In an exclusive interview conducted by Rock N Roll Universe
(www.rocknrolluniverse.com) legendary Grand Funk Railroad drummer Don
Brewer discusses the band's historic Shea Stadium show, where the band
sold out all 55,000 plus tickets in less than 72 hours, the chances of
Grand Funk being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, the
state of the music business as well as the possibility of a brand new
album. A short excerpt from the interview follows below :

RNRU : In '71 the band played New York's Shea Stadium, selling out all
55,000 seats in 72 hours, faster than any band had sold out that
venue, including The Beatles. It's a record which I believe still
stands to this day. What was that like playing the Shea concert?

DB : We were just kids. I was probably 20 years old, and to be picked
up in the north side of Manhattan and to fly into Shea Stadium in a
helicopter, with everybody there to see Grand Funk Railroad, was
pretty astonishing. The boys from Flint were pretty amazed at that
going on. It was a real rock n roll star dream. I still cherish it to
this day, and when I see the film, I flash back at the nerves that I
had. I kind of felt that we really didn't play our best show that
night, but when I look at the footage... it was just a great event,
and it made us part of rock n roll history.

RNRU : Realistically, what do you feel Grand Funk's chances are at
being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? Does it even
matter to you at this point?

DB : Well, I don't know what the chances are. I think they're pretty
slim, because the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is controlled by Rolling
Stone Magazine, and Grand Funk was never a Rolling Stone Magazine
darling. So I kind of think... the fans have solicited them for years
to get us inducted, and it just keeps going away. I think there are
politics still involved, and I hate to say this to the fans, but I
don't think it's going to happen. I'll be surprised if it does.
(Laughs) I have no idea, that's out of my control. If it happens,
great, if it doesn't, then so be it.

RNRU : There's been talk over the past several years about a new Grand
Funk studio album with all new material. What's the status of that,
and are there still plans to come out with a new album in the not too
distant future?

DB : No real urgent plans. No current plans to go into the studio and
record a whole new album. We're doing a few new songs in the show now,
and we'll continue to do those. We'll continue to work on new material
as it pops up, but we have no solid plans to go in and do a new album
right now.

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