Caught in the Act is Grand Funk Railroad’s second live album and was released in August 1975 by Capitol Records as a double album. It was recorded live on tour in 1975 and features “The Funkettes” — Lorraine Feather and Jana King.
Early pressings of the album (including record-club pressings) simply state the band’s name as “Grand Funk” on the front cover and spine, but have the full name on the record labels.
The 2003 re-mastered version of this release has a total time of 79:08, and was squeezed down to one disc. The 2:47 “Introduction” is gone, but “T.N.U.C” and “Gimme Shelter” are lengthened. Audience interaction and applause is shortened throughout to compensate. The missing “Introduction” is included as a hidden track at the end of “Some Kind of Wonderful” on the 2003 re-mastered version of “All the Girls in the World Beware!!!”
By 1975, Grand Funk Railroad had reached a new level of fame and fortune thanks to pop-friendly albums like We’re an American Band and Shinin’ On. However, they had not dropped the turbo-charged rock & roll that built their early success and that fact is proven by this exciting double-live album. Caught in the Act covers all the highlights of their catalog up to that point, including both the major hits and a generous sampling of album-track favorites. All the songs benefit from the amped-up live atmosphere and several improve over the studio versions thanks to the consistent high level of energy that the band pours into each tune. The best example is the latter phenomenon one-two punch of the albums’ opening tracks: “Footstompin’ Music” leaps out of the speakers with a galloping beat and pulsing organ that effortlessly outstrips its album version, then the band smoothly segues into a barnstorming, revamped version of “Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul” that tacks an infectious “Nothin’ but a party” chant onto the song’s beginning. Even the hits add new frills that keep them feeling like rote run-throughs: “The Loco Motion” is soulfully fleshed out by the addition of female backing vocals and hard rock muscle applied to “Black Licorice” transforms it into a speedy, fist-pumping rocker. Another big highlight is the atmospheric version of “Closer to Home,” which sports a tighter, more complex arrangement than its studio counterpart and makes an excellent showcase for Craig Frost’s skills on a variety of keyboard (he nimbly recreates the song’s orchestral coda with an elegant performance on the Mellotron). The end result is a live album that is the equal of the studio’s best studio-recorded outings. Simply put, Caught in the Act is a necessity for Grand Funk Railroad fans and may even attract non-fans with its effective combination of energy and instrumental firepower. (by Donald A. Guarisco)
Grand Funk Railroad’s legions of fans helped make them one of America’s biggest-selling rock bands of the first half of the 1970s, and midway through the decade, they had another chance to experience the band’s on-stage energy on disc. Caught In The Act, GFR’s second live album, made its US chart debut on 13 September 1975.
The band had released their first in-concert disc as early as 1970, when the Capitol set simply called Live Album appeared after the success of the studio titles On Time and Grand Funk. The new album, a double, was recorded on tour in the early part of 1975 and featured some 80 minutes’ worth of Grand Funk’s live extravaganza, which included their backing singers the Funkettes
The set list included both of GFR’s No. 1 hit singles of 1973, ‘We’re An American Band’ and their remake of ‘The Loco-motion,’ along with the ’72 hit ‘Footstompin’ Music’ and earlier favourites such as ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Closer To Home.’
The disc concluded with Grand Funk’s live versions of the Animals’ ‘Inside Looking Out’ and the Rolling Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter.’ The latter song was a longtime feature of their concerts, which they had previously recorded in the studio, for 1971’s Survival album.
GFR 1975As ever, the release was greeted with a distinct lack of enthusiasm by many US rock critics, but Billboard’s review of the live album was a more rounded overview. “Production is good throughout, with the instruments, particularly Mark Farner’s guitar and Craig Frost’s keyboards, standing out. Voices come over well, and the addition of the Funkettes backup adds some fun to the project. Excellent duplication here of a Grand Funk concert which displays a professionalism not found on earlier live efforts.”
The album reached No. 21 on the US chart in a ten-week run, and as Billboard’s review concluded: “The critics may rant, but, for what they set out to do, Grand Funk are close to the best.” Their fans wholeheartedly agreed. (by Paul Sexton)
This is one of the best Albums by Grand Funk Railraod … listen to songs like “Footstompin’ Music“, “Some Kind Of Wonderful“, “Inside Looking Out” and of course “Gimme Shelter”
And “Rock & Roll Soul” is a killer song … unbelieveable … WOW !
Personnel:
Don Brewer (drums, percussion, vocals)
Mark Farner (guitar, organ, harmonica, vocals)
Craig Frost (keyboards, Percussion, background vocals)
Mel Schacher (bass, background vocals)
+
Funkettes Group (Background vocals).
Lorraine Feather – Jana King)
Tracklist:
01. Footstompin’ Music (Farner) 4-07
02. Rock & Roll Soul (Farner) 4.04
03. Closer To Home (Farner) 7.09
04. Heartbreaker (Farner) 7.32
05. Some Kind Of Wonderful (Ellison) 4.15
06. Shinin’ On (Farner/Brewer) 5.32
07. The Loco-Motion (Goffin/King) 3.22
08. Black Licorice (Farner/Brewer) 4.28
09. The Railroad (Farner) 6.14
10. We’re An American Band (Brewer) 3.39
11. T.N.U.C. (Farner) 9.32
12. Inside Looking Out (J.Lomax/A.Lomax/Burdon/Chandler) 12.25
13. Gimme Shelter (Jagger/Richards) 6.58