You might hear the name Granola Funk Express and dash the band off as just another bunch of funk-inspired hippies. Although GFE is commonly thought to stand for Granola Funk Express, the band's website offers other options to fill out the acronym: galactic federation of earthdwellers, god force energy, Guinness for everybody, good family entertainment, geniuses formulating equations, gone fishin' everyday, genre of future evolution, grown from embryos, guaranteed fresh every-time, grassroots foundation employment, gasoline free engines and ganja food empire. Though there seems to be a decidedly crunchy vibe to a few of these iterations, others reek less of patchouli and seem more like the names of a hip-hop act, which best describes GFE.
Hip-hop is the most dominant genre pervading their music, but Asheville, N.C.-based GFE have a style that according to GFE vocalist and solo rapper Foul Mouth Jerk combines "a very strange, eclectic mix of influences: Dead Kennedys, N.W.A., The Grateful Dead, KRS One and Johnny Cash." The styles of these acts range from punk to country, but each seems to possess a larger-than-life swagger and preference for the road less-followed, from the Kennedys' barbed attack on music industry big-wigs at a Bay Area awards show to the Dead's promotion of alternative lifestyles. Take Jerry Garcia, throw in a dash of Jello Biafra and stir in some Ice-T, and you get the punchy rhyming of rap and the laid-back qualities of a socially conscious, funk and reggae-influenced jam band.
The Valley Advocate caught up with Foul Mouth Jerk, who has recently found himself on the CMJ charts (number 10 on the hip-hop chart and number 2 for his single, "Small Town, U.S.A."). GFE is currently on tour to promote his new album, Streetlight Music, which features guest appearances from hip-hop heavyweights like Grandmaster Caz and El Da Sensei.
Valley Advocate: How did GFE form and how did you become a part of the group?
Foul Mouth Jerk: GFE largely formed because we were all travelers as individuals, on the road for various reasons, and we recurrently crossed paths. One thing we had in common is that we played music and performed on the street for gas, food, beer money, whatever. Eventually we kind of mobbed up as a whole group and settled in Asheville and decided to focus on becoming an actual band.
So you live with the other members of GFE?
Jerk: All the band members live within about 15 minutes of each other. In our younger days we had been roommates, with about 13 people living in about two or three houses, but now we all live separately. Well, except for Hockenberry [GFE's drummer] and Jenny Junk [GFE's percussionist] who are married.
What's the difference between your solo work and GFE's music—is it simply the difference between having a live band and sample- and drum machine-based beats, or would you say the message is what's different?
Jerk: Well, there is definitely a sonic difference, not just in the live band versus samples and drum machines, because GFE mixes all of the above on most albums. But for me, the intent is different for my solo work. With the band you are in a democracy, everybody writes their piece of music on each song and there's a lot of compromise, and the blending of different influences as we talked about before.
On a personal level, I am a lot grumpier and more cynical than most of my cohorts, and that is often reflected in my solo material. Not that I'm completely speaking from negative emotions, but from what I see as a more realistic or pragmatic perspective. And of course I have a side project with TopR called vice Squad, where we do in fact speak from a negative standpoint. So I got that going for me, which is nice.
How was it to collaborate with some really big names on Streetlight Music?
Jerk: I've been really blessed– I've gotten to work with people I listened to growing up. All of them, Breez [Evahflowin], Murs, [El Da] Sensei, Masta Ace, all those guys are very chill, down-to-earth cats. Meeting Grandmaster Caz? Now that's humbling.
Can you talk a little about the current tour and what you're looking forward to?
Jerk: This is the Streetlight Music album release tour, but I will be performing with GFE. But we perform songs where all of us might be on, or solo songs from different members' albums and any formation in between. In Northampton and Newmarket, N.H., we'll also be teaming up with the Alchemystics, who are brilliant musicians.
As an independent artist and member of a group who acts as its own label, why do you do what you do?
Jerk: I guess at this point, it's more like, why would I do anything else? Music is one of the only things I've ever been good at, and one of the only things I've ever loved doing. And even though I might not be getting rich off it and having to struggle a lot of the time, so are most people in America right now. At least I get to struggle at something I love to do. Besides, if I quit, what am I going to go be? A CEO? Astronaut? No, I'm right where I'm supposed to be. I think everyone in GFE is on the same page with that."
GFE performs with TopR, the Alchemystics, and the Problemaddicts June 26 at 8:30p.m. at Pearl Street Nightclub, 10 Pearl St., Northampton, (413) 584-7771, www.iheg.com.
