Why Grand Funk Railroad Got Kicked Off The Led Zeppelin Tour

Grand Funk Railroad is coming to the Music Hall in Detroit on Thursday, January 9th - presented by our friends at Hollywood Casino at Greektown. Tickets available by clicking here. We caught up with drummer and founding member Don Brewer to talk about a number of things, including the time they were kicked off the Led Zeppelin tour - for being too good. 

We asked Don about his first Grand Funk Railroad gig in Detroit - and it led to a revelation about Led Zeppelin and what happened next:

Don Brewer: I think it was a big show. Actually, it might have been the show we played with Led Zeppelin at Olympia, where they pulled the plug on us and kicked us off the tour.

Jim O’Brien: Why? Why did they do that?

Don Brewer: Because we went over too well. We got out there on stage, and the audience was going bonkers for us. We were opening for Led Zeppelin, who had just come out with a big album. They were huge at the time. But we came out, and we were doing too well.

Peter Grant, their six-foot-six, 300-pound manager, came out and grabbed our manager, Terry Knight, by the throat and said, “Get that effing band off the stage right now!” And they pulled the plug.

Doni: Wow.

Jim O’Brien: We knew you’d been kicked off the tour, but never heard it went down like that.

Don Brewer: Oh yeah, that’s exactly how it happened. We did one more show with them in Cleveland, but we were supposed to do about 10 or 12 shows. Instead, they kicked us off the tour because, you know, we were just getting too good. (laughs)

If you've never seen them live - Grand Funk Railroad is just amazing, you won't want to miss this show on Thursday at The Music Hall. Get your tickets here: https://www.hollywoodgreektown.com/