few... it’s hard to pick just one… Shea Stadium was a big one—how many bands get to do that? Well, not many more since they’re tearing it down! Going to Japan for the first time and seeing the Japanese girls go crazy was cool…writing American Band..I remember the first time I heard it played on the radio and I just knew it was going to be a smash hit, and we really needed a hit at the time. I’m a lucky guy.
AAM: You worked with Todd Rundgren - what was that like?
I loved Todd! He actually stayed with me when we were recording the album… he’s very inspirational and very hands off and just turns the knobs and makes it sound great. We were free to play, and he would give us suggestions about the harmonies and such… and Todd is very hit oriented—he really helped us become a 7 min underground FM radio band to a 3 min mainstream hit.
AAM: Touring with Bob Seger… playing on Pat Travers Hot Shot Album… how did these experiences shape your chops?
I learned a lot - Pat was great and playing with him made me step out of the box—you see with GFR I could do exactly what I wanted- but playing with Bob and Pat meant I had to play a whole different way but still try to make it my own. Touring with Bob Seger was a lot of work but in the end it made me a much better drummer.
AAM: Terry Knight- he was pivotal in the deal with Capital Records, but in the big scheme of things do you think he did more harm than good for the band—especially when it came to the press?
For the band to make it the way we did-he did get us noticed… he didn’t care if it was good or bad press, in fact he liked bad press!
AAM: Any plans for a new cd?
We do have 3 or 4 new songs in the set- but we love playing live. Plus now there is such a disconnect with main stream radio and new music, It doesn’t matter who puts what out it doesn’t get any airplay- plus we all have families, and live in different places… yet we have a real groove.
AAM: So how did the recording of Locomotion happen?
It was really happenstance… we were recording the “Shinin’ On” album in Michigan and Mark would go home every night for dinner with his wife and we were all eating at some McDonalds somewhere! (laughing) One night Mark walked in singing, “Everybody's doin' a brand-new dance, now - (Come on baby, do the Loco-motion) -I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now -(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)…and someone said, “ya know it would be really stupid for Grand Funk to cover that song”… so we made a few calls, and recorded it, and it was a hit, another time!
AAM: So was “We’re an American Band” a rally cry against other European bands or just a damn good rock song?
I really didn’t write it as a rally cry-at the time we were going through a terrible time with lawsuits, upheaval- radio was changing from FM—and as I was penning the song, I was working on the part- Were coming to your town, well help you party it down- and I was trying to figure out how to finish out the chorus… I was thinking this is our job… we’re an American Band.
AAM- That you are… Thanks Don for your time and talent - for more info on GFR go to www.grandfunkrailroad.com or better yet check them out live at the LA County Fair September 7!
