Mark Farner, one of the original members of Grand Funk Railroad, shared his disdain for the 1960s British Invasion and revealed that Janis Joplin, a close friend of his, felt the same way—and she wasn’t shy about showing it.
In a recent conversation with Rock History Music, Farner expressed his frustration with British bands like Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. His main issue? They were all performing in American English, something his late friend Joplin also found bothersome.
Farner recalled, “We talked about it while she was busy smearing chocolate all over the seats of a helicopter that the Rolling Stones were supposed to use next. We’d sit there, and she’d say, ‘British invasion, my foot! Those guys sing in American English because we’re the only ones truly free. They’re born subjects of the crown; they’re born jerks!’ And I was right there with her, like, ‘Yeah, tell it like it is!’”
He continued, describing how she covered “chocolate all over these fancy seats in a helicopter that had been decked out like a luxury RV. And this was back when Mick [Jagger] was rocking those white satin pants! It was Florida – hot as blazes… That melted chocolate was unavoidable. Unless they put something down first, they were sitting right in it.”
Farner went on to say that while the British bands confused him, they were a clear example of how “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” However, he warned that this flattery could easily turn into self-deception. “It’s not about the person flattering you – they don’t mean any harm. It’s when you start believing it that it becomes deceptive. … You’re inflating your ego. You’ve got to steer clear of that… stay true to who you are… and keep an attitude of gratitude.”
