As the album collapsed in the free market, Rolling Stone, who bitterly denounced Knight throughout GFR’s spectacular sales success, moved in for the kill:
This is Terry Knight’s new group, and it’s another grand flunk… A discerning glance [of the cover] reveals that inside the pie is a distended vagina. Now you gotta admit that Knight’s got balls – on a grossosity scale of one to ten this one rates an 11. But like a gopher in a snake pit, Knight picked the wrong hole. The flip side would have been more appropriate, seeing how everything on this album has a definite anal smell about it. Terry’s normally pretty sharp; why didn’t he see this? It couldn’t have because he was afraid of looking like he
was telling the record-buying public to eat shit – didn’t he do it before with three lads from Flint?
Even in the free-wheeling Seventies, such raw malevolence in print was exceptional. The only other person who earned that level of hostility in the pages of Rolling Stone was Richard Nixon.
Seemingly unconcerned by the commercial doom facing Mom’s Apple Pie, Knight entered 1973 full of his characteristic bluster and bravado. As he told Playboy magazine:
I exist as an entertainment complex today – including a limousine company, two publishing companies, a movie company in partnership with Twiggy and a new record company, Brown Bag… What I say to record executives is, “Fuck truth and honesty and being cool and sitting on your ass behind a desk, figuring out what kids are gonna listen to in Omaha!” When I want to know, I go to Omaha. I get out among the people. I have to be on the street.
Interestingly, though, the article ends with an uncharacteristic admission from the famously confrontational Knight:
It would please me to convince the people with muscle in the industry that I am not a bullshit hype. If they would pay attention the way I have, it would make the word promoter taste a hell of a lot better to me and everyone else.
His second act to release an album on Brown Bag addressed Knight’s desire for music industry legitimacy.
John Hambrick’s debut album, Windmill In A Jet Filled Sky, is a literate interpretation of country music that realizes the earlier promises of Dylan’s collaboration with Johnny Cash. The album, although energetic, is 100% Nashville; a crack team of ultra-pros, highlighting harmonica genius Charlie McCoy, provides flawless sounds as Hambrick muses on ecology, racial tension and the usual C&W concerns with a beautiful baritone twang.
Hambrick never had a chance. Although the album was actually produced by country legend Wayne Moss, the public was asked to consider buying a country record from the dude who brought Grand Funk Railroad into the world. John Hambrick soon returned to broadcasting, never to record another note of music.
Article comments
1 - sonny
cool! thanks, eric.
is the Amazon link to the movie 'the incident' an error?
2 - sonny
did you see the recent bob johnston interview in the austin chronicle?
here
3 - Eric Olsen
thanks Sonny, Knight scored The Incident, hence it's inclusion. Barry didn't want to emphasize the more obvious work like GFR this time around
4 - larry patterson
wanted to say hi! to Roger Force. He was The
Force!!!! behind Moms Apple Pie.. The kid who bugged me at National Record Mart. Remember??
if you could download me some of the MAP tunes...
would appreciate it. maybe we could get #3 out of the can........and re issue it, hope you get this message... larry patterson. former manager.the guy who put the $200.00 up for the demo in Cleveland Recording Company but I did get $10,000 from Terry Knight
5 - larry patterson
Roger Force contact me larry patterson
6 - Marlene Weinberg
THis is a very interesting article about Mom's Apple Pie. I remember the music, the album cover and the guys in the band. Just to mention, my brother, Larry Patterson managed this group and had Mom's Apple Pie put on the map. I remember all the stories he had to tell and he remembers those days very well. We talk about it all the time. Thanks for mentioning him as he did work very hard with the group. They all were very young at that time and headed in the right direction.
It is good to see that LArry and the Mom's Apple Pie group are still remembered for what they brought to the music industry.
Thanks again for a great article.
Marlene Weinberg
Tierra Verde, FL
7 - MArlene Weinberg
Hi, again.
I have one of the original posters hanging on my wall. How can I get the albums that were published. Mine somehow got lost over the years.
Thank you.
Marlene Weinberg
8 - larry patterson
MAR Aunt K or Mary Miller send this to them
and add comments for me thanks Larry Patterson
9 - larry patterson
Rodger! Fred! Dave ! contact me want to re-issue MAP inc. on the Mom's Apple Pie Record Label will send copy of design. but need downloads of albums (3) and any publishing rights you signed over to Knight or Storybook Publishing a Grand Funk Company Take care all
10 or more of you Larry in Treasure Island, FL
10 - annethe voice) Bartee
I know John Hambrick and the album he did with Terry Knight is brillant,, it should be re-issued again,,, John was looking for Terry Knight but couldn't find him,,, put johns name in Google and get his email address that way.. I have recorded johns tunes and love the material he gave me too.. is Terry knight dead? anne bartee
11 - larry
Terry is gone John Hambrick was very good Larry
12 - Larry Patterson Jr.
Hi, this is Larry Patterson Jr. Sharpsville PA.
I can remember the whole Mom's Apple Pie cover controversy from when I was just a kid. I just didn't uderstand what it was about until I was a little older. I still have a poster and album covers from Apple Pie #1 and #2. I would really like to see my dad Larry Sr. do something with Mom's Apple Pie #3.I didn't realize how big a deal this thing was until I found this web page while searching for details on Mom's Apple Pie. I was very impressed when I found my father's name and comments made by him on this web site. I haven't seen my father in years but it's nice to know that I still have a reason to be proud of his accomplishments. Rock n' roll was something he passed on to me. -------Larry P Jr.
13 - larry patterson
Larry Patterson Jr. contact me. DAD!!
14 - Tom Roos / Sweden
Anyonne happends to know what happend to Pia Knight or what her sirname was or is today , It would be intressting to ask her a couple of question then I in fact is Swedish myself. (på ren svenska)
VBR & TACK [Personal contact info deleted]
15 - larry
I would like everybody to read this The Band MOM'S APPLE PIE were more than the Album Cover, even though it is famous, they were and are still GREAT musicians including Roger Force
from Larry
former manager of MOM'S APPLE PIE!!!
16 - Elizabeth D.
I can't find these albums anywhere. Are they still available . . . somewhere . . . maybe??? I don't care what format, though I would prefer the vinyl.
17 - Karyn L.
I have the MAP albums 1 & 2. I bought them because I loved the sound, but mainly because I knew Tony & the organist from former Warren band, "The Shaddows," who played in Cleveland a lot. Larry, I hope you find Roger or vice-versa. Would love to hear #3. MAP, no matter what the critics say, your sound was the sound of that time when we were all young and "Happy to Be." Tony/Pepe, thanks for Utopia, the songs, and the memories.
18 - Karyn L.
PS I have photos of Terry Knight & the Pack that I took in April 1966 when TK&P opened for Peter & Gordon at the Hippodrome in Cleveland, OH at a WHK "Good Guys" concert. Photos are not the best and individuals only identifiable because I wrote captions beneath them all. Who ever knew that they would be part of a legacy of sorts.
19 - Kathryn
Pia Knight's maiden name was Cedric. She was originally from Sweden. I was TK executive secretary during Brown Bag. I, too, have often wondered what happened to Pia. TK dictated every thing that poor girl did....
20 - Larry Patterson
this is the official MOM'S APPLE PIE page.
feel free to join and send comments.
Thanks,...Larry former manager of MAP
21 - Larry Patterson
The official Mom's Apple Pie page
by former manager Larry
22 - Dom Settemio
Bob Fiorino, are you still around? I knew your Uncle Frank Fiorino up in Boston very well
23 - annsara43
Larry, what happen to Pia Knight and who is involved with Knights web site, thanks
24 - fred turner
Does anyone have an email address for Roger Force or Joe Ahladis? Thanks much.